The most common problem for nursing mothers is maintaining breast milk production in such quantities that the baby does not need to be supplemented with an adapted formula. But the opposite situations occur when it is necessary quickly stop lactation due to the woman’s health, or when the time has come for the grown-up baby to give up breastfeeding, but a lot of milk is still produced. We recently discussed the question, now let's consider the opposite situation.

How to stop lactation in such cases? We will present and discuss several of the most common methods.

Ways to stop lactation

The formation of milk in the breast occurs under the influence of pituitary hormones, which are produced only in response to the regular frequent release of the mammary gland when the baby sucks or when pumping. The quantity is influenced by many factors:

• increased blood supply and increased temperature of the secreting lobules of the breast;
• adequate maternal fluid intake;
• the presence of acute or exacerbation of chronic diseases in a woman;
• food quality;
• the emotional status of the nursing mother and the intensity of her daily routine.

All ways to stop lactation are based on various ways of influencing the above factors.

Tight ligation of the breast to stop lactation

This is one of the oldest methods. It was believed that squeezing the mammary glands with dense tissue quickly reduced milk production. But this opinion is wrong. The secretory lobules do not stop functioning, the milk passages become overfilled. External pressure on the chest, combined with a feeling of fullness from the inside, causes severe pain in a woman. The milk is not expressed, so lactostasis forms, which is often complicated by mastitis with an increase in temperature and deterioration in health. As a result, part of the milk lobules, after the inflammatory process subsides, is replaced by scar tissue, changing the shape of the breast. During subsequent births, the beginning of the lactation period is accompanied by severe pain, frequent occurrence of lactostasis and mastitis, and hypogalactia.

Limiting fluid intake to stop lactation

This is an effective way to gradually reduce the amount of milk produced. The mother is advised to reduce fluid intake as much as possible. To do this, exclude soups and foods that cause thirst from the diet. And drinking is limited as much as possible. If you are thirsty, instead of tea, you can use decoctions of herbs that have a diuretic effect in quantities of up to 1 liter per day. These are lingonberry leaves, garden parsley, bearberry, elecampane, basil, horsetail, and madder.

Taking herbal remedies that reduce lactation

In addition to diuretic herbs, there are plants that can reduce the amount of milk produced. These are sage and mint (fragrant and peppery). Within a day after taking them in the form of a decoction, the breasts become softer, and within one to two weeks lactation stops completely. As with drinking diuretic herbs, you only need to express your breasts a little when you feel a feeling of painful fullness.

Medicines that stop lactation

This is a large group of highly active, mainly hormonal drugs that inhibit the secretory activity of the pituitary gland. These include bromocriptine, dostinex, duphaston, parlodel, orgametril, cabergoline, microfollin, and utrozhestan. Depending on the type of drug, complete cessation of lactation occurs after 1 to 14 days. Due to the presence of a large number of quickly occurring and long-term side effects, this technique is practiced by doctors only in cases where it is necessary to urgently stop milk production. Since there are many contraindications for the use of these drugs, self-medication with them is not acceptable.

Today, the list of contraindications to breastfeeding has significantly decreased. Lactation is unacceptable only in the case of severe purulent mastitis, open form of tuberculosis, malignant neoplasms during their treatment, congenital anomalies of the structure of the mammary glands, in which there are no milk ducts. You cannot give a baby milk from a mother who is forced to constantly take potent medications that can cause negative reactions in the child’s body.

But acute inflammatory diseases, taking a short course of antibacterial and other drugs (for example, for systemic anesthesia during emergency or planned surgery) are not indications for complete cessation of lactation. In such cases, the baby is temporarily fed with an adapted formula, and the mother expresses milk. Breastfeeding can be resumed the next day after the period of removal of the last dose of the drug from the woman’s body has expired.

Physiological method of stopping lactation

This method, depending on the individual characteristics of lactation, takes from five days to three weeks. Its main advantage is that it is completely non-traumatic for the chest and completely free of pain.

