A Pill That Stops Lactation (How to Stop Lactation continued)
There are some lactation drugs available in the market which helps “dry up” the milk or stop lactation. One particular drug, cabergoline was specifically designed for women who were HIV positive. The virus can be passed down to a child through breastfeeding, making these mothers unable to feed their children. So the drug was invented in order to aid them in stopping lactation. Later on, the drug’s use expanded, and mothers who delivered still born babies were allowed to use the drug in order to stop lactating. This is understandable, as continuous lactation can be a painful reminder to a mother about what she lost, and the psychological effects can be great.
Now, cabergoline has become popular among mothers who do not want to breastfeed and want to stop lactation as soon as possible. They do this for social reasons. Usually they do not like the effects of breastfeeding on their breasts because breasts tend to be less perky and nipples do not go back to their original shape. For these mothers, their breasts are an important part of them, and they choose to feed their children with formula or with breast milk from a milk bank.
If you are expressing breast milk, and want to slowly stop lactating, do not take this drug or any other drug that claims to “dry up” milk. These drugs may affect your breast milk, and consequently affect your baby. If you have stopped directly breastfeeding and have also stopped expressing, but cannot seem to stop lactating, you can consider taking these drugs. Consult your doctor first on what drug would be best for you, as well as what side effects may occur due to the drug.
Why You Should Never Bind Your Breasts
Breast binding is one of the bits of wisdom passed down by mothers to their daughters in order to help stop lactation. This age old advice is actually wrong, and is not a good idea for any mother to try. Originally used in some parts of the world to show modesty in a woman, breast binding involves, wrapping the chest tightly in gauze or cloth in order to suppress the breasts. This method is said to stop lactation or milk production.
What happens in this method is that your breast milk is trapped inside your breast, not allowing for any leaks. Because the milk ducts are suppressed, abscesses can form or the milk can calcify within the ducts. Calcified milk is quite painful, and either this or the abscess can lead to mastitis. Also, when breasts are bound, breast tissue can inflame and lead to mastitis. It is because of this complication, which can greatly affect and damage your breasts that breast binding is not advisable.
The best way to stop lactating is naturally. Allowing your milk to “dry up” slowly is natural and normal for your body, and though you may experience some pain, there will be less complications. It might take a while, but you will stop lactating.
Next Page: When to Introduce Formula Milk
|
