Drying up milk supply...

caity88 · Jul 12th, 2011, 22:35 PM

I know this is a forum for women who are trying to breastfeed, but I have a question. I gave birth on June 28 and my milk supply came in about 5 days later. But I have a low supply of milk and my baby has a hard time latching on. We had been supplementing so she wouldn't lose weight and I was pumping every 2 hours. But with this being my last baby and all the stress I was under (I was a mess...crying all the time because I couldn't feed my baby and the lack of sleep from pumping all the time just to give her a bottle) I decided to go with just formula. The problem is my right breast became engorged (which I treated with cold ice packs) but my left one continues to leak all the time. It has never became engorged and the right one quit producing milk right after the engorgement went away. How do I get the milk supply to stop all together? Thanks in advance for your help ladies!

TigerLady · Jul 12th, 2011, 22:41 PM

I don't know of any ways to make it dry up.

Just time, I think. It takes some women much longer than others. Maybe someone else will have a better suggestion.

kerrie24 · Jul 13th, 2011, 01:36 AM

In the 80s they used to give you pills to dry it up my mum said,or wrap you up tightly (banding) but I think the safest way is to wait and not stimulate the breasts.
When I had my 1st son I didnt bf and it took 2 weeks for the engorgement to go down,then for months if I squeezed I could still get milk.

Ohmy4 · Jul 13th, 2011, 01:58 AM

I hear you can put cabbage in your bra that will help...dont pump, are you on a birth control yet? I hear some of those can dry you up in just days.

patch2006uk · Jul 13th, 2011, 04:28 AM

I was going to suggest a cabbage leaf down your bra too! Not sure what else you can do but try and leave it alone and wait for it to stop

purplepower · Jul 13th, 2011, 09:10 AM

My midwife told me not to drink peppermint tea as it dries up milk so you could try that. Not sure if it will work or not.

TigerLady · Jul 13th, 2011, 10:21 AM

Oh, that reminds me! Antihistimines are not reccommended for BF because they can decrease milk supply. You can try that, too.

purplepower · Jul 13th, 2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TigerLady

Oh, that reminds me! Antihistimines are not reccommended for BF because they can decrease milk supply. You can try that, too.

ooo I didn't know that, had to take one the other day as hayfever was agony.

TigerLady · Jul 13th, 2011, 10:36 AM

They don't always negatively affect milk supply. But they can. They tend to "dry you up" (sinuses etc) and that can cause a decrease in milk. But not always.

purplepower · Jul 13th, 2011, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TigerLady

They don't always negatively affect milk supply. But they can. They tend to "dry you up" (sinuses etc) and that can cause a decrease in milk. But not always.

It does make sense, one of my best pals is a pharmacist so I checked with her which ones were safe to use while bf, am not taking regularly so should be okay.

Jul 12th, 2011, 22:35 PM	#1
caity88 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Kansas, United States Posts: 129	Drying up milk supply... I know this is a forum for women who are trying to breastfeed, but I have a question. I gave birth on June 28 and my milk supply came in about 5 days later. But I have a low supply of milk and my baby has a hard time latching on. We had been supplementing so she wouldn't lose weight and I was pumping every 2 hours. But with this being my last baby and all the stress I was under (I was a mess...crying all the time because I couldn't feed my baby and the lack of sleep from pumping all the time just to give her a bottle) I decided to go with just formula. The problem is my right breast became engorged (which I treated with cold ice packs) but my left one continues to leak all the time. It has never became engorged and the right one quit producing milk right after the engorgement went away. How do I get the milk supply to stop all together? Thanks in advance for your help ladies!

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Jul 12th, 2011, 22:41 PM	#2
TigerLady Mum (Mom) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: In a Cave Posts: 24,275	I don't know of any ways to make it dry up. Just time, I think. It takes some women much longer than others. Maybe someone else will have a better suggestion.

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Jul 13th, 2011, 01:36 AM	#3
kerrie24 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: uk Posts: 6,112	In the 80s they used to give you pills to dry it up my mum said,or wrap you up tightly (banding) but I think the safest way is to wait and not stimulate the breasts. When I had my 1st son I didnt bf and it took 2 weeks for the engorgement to go down,then for months if I squeezed I could still get milk.

Status: Offline

Jul 13th, 2011, 01:58 AM	#4
Ohmy4 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Diego, CA (USA) Posts: 528	I hear you can put cabbage in your bra that will help...dont pump, are you on a birth control yet? I hear some of those can dry you up in just days.

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Jul 13th, 2011, 04:28 AM	#5
patch2006uk Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: West Mids, UK Posts: 5,277	I was going to suggest a cabbage leaf down your bra too! Not sure what else you can do but try and leave it alone and wait for it to stop

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Jul 13th, 2011, 09:10 AM	#6
purplepower Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Harrow, London, UK Posts: 766	My midwife told me not to drink peppermint tea as it dries up milk so you could try that. Not sure if it will work or not.

Status: Offline

Jul 13th, 2011, 10:21 AM	#7
TigerLady Mum (Mom) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: In a Cave Posts: 24,275	Oh, that reminds me! Antihistimines are not reccommended for BF because they can decrease milk supply. You can try that, too.

Status: Offline

Jul 13th, 2011, 10:36 AM	#9
TigerLady Mum (Mom) BnB Spammer Elite Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: In a Cave Posts: 24,275	They don't always negatively affect milk supply. But they can. They tend to "dry you up" (sinuses etc) and that can cause a decrease in milk. But not always.

Status: Offline

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