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1222635 tn?1366396286

question about drying up milk

im not breastfeeding and im wondering how i will know when my milk has dried up and how long it can take?
my breasts became engorged on the 3rd day after i had my daughter...since then they've gone significantly down..still a few lumps but nothing painful or making my boobs huge.. but today ive noticed twice now i start leaking when im just sitting in bed...i have on 2 sports bras and im not touching my boobs or stimulating my nipples in anyway, i just feel myself start to leak and i hate it because i know its probably slowing down this process..
anyways its been over a week since my milk came in so when does it dry up? and how will i know its dry? i don't want to stimulate my nipples to test it for fear i'll start this whole process over again. thanks!
5 Responses
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1163675 tn?1274627512
Cabbage leaves are amazing to help dry up milk.  Make sure they are green though because red doesn't seem to have the same effect and I'm not sure why.
Helpful - 0
1327833 tn?1317646477
I've heard that cabbage leaves have been used to relieve engorgement. Once you break them up so there are no hard veins in them, place them in your bra for a couple of hours or until they wilt. Arrange them so they are comfortable and there are no hard spots pressing against your breast. One of my cousins did this after the birth of her daughter!
Helpful - 0
1262373 tn?1281543782
I stopped nursing at the end of march and I still have milk.
Helpful - 0
202436 tn?1326474333
It varies from person to person but can take up to several weeks for it to dry up completely.  Remember that something as simple as the water hitting your breasts during a shower can stimulate them.  Also, our bodies are wired so that when we see our baby or hear our baby cry it triggers the let down reflex and can cause leakage.  

Helpful - 0
801413 tn?1333539276
Its only been a week, usually the minimum time (that I've heard) it taking for your milk to dry up is 2 weeks (and that is really fast).  Of course you're really not supposed to touch your boobs at all or even take warm showers to help 'dry up'.  Idk about you but I couldn't imagine not using it if I had it, not all women get that lucky.  (Personally I'm going to donate my pumped milk, they use it for preemies and sick babies whose mothers can't produce enough milk.  It really does save lives.)

It depends on your body, there are women who will leak several months after weaning and even a few reported cases of 'older' women still having milk when their grandchildren are born!!  Of course I don't expect you to be like that... I give it 2-3 months to completely dry.

But if you start to run a fever or notice a hot and painful lump in your breast go to your doctor.  You can get serious infections if the milk gets 'backed up' and blocks up your ducts.  The 'normal' treatment for it (mastitis) is antibiotics and LOTS of nursing... (to unclog the duct) but I dunno about women who aren't nursing...
Helpful - 0
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