How to dry up breast milk - please help

[tfh]

I stopped breastfeeding a month ago (after only doing it for 4/5 weeks) and am still leaking milk and finding it really upsetting for a number of reasons. Does anyone have any tips to dry up the milk? I've tried avoiding oats and taking sudofed, neither of which seem to work. Thanks so much for any advice.

Lemsip for the decongestant.
Cabbage leaves in your bra.
Leave them alone.
A bit extreme but getting pregnant can also dry up milk.

Have you tried a tight fitting bra then fridge-cold cabbage leaves in your bra? Sage? And have you asked your health visitor for guidance or advice on stopping?

When stopping, be prepared for a massive hormone crash and all the emotions!

(And just in case - if it's upsetting you, are you really ready to stop?)

There might be some more advice on stopping on these pages:

www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk/

https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/contact-us/helplines/

https://www.laleche.org.uk/

https://kellymom.com/

I used antihistamines

I think you can get tablets btw from pharmacy or prescribed by doctors

Epsom salts?

Savoy cabbage leaves. Put in the fridge then in bra when as cold as possible. And repeat :)

Thanks so much for your suggestions, I'll check out those websites. When I've looked online before I've seen lots of advice about winding down feeding but I fully stopped a month ago so not sure why still leaking :( Unfortunately I had to stop due to illness but I think now after a month of not feeding I wouldn't be able to start again.

Thanks for the advice - how often do you need to change them? Is it one leaf in each side?

Which ones? And for how long?

Do you know what these are called?

I found sage tea helped to speed things along as well as cabbage leaves (yes, one on each).

If you want to start again you could try it though - a month is a long time but as you're still producing then you could give it a go as it sounds a bit like you want to, unless it will affect your mental / physical health

Ask your GP if they will prescribe you cabergoline.

@tfh - https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/Media/UHS-website-2019/Patientinformation/Pregnancyandbirth/Suppressing-your-breast-milk-supply-after-giving-birth-2907-PIL.pdf

i think as above, ask for Cabergoline

I just used Benadryl for a few weeks. I wasn’t and didn’t breastfeed and I leaked really bad but also got a bad rash along my tummy from a reaction to surgical fluid ( c section ) so I took the tablets for the itch but it helped with the milk.
that and the most supportive sports bra I owned.

Thank you so much everyone for your advice!

If you want to you can restart. You clearly have milk. It would take a bit of time relearning for both of you. The NCT infant feeding line can help you with practical information about how to re start.

Fine if you don't want to as well. Take some lemsip for a few days.

You probably would if your supply us still there. At least combi feeding. I stopped for a week because of illness and my nipples were shredded. I was so upset as I fed my first fit 3 1/2 years, but this was when my second was 10 days old. I stopped for a week and healed. I was still leaking, so restarted. I also pumped a kit to increase flow. Within a week, I was producing enough.

Something that actually works is going on the combined pill. The oestrogen will dramatically reduce your supply.

You can certainly try feeding again but be prepared that baby might find it difficult after so long.

Thanks again for your advice all.

I thought going on the pill might do it but my GP seemed reluctant to prescribe it yet - do you have to be a certain time post partum before taking it again?

Do you think lempsip or benadryl will work if sudofed hasn't?

You won't want to hear then that I can still get a few drops of milk and I stopped feeding DS 3 years ago, just before he was 2....

Lemsip almost dried me up! I wasn't intending to wean so had to then work to re-establish my supply (fine now). It did work though...