How long does it take for breast milk to stop flowing?

When weaning, breast engorgement often occurs. At this time, you must use certain methods to relieve it, otherwise it will cause breast swelling and pain, which is very uncomfortable. There are many ways to stop breastfeeding. The first thing to note is that weaning must be gradual. It is best not to wean suddenly, as this can easily lead to breast engorgement and pain. In addition, it is best to use natural weaning methods.

How long does it take for breast milk to stop flowing?

The exact number of days it takes to stop breastfeeding varies from person to person. Some mothers only need 2 days to stop breastfeeding naturally, while some mothers still have difficulty stopping breastfeeding even after using some medications. Therefore, it is not possible to generalize how many days it will take to wean the baby. However, the general weaning time is about a week. Weaning should be gradual. The production of milk is the result of the combined action of prolactin and the lactation reflex. The baby's sucking stimulates the nerve endings of the nipple and transmits the stimulation information to the anterior pituitary gland, causing it to secrete prolactin. During the weaning process, the baby sucks less time and frequency, and the secretion of prolactin also decreases. This is a natural process. Therefore, the key to weaning is to reduce stimulation to the breast nipples. In addition to reducing sucking, avoid letting the baby touch the breasts; appropriately control the amount of water intake in the diet; when the breasts are swollen and uncomfortable, you can squeeze out a small amount of milk, but you should not over-squeeze to avoid stimulation and excessive milk secretion; you can also use ice packs to cool the breasts to reduce discomfort; in addition, you can also use some medications to stop milk production under the guidance of a doctor.

How to recover milk after weaning

1. Mothers should gradually reduce the number of breastfeeding times from 3 times a day to 2 times or 1 time. Excess milk should not be accumulated in the breasts. It should be squeezed out until the breasts are soft and there is no swelling or pain. 2. In terms of diet, the mother's diet should be light and not greasy. She should drink less water and soup, especially milk-producing foods such as chicken soup and fish soup. She can eat more leeks, hawthorn, etc. 3. After weaning, you should wear a well-fitting or slightly tight bra. This can not only inhibit the secretion of milk, but also relieve breast pain. 4. For drug treatment, you can drink the water boiled with roasted malt (50 grams of decoction, 3 times a day), or apply Glauber's salt externally (wrap it in a small cloth bag and apply it on the breast, avoiding the nipple and areola), or take vitamin B6, ethinyl stilbestrol, bromocriptine and other drugs, but you must take them as prescribed by the doctor. 5. If symptoms such as breast lumps, local skin redness, and fever appear during weaning, you should seek medical attention promptly. 6. After successful weaning, mothers are advised to engage in appropriate physical exercise and do more chest expansion exercises to help the breasts regain elasticity more quickly.