Completion of breastfeeding what to do with milk. What to do with the breast when breastfeeding ends? Completion of GW: how it happens

As the baby grows, every breastfeeding mother begins to worry about many questions regarding the termination breastfeeding.

In order for this process to be as easy and painless as possible for both the child and the mother, it is important to adhere to a number of certain rules, which will be given below. This article will help you understand this issue in more detail.

Completion of GW: how does it happen?

There are three main reasons why breastfeeding may be stopped.

Natural way

It is called involution and implies a physiological process in which the natural completion of breastfeeding occurs. Usually, involution occurs during the period when the baby reaches 1.5 - 2 years. At this age, he no longer feels an urgent need for mother's breast milk.

The scheme of action of this physiological process can be described as follows: the pituitary gland begins to produce the hormone prolactin less, as a result of which the female body ceases to respond to the increasing need of the child for milk. At the same time, it continues to be produced for some time, but in much smaller quantities.

A reasonable question is how long does this process take? The total duration of involution can be from 1.5 to 3 months.

Important. You should know that if the signs of involution appeared much earlier than the established period, then the woman may have a hormonal deficiency. This problem should be treated.

Initiated by mother

Quite often there are situations when a woman of her own free will decides to stop breastfeeding. Some of the most common reasons for this decision can be listed:

• the illusion that the baby does not have enough milk;
• the inability to accurately determine how much the baby drank milk;
• the child does not take the breast, and the mother does not have the patience to teach him this process;
• chronic fatigue and postpartum depression;
• the desire to preserve the original shape of the mammary glands.

Forced stop feeding

Assumes the presence of circumstances that force a woman to switch to artificial feeding. So, here are a few of the reasons:

• Exit to work.
• The child has galactosemia (lactose intolerance).
• The presence of infectious diseases in the mother (for example, chickenpox, measles, hepatitis, etc.). In this case, breastfeeding stops only for a while, while the woman is being treated.
• The child was born prematurely or has severe pathologies (cerebrovascular accident, metabolic problems, etc.).

Thus, of all the above options for stopping breastfeeding, the most preferred way to end lactation is involution. Only she is able to provide the most soft and smooth care from the breast.

How to stop lactation?

First of all, to stop breastfeeding, you need to choose the most appropriate period. You should not do this during the illness of the child or if there have been drastic changes in his life (for example, the mother went to work, etc.).

After the most favorable period to complete lactation is selected, you must proceed to the following steps:

1. First, you should stop daytime feedings. Alternatively, the child can be offered juice, an apple, or a cookie.
2. Next, you need to remove the morning feeding. In order to distract the baby, you can call dad or, for example, offer a new toy.
3. Eliminate feeding before bed. This step is the final one. Instead of a breast, you can read a fairy tale to your child or sit near his crib.

It should be noted that at the same time a woman should take care of her breasts, making the process of completing lactation as painless as possible. For this you need:

• Gradually express the chest, and this should not be done until it is completely empty. Otherwise, milk production will be stimulated.
• Wear a bra that is supportive but not tight.
• With the appearance of edema of the mammary glands, compresses can be applied.

You should know that impossible in safe ways interrupt lactation for a short period of time. The amount of milk produced decreases gradually. It is best to stretch this process for 2-3 months.

We offer you to watch a video on how to properly stop lactation:

When does it disappear?

The very concept of "burnout" implies a decrease in the amount of milk in the breast. At the same time, the hormones prolactin and oxytocin are responsible for its production. If their level decreases, then, accordingly, the amount of milk produced also decreases. This directly depends on the frequency of attachment of the child to the breast.

How much time exactly will it take to this moment it is not known, that is there are no clearly established time limits within which milk burns out. This process is highly individual. For one woman, milk burns out a week after breastfeeding is completed, for another, after a couple of months.

Milk is stored in the mammary glands for 40 days from the end of breastfeeding. In addition, residues can be allocated for a whole six months.

For illness and stress

There is an erroneous opinion among the people that diseases (flu, SARS, etc.) contribute to the burning of milk in the breast. Moreover, this is associated with an increase in body temperature, engorgement, or vice versa, a feeling of emptiness in the mammary glands. However, this is a fundamentally wrong assumption.

The fact is that when the temperature rises, the human body begins to experience a greater need for water, as a result of which dehydration occurs quickly. At the same time, due to the fact that breast milk is almost 90% water, then, accordingly, its deficiency negatively affects lactation. Temperature has nothing to do with it.

