The baby is no less joyful and difficult period in a woman's life than pregnancy itself. After the end of lactation, a lot of changes occur in the mother's body associated with hormonal changes. Most of them are worried about breast restoration, but mother's milk is the most valuable and healthy food for a baby, so you should not refuse it.

After the cessation of lactation, the glandular tissue gradually disappears, and the usual adipose tissue does not yet have time to gain the proper volume, which is why the breast looks less attractive.

Ways to maintain and restore breast shape after lactation:

1. Avoid sudden weight loss;
2. To combat stretch marks and prevent their appearance, it is recommended to use creams with elastin, silicone and vitamins or special anti-stretch mark creams. If, even before pregnancy, the skin did not differ in particular elasticity, then the use of these funds will not give the proper result;
3. Contrast shower clockwise, preferably with cool water;
4. A special set of exercises will strengthen the pectoral muscle;
5. Botox breast injection procedure is common and needs to be repeated every 6 months;
6. A radical and expensive method is plastic surgery.

• You should not radically change your lifestyle. Need more rest, walk in the fresh air;
• Good nutrition and the use of vitamin-mineral complexes is mandatory to compensate for the lack of trace elements;
• The cessation of production of prolactin is replaced by the production of other hormones (estrogen). After lactation, the normal menstrual cycle is restored, so you need to worry about the method of contraception;
• Psycho-emotional state. - important point his next period in life. Many mothers endure it very painfully, causing depression, as it is perceived as a loss of contact with the baby. It is at this moment that understanding and support from the outside is very important. loving people, and first of all - the husband;
• Hair loss, constipation, weight gain, dry skin, and tachycardia may be symptoms of thyroid hormone disorders. In this case, you should not postpone a visit to the endocrinologist;
• Do not be afraid of sleep disturbances (frequent waking up, insomnia). This is due to a decrease in the level of the hormone progesterone, which has a relaxing effect;
• A dreary mood is caused by an insufficient level of estrogen - the hormone of youth and a positive attitude towards life.

Average hormonal background is restored in a young mother 1-2 months after the cessation of lactation. Ending breastfeeding – new stage in the life of not only a woman, but also a baby. To facilitate its flow, you need the right psychological attitude and close attention to yourself.

This article does not claim to be complete coverage of the topic of cessation of lactation and feeding. An entire chapter could be written about each of the options for stopping feeding. The purpose of this article is to give mothers the most general idea of ​​the various situations that may arise when a feed needs to be terminated, as well as to provide guidance on what to expect when a feed is stopped.

How does the feeding end?

Natural cessation of feeding. The baby decides when to stop breastfeeding. Mom is guided by the needs of the baby. Sucking gradually becomes less and less until it stops completely. Can happen anytime from 1 year old to... 7-9 years old. Extreme age limits fall into the category of rarer cases. Average age cessation of feeding, provided that the child is allowed to suck as much as he wants - 4.2 years.

Termination of feeding at the initiative of the mother. Mom decides to stop breastfeeding for various reasons.

"Self-weaning" from the breast. The baby, unexpectedly for the mother, abruptly throws the breast.

Forced and/or sudden cessation of feeding. Feeding has to be ended, often for medical reasons.

Stopping feeding and suppressing lactation at any age comes down to a simple principle recommended by the International Organization for the Support of Breastfeeding Moms La Leche League - "gradually, with love." This is the most gentle and humane way in most situations, both for the baby and for the health of the mother.

Immediately after the birth of a child

The mother is unable to breastfeed for health reasons. The newborn cannot breastfeed. Mom decides not to breastfeed. The child is stillborn, dies in childbirth or shortly after birth.

What to expect?

• In the first few days, colostrum is produced in the breast.
• On the 3-7th day, even in the absence of sucking, the breast will be filled with milk.
• The breasts may become hard, swollen, hot, painful, and red.
• The extinction of lactation takes about 2-3 weeks. During this time, the breast will stop swelling, although milk can still remain in the breast for quite some time without causing discomfort.
• If milk continues to flow spontaneously from the breast (not with pressure) 3 months after stopping feeding, contact your doctor to find out the cause.

The goal of a mother who cannot or will not breastfeed immediately after birth is to reduce discomfort and suppress lactation. Mimicking the natural process of lactation extinction is the healthiest and safest way.

