For various, often independent of a womanβs reasons, she has to interrupt or completely stop breastfeeding. The main thing is to know how to stop lactation in order to avoid possible problems.
There can be many reasons why breastfeeding ceases - weaning of the baby from the breast, illness or forced prolonged absence of the mother, and many others. The reason for the completion of lactation also determines the speed of its stopping, because this process can be stopped both quickly and slowly, gradually.
Often the completion of lactation is due to the fact that the child has grown. It is necessary to resort to artificial measures when the baby is not yet used to doing without a breast, even with the introduction of complementary foods. Sometimes the situation is such that the mother needs to take medications, the intake of which excludes breastfeeding, or these drugs help stop the production of milk. If a nursing mother is forced to go to the hospital, she also needs to know how to stop lactation in the safest way.
The end of lactation. We apply proven methods
There are many ways to stop breastfeeding. Here are the most effective ones.
Lactation pills
Most of them contain a hormone that slows down the anterior pituitary gland. The duration of such drugs can be from one day to two weeks. The most effective means to stop the production of milk is considered bromocamphor. These tablets provide a cessation of lactation in a short time, and, moreover, have minimal side effects (which compares them favorably with other means). Most drugs that help stop lactation affect the brain and have an impressive list of contraindications and side effects. Therefore, preliminary consultation with a doctor is a necessary condition for their admission. If there are signs of an infectious process in the chest (mastitis), a woman is advised to urgently stop breastfeeding, which is what helps pills from lactation.
Folk remedies that contribute to the completion of milk production
You should resort to them if no problems with the chest are observed, there are no seals and pain. You just need to listen to your own body, because its reaction is the best indicator of the effectiveness of a particular tool. If you do not know how to stop lactation, the following recipes will come to the rescue:
- taking an infusion of diuretic herbs, helping to get rid of excess fluid, which leads to the suppression of lactation and its gradual cessation. The course of admission usually lasts several weeks. However, on the first day of applying the corresponding infusion, you can feel that the chest has become softer. The most effective herbs are bearberry, basil, lingonberry, garden parsley, elecampane, sage, mint. The recommended consumption of such a product is up to six glasses daily.
- applying cabbage leaf to the chest. This should be done immediately after feeding (or expressing). You need to apply cabbage on both breasts, after having rolled out the sheets to give them a softer shape. Before applying, you can hold a little cabbage in the freezer, such a compress will help with inflammation. The procedure can be completed when the cabbage leaves become lethargic. This method of stopping breastfeeding is the longest, but also the most natural and safe.
- gradual decrease in the number of feedings. In this case, the amount of milk produced will gradually decrease. If there is discomfort and a feeling of fullness in the chest, you need to express a little milk.
How to stop lactation, it's up to you. However, do not neglect the help of a specialist if this process is accompanied by tightness in the chest, redness and fever - the sure signs of mastitis and lactostasis.