If the mother is ill, breastfeeding should not be interrupted. However, in order to protect the child from viruses, it is necessary to wear a mask and keep all contacts to a minimum (kisses, hugs, etc.).

Often, a nursing mother experiences stress, overwork and a breakdown. At the same time, a decrease in lactation can also be observed. Faced with a similar situation, many women believe that their milk has burned out due to stress. However, this opinion is erroneous. Under the influence of stress, lactation can be disturbed, but not completely disappear. Therefore, in this case, it is recommended to overcome stress and continue breastfeeding. In time, everything will return to normal.

What can not be done at the end of the GW?

There is a whole list of warnings that a woman must take into account when deciding to wean a child from the breast. So, the main ones are:

1. You can not stop breastfeeding suddenly, as this will be a serious stress for a fragile baby.
2. It is not worth it for the purpose of weaning a child from the breast, leaving him for a long time. This can adversely affect the psycho-emotional state of both the mother and the baby.
3. In no case should you tighten the breast in order to reduce lactation. Such actions can lead to swelling of the mammary glands, as well as the development of lactostasis and mastitis.
4. You can not smear the nipples with brilliant green or mustard, so that the child no longer wants to take the breast.
5. You should not leave the breast unexpressed, as this will contribute to the formation of stagnation, which will ultimately lead to lactostasis and mastitis.

Thus, the issue of stopping breastfeeding should be approached with all responsibility. In addition, it is recommended that you first consult with a breastfeeding specialist. The process of completing lactation should go as smoothly and painlessly as possible for both the baby and the mother.

There is a baby in the house! In addition to incredible happiness, he brought with him many questions and difficulties. And one of the main difficulties is feeding. First you need to establish breastfeeding, then save it, and then be able to wean the baby from the breast as painlessly as possible. What should be the correct end of breastfeeding? And what to do then?

How much should you breastfeed?

We will not now analyze all the pros and cons of breastfeeding and artificial feeding. Let's take it for granted that our newborn baby eats mother's milk - and this article is for mothers of just such babies. And every such mother inevitably raises the question of how long it is necessary to feed the baby with her milk.

It is necessary to make a reservation right away that there is no uniform opinion in the whole wide world on this matter. Someone believes that it is already possible to wean a baby from the breast in a year, someone feeds up to two years, and some "particularly progressive" mothers continue to do this even when the child has long become quite adult, independent and conscious - the world knows cases breastfeeding and six-and even ten-year-olds. These, however, are still a minority. World Organization health currently recommends that breastfeeding be continued until the age of two, but adherence to this recommendation or not is a personal matter for each individual mother. Most women still adhere to the view that too long breastfeeding develops over time into a habit with him, the need to "suck on a tit" becomes not a satisfying hunger, but a kind of sedative - like a pacifier. Nevertheless, each mother sets her own timing for breastfeeding. But sooner or later, in any case, they will come to an end, and then there will be new question. How should breastfeeding be ended?

The kid is also an initiator

To begin with, it’s worth remembering that even if the mother has set for herself a specific period when it’s time to “turn off” with breastfeeding, the child himself can also initiate the transition to another food - and do it even earlier than the mother planned. It is probably not a secret for any of the nursing women that the first six months of life the baby does not need anything other than mother's milk. Only after six months (and this is the minimum limiter), experts recommend starting to give the child the so-called complementary foods - vegetable and fruit purees, cereals, and so on. At about the same time, the baby may begin to be interested in solid, "adult" food - watching how and what parents eat and wanting to try it for themselves. Solid food, however, will not suit the baby if he does not yet have teeth - he simply will have nothing to learn to chew. But if a child has already got at least a couple of “bites” and he shows an active interest in “human” food, this is a clear signal for the mother that her baby is ready to part with the familiar and beloved “sisya”.

Of course, not immediately, not all at once. There is no such child who could bear the end of breastfeeding so easily and simply, in one sitting. You should not count on this, but you can gradually begin to reduce the number of breastfeeds or the duration of this meal. In any case, a baby at this age should not immediately remain without milk at all. Having saved at first one or two breastfeedings (usually in the evening and at night), after that it will be possible to painlessly accustom the baby to cow's milk.

Fast or slow

Many women, having begun the completion of breastfeeding, strive to carry out this procedure as soon as possible. However, all experts agree in one opinion: it is impossible to wean a child from the breast quickly - after all, a sharp break in an established intimate relationship with the mother can injure the baby. It is recommended, with patience, to complete this process within three to four months: it is precisely this interval, according to doctors, that is almost ideal, the most painless for the child and for the mother herself. It is unlikely that any woman will want to get problems associated with the onset of lactostasis. Although, of course, it is impossible to fit everyone into a single framework in any case - for someone, the completion of breastfeeding is much calmer, easier and, accordingly, faster than in the above period. However, doctors say that in order to develop a particular habit (in this case, to stop asking for a mother’s breast), a baby, as well as an adult, always needs at least three or even four weeks.