• Wearing a well fitting, comfortable and tight (but not tight) bra 24 hours a day.
• Applying cold compresses to reduce swelling, pain, and burning in the chest. For example, an ice pack wrapped in a towel or handkerchief.
• Regular pumping with hands, mechanical or electric breast pumps to relieve the feeling of fullness in the breast. In the early days, you may need to pump quite often, every few hours. Unlike pumping to maintain lactation, the breast does not need to be completely emptied. Before pumping, you can apply a warm compress to your chest or take a warm shower. Milk flows more easily when exposed to heat.
• Acetaminophen (Paracetamol, Tylenol, Panadol, etc.) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nurafen, Actren, etc.) help relieve pain. Check with your doctor before taking medication.
• Cold cabbage leaves relieve pain and swelling of the breast.
• Sage, parsley and mint infusions help reduce milk production.
• If lumps form in the breast, consult your doctor. It could be lactose. With lactostasis, the breast must be emptied completely until the seal disappears. Then you can resume pumping until relief, and not completely.

• medicinal method. In countries former USSR so far, Bromocriptine mesylate (brand names Parlodel, Bromolactin, Krypton), a drug that suppresses prolactin production, is often used to suppress lactation. In the US, this drug is not recommended for lactation suppression due to serious side effects that include nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, peripheral vasoconstriction, as well as hypotension, myocardial infarction, convulsions, stroke, and death. Be sure to check with your doctor if you want to take this medicine.
• Cabergoline (trademark Dostinex) is an alternative drug to Bromocriptine mesylate. In some European countries it is used to suppress lactation. Side effects- headache, dizziness, fatigue, orthostatic hypotension, nosebleeds, lactation suppression. Be sure to consult with your doctor and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the medicinal method of stopping lactation. Remember that you will need to take care of your child even if you feel unwell.
• Breast ligation does not prevent breast swelling in most women, and the risk of lactose stasis and mastitis is significantly increased.
• Restriction in nutrition does not affect the production of milk. Studies show that it is only severe exhaustion that leads to a noticeable decrease in milk, and not a temporary restriction in nutrition.
• Liquid restriction does not reduce milk volume. Lactation is reduced in cases of exceptional dehydration, when urine output is significantly reduced (10% dehydration), for example, in a mother with diarrhea and vomiting in the complete absence of water. By limiting yourself to drink, you will go to the toilet less, and the amount of milk will not decrease.

• If you decide not to feed on your own, and the baby shows signs of an allergy to formula, you may consider re-feeding.
• If you are unsure about your decision not to breastfeed, you can keep lactating for a while by pumping.
• If you have lost a child, you may consider donating milk. Many premature and sick children need donor milk for survival. Your milk can give life to another child.
• If you've wanted to breastfeed but can't for medical reasons and are very worried, try talking about your feelings with a lactation consultant, psychologist, or understanding loved one.
• If you have deliberately and seriously decided not to feed, and someone questions your decision, try to draw the line of acceptable discussion. Prepare in advance a phrase that can be used in such cases. For example, “Thank you for your concern. I prefer to discuss this issue with our pediatrician. If I need your help, I will ask you myself” (try to sound friendly but confident).

Breast milk is the main source of nutrition for children under one year of age, supplementing the child's diet with adult food from the middle of the first year of life. In most cases, the cessation of feeding at this age occurs at the initiative of the mother or is forced. There are cases of self-weaning, but most often these are temporary "strike" and the baby eventually returns to suckling.

What to expect?

• It will take some time to stop feeding and lactation.
• You can control the speed of the feeding stop process, depending on the baby's reaction.
• If your child becomes ill, is under severe stress, or is in the process of learning a new skill, try to delay the weaning if possible.
• An older baby is more likely to cry and resist stopping feeding.
• The milk in the breast will gradually disappear.
• Milk can be released with pressure after stopping feeding for several months to several years.
• If milk flows out spontaneously (not with pressure) for more than 3 months, consult a doctor to find out the cause.
• You may lose or gain weight.

