When It's Time to Stop Making Milk
There are many reasons why people want to stop making milk. Whether you’re a surrogate, are going through infant loss, your infant is moving to solids, or it’s a personal preference - whatever reason you may have - you deserve a positive weaning experience free from pain and engorgement. There is a lot of information about there that shows that eating healthy and hydrating can boost milk production, so when it comes to weaning, doing it in a ‘healthy’ way can put out some conflicting messages. As a lactation-trained doula, I’ve seen many tricks in practice, so I wanted to share a blog post today all about how to wind down your milk production in a safe way.
URBAN MYTHS
In the past, you might have heard tips about wearing tight bras or breast binding to cut off milk flow. We know now that this can do more harm than good, as the practice can lead to an infection, but does not affect milk supply in a substantial way. Wearing a supportive bra can be helpful, and make sure it stays try with nipple pads or frequent changes to keep infections at bay.
HOT OR COLD
There are a lot of conflicting messages when it comes to applying heat or cold when decreasing milk supply. It is appropriate to apply heat when you feel engorged; sometimes, a hot shower to help the milk flow can reduce the pressure. Be sure to hand express gently until you lose that full feeling, or try a hot bath so some of the milk can leak out. While it may sound counterintuitive, some expression of milk is beneficial rather than going “cold turkey,” so you can avoid infections, blocked ducts, and mastitis.
Cold, however, is a great way to stall milk supply. One of my favorite tricks are applying cold, raw cabbage leaves into your bra. Be sure to crush the stem to release the enzymes. Your support person can help prepare the cabbage leaves in advance and place them in the freezer. Alternatively, ice packs wrapped in a cloth/towel and applied directly to the breast can help with any swelling or inflammation.
NUTRITION
A lot of hormonal changes happen when our milk supply drops - specifically a drop in oxytocin - that can cause feelings of anxiety, weepiness, nausea, acne, mood swings, and trouble sleeping. Why is that? When we nurse, oxytocin - “the love drug” - flows freely, causing those ooey-gooey feelings that support parent-infant bonding. When we reduce our milk supply, we’re coming off that love drug, which can feel quite low. There are some nutritional hacks, however, that support hormonal balance and ease this transition:
be mindful of refined sugar + caffeine consumption, which can cause further hormonal upset
try incorporating adaptogens into your diet, such as Maca or Ashwagandha, for their health benefits, such as. mediating stress, fighting inflammation, and balancing your hormones
sage tea can also support milk reduction
SUPPLEMENTS
A healthy, balanced diet is sometimes hard to come by, especially when recovering in the postpartum stages. Purchasing food-based supplements, however, can help offset the nutritional deficiencies we’re missing in our diet, and help counter the hormonal imbalances that come when weaning. The two musts? Omega 3 (EPA + DHA) and Vitamin B12 (methylcobalamin) for their mood-balancing properties.
POST BY RHIANNON LANGFORD
Rhiannon is a postpartum doula and owner of Birth Boss Maternity Care, located in Toronto, Canada. She also offers childbirth education and virtual doula services worldwide.