Finishing breastfeeding, a woman should think about two things: how to make sure that all this is painlessly endured by her child - firstly, and what to do with her own milk and breasts so that no diseases appear - secondly. We'll talk about the second question later, but for now - baby. How to prepare it?

What to do when you stop breastfeeding: useful tips

1. When breastfeeding, the baby is fed on demand. However, having decided to finish with this way of eating, you can slowly accustom the baby to eat according to the regimen, after a certain amount of time. Of course, provided that the weaning child is large enough and is at least a year old. The number of attachments should be reduced gradually, and then it will be possible to slowly but surely bring them to zero.
2. It is very important for a mother to take care of the completion of breastfeeding in advance - even when the child is actively feeding on her milk. To do this is as easy as shelling pears - it is necessary to periodically go somewhere for a couple of hours: whether to go shopping, to a cafe with girlfriends, just to walk along the streets. In the absence of a mother, the baby must learn to interact with other people - who cannot provide him with a breast at his request, and therefore, he will gradually get used to the fact that it is possible, in general, to satisfy his needs and solve problems without a breast. Such a habit will help both the baby herself and her mother later.

   

3. Having started weaning, you should try to refuse the baby when he asks for a breast immediately. However, you can’t just say “no”, you must definitely explain why it’s not possible to give a breast to a child now, and promise to do it in the near future. For example: "Baby, wait a bit: now I will finish ironing the clothes, and then I will give you a breast." An important nuance must be taken into account here: many mothers hope that during this time the child will be distracted by something (or are trying hard to distract him themselves) and there will be no need to breastfeed. In no case should you do this - the baby will feel deceived. They promised to give breasts later - which means that they must fulfill their promise. Also, there is no need to immediately set huge gaps between "baby, wait" and a restrained word. First, let the request of the crumbs be postponed for five minutes, then for ten, and so on.
4. The baby should have one specific place for feeding, and only there he can receive his mother's breast.
5. You can limit the number of feedings if you agree with the child that he will take the breast only while at home (not on the street / in the store / away).
6. If the baby whimpers in response to refusal, there is no need to give up positions. Light dissatisfied crying can be endured. But if it develops into a protracted hysteria, then it is necessary to yield to the child (but, of course, it is better not to bring it to hysteria).
7. Instead of a breast, you can offer the baby something that he loves from food - in case he is hungry, or something that can occupy him and entertain him - if he is bored.

   

8. You can not remove nightly breastfeeding before it is eliminated at night. As for the latter, to remove it, it is necessary to introduce some new ritual of going to bed instead of falling asleep on the chest. Each family has its own - a lullaby, reading a book, soothing tea, and so on. However, it is important to remember that it is this feeding (as well as night feeding) that cannot be removed very quickly. Perhaps a good help will be a gradual reduction in the duration of "hanging" on the chest.
9. So that the baby does not ask for breasts in the morning, you need to get up before him and meet his awakening with some of his favorite goodies - so that the baby does not even remember about the breast.
10. Having decided to stop breastfeeding, it is important to stand firm and not fall for the tricks and tricks of the little manipulator.
11. When weaning a child from the breast, you can not leave him without himself for several days. Many mothers consider this solution to be the most optimal, they say, they will stay without their mother's breast for a couple of days - and that's it. This is fundamentally wrong, and can not only injure the baby's psyche, but also turn into mastitis or lactostasis for the mother herself.
12. To avoid problems with the psyche of the child, one should not change the environment familiar to the crumbs. No need to take him away to visit his grandmother, for example, until the weaning is completed.
13. Some resort to such drastic measures as smearing their breasts with brilliant green or hot pepper. This is a fairly common mistake that should not be repeated. The child perceives his mother's breast as the most precious, beloved that he has. A chest in brilliant green or pepper for him will be tantamount to as if an adult found a thing dear to his heart spoiled.

Force termination

There are situations when it is necessary to stop breastfeeding urgently. This is usually due to the illness of the mother, when she either goes to the hospital or is forced to take such drugs that are incompatible with breastfeeding. In this case, the baby should be transferred to a bottle and an artificial mixture. This process will be completely simple and easy if the baby is not yet a year old (and for babies up to six months it is generally invisible), and somewhat more difficult if the child is already older. In this case, you definitely need to talk to him and explain that your mother is sick, and therefore it will no longer be possible to eat her milk.

