Dragging breast milk. How long does it take to burn out, consequences

In what cases are the mammary glands pulled?

Pulling the mammary glands with a towel or diaper was a common way to stop lactation. But modern pediatricians and gynecologists insist that this physiological process must occur gradually. The duration of feeding will decrease gradually as the child ages. Gradually the volume will decrease.

There are a number of reasons why dragging is necessary due to unforeseen circumstances.

Such reasons include:

• Illness of the mother - a doctor can urgently indicate an urgent need to complete lactation. Most often, such situations arise when the disease negatively affects the quality of milk, and this can harm the baby. It will be necessary to stop feeding if the mother takes medications for a long time. If medications are compatible with breastfeeding, you can temporarily stop breastfeeding by expressing milk daily.
• Going to work.
• Urgent departure.

Tugging will not reduce milk production. This process is completely controlled by hormonal changes in a woman’s body. The hormones prolactin and oxytocin are responsible for the appearance of milk. They are produced more actively at night.

If you draw breast milk, it will not reduce the amount of hormones entering the blood. Only the lobes of the mammary glands are blocked so that they do not fill with milk.

Pediatricians strongly recommend feeding your baby until he or she is 12 months or older. This is required for correct and complete physiological and intellectual development and the formation of a strong natural protective barrier - the immune system.

How to reduce the amount of milk

The amount of milk in the body should be reduced gradually. There are proven means to reduce lactation that you should use:

1. Replace all feedings with porridge and other foods, leaving only one at night. This will take about two to three weeks.
2. Doctors recommend not only feeding your baby less milk, but also pumping less so that the body produces less milk.

It is important to ensure that stopping feeding does not disturb the psyche of the child and mother and does not in any way affect the health, games and development of the baby.

Is it worth stopping lactation by dragging?

Breast milk transfer is a serious procedure that pediatricians recommend only in extreme cases.

pros

There are no positive aspects to this procedure. It is recommended to feed the child with breast milk until 12 months. This helps build his immunity.

The only advantage of the procedure will be a situation where further feeding is dangerous for the child’s health. If the mother has an infection that can be transmitted to the baby through milk.

Minuses

The tugging procedure speeds up the cessation of milk production. But mammologists argue that this method should be used only in extreme cases, as it is associated with serious risks.

The consequences may be:

• The appearance of swelling, pronounced tenderness of the mammary glands. The chest becomes hard, any touch causes severe pain.
• With strong compression, the soft tissue of the mammary gland can be injured.

If a woman experiences a feeling of discomfort, the bandage must be immediately removed and the remaining milk must be completely expressed. If you ignore these sensations, the condition may worsen.

Manual expression of milk

Manual expression is suitable for those mothers who rarely interrupt breastfeeding. However, all mothers should learn this express method in order to use it in cases where a breast pump is not available. Manual expression uses only your hands. Hand expression requires some practice and skill. The effectiveness of hand expressing milk improves with practice and can be as comfortable as expressing using a breast pump. You can always seek help from a lactation consultant to practice your skills in expressing milk from the breast.

Place the breast on the 3rd, 4th, 5th fingers of your hand, and place the 1st and 2nd fingers on the edges of the areola (along the border of light and dark skin). Press lightly with your thumb and forefinger deep into the mammary gland towards the chest, ribs, without returning your fingers, squeeze them together. Milk will flow from the breast. If you are having trouble learning how to pump, a lactation consultant can help.

Why is breast tightening dangerous?

Pulling breast milk without following the rules can lead to serious consequences. One of them is the development of mastitis. Blockage of milk flow leads to stagnation. Because of this, lactostasis occurs, painful sensations appear in the chest area, and the temperature rises sharply.

It manifests itself as lumps in the chest area. They need to be thoroughly rubbed until the clot completely disappears. This manifestation should not be ignored, as infectious mastitis may develop. In advanced conditions, women are prescribed surgical intervention

Why you shouldn’t give up compression garments

Some patients prefer to take off special underwear early, considering it too uncomfortable and unsightly. However, such a decision can provoke a number of side effects: in some cases, repeated surgery will be required.

Complications may be as follows:

• skin stretching, loss of elasticity;
• seam divergence;
• slowing down regeneration processes;
• painful sensations;
• increased load on the spine and shoulders;
• formation of wide scars;
• breast deformation due to displacement of implants.

Therefore, if you want to achieve a beautiful and long-lasting result, you should follow the rules of breast care after mammoplasty.

Step-by-step instructions for breast tightening

Tugging must be carried out in accordance with the rules so that breast milk does not stagnate in the mammary glands and mastitis does not develop.

To carry out the procedure, you need to perform the following steps:

1. Take a warm bath or shower and do a relaxing breast massage.
2. Take a wide sheet or towel.
3. The bandage is applied to the chest, completely covering the area of ​​the body from the ribs to the armpits.
4. The ends of the material must be tied tightly behind the back at the level of the armpits.

