I've finally come to the difficult decision that breastfeeding just isn't for me. What's the best, and least painful, way to dry up milk supply? I've spoken to the OB who said to use ice compressions, cold cabbage leaves and motrin around the clock until empty in approx. 7-10 days. Are there any other tricks I can do to speed the process? It's been 24 hours now since I fed last and I am super uncomfortable.
Personally, I would not recommend using shots or taking Motrin, everyone wants an easy fix for everything, but this is something you can do on your own. Cabbage leaves work great, I have read about the great healing properties. It may take a couple of days and then the supply may nearly go away. I found that it really wasn't that bad at all, perhaps it is different for others? I leaked slightly, enough to wear pads for another month. I didn't use any ice packs, cabbage and everything went well with me.
Hi Nerdo ~ I chose not to breastfeed for personal reasons and I definitely experienced some painful moments last year as I waited for the milk to dry up.
One thing I can tell you is that hot water is a "let down" trigger. It will make your milk come out. I'm not saying don't take a shower, but just adjust the temperature accordingly.
I also took Tylenol occassionally and wore very tight fighting sports bras with nursing pads in them. I never did the cabbage leaves or anything like that. It was never necessary for me. Your milk will dry up as long as you don't press on your breasts, lean against them, or stimulate them in any way. Granted, when your baby cries, they may leak...but give your baby a bottle right away.
One more thing - and this will sound weird. You may want to stay away from other babies until your milk dries up too. If you hear another baby cry, you may get a let down reflex...highly annoying! It happened to me in the grocery store! I ran out leaking...but that's another story.
Congratulations on your new baby!
Be patient. It took mine forever to dry up this last time. The cabbage leaves really do work. Make sure you pound the cabbage leaves with something like a meat tenderizer. My doctor told me it is the enzymes in the leaf that help and they need to be released. I just wore a tight bra and stuffed it full of leaves. The ice cold of the leaves also feel good. It took at least 2 1/2 weeks for me to dry up and I was still leaking off and on in month 3.
I was told tight bra, as well as birth control pills, which I was starting up again anyway because we were going to wait a couple years to have another child.
Oh, I am right there with you. Ouch. I just had my fourth child and breastfed the others. I always had problems because I actually produce too much milk. I chose not to with this one and I knew it was going to be a huge problem right from delivery....it has. What I have done is to wear a sports bra with 4 ace bandages wrapped around me. I actually didn't take it off for 3 days and bathed around it. I think that is what got me through the difficult stage.
You might want to just pump until you are comfortable. Wrap yourself. Use ice packs and Motrin. Definately stay away from the shower for a couple of days. You might get a little stinky but I feel that is where I made the mistake with #3 when I tried to dry up then.
You could also take the slow and less painful approach and just pump only when you are going to die and just enough to where you can stand it. It will take forever but......not as painful.
Birth control pills are also an option. The shot is no longer available. It was a med they used with Parkinson's disease and it was causing brain aneurysms.I think I would take the risk at this point. My daughter was born 07/18 and the boobs are still wrapped and only unwrapped to take the fastest showers of my life!!!!
Good Luck!! I feel your pain.
The milk dry up has been going okay. My back hurts a lot at night, but motrin helps with that. I hate wearing a bra 24/7! My boobs have really shrunk from their PPG size. Is that normal? Will they go back to size? I miss their natural fullness.
Mine never went back to what they used to be...I was in a bathing suit today and complaining of the "lack" of what used to be on top, and I never breastfed! I lost a full cup size. Some women are very lucky though and don't lose anything. I was not so lucky.
I'm right there with you LauraLu. I have the incredible shrinking boobs. Each morning they look smaller and smaller! It's crazy! I've gone from a DD to a C easily. I had no idea they would shrink. They left that part out of the pregnancy books!