A woman only needs to follow the following rules:

1. You need to start weaning during a lactation crisis.. Every 3-4 weeks, a nursing mother’s milk supply decreases by 1-3 days. In the first 5 months, lactation crises are more pronounced, up to the complete absence of milk. In the second half of the year, only periods of moderate hypogalactia are more often observed. All the following rules are described specifically for these days.

2. Avoid night breastfeeding. During the day, do not put the baby to the breast regularly, but only when there is significant filling. Express a small portion of milk only if you feel painful swelling of the mammary glands.

3. The mother should exclude hot drinks, soups, and those foods that caused her milk supply from her diet. Most often it is boiled beef, dill, fennel, caraway seeds, beer. Limit fluid intake as much as possible. Instead of tea, drink herbal decoctions with a diuretic effect, be sure to supplement them with sage and mint in the amount of 1-2 grams of dry herbs per glass of water.

4. Provide access to cool air to the body, do not wrap your chest in warm clothes.

5. Don't take a bath. Wash in a warm shower, ending by pouring cool water over the mammary glands.

6. If the skin of the mammary glands has a vascular pattern, or they are hot to the touch, you can apply cold compresses to them for 20 minutes. But you should not cool your breasts too much, as this will cause inflammation.

7. Hold your baby as little as possible, minimizing tight skin-to-skin contact as much as possible.

8. Wear a bra made of thick cotton fabric 24/7, which should reliably support and lightly press the mammary glands. If your breast volume decreases, change your underwear to a smaller size in a timely manner.

When choosing a method to stop milk production in the breast, you need to consult a gynecologist. He will suggest the method that will, if possible, prevent the occurrence of side effects and complications as much as possible, and will keep the breast tissue intact. This is very important for planning breastfeeding during the next birth, as well as for the prevention of benign and malignant neoplasms.

Until recently, a new mother was nervous that breast milk was not enough or that it was of the wrong quality. But somehow everything worked out smoothly, the baby has grown up and is already actively eating porridge, pureed meat, and fermented milk products. He has his first teeth, and his mother intuitively understands that it is time to stop breastfeeding.

How to do this painlessly for the child and your own body is a serious question. In addition, on women's forums on the Internet, where a woman will definitely go looking for answers, they are always ready to intimidate and intimidate her to such an extent that she will change her mind about weaning the toddler altogether. Famous children's doctor Evgeny Komarovsky tells how and when to stop breastfeeding and what to do with lactation.

When to stop?

Breast milk is a very nutritious and valuable product for a newborn, and no formula, even the most modern, expensive and adapted, can compete with nature itself as the food provided for the baby. Evgeny Komarovsky claims that after teeth appear, a person no longer has a biological need for breast milk. When he can already eat thicker food, his body begins to require a qualitatively different composition of food than mother’s breasts can offer. This occurs after the child turns one year old.

When deciding to stop breastfeeding, a mother must remember that she is not only a walking milk factory, but also a member of society, a social being, and she needs to perform not only her biological functions (feed the child), but also perform her social functions (going out in public , work, communicate, study).

She may eventually get sick and need medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding, a possibility that cannot be ignored.

If adherents of breastfeeding up to three years want to forget about the social functions of the mother and her personal desires, then that is their business. Breast milk will not harm either a two-year-old child or a five-year-old child. But also of great benefit.

Komarovsky believes that a mother who honestly fed her baby for up to a year can be calm - she fulfilled her biological duty in full. It’s time to think about how to wean a child from breastfeeding after a year.

Where to begin?

It’s difficult to start, warns Komarovsky. A baby who, at 12-14 months old, knows perfectly well what his mother’s delicious tita is, is unlikely to want to give it up without a fight. He will fight like it was the last time, yell, throw tantrums, demand.

Not everyone, even a very nervous mother, can withstand such conditions. At some point she will give in, allow you to suck a little, and everything will have to start all over again. There is no way to stop milk lactation while the baby is irritating the receptors on the nipple.