Of course, milk does not disappear instantly from the breast. A woman will have to regularly express herself (at least with a breast pump, at least manually) so as not to earn lactostasis or mastitis (a little more about what these sores will be described later). Very important: it is necessary to express not completely, but only until a feeling of relief in the chest. Emptying her completely only stimulates further milk production, which is unlikely to be necessary for a mother who completes breastfeeding. Her task is to achieve a gradual decrease in lactation, and this is what pumping is aimed at after three to four hours - when the breast is full. If you do not express at all, the milk will not disappear - but the glands will become clogged, and there will be a great risk of the above-mentioned diseases. It is also necessary to express in the event, by the way, if the cessation of feeding is temporary, and subsequently the mother plans to return to him.

There are several other ways to achieve the disappearance of lactation. First, there are many drugs on the pharmaceutical market to complete breastfeeding. They are usually used in cases where a really abrupt, emergency cessation of lactation is needed. In no case should you prescribe such a medication for yourself. For any breastfeeding, be sure to consult a doctor. Only he can appoint medicine suitable for this particular woman, and also select the right dosage. It should be remembered that any such medication has side effects, which, as a rule, are expressed in dizziness, heart palpitations, and nausea. Among the drugs to complete breastfeeding can be called Dostinex, Bromkriptin.

Another way to end lactation is breast tightening. This is the good old folk remedy, which, however, does not cause the approval of physicians. Due to the contraction of the breast, blood circulation is disturbed and blockage of the milk ducts occurs. According to experts, it is after pulling that many women develop mastitis. The safest method anyway is considered to be a gradual decrease in lactation.

Breast after breastfeeding

It often happens that women complain of chest pain during the cessation of lactation. What to do in this case?

Painful sensations can begin literally on the second or third day after breastfeeding is completed. It is important during this period to take care of your breasts. No constricting bras or tops should be worn, underwear should be well supportive, but as soft and comfortable as possible.

If the chest hurts at the end of breastfeeding, it is permissible to help it by applying cold compress or wrapped with cabbage leaves, gauze soaked in cold whey, or something else. It is allowed to use infusions of sage and mint - they help reduce lactation, a feeling of relief will come when the chest feels painful, hot and swollen. You can also drink painkillers, because mom is no longer breastfeeding.

What can not be done during the completion of lactation is not to starve and not drink. Restriction in water and food does not help the abyss of milk, but harms the mother's body. In addition, you can not warm the chest.

Chest pain: mastitis and lactostasis

Sometimes the fact that the breast hurts after breastfeeding is completed may indicate the development of a serious disease, such as lactostasis or mastitis. Having found signs of any of these ailments, you must immediately take measures to eliminate them, without delaying treatment. Next, we will briefly describe what kind of disease it is.

lactostasis

Lactostasis is less terrible than mastitis, but also unpleasant. These are seals in the chest, in the mammary glands. They appear due to excess milk. If the seals are small and there is no temperature, it is possible to defeat lactostasis with the help of cold exposure.

Some apply compresses with Vishnevsky's ointment, which also removes inflammation well, some treat the seal with a laser or ultrasound. However, everything is much more serious if the place of compaction is swollen, reddened, the temperature has risen. Then lactostasis can turn into mastitis.

Mastitis

Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast. It can be recognized by severe redness and swelling, bursting constant pain (and not only on palpation, as with lactostasis), as well as high temperature. Pus is also often found in milk. If mastitis is not treated in time, everything can end very badly - gangrene, and then surgical intervention will be required.

First menstruation

Any woman who decides to stop breastfeeding should understand that menstruation after breastfeeding is over will inevitably come. For everyone, they begin in different ways, for someone in the very first month after the abolition of breastfeeding, for someone after one or two. It also happens that menstruation resumes even during lactation. It all depends solely on the characteristics of the woman's body - each has its own.

The above details what to do when you stop breastfeeding and how to maintain your health. Let's hope this information is useful.

Breastfeeding is the most beneficial type of feeding for the health of both the baby and the mother. In the first six months of life, the child can receive all the substances he needs for development from mother's milk. After six months, additional complementary foods should be used, combining it with breastfeeding. When a child reaches one year, he will already be able to eat many foods.

