There is much talk today about the benefits of breastfeeding. But no matter how pleasant and useful this sacred process is for the mother and the child, there comes a time when there is a need to stop it. You can wait until lactation ends naturally, but there are situations that force you to resort to medication. That's just medications are not always safe and harmless. In this case, natural herbs will come to the rescue to stop lactation.
What herbs are used?
To reduce the amount of milk and stop its production, apply herbs that suppress lactation, such as:
- lingonberry leaf;
- bearberry;
- elecampane;
- stigmas of corn;
- belladonna;
- peppermint;
- sage;
- walnut leaf;
- hop cones
It should be understood that a sharp stoppage of milk production during the consumption of herbs that reduce lactation will not occur. The use of broths is suitable for mothers entering the stage of natural involution of this process, in order to help the mammary glands gradually stop the production of milk.
When can I stop feeding?
When deciding to stop breastfeeding, do not forget that this is stress for the baby and the mother's body. Therefore, if there are no difficult circumstances in which it is necessary to abruptly stop feeding, you need to do this smoothly and consistently, giving preference to herbs to stop lactation.
Problems encountered during excommunication:
- Tantrums of the child, crying. A kid, especially up to 2 years old, may simply not understand why suddenly you stopped feeding and lulling him in the usual way.
- Hot flashes, chest discomfort, a feeling of overcrowding, bursting, burning.
Sometimes there are situations when children themselves stop taking breasts. As a rule, they are already used to alternatives to breast milk, bottles or drinkers. In this case, weaning is painless and taking herbs is the best way to help mom cope with the presence of milk.
The older generation is considered that after a year the baby is already "big" and breastfeeding is not worth it. According to the recommendations of the WHO, up to two years you can and should feed your baby with their own milk. Do not be upset and insist through force on stopping breastfeeding if the baby is older than a year, but is not at all ready to part with her favorite ritual.
Finish feeding correctly
Focus on the baby, deciding on the completion of feeding. Weaning is more likely to take place painlessly, without unnecessary nerves and moods, when:
- a child over two years old;
- he does not require breasts from boredom;
- may not remember for a long time about mom and milk;
- recognizes other drinks from a bottle or drinker;
- attachments are minimal, occur only when sent to sleep or at the time of stress.
When to wait with the end of lactation?
Signs when the child is not ready to part with the feeding and most likely the process will be accompanied by tantrums, crying and mutual nervous tension:
- if you don’t give the breast on demand, the baby is very indignant and it does not work to calm him down with something else;
- putting a baby to sleep without a chest is difficult;
- at night the baby is applied to the chest several times;
- the baby sucks his chest to calm at the time of a difficult psychoemotional situation for him;
- the child is less than two years old.
The main thing is not to harm
Despite the fact that a lot of herbs are offered to stop lactation with alternative medicine, not all of them are harmless and safe. For example, belladonna, also called "rabies", contains atropine, a substance that causes strong nervous excitement in humans, which in rare cases reaches rabies. Its use is dangerous and fraught with at least insomnia for the mother and child. Walnut leaves are also not the best choice for ending feeding. They have a stupefying effect, leaf extracts are used in pest control compounds on trees and cultivated plants. It is better to include a nut leaf in the composition of the fees, and not to take it yourself. Therefore, when choosing herbs to reduce lactation, you must be guided by the principle of "do no harm."
In the vast majority of cases, doctors advise sage and peppermint, which have established themselves as the safest and most effective. With the right dosage, they do not harm the health of the mother and child.
How do herbs work?
The desired result is achieved due to the diuretic effect of herbs that reduce lactation. If necessary, establish breastfeeding, with a shortage of milk, the usual advice is given - drink more water and drinks. In this case, there will be enough fluid in the mother’s body both for her own needs and for milk production. It is logical that to complete lactation, you should remove as much fluid from the body as possible, thereby removing the flushing of milk and heaviness in the chest.
