What to do if milk leaks during weaning

When you just stop breastfeeding your baby, your breasts have not yet fully adapted, so there will still be plenty of milk on the inside of the breasts, which will cause the breasts to become more and more swollen. To get rid of this phenomenon and to avoid milk leakage, you need to pay attention to proper adjustments and do a good job of unblocking the breasts. You cannot force the milk to stay in the breasts for a long time.

Mothers often encounter this situation: the milk supply is not enough, and when the baby eats from this breast, the other side also flows out, and they don’t know whether the baby can be full.

Some mothers will leak milk when their babies cry or when they take a bath. The breast pads sold in maternity and baby stores are specially prepared for breastfeeding mothers who leak milk, so this is a normal physiological phenomenon. Mothers don’t have to worry about leaking milk. As long as the baby sucks, they can still get enough milk.

Moreover, milk leakage to a certain extent indicates that your mammary glands are relatively unobstructed. It is also a self-protection mechanism of the breasts, which can effectively prevent milk stasis and mastitis.

Of course, some mothers (especially those who underwent cesarean section) consume too much energy and lose too much blood during childbirth. In addition, they have an irregular diet and lack of rest after childbirth, which can easily lead to milk leakage due to lack of Qi and blood. Some mothers cannot retain milk because of their quick temper, which leads to insufficient kidney energy. This is abnormal milk leakage, and mothers need to pay attention to regulating and controlling their emotions.

Mothers have different physical conditions. Some mothers never have milk engorgement, while some mothers have severe milk leakage. Therefore, whether milk engorgement or milk leakage is not the criterion for judging whether the milk supply is sufficient.

In addition, milk leakage will not last throughout the entire breastfeeding period. Generally speaking, it is most likely to occur in the first few weeks after the baby is born. After 6 to 10 weeks, when the mother and baby have jointly established a mutually adaptive supply and demand system, the problem of milk leakage will no longer exist.

1. Suitable bra + anti-breast leakage pad

During breastfeeding, wear a suitable bra to naturally lift the breasts and ensure that the nipples are not lower than horizontal. You should also put breast pads, gauze or cotton towels inside your bra and replace them immediately after they get wet.

2. Breastfeeding before breastfeeding

Mothers should breastfeed their babies before their breasts become too full. When feeding their babies, try to empty one side before feeding the other. If the baby does not need breastfeeding and the mother feels her breasts are swollen, she can use a breast pump to express the milk.

3. Squeeze or press the nipple

If the mother feels that she is about to leak milk, she can squeeze out a few drops of milk, but don't squeeze too much. If your baby leaks milk from one breast while sucking on the other breast, press the nipple with your fingers for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Be prepared when you go out

Empty your breast milk before going out and prepare a change of clothes in advance. If you feel your milk is about to leak out at an inconvenient time, you can cross your arms over your chest, hug your breasts and gently press down on them to prevent accidental milk leakage.

5. Reduce stimulation

Try to avoid seeing situations that can trigger the lactation reflex, such as other mothers feeding or babies sucking bottles.