It is important that the woman does not experience pain when pulling. Only soft breasts can be compressed. You must first have the child empty it or carefully express the remainder.

While tugging, you need to reduce the amount of fluid you drink and actively engage in physical activity, this contributes to increased sweating and decreased lactation. You should not take a hot shower until the milk has completely burned off. Warm water will cause the milk ducts to warm up, which will only increase the volume of milk.

Is it possible to do without dragging?

Since drawing breast milk is associated with great risks for the woman and psychological trauma for the child, this method should be used only in extreme cases. If there is no immediate need to stop feeding due to maternal illness, milk production can be stopped gradually.

There are a number of rules for this:

• Replace one of the feedings during the day with a mixture; after a week, you can add 1 more meal with the mixture;
• as soon as the baby gets used to other food, you can remove breast milk before bedtime;
• Gradually, the woman's milk volume will decrease.

It is important to pay attention! There are certain periods in a child's life during which it is not recommended to wean him or her from the breast. The only exception will be if there is an urgent need for medical reasons.

It is undesirable to stop lactation in the following cases:

• If a child is sick, breast milk will help the body quickly cope with the virus and develop immunity. In addition, while sucking, the baby calms down faster.
• During teething or after vaccinations.
• During the hot summer period, when the child has an increased need for fluid.

It is not recommended to separate your baby if you are planning a move or a long trip that will be stressful. It is recommended to discuss everything related to breastfeeding with your doctor.

Use of medications

There are a large number of medications that help quickly and effectively eliminate lactation. Before using them, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician.

When taking medications, it is necessary to express the remaining milk; it is strictly forbidden to give it to the child. During this period, the breasts are not tightened; you need to wear a tight bra that will provide good support.

The method of stopping lactation with medications should be used only in extreme cases, for example, when the mother is ill. They should only be prescribed by doctors after an examination. This will help avoid possible complications. It is important to understand that after taking a course of pills, it will no longer be possible to restore lactation.

How to choose the right one

During mammoplasty, the correct compression garments are prescribed by a specialist. It determines the required degree of compression, as well as the optimal composition of the product: it should not cause allergic reactions or discomfort, and not pinch muscles and blood vessels. In addition, for some patients, the appearance of the compression garment is an important factor. Now there are many models of such products that not only meet all quality and safety requirements, but also look aesthetically pleasing. When choosing underwear, you should pay attention to the presence of a special tape that provides additional fixation, convenience of straps and fasteners. A properly selected compression bra does not cause discomfort and ensures the correct position of the breast after the procedure. Bustclinic specialists will definitely tell you how to choose the right model.

Folk remedies to reduce lactation

Using herbal infusions and compresses, you can reduce milk production in a gentle way.

Herbal teas

Before completing breastfeeding, it is recommended to drink herbal infusions:

• Sage - 10 g of crushed leaves pour 300 ml of boiling water. The herb is infused for an hour. The entire volume must be drunk per day;
• Steam 10 g of mint leaves in 500 ml of boiling water. Divide the resulting volume of decoction into three times.

Lingonberry leaf is good for stopping the production of breast milk. 10 g of raw material is steamed in 300 ml of water. I drink the decoction gradually throughout the day. The next day you need to prepare a new product.

Herbal mixture with sage

Using sage when stopping breastfeeding is considered the most effective way. At home, you can prepare a decoction of sage, hop cones and walnut leaves.

To prepare you will need:

• 2 tbsp. sage;
• 2 tbsp. walnut leaves;
• 4 tbsp hop cones.

All components are poured with boiling water in a volume of 500 ml. You need to drink 100 ml of the decoction three times a day until milk production stops completely. Sage can be purchased in bags and brewed as tea. It is recommended to drink this remedy 2-3 times a day. The herb can also be purchased in capsule or tablet form and taken as directed.

If feeding has already completely stopped, drink tincture with sage. It acts much faster than teas and decoctions. Alcohol tincture is taken 30-50 drops 3 times a day. The product is diluted with water.

Compresses

You can apply compresses to the mammary glands no more than once a day. This will help reduce discomfort, pain, and relieve inflammation. Cabbage leaves are suitable for the procedure, onto which a few drops of sage essential oil are applied.

A camphor compress has a good effect. The oil is applied to the chest area with the exception of the nipples. The top of the chest needs to be insulated. The procedure must be carried out every 4 hours. The course of treatment is 3 days.

If a woman is experiencing severe chest pain, a cold compress can be applied. Any frozen item or pieces of ice will be useful for this. It is applied to the inflamed area through soft tissue. You can hold it for no more than 20 minutes so as not to chill your chest.

Myths about breast drag

There are many myths about the procedure that can lead to negative consequences. Women believe that they need to bandage the glands as tightly as possible and walk like this all day. But this is a huge misconception. Such actions will lead to the development of mastitis. The bandage only needs to be applied for a few hours, 2-3 times a day.