To begin the action of weaning your child from the breast, you need to be determined and understand that the baby’s dependence on breastfeeding is no longer physiological, but psychological, and he will live quite normally without breast milk. Mom and grandmother, as well as other relatives living in the same living space, need to stock up on valerian.

It is best to separate mother and child for several days, says Evgeniy Komarovsky. Sending the mother to the country house or to a sanatorium for 5-7 days will be enough for the child to learn to do without breast milk. After the mother’s return, there may be inclinations of the child to take away the pleasure, but they should be resolutely stopped. Of course, the child will be unhappy and may cry. But the mother should not change her decision, otherwise the weaning process will last for months and years and will cause everyone in the household a lot of moral suffering.

If persuasion does not help, try ruining the taste of the milk. To do this, according to Komarovsky, it is enough to eat garlic or smear mustard on the nipple.

If a child receives a breast with such a “product” several times, next time he will think carefully about whether to ask for it again or to make do. Although this method does not work for everyone: some babies really like their mother’s “garlic” milk, and the pungent smell does not bother them at all.

The information that for a child, refusal to breastfeed is severe stress and trauma for life, according to Evgeniy Komarovsky, has no basis. All this is speculation of mothers who are fans of breastfeeding up to five years and are far from medicine and even psychology. The stress will be minimal and will be forgotten very quickly by the baby if the mother does everything correctly. This means quickly, decisively and irrevocably.

Best time

You can stop feeding at any time of the year, says Evgeny Komarovsky. Whether it's winter or summer outside, it doesn't matter. But it is important whether the child is ready for change. There are several situations in which it is better to postpone weaning:

• Baby's illness. If he's feeling bad, it's not a good idea to make things worse.
• Painful teething. If the process is in full swing, it is better to give the usual breast and not injure the already inflamed gums. In addition, breast milk contains a large number of antibodies to various infections, and it has antibacterial properties.
• A change of scenery. If you are going to move with your child or go on vacation in a week or two, you should not start weaning. It is better to leave it for later, when the child gets into a familiar environment.

After recovery, in a few days, you can begin your plan.

For a very long time, people believed that it was impossible to stop breastfeeding during the hot season, and at that time it was quite reasonable - after stopping breast milk, the incidence of intestinal infections almost always increased. Now is the 21st century, and basic compliance with hygiene standards makes it possible to stop feeding without problems when the mother needs it.

Termination of lactation

Stopping breast milk production is quite difficult, since its psychomotor mechanism is very stable. But nothing is impossible, says Evgeniy Olegovich, and if the first stage - weaning - has taken place, and the mother has withstood the persistent ordeal of the child for several days, then it’s time to make sure that there is as little milk as possible.

To do this, the doctor recommends drinking less fluids. This doesn't mean mom needs to dry herself to death. You just need to follow the drinking regime as it was at the time of the formation of lactation and its maintenance; it is no longer necessary. Under no circumstances should you express milk, even if it happens that the child gets sick a few days after the start of the campaign to wean him from the breast. Pumping starts the production mechanism.

Komarovsky strongly advises mom to take up active sports - run, do push-ups, pull-ups, lift weights, do anything to sweat more. The more sweat you have, the less breast milk you will produce.

There are several most common ways to stop lactation:

• gradual reduction in the number of feedings;
• using tablets;
• folk remedies.

Before choosing one method or another, you need to carefully study all its pros and cons.

The first way is reducing the number of feedings– works on the principle of “no demand, no supply.” It is known that the breast produces as much milk as the baby eats. Therefore, the less he eats, the less milk will be produced.

Gradually reducing the number of feedings as a way to stop lactation - most physiological and safe for mom, and for the child such weaning will be the gentlest.

Tablets to stop lactation

Today you can easily purchase high-quality and effective pills to stop lactation. However, there are some important points to consider before purchasing them.

• Since most of these drugs act on the brain and endocrine system and have side effects, then in each specific case they should be prescribed by a doctor. He will assess the mother’s health, select the most suitable drug for her and prescribe an individual dosage.
• You can stop lactation with pills, only being absolutely sure that the baby will no longer need breast milk: The tablets stop milk production in a short time and it will no longer be possible to restore lactation after taking them.