Most effective herbs
Bearberry. It is widely used in diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract, pyelonephritis, cystitis. Natural diuretic. Used to treat inflammation of the bladder. It is able to reduce the amount of milk in excess. It softens the stage of completing feeding, improving the general condition of the mother. Helps the mammary glands to recover, the breast becomes more elastic, resorbed seals, pass pain. Nursing women use bearberry to prevent mastopathy. Take a decoction should begin on the first day, which you decided to spend without lactation.
Lingonberry leaf. It has a diuretic effect, antiseptic properties. Astringents and tannins contained in the lingonberry leaf help stop lactation. Some women have known lingonberries since the pregnancy, if there were swelling and the doctor prescribed a decoction of the leaf. The medicine is prepared as follows: 2 tablespoons of the dried leaf are poured in a glass of boiled water. Insist 20 minutes. Take two tablespoons from three to five times a day.
Sage. Known for anti-inflammatory properties. The range of applications is wide: from throat diseases to gynecology. It is safely used by women who want to conceive, but who have difficulties in this matter. Contained phytohormones stimulate the production of sex hormones. But during lactation, sage has an overwhelming effect on the hormones responsible for the production of milk.
Peppermint. Used for motion sickness, nausea, gastrointestinal upset. It should be noted that it is peppermint that contributes to the cessation of lactation. Other species, for example, spiked, on the contrary, stimulate the production of milk. Menthol in mint suppresses lactation when taken regularly. Drinking peppermint tea is a pleasure. With menstruation, bleeding may increase when taken.
Elecampane. It has a diuretic effect. It is safe and effective when used correctly. The desired effect can be achieved within a week.
Corn silk. They calm me down well, give strength and cheer up. Used for weight loss, speed up metabolic processes. They have a diuretic, choleretic effect, restore salt balance. They are used for uterine bleeding. Therefore, they are suitable for women who want to complete the feeding, but suffer from heavy discharge during menstruation.
Compositions. In order to achieve a faster effect, you can use several herbs, making them fees. For example, mix a leaf of walnut, sage and hops. Pour boiling water in a glass of water with two or three tablespoons of the collection. The nut leaf has an astringent property, and hops regulate water and lipid metabolism, contain phytoestrogens.
Milk reduction
The use of herbs that stop lactation will help accelerate the involution and reduce the amount of milk smoothly. A plus is the ability to breastfeed and take broths. After the milk has waned, do not stop taking herbs. They will help prevent mastitis. It should be understood that plants will not stop lactation instantly, it will take some time. But the advantages over pills are obvious, there is no harmful effect on the body after taking hormones.
To reduce milk production, in addition to taking herbs to stop lactation, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- Do not feed the baby or express milk. This will contribute to the slow extinction of the product. This should be done gradually, depending on the individual characteristics of the crumbs and the feeding regimen. Then there will be no stagnation and discomfort in the mammary glands, and the baby will unlearn it smoothly. With a very crowded chest, it is completely not worth decanting (just to make it a little easier).
- Do not consume excess fluid. To establish lactation, it is recommended to drink more, but now you need to act the other way around. At the same time, avoid drinks that provoke an increase in milk production, stewed fruit, tea with milk, because the effect of using herbs in this case will be neutralized.
Reviews
Women who use herbs to reduce lactation are satisfied with the result. Situations are described when hyperlactation leads to stagnation, heaviness in the chest. Traditional methods such as dressing, infrequent decantation and fluid restriction do not provide much relief. While taking sage removes all the symptoms and the milk leaves in a couple of days. Among the advantages, women note accessibility and naturalness. Taking pills will cost many times more and may have undesirable consequences for the thyroid gland, hormonal levels. The grass also tastes quite pleasant, does not bite.
According to reviews of many women who took bearberry to reduce the amount of milk, in the first days of using the broth, tides are less felt in the chest, while normal health is maintained. If the condition of the mother’s body as a whole is satisfactory, then the use of the bearberry preparation will be sufficient for a smooth ending of feeding.
Of course, there are critical situations when taking medications is indispensable (separation due to illness of a mother or a child, the need to go to work). But if circumstances allow you to not rush, it is better to let the process of involution of lactation go naturally, give the body the opportunity to rebuild. And they will help alleviate all the symptoms while this herb to stop lactation for women.