7 Ways to Dry Up Milk Supply Without Getting Mastitis
In my previous articles, I have discussed foods that new mothers should take or avoid when breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is incredible: it boosts babies’ immunity, keeps their little tummies full, and bonds them with their mothers. Despite these benefits, at times, as a mother, you might be forced to stop breastfeeding them, pumping up milk, and instead, drying the nipples.
This article will discuss seven ways on how to dry up milk supply without getting mastitis. Before that, let’s discuss why you might stop breastfeeding or pump up milk prematurely.
What Can Make a Mother Stop Breastfeeding and Dry Up?
These are some of the reasons why you might dry up your milk supply and stop breastfeeding/pumping up milk for your little one:
- Sickness
Your doctor might have told you to keep breastfeeding or pumping milk even when sick. Although this is common knowledge, terminal ailments like cancer and HIV/AIDS are an exception. If you are positively diagnosed with these ailments, you will be forced to stop breastfeeding to help the baby fight these sicknesses.
- Baby Loss
The death of a baby leaves you broken and scarred. As a mother to a baby who has passed on, drying up the milk supply will be a hard decision but necessary. As much as drying the milk supply can be hard, it rids you with numerous inconveniences, such as mastitis and leakage.
Similarly, if you lose your baby by giving it out for adoption, it is advisable to dry up the milk supply.
- High Risk Pregnancy
A risky pregnancy poses a risk to your life and that of the unborn baby. Research shows that nipple stimulation, which is common during pregnancy, can induce preterm labor. To prevent preterm labor, doctors inject an oxytocin inhibitor, which subsequently dries up any milk that might form.
- Stress Over Milk Supply
As a mother, you might find yourself stressed over inadequate milk supply. Anytime the baby cries in hunger, your brain becomes overly stressed, adversely affecting the milk supply. Often, stressing over inadequate milk production makes the breasts dry up.
- Medication Needs
When you are under certain medication, the doctor may advise you to stop breastfeeding since the drug contents might be passed on to the breast milk.
- Overwhelming Work-Nursing Schedule
As a working mom, you might need help to balance your job and breastfeeding. Spending much time away makes the milk leak, causing you huge discomfort. In other cases, the excess milk supply might result in mastitis. To avoid these inconveniences, it is advisable to stop breastfeeding and drying up the milk supply.
Top 7 Ways to Dry Up Milk Supply
The six reasons you might be forced to stop breastfeeding or pumping breast milk take us to another chapter: how best to dry up your milk supply. Remember, failure to dry up the milk supply expertly leaves you at a risk of mastitis. These are the seven ways to dry up your milk supply without getting mastitis:
1. Going Cold Turkey
Cold turkey for drying up milk supply refers to stopping milk production within the shortest time possible. It is the least effective method and might expose you to mastitis. If you follow these steps effectively, you can dry up the milk supply effectively:
- Wearing a supportive bra that limits breasts’ movements.
- Sparingly hand pressing the engorged nipples to let out excess milk that might cause discomfort.
Note: Expressing the milk for a long time might stimulate further production.
- Using prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medication to ease pain and inflammation in the breasts.
- Cold-compressing the breasts with ice packs to minimize swelling and pain in the breasts.
2. Using Birth Control Drugs
Some birth control drugs, such as estrogen-rich injections and pills, might inhibit milk production, helping you to dry up easily. Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved their use, doctors may prescribe them to you as off-label drugs.
Note: Off-label drugs refer to drugs that the FDA has not approved for a particular use, but doctors still prescribe them.
3. Vitamin B
Multiple studies conducted in the 1970s showed that high doses of vitamins B-6, B-1, and B-12 suppressed milk production. About 96% of the mothers who participated in the experiment recorded a considerable reduction in milk production without side effects.
More experiments involving the B-1, B-6, and B-12 vitamins have been conducted on lactating mothers and given results. However, when taken in large doses, vitamin B-6 causes numbing of the legs and arms. Although the numbness lasts for a short period, prolonged use of this vitamin might result in permanent numbness.