• Warm, friendly and confident attitude helps to stop feeding. When you stop breastfeeding, you don't stop loving your baby.
• Try to replace the feeding that is easiest for the baby to refuse. Save the most important meal for last. If the baby does not take the bottle from your hands, ask your father or grandmother to feed the baby instead of you.
• If possible, plan a few days or a week between feeding changes. Thus, the baby will gradually get used to the bottle, and your lactation will gradually fade away. This reduces the likelihood of breast swelling, lactostasis and mastitis.
• If your breasts swell between feeds, gently express some milk to ease the feeling of fullness.
• If you are not able to gradually stop feeding, see recommendations for stopping feeding immediately after birth.
• If lumps have formed in your chest or you have a fever, you need to start pumping your chest until it is completely empty. If the temperature does not drop within 24 hours, consult your doctor.

• If your baby shows signs of an allergy to formula, you may want to consider re-feeding.

Many health professionals recommend breastfeeding your baby "for at least a year, and longer if mutually desired." Having fed the baby up to a year, you can look at the year as the “final” of an important stage in the life of the child. By the year may be timed to go to work. In your circle, it may be customary to feed up to a year.

You may feel tired, irritated, sad, insecure. You may be trying to solve some problems (waking up at night, poor appetite or the child's dependence on you) by stopping feeding.

The child often receives a fairly large part of the nutrition from breast milk. Suckling may be on the decline during the day and frequent at night. Most often, sucking takes an important place in the life of a child.

Some health organizations recommend breastfeeding for more than a year or "at least 2 years" (WHO). If you are breastfeeding an older baby, you may feel pressure from others to stop feeding as soon as possible. You may feel lonely and insecure.

What to expect?

• It will take some time for the feeding to stop. The duration of the process depends on the number of feedings.
• Breastfeeding will probably need to be replaced by bottle sucking or drinking from a baby cup.
• A younger child may be upset about the cessation of feeding (crying, whining).
• How older child, the more options to "negotiate" with him.
• You may experience feelings of sadness or helplessness.
• You can control the speed at which feedings stop, depending on the baby's reaction.
• Stopping feeding is rarely the solution to any problem.
• The child's need for attention is likely to increase, at least temporarily.
• If you are not sure about your readiness for weaning, if you feel guilty, the baby may start to suckle more. Warm, friendly and confident attitude helps to stop feeding.

• Try the no-offer-no-refuse tactic. If the child asks, give him the breast. If he does not ask, do not remind him of feeding. It is one of the most effective and safe methods cessation of feeding.
• Try changing your feeding circumstances. Babies usually like to suckle at a certain time of the day or in a certain place. For example, if your baby likes to breastfeed when you sit on the couch, try to avoid sitting on the couch.
• Enlist the help of relatives. Dad or grandma can help the baby wake up in the morning instead of you if the baby likes to breastfeed immediately after waking up.
• Anticipate the urge to suckle and offer a substitute or distract the baby. If you know approximately your baby's suckling pattern, you can prepare food or drink ahead of time to distract your baby, or come up with distracting activities (reading, walking, new toy, visits of friends).
• Distraction. Some babies suckle a lot at home and don't suckle at all outside the home. With such children, it helps to spend as much time as possible in an interesting place for the child outside the home.
• Postponement. Older children may be able to wait longer before feeding.
• Replacement. Morning, evening or night feedings can be replaced with massage, stroking, reading, hugging or any other manifestation of attention and love.
• You can try to reduce the duration of feedings.
• "Bargain". Most often works with older children. Children over 3 years old understand the concepts of "contract" and "promise".
• The most beloved and important feedings for the baby are easiest to remove at the very end.

• You may stop feeding abruptly. In this case, use the tips for stopping lactation immediately after childbirth. An abrupt cessation of lactation can lead to a depressive state due to a sharp drop in prolactin levels. If you are prone to depression or suffer from mental illness, consult your doctor.
• Separation from the child for a while. It is advisable to avoid this method of stopping feeding, especially if the child is not used to being separated from you. The disappearance of two of the most important things from the life of a child, mother and breastfeeding, can affect the well-being of the baby. Upon returning, the child may become even more attached to you. Try to spend more time with your child when you return. If the baby sucked a lot of milk, your breasts may swell. Tips for suppressing lactation immediately after feeding will help in this situation (see above).
• Smearing the nipples with something bitter (mustard) or frightening (brilliant green) is popular folk method. The bitter and often stinging substance can burn the breast or irritate the delicate skin of the breast. Feelings of fright or disgust can cause a lot of stress in a baby.
• Pay attention to methods that do not affect the decrease in milk in the section Immediately after birth; .

