Stopping milk from coming in!

[Merida83]

Hoping you lovely lot can help as google is failing me lol.

Does anyone know in the UK if they will prescribe meds to prevent milk production immediately after birth?

One midwife said possibly tho couldn't remember name of the drug and another just wasn't sure (very unhelpful!).

I've been told of how painful your breasts can get when milk comes in and you are not breastfeeding. I'll already have pain as having a C-Section so keen to avoid any extra/avoidable discomfort.

Thanks to anyone who can help!

Is there a reason you don't want to try breastfeeding? Lots of women successfully breastfeed after C-Sections and it has tremendous benefits for both mum and baby.

I'm not an overzealous breastfeeding evangelist but I do think it would be a shame not to try, at least for the first while when the baby gets so many important antibodies.

You can take dostinex if you know you will not want to breast feed and want to stop your milk coming in

I didn't breastfeed and it wasn't painful, a bit tender but nothing to write home about.

I think that breastfeeding plays a big part in milk production. Post-birth hormones play a part, but the baby suckling is also important, so I don't think there would be as much milk anyway. Hopefully others can confirm (I breastfed so my milk most definitely did come in!)

I tried and failed to bf. Not everyone has oversupply and engorged boobs. Ask MW to find out. (What rubbish responses!) Get your choice put on your birth plan.

I don't think it will come in? I didn't want to breastfeed at all, so did absolutely nothing after both births - breasts were a little bit tender for a day or two, but nothing to write home about. No worse than when my periods were due in fact.

I believe it's the act of breastfeeding that makes your milk come through - no breastfeeding, no milk. But if you're really worried, have a word with your midwife.

To be honest if you make sure you take all the pain killers they give you after the c section you don't tend to fell the pain.

It used to be that the drugs had risks associated with them - cancer I think? Not sure if new drugs are now available.

Fell = feel

Cabergoline is a prescription only prolactin antagonist. I was prescribed it during ivf.
DS couldn't BF as he was early. I had awful pain for over a week.
I tried wine, sudafed and sage tea.
Hope they prescribe you something- you have to be very assertive IME.

I had a c section and getting my milk to come in was hard work. It never did in the end. I could be wrong but I'm sure that birth produces the hormones needed for milk production. With a c section it was explained to me that it's the baby that stimulates the hormones so there is a bit of a delay anyway. If you aren't doing anything to encourage milk production then I'm not sure how much you will even need medication.

As long as you don't stimulate your breasts at all, wear a supportive bra day and night from the day after birth for 2 or 3 days, take regular pain relief ( which you will be in any case after a section), you'll be just fine.

It will come in, i had a cs at 36w, no labour and although I tried to bf, DS never managed it so we were bottle feeding by 24 hours old and it still came in, it was hideous.

I also chose not to breastfeed, my milk did come in and it was sore but I followed advice of no stimulation (including when washing in the bath/shower) and a good supportive bra as mentioned above.

I was also told to avoid holding the baby too close to my boobs at that point as the hormones would go mad and make it worse... but who doesn't want their newborn snuggled on their chest?!

Yes it's sore but not that bad and personally for me, wouldn't justify taking medication for.

I didn't breastfeed after my section and was told by the midwife to not stimulate my boobs and not let the shower flow onto them for to long. My milk dried up within a few days and had no problems at all.

Thank you all so much.
Good to know these handy tips too.

And for lady who asked it's not a choice I take medications for a heart condition so bf isn't an option sadly.

Your boobs. Your choice.
Have cold cabbage leaves in the fridge in case you need coolant!
Good luck with the birth and the new arrival.

Thanks for answering @Merida83; I honestly wasn't trying to be goady or pushy, just curious - sorry if it came across that way. (I really am one of those "ALL MUST BREASTFEED!" people il- I won't if it doesn't work out for me! - but I thought it might be through fear or concern etc as you were talking about pain, and the lovely ladies here might have been able to help if you'd wanted).

I took something for this after a stillbirth. Not sure what it was (didn't take much in at the time) but it didn't work very well - my breasts were still engorged for a few days.

merida if you otherwise want to breastfeed, have you consulted the Drugs in Breastfeeding site/helpline? There are very very few drugs you genuinely can't bf on but doctors are largely untrained in this area and skew massively and unnecessarily conservative. The helpline is run by a very knowledgeable and accessible pharmacist called Wendy who can give you informed advice.

kelllymom.com is also a great resource... if it suggests that it's unsafe, then it is what it is, but you may be pleasantly surprised and be able to at least attempt bfing safely. And if not, then cold cabbage leaves are my best recommendation for safe relief from engorgement ❤️

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/detailed-information/drugs-in-breastmilk/

Merida83 I didn't BF my last (3rd) baby at all. Milk came in but boobs were only sore for a day or two, and not unbearable. Cold cabbage leaves in my bra helped loads. Was going to ask for meds but glad I didn't in the end as all was fine.

Stopping BFing once started was far more painful than never starting in the first place.

Thanks for the links. But I've already looked into it with them. And Read Multiple studies too. The drugs I'm on are definitely not safe sadly.

Definitely gonna stock up on cabbage leaves tho thanks all.

Lemsip may well help.