The most popular and effective tablets that stop lactation are , Bromocriptine, etc. They block the production of prolactin, a hormone that is responsible for lactation, and within a few days milk production stops completely.

How to stop lactation using folk remedies?

The first thing that traditional medicine recommends to stop lactation is This is to reduce the amount of liquid you drink per day. And this is correct: the more fluid enters the body, the more milk is produced in the breast. Accordingly, if you drink less, then lactation will decrease significantly.

But this measure alone is not enough. You can speed up the process of completing lactation using herbal remedies.

Will help you stop lactation quickly infusions of diuretic herbs. They will remove unnecessary fluid from the body, thereby stopping milk production. Bearberry, basil, wintering horsetail, lingonberry, garden parsley, elecampane, and madder have a good diuretic effect.

• From grass or herbal mixture make an infusion or decoction and drink 5-6 glasses of prepared diuretic per day.

The effect can be assessed after the first use, but You need to take diuretic infusions for a week. Usually this time is enough for milk production to stop completely.

Separately, it is necessary to say about Salvia officinalis. This effective folk remedy completely stops lactation without harming the woman’s health.

How to stop lactation with sage?

In large quantities contains phytoestrogens- an analogue of the female hormone estrogen. Estrogen suppresses the production of prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation. The mechanism of action of sage is simple: it increases the level of estrogen in the body, thereby significantly reducing the production of prolactin. And if there is no prolactin, there is no lactation.

Sage can be taken to stop lactation in the form of infusion, decoction, tea, or you can use sage oil.

• Infusion: add a handful of chopped sage to a glass of boiling water. Let it brew for at least an hour, strain and you can take it: 50 g four times a day, you can eat it after 20 minutes.
• Decoction: add a handful of herbs to a glass of boiling water, reduce heat and leave on the stove for 10 minutes. Insist, strain and you can drink: 20 g four times a day.
• Tea: buy ready-made at a pharmacy, brew and take according to the instructions on the package.
• How sage oil stop lactation? Of course, using it externally, combined with a light chest massage. This will avoid compaction and inflammation of the mammary glands.

Contraindications to the use of sage are: epilepsy, severe cough, acute nephritis, kidney inflammation and pregnancy.

Chest tug- the most common and most incorrect way to stop milk production. We already know that lactation occurs under the influence of hormones, and breast bandaging does not affect this process in any way.

It is almost impossible to stop lactation in this way. Impaired blood supply to the breast, development of edema, lactostasis, mastitis- this is what this method can lead to.

Every nursing mother sooner or later faces the need to stop lactation. It doesn’t matter for what reasons a woman cannot continue to breastfeed, the main thing is to stop milk production in the safest way for her.

When is it better to stop breastfeeding, how to stop lactation without harming your health, what is better to use for this - pills or folk remedies, and how not to suppress lactation, read on the women's website “Beautiful and Successful”.

How to choose the right time to stop lactation?

As a breastfeeding mother, you can rightly note that everyone decides for themselves when to stop breastfeeding. And this is true, especially since circumstances often arise in which breastfeeding becomes completely impossible.

But we are talking about how to properly stop lactation - in the most physiological, and therefore safe, way for mother and child. And here you need to listen to the opinion of WHO experts.

What explains this?

• By the age of two, the child’s sucking reflex fades away, and weaning from the breast is almost painless for him (which, you see, is important).
• As a rule, at this age there is a minimum number of feedings, which means that there is very little milk in the breast and lactation will stop naturally - its production will stop as unnecessary.

How to stop lactation in a woman?

There are several most common ways to stop lactation:

• gradual reduction in the number of feedings;
• using tablets;
• folk remedies.

Before choosing one method or another, you need to carefully study all its pros and cons.

The first method - reducing the number of feedings - works on the principle of “no demand - no supply.” It is known that the breast produces as much milk as the baby eats. Therefore, the less he eats, the less milk will be produced.