• If you are unsure about your desire to stop breastfeeding, try partial weaning. Partial weaning can be a reduction in suckling time, cessation of only daytime or only nighttime feedings.
• If you are replacing breastfeeding with a bottle, pay attention to the liquid you will be giving your baby at night. Sucking on a bottle of milk or sugary liquid can lead to tooth decay in children.
• If the baby shows signs of stress (stuttering, waking up at night, the baby “does not come off” from you during the day, a new fear of separation, attachment to a new object (bear, blanket), biting (if this has not happened before), this may be a sign that that the cessation of feeding is progressing too quickly for the baby.
• If you feel very tired, your breasts become very full, the cessation of feeding may move too quickly for you.
• You can change your mind and continue feeding.

In extremely rare cases, a sudden illness or hospitalization of the mother, or the loss of a child, leads to the need to stop feeding quickly and unplanned.

What to expect?

• You may be concerned about the well-being of your child.
• You may feel guilt, sadness, resentment, anger, helplessness, fear.
• You may experience fear of death. You may be afraid that the baby will be left without you.
• You may experience symptoms of "milk fever" - fever, weakness, chills, "flu" condition. The temperature can last 3-4 days.
• A sharp drop in prolactin associated with a sudden cessation of feeding can lead to an exacerbation of depression or feelings of sadness.

• Follow recommendations for stopping lactation immediately after birth.
• Try to keep your presence of mind. With the cessation of feeding, your love for the baby does not disappear. Repeat this to yourself often.

• Many diseases and medicines are compatible with feeding. Explore options to continue feeding if desired.
• If you do not have the opportunity to quickly learn about the possibility of feeding in your condition, if possible, express milk for a while while you investigate the situation.
• If you are suddenly hospitalized, tell your doctor that you are lactating. This will help the nursing staff to help you avoid milk stagnation and infection and, if possible, support your lactation until you are discharged.
• If your relative or friend is lactating and is in the hospital, contact the patient's doctor and warn him about it. In emergency situations, you can skip mastitis and bring the infection to an abscess. A midwife or nurse can help you express milk to maintain lactation or stop milk production.
• If your relative or friend is in this situation, try to help her get through this time. Reassure mom, try to inspire her with confidence that everything is in order with the baby, that he is loved and taken good care of.

As everyone knows, breast milk is much better than formula milk, but many prefer to feed their children with it. But even if breastfeeding is natural, sooner or later the mother will face a situation where she needs to stop lactation. At such moments the main problem How to painlessly wean a child from breastfeeding.

Let's try to understand all the nuances of this "event". So how do you stop breastfeeding?

The best food for a newborn baby is mother's milk, all experts talk about this. If you feed a child in this way, then he will have enough vitamins and minerals necessary for normal development. One year is the recommended lactation period.

When the term ends, then mothers think about the introduction of complementary foods. But many do not know the basics of the correct introduction of complementary foods, in which case contact your pediatrician. medical worker will analyze the condition of the baby and advise on the process of stopping lactation, suitable for the child. To wean a baby from the breast, you need to follow the following steps.

Decision-making

To stop breastfeeding, it is important to make a final decision. First of all, you need to prepare yourself for this. Think, and then proceed: after excommunication, there is no going back. Of course, you can resume lactation, but then you can disrupt the psyche of the newborn.

It should be mentioned that when you "replace" the food, the baby will certainly begin to cry and demand to return it back. It's very difficult for everyone to go through this. You can not succumb to provocations and you should not resume lactation. When the child understands that you are ready to return everything back just because he is crying, he will begin to manipulate you.

When a mother can no longer cope with her baby and is ready to breastfeed him again, it is worth resuming lactation in a few weeks. Now it is clear why you should prepare for this.

Age

When should you start weaning from breastfeeding? The optimal age for weaning a child from the breast is one and a half years, not earlier! At 1.5 years old, the child can already eat regular food. But he still needs dairy products in his diet.

Many mothers breastfeed their babies until natural involution. In other words, they feed until they lose their ability to produce milk. Medicine advocates a long period of lactation, but there is a line beyond which you need to stop feeding.

Doctors say: the younger the baby, the more difficult it will be for him to stop breastfeeding. When the baby turns one year old, it is time to think about the end of lactation. There are times when you need to stop using mother's milk prematurely, that is, before the moment when the baby is 1 year old. Feed the baby with milk for at least 6 months - this is the verdict of the doctors.

