If the mother is breastfeeding, sooner or later she chooses the moment when this process is completed. This period is very exciting and difficult for a woman. The future attitude of the mother and the condition of her mammary glands depend on how and when the refusal of breastfeeding occurs.
One of the problems a woman encounters after giving birth is the cessation of lactation, which must be done painlessly.
In this article, we will not describe options for how best to choose a convenient time for weaning the baby. We will start from the moment when everything has already been decided, and mother must now do something with milk, which continues to be produced. If there is little milk, then the process will be less lengthy and problematic. However, if it is produced in large quantities, it can take some time and cause some discomfort.
The most convenient option is the gradual suppression of lactation, which is achieved when a woman begins to limit the number of attachments to the breast not sharply, but slowly. As a rule, milk “burns out” within 2-3 weeks. This completion of feeding is convenient not only for the woman, but also for her baby, because he will have time to get used to the new way of life.
The cessation of lactation is achieved due to the fact that the mother is less and less likely to allow the baby to breast. In the intervals between feedings, the breast may swell, fill up, which entails painful sensations. In this situation, you can express the chest, but only until the moment the pain subsides. If you empty it completely, it will stimulate milk production. Also, special attention should be given to bras. They should be tight (but not crushing) and well support the chest. You can apply cabbage leaves to reduce swelling and pain. This is especially effective during the first days of weaning a baby from breastfeeding.
To make it easier to stop lactation, many doctors prescribe specialized medications. These drugs have a hormonal basis and are taken within a few weeks. However, experience has shown that these pills are not so effective and may cause some side effects.
There are several folk remedies that reduce milk production:
- Pour a tablespoon of sage with boiling water and leave for 24 hours. Then take 400-450 ml per day.
- Also in this situation, mint helps well.
- Termination of lactation is a process that requires getting rid of excess fluid that is contained in the body. For this, you can take diuretics (basil, lingonberries, parsley, horsetail) for seven days.
It is important to remember that throughout this period you should consume less water, especially limit hot drinks and soups. When milk production ceases, it is necessary for several months to exclude the use of products that can stimulate its renewal.
If you are very worried about the pain during the weaning of the baby, you need to visit a mammologist so that he examines you and gives comprehensive answers to all questions. It is useful at this time to take soothing herbs and tinctures, because the mother begins to experience a strong emotional strain when the cessation of lactation occurs.
They used to recommend dressing the chest. However, it has now been proven that this does not reduce the amount of milk, but can lead to circulatory disorders in the tissues of the mammary glands and blockage of the ducts.
Remember that during this period the child needs affection, attention and constant care, because this is for him the same difficult period as for the mother herself.