A gradual reduction in the number of feedings as a way to stop lactation is the most physiological and safe for the mother, and for the child such weaning will be the gentlest.

Tablets to stop lactation

It is good if a nursing mother has the opportunity to gradually stop breastfeeding, but often breastfeeding has to be stopped on an emergency basis. For example, a woman needs to stop breastfeeding after giving birth or she cannot continue breastfeeding for medical reasons. In such cases, it is best to stop lactation with pills.

Today you can easily purchase high-quality and effective pills to stop lactation. However, there are some important points to consider before purchasing them.

• Since most of these drugs act on the brain and endocrine system and have side effects, they must be prescribed by a doctor in each specific case. He will assess the mother’s health, select the most suitable drug for her and prescribe an individual dosage.
• You can stop lactation with pills only if you are absolutely sure that the baby will no longer need breast milk: the pills stop milk production in a short time and it will no longer be possible to restore lactation after taking them.

The most popular and effective tablets that stop lactation are Dostinex, Agalates, Bromcryptine, Parlodel, etc. They block the production of prolactin, the hormone that is responsible for lactation, and within a few days milk production stops completely.

The site is against women prescribing drugs to stop lactation on their own, since they all have side effects.

If a young mother does not have the opportunity to consult a doctor about this, it is better for her to use folk remedies to stop lactation.

How to stop lactation using folk remedies?

The first thing that traditional medicine recommends to stop lactation is to reduce the amount of liquid you drink per day. And this is correct: the more fluid enters the body, the more milk is produced in the breast. Accordingly, if you drink less, then lactation will decrease significantly.

But this measure alone is not enough. You can speed up the process of completing lactation with the help of herbal preparations.

Infusions of diuretic herbs will help to quickly stop lactation. They will remove unnecessary fluid from the body, thereby stopping milk production. Bearberry, basil, wintering horsetail, lingonberry, garden parsley, elecampane, and madder have a good diuretic effect.

• Make an infusion or decoction from a herb or herbal mixture and drink 5-6 glasses of the prepared diuretic per day.

The effect can be assessed after the first use, but you need to take diuretic infusions for a week. Usually this time is enough for milk production to stop completely.

Separately, it is necessary to say about medicinal sage. This effective folk remedy completely stops lactation without harming the woman’s health.

How to stop lactation with sage?

Sage contains large quantities of phytoestrogens - an analogue of the female hormone estrogen. Estrogen suppresses the production of prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation. The mechanism of action of sage is simple: it increases the level of estrogen in the body, thereby significantly reducing the production of prolactin. And if there is no prolactin, there is no lactation.

To stop lactation, sage can be taken in the form of infusion, decoction, tea, or you can use sage oil.

• Infusion: add a handful of chopped sage to a glass of boiling water. Let it brew for at least an hour, strain and you can take it: 50 g four times a day, you can eat it after 20 minutes.
• Decoction: add a handful of herbs to a glass of boiling water, reduce heat and leave on the stove for 10 minutes. Insist, strain and you can drink: 20 g four times a day.
• Tea: buy ready-made at a pharmacy, brew and take according to the instructions on the package.
• How to stop lactation with sage oil? Of course, using it externally, combined with a light chest massage. This will avoid compaction and inflammation of the mammary glands.

Contraindications to the use of sage are epilepsy, severe cough, acute nephritis, kidney inflammation and pregnancy.

How can you stop lactation?

Breast pulling is the most common and most incorrect way to stop milk production. We already know that lactation occurs under the influence of hormones, and breast bandaging does not affect this process in any way.

It is almost impossible to stop lactation in this way. Impaired blood supply to the breast, development of edema, lactostasis, mastitis - this is what this method can lead to.

“Beautiful and Successful” hopes that this article will help you choose the most suitable way to stop lactation. But still, it would be useful to remind once again that the most natural and safest way for mother and child is the gradual completion of lactation. In all other cases, specialist advice is required.

Copying this article is prohibited!