Milk replacement

If you have already begun to introduce complementary foods, then the foundation for the transition to regular food has been laid. Breast milk must be replaced with something. It should be mentioned that consultation with a doctor is required at all stages. Undoubtedly, the baby will eat the food that you cook, but he also needs dairy products.

Mother's milk, as mentioned above, contains a large number of vitamins and minerals that children need. Therefore, mothers need to choose a dairy product that contains the same vitamins and minerals. Various curds, yogurts, cheeses and sour cream can replace breasts. If you want to introduce something into complementary foods, then use the table:

Season

Autumn and winter are the most optimal times of the year for weaning a baby. Why not in summer? In summer, the baby loses a lot of fluid, which can be replenished with breast milk. If you still want to stop lactation in the summer, it is recommended to give your child more fluids, teach the baby to water. But still it is better to stop lactation at a cooler time.

For those who have already decided

If you have read all the points and are ready to start an almost irrevocable process, then follow simple rules:

1. The day is not the time for breastfeeding. To wean the baby from the breast, you need to do everything gradually. First of all, it is necessary to “cross out” daytime feedings from the to-do list and replace mother’s milk with regular food. After a few days, you can cancel the morning feeding and feed the baby, for example, porridge. If he does not strike and calmly endures all the hardships associated with stopping breastfeeding, then this is a signal for further action. A few days - and it is worth starting to get rid of feeding in the remaining half of the day.
2. Sleep without milk. Many mothers feed their babies before bed. Milk soothes and relaxes the child, he is ready for bed. But now he will have to fall asleep without milk. For starters, you can try giving your baby a bottle of formula or tea. A pacifier can also be an assistant in this. When the baby stops asking for a breast for a whole day, it can be said with full confidence that almost all the weaning work has been done, and there is very little left. Three months is the optimal time to stop lactation. In a few weeks, you will not succeed, this is a long and laborious process for which mothers must be prepared. Assign yourself a little rest and do not change anything in the diet of the child. After three weeks have passed, it will be possible to cancel night feedings.
3. Night. This hard time for mum. Do not drastically limit the child. To begin with, stop feeding at the beginning and end of the night. The best option- pacifier. Instead of breast milk, offer your baby a pacifier. When the baby is more than six months old, he will be able to sleep peacefully all night without feeding. If he is on strike and demands the usual food, it is enough to give him some drink from a cup. If the baby will cry a lot, then the mother is required to calm the baby. Most likely, mom will not sleep a wink for a couple of days.

Reduction in production

Using a compress is a universal way to stop the production of mother's milk:

• apply a cold cloth to your chest;
• cabbage leaves have also gained popularity in the field of solving such problems. Wash the plant and apply to the chest for 2-3 hours. This method can also help dissolve the bumps that form as a result of stagnation.

Tightening the chest is the latest method that is prohibited by all specialists. Tightening the chest exacerbates the process.

In the case when the mother cannot cope with the problem of milk production herself, she may start taking certain drugs, before using which, be sure to consult with a mammologist.

Rapid weaning

In the case when the mother urgently needs to stop lactation, then this should be done as follows:

1. Give the crumbs for a couple of days to relatives, you will have time to do your own thing. During this period of time, you can not catch the eye of the baby. When there is no mother, no milk, he will simply forget about his usual diet.
2. Upon your return, follow the advice above. Children should not see bare breasts, wear closed clothes, wash them as often as possible.

To summarize: you will now be able to successfully complete lactation. For all mothers, this process is considered a strong psychological burden. Some women, without thinking about it, immediately take action. Subsequently, they give in and start feeding again. In such conditions, the baby is quickly misled, which affects the psyche of the baby extremely negatively. That is why your own decision is so important. Monitor the condition of the mammary glands during this period. For problems that arise during the cessation of lactation, consult a doctor. Lactation stops when exactly one year has passed since the end of breastfeeding.

Weaning a baby from the breast is an important moment for the baby and the mother. Sometimes this happens naturally as the child grows up and eats solid foods. In some cases, the decision is made by the mother. There are situations when lactation is not possible due to illness or forced separation. After a woman stops breastfeeding, milk is released for several more months. Stagnation of milk often leads to mastitis, mastopathy and other unpleasant conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to speed up the process of stopping milk production and how safe it is.