Do you want to jump in to using vitamin B to stop milk production? Consult your doctor for extensive guidance.
4. Cabbage Leaves
For centuries, lactating mothers have been using cabbage leaves to dry up their milk supply without getting mastitis. Surprisingly, no scientific evidence exists to explain how cabbage leaves stop milk production and dry up in breastfeeding mothers.
To dry up the breasts using cabbage leaves, go for the greenest ones. Wrap them around the breasts without touching the nipples. You should incorporate other methods, such as cold turkey, for best results.
5. Going for Sage
Sage is a medicinal herb that can also help you stop milk production. Although scientists are still examining the specific effects of sage on breastfeeding mothers, its effects are similar to estrogen.
Instead of taking ordinary tea, use sage to reduce milk supply. Since sage is bitter, you can add honey to make it easy to drink.
6. Slow but Consistent Weaning
Most mothers trying to wean their babies look for “quick fixes,” which, more often than not, do not work. The best way to dry up the milk supply is to start slowly until the body adjusts.
A good example to try this method is substituting breastmilk with another liquid, such as baby formula.
Another way you can slowly start weaning the baby is by having someone spend time with them. When the baby stays away from you, they easily get distracted and adapt to other foods.
When my wife started weaning last month, she’d let me spend time with our son. Our son would keep whining and throwing tantrums whenever she was around, making her give in and nurse him.
7. Taking Sudafed
Sudafed is becoming the go-to drug for suppressing milk production in nursing mothers. A 2003 experiment featuring eight nursing women showed a significant reduction in milk production with zero side effects on both the mother and baby (babies).
Although Sudafed helps mothers dry their milk supply effectively, talk to your doctor before taking that path.
How Long Does It Take for Milk Supply to Dry Up?
There is no specific deadline on when the milk supply should dry up when weaning. The seven methods we discussed above might work immediately or take weeks or months.
Sometimes, your breasts might resume producing milk after weeks or months of drying. If this happens, you should consult your doctor for a thorough check-up.
What are the Risks of Drying Milk Supply?
Drying milk supply may have many complications, varying from one woman to another. The most common risks associated with stopping milk supply as a nursing mother are infections, breast engorgement, irritation, and pain.
If your breasts become too painful, sore, or engorged, you should express some milk to unclog blocked milk ducts.
On the other hand, if you get an infection in the breasts, your doctor will prescribe the best medication.
What Next After Drying Up Milk Supply?
Before drying up breastmilk supply, you should have an alternative food for the baby. These are healthy alternatives to your breastmilk:
Breastmilk from milk banks- You can buy breastmilk from milk banks across different states (America), provinces (Canada), cities, or towns. This breast milk is pasteurized and tested to ensure it is safe for consumption.
Infant formula- Infant baby formula contains essential nutrients in breast milk. Although it is not as effective as breastmilk, it is still a good alternative for babies who are weaned prematurely. Most infant milk is made from cow protein.
Soy-based formula- If your baby is intolerant to dairy formula, you can try soy-based formula, which is nutritious and safe.
When Should You Seek Medical Help?
Trying to dry up the milk supply might cause discomfort and, in some cases, infections. There are incidences when you should see a doctor to help you suppress your milk supply.
The first case you should see a doctor is when your milk ducts clog for over 12 hours, making you develop a fever. Fever and clogged milk ducts might be a symptom of mastitis.
Another incident in which you should see a doctor is when your breasts get an infection. These are the symptoms of breast infection:
- Breast swelling
- General fatigue/malaise
- Loss of appetite
- Soreness in the breasts
Bottom Line
Cutting milk production is a heavy decision that mothers make. It might not make sense to other people since it can be affected by medical history and other reasons. This article has explained the reasons for preterm weaning and seven ways to dry up milk supply without getting mastitis. Some methods are complex, while others are straightforward.
You can substitute breastmilk with other liquids, including baby formula and fruits, or even get breastmilk from milk banks.
Whatever the decision to stop nursing prematurely, I wish you good health.
