"I don't want to breastfeed": how to stop lactation?

Like about a third of French mothers*, you don't want to breastfeed your baby.How then to stop the rise of milk?Is taking medication essential?Can it be done naturally?The explanations of Françoise Rameau, ibclc lactation consultant.

It's decided: to feed your child, you have chosen the bottle.For reasons that belong to you, you do not want - or cannot - breastfeed.Be fully reassured: giving a bottle is also a moment of strong complicity with baby.And on the nutritional level, no worries, it will be very good! Remains to settle the question of the rise of milk, which is physiological, and the comfort of your breasts.

Is the taking of medication necessary to stop the rise of milk?

Only in very specific cases

This question has long been debated in the medical environment.A clear trend has been confirmed for several years for several years: the prescription of a treatment to stop the rise of milk is only done in rare cases.An observation confirmed by Françoise Rameau, ibclc lactation consultant for 7 years: “Scientific literature on the subject is today very clear: the prescription of a treatment must be done in very specific cases.Very long, these drugs were found on mothers' night tables, but this time is over.Without medical advice, no drug.There have been too many serious health problems such as neurological or cardiac complications.Thus, the Bromocriptine (Parlodel® and Bromocriptine Zentiva®), long prescribed to stop the rise of milk, was prohibited for this use in 2013.The National Medicines Safety Agency (ANSM) had considered that the benefit/risk ratio of these drugs was no longer favorable.

What drugs to take to stop the rise of milk today?

In 2021, the prescription of treatments and drugs blocking lactation is therefore exclusively reserved for medical indications, generally after a fetal death in utero or a medical interruption of pregnancy (IMG)."The Dostinex is the most prescribed drug today," says Françoise Rameau, who completes: "Above all, you need medical follow -up of course, but also psychological support, from maternity, because they are often women in largedistress.»»

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Is there a natural method for stopping breast milk?

The less the breast is stimulated, the more lactation decreases

A word on the process of making breast milk first of all: delivery finished, two hormones, oxytocin and prolactin, will go into action and trigger milk production and its flow to feed the baby."However, the human brain is very well done explains Françoise Rameau.If the breast of the mother is not stimulated, by sucking (feeding of the baby), extraction (breast pump) or palpation, prolactin will not be released, and therefore the lactation process will not start.»» En d'autres termes, moins la poitrine est sollicitée, plus vite la lactation s'arrête, et la montée de lait est stoppée.The milk contained in the mammary gland will then involve in the blood system, and the latter will resume its normal size."And if you are advised, adds Françoise Rameau, to bandage your chest or to tighten it to make the milk involve, do not do it, it's archi-frills.»»

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« J'ai commencé à allaiter mais je ne veux plus continuer»» : comment arrêter la lactation ?

We do not stop breastfeeding suddenly

"Lactation consultants are very often faced with this kind of case," explains Françoise Rameau.These mothers are too loose in nature after maternity, without support.The cessation of breastfeeding of the child is often done overnight, which generates problems of engorgement, and therefore the appearance of mastites (inflammation of the breast, editor's note), or even abscesses.However, the transition must always be done smoothly, we speak of progressive withdrawal method.The mother should not stop giving milk to the baby overnight ".

How to do the baby weaning?

"Take the example of a mother who wishes to stop breastfeeding her baby after 15 days or 3 weeks," presents Françoise Rameau.Weaning must always be done in steps.I recommend mothers, to start the weaning of their child, to replace the late afternoon feeding with a bottle.This is the best time, because not only is it a moment of the day when the mother is tired, but it is also a moment when they have a feeling of lack of milk.The next day, we reintroduced the same bottle at the same time.The mother's body records then that at this time, there will no longer be a breast solicitation.The baby weaning must be put in place as slowly as the lactation is set up.As you go, we therefore replace a feeding with a bottle, then two and so on...»» La lactation de la maman va s’adapter à ces heures de non-sollicitation du sein, et petit à petit, la production du lait va diminuer.The body will then adapt, because every day at the same time, it will have understood that there is another solution to feed the baby.

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How to avoid engorgement of the breast after childbirth?The tip of Françoise Rameau, ibclc lactation consultant

In order to run the breast milk without stimulation of the chest (neither breastfeeding of the baby, nor extraction by a breast pump) and thus avoid the risk of engorgement, one can apply on the chest a frizzy green cabbage (Removecentral rib), which is maintained with transparent film.Under the effect of heat and without the breast being solicited, the milk will then start to flow.

How to relieve pain related to milk?

To combat pain related to the rise of milk the first days after your baby's birth, it is possible to wear a suitable bra, to alternate hot water (to run the milk) and watercold (to relieve the pain) on the chest.We can also use alternative medicines, such as homeopathy, acupuncture or phytotherapy. « La prise de paracétamol (Doliprane, Efferalgan…) ou d'ibuprofène peut également soulager la douleur et améliorer le bien-être»», précise Françoise Rameau.

* Research, studies, evaluation and statistics department, January 2021

A lire aussiAuteur : Guillaume BottonL'experte : Françoise Rameau, consultante en lactation IBCLC Article publié le