Drawing on breast milk can lead to stagnation and mastitis.

Most refuse to take medications, preferring to apply bandages. They believe that the drugs can cause breast cancer. Breast ligation is not a safe method, especially if carried out without medical supervision.

Breast ligation as a way to end lactation

Completion of lactation is the same physiological process as breastfeeding. But the body is a complex system in which everything is interconnected. The decrease in milk production occurs gradually, and not at the request of the woman. Experts insist that the best way to stop breastfeeding is to act slowly, giving your organs time to rebuild.

Many women think that during ligation of the mammary glands, milk stops flowing into the ducts and immediately disappears. It's not like that at all. A tight bandage blocks the channels responsible for the flow of nutrient fluid. It is still produced, but the breasts do not fill as quickly, which leads to a decrease in lactation.

Despite the fact that modern medicine denies the effectiveness of breast tightening during the period of cessation of breastfeeding, many young mothers use this particular method and achieve success. They began to use this method a very long time ago, and in the Soviet Union it gained the greatest popularity. Even gynecologists and pediatricians advised applying a tight bandage to the mammary glands to quickly burn out the nutrient fluid.

Women believe that bandaging the breasts is much safer than taking pills, not as troublesome as preparing decoctions and infusions, and faster than gradually reducing the number of feedings and waiting for the milk to go away on its own.

Elastic bandage or diaper: what to choose

For dragging you can use:

elastic bandage. It is sold in pharmacies and comes in several types, which differ in width and length. For ease of use, some products have a fastener or Velcro to securely fix the edges after applying the bandage;

A woman independently chooses the width of the bandage depending on her breast size.

• diaper. Cotton fabric is perfect, preferably without the addition of synthetic threads, plain. The size is also selected individually and depends on the woman’s breast volume.

The elastic bandage can have a fastener, which is very convenient for fixing the bandage.

Some young mothers prefer to use a regular medical bandage, but due to the characteristics of the material and the loose weaving of the threads, it will not be possible to tighten the breasts well with its help.

When choosing an elastic bandage or diaper, it is necessary to take into account that the bandage should cover not only the entire surface of the chest, but also the ribs and collarbones.

Technique of pulling the mammary glands

Experts recommend starting to reduce feedings approximately seven to ten days before tugging, leaving one feeding at night or during the day. The less milk is produced in the mammary glands, the less likely it is that fluid stagnation will occur.

A gradual reduction in the number of feedings will lead to a natural decrease in the formation of nutrient fluid. A tight bandage will help reduce the flow of milk into the ducts.

Before you start dressing, you need to express completely. This can be done with your hands or using a breast pump. Then the entire surface of the mammary glands is palpated to make sure there are no lumps or fluid stagnation in the breast. A woman should know: if she begins to experience lactostasis, it is strictly forbidden to overtighten. This can lead to complications such as mastitis.

1. Take an elastic bandage or a thick diaper.
2. Apply the fabric to the mammary glands, taking into account that the bandage starts from the armpits and ends in the area of ​​the lower ribs.
3. Pull the fabric tightly and, if necessary, wrap it several times around the body.
4. Tie the edges of the bandage at the back. If you are using a bandage with a clasp, secure it in any place convenient for you.

In most cases, you won’t be able to apply the bandage yourself, so it’s better to ask your husband or other relatives for help.

It is best to tighten your breasts with an elastic bandage

It is worth noting that the bandage should not cause discomfort to the woman. Many mothers, trying to stop milk production as quickly as possible, tighten the fabric very tightly. This is the wrong approach. When the breast tightening technique is performed correctly, there is no pain in the mammary glands or nipple area.

The bandage on the chest should be tight, but not painful

How long should breasts be constricted?

Many women are sure that they need to wear the bandage constantly for several days. This is the main misconception. Before you decide to use a dressing to complete lactation, be sure to remember the simple rules:

Most young mothers note that after a week the milk practically does not come.

Expert opinion and advice

The process of completing milk production is a serious stress for both the woman’s body and the child. It is not recommended to make too sudden a transition to adult nutrition. Children's pediatrician Komarovsky gives recommendations on how to carry out the procedure painlessly if feeding the child becomes impossible.

A woman must follow the rules:

• Limit the daily amount of liquid you drink. You shouldn’t torture yourself with thirst, you just need to drink less water than is required for a good milk supply.
• Reduce feeding time, distract the child with something, offer him toys, take him out for a walk.
• Let your child drink from a bottle more often; before bedtime, we offer him compotes or fruit drinks.
• Eliminate foods from your diet that can stimulate milk production.
• Exercise to induce profuse sweating. Due to this, the milk will be less in volume.

Komarovsky recommends not expressing milk during periods of decreased milk production, as the body will perceive this as a need to replenish the volume for the baby.

A large number of pulling methods will help a woman choose the most suitable one if there is a need to stop the flow of breast milk. Regardless of which method is chosen, it is important to follow all the rules so that complications do not arise.