However, in the life of any woman, even if she carefully monitors her health, a situation may arise when it is necessary to suspend breastfeeding for a while or stop it altogether. The reasons are very different: prolonged separation of the mother from the child, mother's illness, mother's treatment incompatible with breastfeeding. Many of the reasons are conditional and can be decided in favor of the baby without stopping breastfeeding, but also many reasons contribute to its termination, when other options are simply unacceptable.

If you need to turn the GW up to a year

If the situation requires a complete cessation of breastfeeding, and the child at that time is not yet one year old, then this may adversely affect the health of the child, but you should not worry too much about this. If the situation allows, then stop feeding should be gradual, to start by reducing the number of breastfeedings. It is also very important to replace breast milk with the formula that you intend to feed your baby in the future. The choice of mixture is best done together with a specialist. He will prompt and help you choose the mixture that is best suited for your child, taking into account his age and characteristics.

Ways to interrupt breastfeeding

It is believed that interruption of lactation is possible by several methods.

A popular way is to use medicines, but a prerequisite in this case is to consult a doctor. Since these drugs are not designed to stop lactation, but to treat serious diseases of the pituitary gland and can cause serious harm to the health of the mother. Therefore, their use is highly discouraged and to alleviate discomfort, simply expressing a little milk is enough. But the final decision always remains with the woman.

Breast pulling is a previously very popular method among the people, which is currently not recommended. The amount of milk when using this method does not decrease, but only worsens blood circulation, which can adversely affect the health of a woman.

Refusal of food and water is also not recommended. Only severe exhaustion can reduce the amount of milk, and this is fraught with serious consequences for the woman's body. The thing is that the hormone prolactin is responsible for the production of milk, and its amount depends little on the amount of food consumed. On the contrary, there are studies that confirm that if a woman consumes more than 2.5 liters of fluid per day, then lactation is reduced. It is important that the drink in this case should be cool, as hot drink stimulates the flow of milk.

The most favorable for the health of the mother will be a gradual decrease in lactation. On average, milk production declines within two to three weeks. This time is enough for the breast to stop. A small milk content is possible, but there is nothing to worry about. A doctor should be consulted if milk flows out voluntarily, without expressing movements, three months after the cessation of feeding.

What to do with the breast at the end of breastfeeding?

In the first days after weaning, a woman's breasts may fill up with milk, which will make her hot, and pain may occur. The main thing at this time is to take care of the chest, wear comfortable, seamless, non-squeezing underwear. It is not recommended to express milk completely, but only until a feeling of relief, since the goal is to reduce its production. Full pumping, on the contrary, will stimulate lactation.

The psychological aspect of the end of breastfeeding

If the termination of breastfeeding puts strong psychological pressure on the mother, it is recommended to consult a psychologist. It is important not to panic or become depressed. Love for a baby is not expressed only in breastfeeding, and weaning from mother's milk does not characterize a mother in any way.

Switching to artificial feeding

The transition process to artificial feeding can be quite heavy. It is important to choose a comfortable nipple for the baby, as similar as possible to the nipple. The amount of formula consumed initially should not be high, and it can be given mixed with breast milk, but only through a bottle. Slowly, you can replace breast milk completely with formula.

When weaning a child under one year old, it is important to choose the amount of mixture the child needs. Daily consumption equals about 1/5 of the total body weight of the baby.

If, for example, a child weighs 4 kilograms, then he needs to take 800 grams of the mixture per day.

One feeding is found by dividing the daily allowance by the number of meals. Up to two months it is 8-10 times, after - 4-8 times a day. It is also possible to supplement the child boiled water, which is not taken into account in the total volume of the mixture.

Prepare the mixture according to the instructions. The approximate temperature should be 35-38 degrees. To do this, you can use boiled and chilled water. You can cook right in the bottle, you can drop a little on your hand to measure the temperature, if the mixture is practically not felt, then the temperature is right. If your hand burns, then you can cool the mixture a little. The mixture should pass through the nipple at a rate of approximately 1 drop per second.

Under no circumstances should the mixture be stored. It is important to rinse all utensils after feeding and sterilize them. These rules are very important to follow until the child is 1 month old. After that, rinse the bottle well under warm water.

It is also recommended to feed the baby at a certain time, but the amount of food that he eats should depend on the desire of the baby, naturally within certain limits. If the child does not completely eat food, then you should not force him to supplement.

If you need to curtail lactation after a year

If you need to stop breastfeeding after the child is 1 year old, then there is no need to replace feeding with a mixture, because as a rule, by this age the child already eats enough regular food. Monitoring the condition of a woman's breasts is also very important, and all the methods used above are also relevant. For a child, the process may change slightly.