It happens that the child is not yet a year old, but the mother has to go to work. If a woman is going to give her child to a kindergarten or a nanny, then she has to transfer him to bottle feeding at least 1-1.5 months before. Usually children quickly switch to new way nutrition, if milk formulas are suitable for them, do not cause allergies. For some time, the father or grandmother has to feed the baby from the bottle until he weaned from his mother's breast. Sooner or later, the process is successfully completed, there is such a need to stop lactation.

Cessation of lactation can occur both naturally and with the use of various ways effects on the mammary glands.

Stop lactation naturally

The body of a woman is designed in such a way that the production of milk during the feeding period directly depends on the mode of attachment of the baby to the breast and the intensity of sucking. After the cessation of regular feeding, milk production gradually decreases, the breast ceases to swell. For some time, when pressed, milk appears, then completely disappears. At this time, the main thing is to observe the rules of personal hygiene, so as not to bring the infection into the mammary gland.

During the period of feeding, doctors recommended that the woman achieve complete emptying of the breast to stimulate milk production. It was required to give the child to suck out completely the milk from one breast, and then apply it to the other, express the remaining milk.

To complete lactation, it is necessary to express milk only until relief is felt in the chest. In the milky lobes, with incomplete emptying of the breast from milk, an enzyme is produced that reduces the rate of its formation. Milk can be expressed manually or with a breast pump.

If a woman feels that seals appear in her breasts, then she must carefully, effortlessly express milk completely in order to prevent the inflammatory process. In order for the lumps to dissolve faster, you can apply cold (from the freezer) cabbage leaves to your chest.

A warning: Warm compresses should not be used if seals have formed in the chest during the period of stopping lactation. This can cause a purulent inflammatory process in the milk ducts (mastitis).

If the lumps do not go away, the breasts (one or both) turn red, the woman has a fever, the touch causes pain, then you need to urgently consult a doctor, since, most likely, mastitis has formed. In this case, antibiotics are prescribed. If the condition worsens, prompt removal pus.

Ways to artificially stop milk production

After weaning a baby, a young mother receives a lot of advice from more experienced women on how to stop lactation faster. How effective and safe are the proposed methods and should they be trusted:

1. Drink less liquid. Reducing fluid intake has little effect on milk production. This will only lead to bladder fill up less frequently. In addition, this can lead to inflammation of the kidneys.
2. Bandage the chest tightly. This should also not be done, since milk stagnation can lead to inflammation in the mammary glands, the formation of lactostasis (milk stagnation) and mastitis. Instead, you can wear a tight bra day and night.
3. Apply ice to the chest. This really helps, as it slows down the process of blood supply to the mammary gland, the supply of substances necessary for the formation of milk. However, you should be extremely careful using this method, since severe hypothermia often leads to inflammation.

Video: How not to stop lactation

Folk remedies to stop lactation

Many women prefer folk remedies that stop lactation. IN traditional medicine for this, sage and peppermint are used.

Using sage to stop lactation

This plant contains phytoestrogens, substances whose action in the body is similar to the action of estrogens (sex hormones produced by the ovaries). The functioning of the mammary glands is determined by the ratio of the sex hormones estrogen and prolactin (the hormone responsible for lactation). When using sage, there is a decrease in the level of prolactin due to estrogen, which causes a decrease in lactation. Sage is used in the form of a decoction, which is drunk several times a day.

Decoction of sage

For 2 cups of boiling water, take 1 teaspoon of dry grass. After cooling, drink the decoction for 6 times. This remedy is safer than drugs to stop lactation, but it has contraindications. It should not be used for allergies to the plant, as well as for diseases of the stomach, kidneys, and nervous disorders. It will take about 4 days to stop lactation with sage.

You can use sage oil (add 5 drops to a small amount of water and drink several times a day). It is useful to lubricate the mammary glands from the outside with this oil in order to relieve inflammation, prevent lactostasis and mastitis.

Using peppermint to stop lactation

This herb contains menthol, which inhibits the production of milk. On the other hand, it contains essential oils, dilating blood vessels, accelerating blood flow, which, on the contrary, can stimulate milk production. Different varieties of mint differ in menthol content. Peppermint is used to stop lactation. It is taken in small quantities. Often this plant is brewed with sage.