In the life of every nursing mother, one day there may come a time when it is necessary to wean the baby from the breast. How to reduce lactation quickly and correctly, without harming the baby? What needs to be done to make weaning as painless as possible for a woman?

Weaning

The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least 2 years. Mother's milk is recognized as an incredibly valuable source of all the nutrients, vitamins, microelements and antibodies a baby needs. Unfortunately, not all women can breastfeed a child for such a long time.

The reasons for cessation of lactation can be very different:

• mother's reluctance to continue breastfeeding;
• separation from the child for a long time (departure, hospitalization in a hospital);
• maternal illness and taking medications incompatible with lactation;
• illnesses of the child in which it is impossible to continue feeding him breast milk.

As a result, a woman is faced with the question: how to properly stop the production of breast milk? The problem is that lactation does not stop instantly. Mother's milk continues to be produced for quite a long time after breastfeeding stops. All this creates certain difficulties for a woman, forcing her to look for ways to solve the problem.

What awaits a nursing mother in case of sudden suppression of lactation? The milk in the breast will not disappear overnight. It will gradually increase, causing the breasts to become heavy and swollen. It is especially difficult to interrupt lactation in the first month of a child’s life. During this period, a lot of milk comes in, and the breasts literally burst with fluid. The development of lactostasis and even mastitis against the background of suppressed lactation is possible. The later weaning occurs, the easier and more painless this process is tolerated by the woman and her baby.

After suppression of lactation, milk may be released from the breast for some time. Women who stop breastfeeding immediately after giving birth will not produce milk for more than 3 weeks. With prolonged breastfeeding, milk may be released from the breast for 3-12 months.

If milk flows spontaneously (without pressure) from the breast 3 months after suppression of lactation, you should consult a doctor.

Methods for stopping lactation

There are several ways to stop breast milk production:

• natural way;
• medicinal methods;
• folk remedies.

Each of these methods has its own characteristics and limitations. Let's take a closer look at all of these methods of suppressing lactation.

The natural way

The most logical and accessible way for any woman to reduce breast milk production. The essence of the method is to gradually reduce breastfeeding until the complete cessation of lactation. First you need to gradually remove daytime feedings. Instead of breastfeeding, the child is offered complementary foods or foods from the common table according to age. The next step is to gradually eliminate night feedings until they stop completely.

The method is not suitable for all women. This method does not allow you to quickly stop the production of breast milk and requires a certain amount of time and patience. On average, natural weaning takes about 3 months. If it is necessary to quickly stop lactation, you should use other means of reducing breast milk production.

Important point: natural cessation of breastfeeding is only suitable for children over one year old. At this age, babies usually eat complementary foods and food from the common table well, and weaning will not be a big problem for them. Artificial formula is not introduced into the child’s diet.

Medication methods

There are many medications that can quickly stop lactation. These medications suppress breast milk production and allow you to stop breastfeeding completely. But all drugs that stop the formation of milk in the breast have a large number of side effects. You should take pills to stop lactation only as prescribed by a doctor and under his constant supervision.

What drugs are used to suppress breast milk production and interrupt lactation?

• "Dostinex".

The drug stimulates dopamine receptors of the pituitary gland, which leads to suppression of breast milk production. However, the drug does not affect the formation of other hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary system. The effect comes quite quickly. After just 3 hours, the drug significantly reduces the level of prolactin in the blood, and the result lasts for 21 days.

The drug is used once immediately after the birth of the child to prevent lactation. To suppress the already established production of breast milk, you need to take the medicine for 2 days. The drug has a large number of side effects, among which a sharp drop in blood pressure is especially dangerous. To prevent this condition, it is not recommended to exceed the dosage prescribed by your doctor.

• "Bromocriptine."

Like Dostinex, the drug stimulates dopamine receptors in the brain and allows you to completely stop lactation. The dosage and duration of administration are determined by the doctor individually for each patient. The drug often leads to disorders of the digestive tract and nervous system. The development of orthostatic hypotension and visual disturbances during the use of the drug is very typical.