If you need to turn off the GW for up to a year

If breastfeeding needs to be suspended for a certain period of time, then it is important that during this time the mother maintains lactation, and the child does not wean from breastfeeding. In such situations, the creation of a bank can be very helpful. breast milk. It is necessary to think about its creation in advance in case you are not next to the baby.

A good time to express breast milk in order to create a bank is in the morning. At this time, a woman's breasts are usually filled with milk very much, by the evening it becomes less. You can express milk at the same time as feeding your baby. Use one breast for feeding, the other for pumping. This will facilitate the process of pumping, since when feeding a child, the substance oxytocin is produced in the mother's body, which contributes to a more abundant milk flow. For pumping, you can use a breast pump, or just express it with your hands. There is not much difference, and it is better to use the method that is simply more convenient.

One serving is approximately 60 to 120 milliliters. If you can’t express the required amount of milk at a time, then there is nothing to worry about. During the day, you can express milk in the same container, and then freeze it. It is also better to store frozen milk in portions.

Use special containers for storage.

Many of them come with a breast pump right away. Their use is quite convenient and practical. On the jar should write the date of expressing milk. In addition to jars, there are special bags, the use of which is also quite convenient. Worrying about the fact that the child does not have enough milk for the evening is not worth it. In the process of pumping, the child will be more often applied to the breast, the more often this happens, the more milk will be produced in the woman's body in the future. Just a couple of days will be enough to rebuild the body.

It is very important to try to feed the baby with the freshest milk. That is, the longer the milk is in the freezer, the later it must be given.

Baby feeding methods

It is also very important to teach the person who will feed the child in the absence of the mother how to do it correctly. Alternative feeding methods are recommended as bottle feeding can harm breastfeeding. When using a bottle, the baby needs to use a different grip, so the baby can get confused. At the moment, there are no sucking feeding instruments that completely imitate the nipple. Instead of a bottle, you can use a cup, spoon or syringe without a needle. Using a syringe, you need to gently squeeze the contents onto the wall of the child's cheek.

If expressing milk is not possible, you can use special mixtures.

Maintaining lactation during this period is also necessary. To do this, you should regularly express milk from the breast at least once every 3 hours for 15 minutes.

If you need to turn off the GW for a time after a year

This situation is very similar to the previous one and differs little from it. At this age, the child can eat other foods in addition to mother's milk. In order for him not to wean from mother's milk, you can also use a milk bank. Its creation has been discussed above. Since the child eats other foods in addition to mother's milk, the number of servings to create a milk bank can be reduced.

It is possible to stop breastfeeding, but if the mother is going to continue it in the future, it is very important that lactation is maintained. In this case, you should follow the tips for maintaining it, which are indicated above. During the absence of breast milk, formula milk can be given, which will be a small substitute, and the child will not wean from being fed with milk.

Mother's milk is a very important element in feeding a child. It contains everything necessary for the development of the baby. It is important to try to breastfeed your baby for as long as possible, however, if this does not work out, then do not get too upset. It is possible to raise a healthy and strong baby without breast milk, using modern mixtures. Of course, they are inferior to mother's milk, although manufacturers are trying to close this gap, but there is nothing terrible in their use. After all, the main thing is not breastfeeding, but love and care for the baby.

When a mother stops putting her baby to the breast, milk does not stop producing immediately. Especially many problems arise if for some reason the feeding of the child is stopped abruptly. The chest is poured, it starts to hurt, seals and even an abscess may occur in it. This usually occurs 2-3 days after HB clotting, and is most often limited to tolerable pain, tingling, and mild inflammation. If the baby was applied actively, then problems can begin already on the first day. To prevent serious health consequences, during this period you need to be very careful about the condition of the breast.

What Not to Do

There are many different methods associated with the folding of GV. traditional medicine. Some of them really help. Some are useless. But there are also frankly harmful and even dangerous ones. Sometimes a recipe is passed down from generation to generation, but the reason for its use is lost. And they begin to use a seemingly good method in such a way that they get harm instead of good.

If more than six months have passed after childbirth, then it is practically useless to drink hormones to reduce lactation. The fact is that at this time the production of milk is regulated by the emptying of the breast: how much milk is gone, so much comes. And hormonal pills are harmful to the body, for example, Bromkriptin can lead to myocardial infarction. Dostinex also has unpleasant side effects. So do not experiment with hormonal drugs on your own, without a doctor's prescription.

Bromocriptine mesylate (Bromolactin, Krypton, Parlodel) is a drug that suppresses the production of prolactin. In the US, it is not used to suppress lactation due to the possibility of dangerous side effects, including peripheral vasoconstriction, hypotension, myocardial infarction, convulsions, stroke, and death. About such "little things" as a headache, nausea and vomiting, in comparison with the above, you can not even mention it.