Peppermint infusion

Dry peppermint(2 tablespoons) pour warm water (2 cups). Insist 1.5 hours, filter. Drink 2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day. Peppermint infusions should not be taken with cardiac arrhythmia, as well as with hypotension, since mint contains substances that greatly lower blood pressure.

The use of cabbage leaves

Cabbage leaves are used to eliminate inflammation, as well as a means of reducing milk production.

You can stop lactation both with the help of the upper, dark green, cabbage leaves, and using the inner leaves. A juicy leaf is taken, crushed with a rolling pin to squeeze out the juice. In this form, it is applied to the chest, a bra is put on top, the sheet is held on the chest until it fades completely. The amount of milk produced decreases, pain in the chest disappears.

Video: How to deal with lactostasis

Medicines to stop milk production

Medications are used only when absolutely necessary. Lactation is a process associated with hormonal balance in a woman's body. Any shift that disrupts the natural balance of hormones can lead to unpredictable consequences. First of all, the consequences of the intervention are tumor diseases of the mammary gland and a disorder in the functioning of the reproductive system.

Drink pills only after the complete cessation of breastfeeding. Medicines are used in the following cases:

• emergency termination of pregnancy in the last term;
• the birth of a dead child;
• purulent mastitis with the possibility of transition to mastopathy;
• severe illness in the mother that makes feeding impossible (AIDS, tuberculosis, cancer, heart failure);
• severe pathology in the newborn.

Most drugs to stop lactation cause nausea, dizziness, headache, fainting, and increase blood pressure.

Most often, hormonal preparations based on estrogens are used, which suppress the action of prolactin, testosterone (a male sex hormone that reduces the action of female hormones), gestagens, which have the same effect as estrogens. In addition, drugs are used that act directly on the pituitary gland, where prolactin is produced. These drugs have a number of contraindications. They greatly increase blood pressure, act on the heart, stomach, liver and kidneys.

For a healthy woman in the best possible way is a natural decrease and gradual cessation of milk production, which does not affect health and does not have complications.

Issues related to the completion of breastfeeding and related changes in the mother's body are always relevant and always raise many questions. What happens to the body of a woman who completes breastfeeding, how can you restore the resources of the mother's body, depleted during lactation. Is it possible to understand by any signs - what substances are lacking in the body and replenish stocks? All these questions require clarification and detailed discussion.

What's happening?

Any changes in the state of a woman's body is a transition to a new level of functioning of the body, and regardless of our desire, they will be stress for the body, expressed in a more or less strong form. Even if these are completely physiological processes in the form of the onset of the first menstruation after childbirth or if it is the cessation of breastfeeding, this is a process of restructuring the body with its transition to a completely different level of work. At the end of lactation, at whatever age the child does not occur, certain processes occur. This is, first of all, the hormonal restructuring of the body of a woman's body, since prolactin, which is responsible for the production of milk, its quality and quantity, also affects many other functions of the female body. In addition, all female hormones are in close relationship with each other - if there are a lot of some hormones, then there will be fewer other hormones (antagonists). At the end of the breastfeeding period, prolactin levels decrease. And a signal enters the woman's brain to produce prolactin antagonists, which has the opposite effect.

But what are these hormones, and what effects will they have on the mother's body? First of all, a woman's body always has all the necessary hormones, but their level during life can change based on what functions the body needs to perform. Fluctuations in hormone levels can be throughout the day, months or years. In the female body, there is always a small amount of even male sex hormones - testosterone and its analogues (men also have female ones too), which can also participate in the formation and completion of lactation. At the end of breastfeeding, there is a decrease in the level of prolactin in the blood, and in parallel with this there is an increase in the level of female sex hormones in the body that are responsible for menstruation - especially estrogen and progesterone. In the body, there is a restructuring to perform those tasks that will be necessary for implementation precisely on this moment- regular menstruation and preparation for a possible conception.

During pregnancy, in order to prepare for future breastfeeding, the level of prolactin in the woman’s body increases gradually, and already at the time of the birth of the baby, so that lactation can start in the required volume immediately after birth, the amount of prolactin is quite enough to breastfeed the baby without any additional types of food. And if we talk about the end of breastfeeding, by the end of the feeding period - if this is a gradual smooth reduction in the number of attachments and feedings, the level of prolactin also decreases slowly and gradually. From a natural point of view, this method of feeding and weaning is the least stressful for both the child and the mother's body. But here it is also important that by the time breastfeeding is completed, the child is already fully fed on all other types of food. By the time of lactation natural way(by self-weaning or soft weaning), a woman usually feeds no more than a couple of times a day and the refusal of such a number of feedings will be quite calm - less and less milk will gradually be produced.