There are other drugs that suppress lactation. Some of them, like Dostinex, act on the pituitary gland receptors, others have a sedative effect and gradually reduce milk production. In order to quickly and correctly stop lactation, you should consult a doctor and ask him about the possibilities of using certain medications.

1. All drugs have a large number of side effects and therefore are used only as prescribed by a specialist.
2. All drugs are dangerous for the child. After the first tablet is taken, the baby should not be given breastfeeding.
3. It is imperative to follow the dosage prescribed by the doctor and in no case exceed it.
4. If serious side effects occur, you should immediately stop taking the drug.
5. While taking the pills, you need to express regularly to prevent the development of lactostasis.

Folk remedies

Not all women are ready to take pills to stop lactation. Many nursing mothers turn to proven methods of alternative medicine. What folk remedies will help you quickly and correctly stop the production of breast milk?

• Compresses.

Compresses based on camphor oil have a good effect. The oil should be applied to the breasts in a thin layer every 4 hours for 3 days. The treated area should be wrapped in a warm scarf or scarf. Do not use camphor oil if there are cracks or other damage to the skin of the breast.

If a rash, itching or severe burning sensation appears on the skin, immediately wash off the camphor oil and consult a doctor.

Another good folk remedy is a compress of cabbage leaves. This method is quite safe for a nursing mother. Cabbage leaves need to be kneaded with your hands and applied to your chest. The chest should be wrapped with a clean cloth. It is believed that such a remedy can reduce milk production and complete lactation. Compresses are made twice a day for a week.

• Herbal decoctions.

At home, various herbs are actively used to stop lactation. First of all, medicinal plants that have a diuretic effect deserve attention. Lingonberries, peppermint, sage, basil, bearberry and parsley have proven themselves well. Decoctions and infusions of these herbs help remove fluid from a woman’s body and thereby somewhat reduce the production of breast milk.

Making an herbal drink is quite simple. You need to take 2 tablespoons of any of these herbs, pour into a teapot or glass and fill with boiled water (up to 500 ml). The drink should brew under the lid for an hour. The strained and cooled broth can be drunk throughout the day in small portions (the optimal number of servings is up to 6 per day). The effect occurs 3-5 days after the start of therapy.

All folk remedies have only one significant drawback. None of the alternative medicine recipes allows you to quickly complete lactation. In order to curtail breast milk production as soon as possible, you will have to seek help from a doctor.

Helping a woman

How to stop lactation at home without harming yourself? Experts recommend adhering to the following rules.

• Pumping.

It doesn’t matter which method a woman chooses to complete lactation. While taking medications or herbs, you should regularly express by hand or using a breast pump. In the first days, pumping can be quite frequent, every 2-3 hours. After 3-4 days you will be able to express much less frequently. However, under no circumstances should you empty your breasts completely! If you express completely, milk will come in compensatory, and lactation will not stop.

• Wearing comfortable underwear.

Until lactation completely stops, you need to wear a comfortable, tight, but not pressing bra. Underwear must be selected according to size. You should wear your bra 24 hours a day.

• Cold compresses.

You can relieve chest pain and heaviness with cold compresses. To do this, apply ice wrapped in clean gauze to the skin. You can also gently wrap a wet towel around your chest.

Do not tighten your breasts with tight fabric - this can lead to lactostasis.

• Balanced diet.

There is an opinion that it is enough to remove nuts, pumpkin, milk and other similar products from the diet of a nursing mother, and lactation will immediately stop. Actually this is not true. No foods consumed by a woman affect the quantity and composition of breast milk. Therefore, a woman should eat well and not exclude healthy foods from her diet. Food volumes should also not be limited.

Another popular myth is that the amount of breast milk is affected by the consumption of various drinks. A nursing mother is advised to drink as much liquid as possible, including hot tea with milk. These same drinks are recommended to be limited at the end of lactation. This makes no sense, because the volume of liquid consumed does not affect the amount of milk a woman has. Hot drinks only create a temporary rush of milk to the breast, but do not change its total volume and rate of production in the mammary glands.