Cabergoline (Dostinex) is used to suppress lactation in Russia and several European countries. It is made on the basis of ergot extract. Side effects are common and unpleasant: headache, dizziness, fatigue, nosebleeds. In this state, it is extremely difficult to take care of the baby, so it is necessary to discuss with the doctor whether the use of the drug is necessary.

Often recommended by grandmothers and even some midwives, the method of bandaging the breast is useless and dangerous. Once upon a time in the villages, the breast was bandaged not to stop the flow of milk, but to show the baby that the breast had disappeared and there was nothing more to suck. Bandaging does not reduce the amount of incoming milk, but worsens the blood supply to the mammary glands, and increases the likelihood of pain and mastitis.

You don't need to warm your chest. An exception can be made only for a warm shower to relieve pumping and pain during them.

There is no need to starve and not drink. You need to eat as usual. Lactation is not caused by the amount of fluid you drink, but by prolactin, so fluid restriction is completely useless. Studies have shown that if a woman drinks more than 2.5 liters of water per day, this significantly reduces the likelihood of developing lactostasis. You just have to avoid hot drinks for a while, as they provoke milk rushes. Dietary restrictions also do not contribute to a decrease in the amount of milk; only complete exhaustion reduces lactation.

What do we have to do

Usually, discomfort after curtailing HB lasts no more than 2-3 weeks. If you turn off the feeding slowly and gradually, then no pain may not be at all. But if the pain is still there, then it cannot be ignored.

1. If for some reason the attachment of the baby to the breast stopped abruptly, then it is necessary to imitate the gradual folding of the breastfeeding as much as possible.
2. At all times, including at night, wear a comfortable, non-pressing but well-supporting bra.
3. To reduce pain, burning and swelling, apply cold compresses. You can use a piece of ice wrapped in a towel. It is not bad to attach cabbage leaves chilled in the freezer. You can pre-beat them with a hammer, roll them with a rolling pin or just crush them.
4. Because the baby is no longer breastfeeding, i.e. mom is no longer nursing, then she can take painkillers: Paracetamol, Ibuprofen or any other.
5. If you still have milk, express regularly with your hands or with a breast pump. This should be done several times a day, gradually reducing the number of procedures. The chest does not need to be completely emptied, it is enough to express to a state of relief. In this case, lactation will be practically not stimulated, and the amount of milk will gradually decrease, and stagnation will not form in the breast. You don't have to be afraid of pumping. Only complete pumping has a strong lactagon effect.
6. You can drink herbal infusions. It is believed that sage, mint and parsley help stop lactation. Just do not forget that herbs only help the process. Sage is brewed at the rate of one tablespoon per glass of boiling water. With mint, you can not only drink tea, but also add it to salads and desserts.
7. Light sedatives, for example, Novopassit, motherwort or valerian, will not interfere either.
8. Temporarily exclude from the diet those foods that caused flushes of milk.
9. If redness appears on the chest, or the temperature rises, then immediately consult a doctor.

Why can the chest hurt at the end of breastfeeding

If the breast is a little stinging, but at the same time it is soft, without seals, then this means that there is a slight inflammation, but there is no lactostasis. Such inflammation is well treated with cold. You can attach a piece of ice wrapped in a clean towel or a frozen piece of meat (packed of course). The exposure to cold should last approximately 10-15 minutes.

If there are seals in the chest, then this is already lactostasis. Minor congestion can be cleared up fairly easily with pumping, massage, and cold compresses. In more severe cases, the entire chest becomes stony and sore, the temperature rises. Lactostasis can turn into mastitis. In the most difficult cases, a purulent abscess forms, and surgery may be necessary.

Sometimes pain occurs due to a sudden jump in the sensitivity of the nipples. It depends on the physiological features women and not dangerous to health.

Milk secretion after curdling of breastfeeding

After the last feeding of the baby, milk can be formed in very small quantities in the breast for quite a long time, up to three years. It can occur after any pregnancy and after any period of breastfeeding. Various factors can support such a minimum lactation: a tight bra, stimulation of the nipples during sex, taking certain medications. Sometimes women themselves provoke this process by constantly checking whether they still have milk.

Spontaneous secretion of milk from the nipples can last from 3 to 6 months. Usually provoked by hot drinks, baths, and sometimes just thinking about the baby.