What's the best way to turn around?

Would it make a difference how breastfeeding was stopped—abruptly, by weaning the baby on the same day, or gradually phasing out feed after feed as the baby's diet expands and the number of latches decreases? Of course, the difference will be noticeable - for the body there will always be the best option gradual change. According to WHO recommendations, breastfeeding is recommended to continue for up to two years or even more. However, it also says that from six months, complementary foods should gradually appear in the child's diet, from six months, the nutrients of breast milk alone will no longer be enough for the child. Therefore, as we grow and develop, steps are gradually being taken to replace breast milk with the usual diet of people - first in the form of mashed potatoes and cereals, and gradually expanding and improving the diet, bringing it closer to the common table. This allows you to replenish the deficiency of missing substances, and gradually leads to a smooth completion of lactation.

The introduction of complementary foods and the end of breastfeeding

In fact, the end will be directly related to the introduction of complementary foods and the expansion of the child’s diet, and sooner or later there will come a moment in nutrition when ordinary food from our table already completely replaces breast milk, and then it’s time to stop breastfeeding completely. At this point, it is worth finishing feeding completely - no longer returning to breastfeeding again. And this is also quite justified - the body is difficult to adapt. If the end of the lactation period occurs in parts - today the breast is not given, and tomorrow they gave it again (they changed their minds, got sick, do not sleep without a breast, etc.), and then they got tired and again decided not to give. You shouldn't do that either, and I'll explain why. Each attachment to the breast after a long period of rest (if you have finished feeding) due to breast stimulation again gives a jump in prolactin and stimulates the flow of milk into the breast. Fluctuations in prolactin for the female body may also not pass without a trace, especially when there is no acute reason to return to breastfeeding again - if the baby is older than one and a half years. If you decide to complete lactation - so be it, do not come back again, not only is it stressful for the body at the level of the physical body, it is also a psychologically difficult stage - such refusals-returns can cause difficulties in the psyche of the baby and the mother herself .

Psychological aspects of completion

As the child grows older, in the matter of weaning, the psycho-emotional component of weaning the baby comes to the fore more and more, since in terms of nutrition as a replenishment of the main components, it is possible to replenish complementary foods or habitual nutrition. After one and a half to two years, in terms of the usefulness of the diet, milk is no longer so significant, although it does not lose its nutritional value and benefits. But breast milk will not be able to fully meet all the needs of the child - this is far from the only food for him. And for the most part, the mother's breast at this time still performs psychological functions - warmth and closeness, calming, relieving pain and stress. And gradually the need for the breast is replaced by other needs. But, you should not think at all that the nutritional value of breast milk itself is decreasing - no, it is still healthy and tasty, but the baby simply does not have enough of it. He develops teeth that need to chew more solid food, he needs to develop the skills of biting and chewing, which breast milk cannot provide - sooner or later all good things come to an end, and the era of breastfeeding too.

On the composition of milk and controversial issues

Specialists, through long-term studies of the composition of milk and the needs of children, come to the conclusion that after six months, children need complementary foods and additional nutrition in addition to breast milk. And we can say that with the beginning of complementary foods and the introduction of food denser than milk, the first stage of gradual further weaning begins. But this does not mean that it is necessary to quickly curtail breastfeeding from the moment of introduction of complementary foods - we proceed from the interests, first of all, of the child himself. And he needs to continue breastfeeding for at least a year - until the digestive system gets stronger and learns to fully absorb other foods, and it is better to continue further - the entire second year of life.

Breast milk is a unique system, not only is it useful in itself, it adapts to the needs of the child at one time or another in his life, changing in composition throughout the feeding period. It may be more watery and thin during periods when the child is thirsty, it is thicker and denser at night and in the evening, when you need to get enough and sleep. The child at any time suckling the breast receives milk of such a composition that he needs at that particular moment in time. It's more than just physics and chemistry, it's the special bond between mother and baby and the delicate adjustment of the breast to the baby. But no matter how good the milk is - before the army and the institute of the child, you will not reproach them - the time for weaning will come.