The appearance of drops of milk when pressed, even after three years, is not always a symptom of hormonal disorders. But you still need to see a doctor. If the secretion of milk is accompanied by a violation of the menstrual cycle or infertility, then a visit to the doctor is required.

Laktostasis after curtailing breastfeeding

If breastfeeding stops abruptly, then milk in the breast does not cease to form. In the absence of an outflow, the milk stagnates, the chest becomes stone, it starts to hurt, tingling is felt. If you let this problem take its course, then it is quite possible to wait for mastitis and even an abscess. In this case, the problem can only be solved by surgery.

As soon as the chest began to ache, and even small seals formed in it, treatment should be started immediately. You need to take painkillers. Strain after a while. You can do this under a warm (not hot) shower. If it is difficult to express on your own, then you can ask for help. This is especially true if the entire chest is stone, and it hurts even to touch it. Painkillers will help, but the pain will most likely not be completely removed.

Pumping is carried out using a fatty cream or oil, which lubricates the woman's breasts and the massage therapist's hands. The breast is decanted with gentle movements from the base to the nipple. It is necessary to decant until the seals are completely eliminated. You need to carefully work out all the slices. If a seal remains in at least one, then against the background of a general relief of the condition, it is easy to bring the situation to purulent inflammation in this particular segment of the chest.

In some cases, you may need to drink Dostinex or Bromocriptine. But the decision on the need for medication must be made by the doctor. In addition to drugs that stop lactation, you may need to take antibiotics.

When to go to the doctor

If seals have formed in the chest, and they could not be dealt with immediately, then it is necessary to consult a doctor. If the chest turns red, and the woman has a fever, then a visit to the doctor must be made without delay.

After stopping breastfeeding, milk can be released for a long time, up to three years. But if the discharge suddenly becomes brown, with an admixture of blood, then it is imperative to consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

A meeting with a doctor is also necessary if, after 3 years from the moment of stopping breastfeeding, milk continues to be secreted, and this is accompanied by menstrual irregularities, infertility, and also if the color and nature of discharge from the breast suddenly change.

The least likely pain after cessation of breastfeeding, if the process was gradual. It is even better if self-weaning occurs, i.e. the child has just grown. But even if it is necessary to abruptly stop feeding, breastfeeding can be curtailed without serious health consequences, if everything is done correctly.

After the completion of breastfeeding, a woman often experiences depression, anxiety, and devastation instead of the expected feeling of relief and freedom. The editors of the site found out in detail what caused this condition and how to deal with it.

Finishing breastfeeding, the mother is concerned about two things: how to prepare the baby for weaning and how to go through this period without lactostasis herself.

Finally it's all over. The child got used to the fact that breasts are now only mother's. Mom physically feels good: her breasts have ceased to fill up, and remain soft to the touch. Here it is, happiness! You can afford a glass of wine, you can sleep through the night and even leave the baby with dad or grandma for the whole day. But you can't be happy.

Negative emotions after the end of GW

Instead of happiness, the mother is overwhelmed with a whole range of emotions: depression, sadness, anxiety, excitement for the baby. Mom may worry that she weaned the child too early (even if the “baby” is two or three years old). Worry that the baby is no longer getting healthy breast milk. Yearn for emotions and a sense of unity with the crumbs during breastfeeding.

There are many options, and each of them seems to be a serious reason for melancholy and sadness. At such a moment, it is important to become aware of this condition and recognize withdrawal depression. This completely normal state, to one degree or another, concerns all nursing mothers, differing only in the duration and strength of emotions.

Cause of weaning depression

During the period of breastfeeding, oxytocin, the “hormone of love,” was produced in the mother’s body in shock doses, without which lactation is impossible. After weaning, its level decreases, and the body reacts to the cancellation of the usual dose with a feeling of depression and anxiety.

Negative emotions associated with hormonal changes can occur for several days. If you feel unwell and last for several weeks, you should seek help from specialists.

How to deal with withdrawal depression?

1. Recognize that this condition is absolutely normal and is directly related to hormonal changes. Weaning is a difficult, inevitable, but absolutely normal stage of life.

2. Do not be shy to express your emotions, ask for support from loved ones.

3. Hug the baby more, increase physical exercise lead an active lifestyle whenever possible.

4. Allow yourself to be happy simple things. Remember what restrictions breastfeeding imposed, and focus on what is now no longer forbidden for you.

Negative emotions immediately after stopping breastfeeding are normal. Allow yourself to mourn, often remind yourself that it's all about hormones. Very soon, the body will rebuild and relations with the baby will reach a new level. And this is another reason to rejoice!