A mother's breasts fill with milk in the days and weeks following childbirth. If she does not breastfeed her child, this could cause engorgement—a painful buildup of milk in the glands and ducts of the breasts. Engorgement can also occur during weaning, especially if the child stops nursing abruptly. Several techniques can help to "dry up" breast milk and prevent the discomforts associated with engorgement. Pursue these techniques only if you are not breastfeeding or intend to stop quickly.
Step 1
Apply cold cabbage leaves to your breasts until the engorgement subsides. Renowned lactation expert Kelly Bonyata recommends this method to reduce milk supply and relieve breast discomfort. This popular home remedy helps to soothe pain while also directly reducing the output of milk glands.
Step 2
Apply jasmine oil or crushed jasmine flowers directly to your breasts several times per day. A report published in the "Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology" found that jasmine flowers reduce breast milk supply as effectively as the prescription drug bromocriptine. Jasmine oil can trigger asthma attacks in sensitive children, so use caution when holding your child close to your chest.
Step 3
Drink sage leaf tea, which can alter hormone levels to reduce breast milk supply. Bonyata recommends steeping one tablespoon of dried sage leaf in one cup of boiling water, and drinking the brew three times daily. You can also mix sage leaf into a strong-tasting vegetable juice, such as V8.
Step 4
If necessary, use a breast pump to excrete a minimal quantity of milk during times of discomfort. Although repeated nipple stimulation can increase breast milk supply, it is acceptable to pump small amounts to prevent significant discomfort.
Step 5
Consult a physician if you experience significant engorgement. Your health care provider may recommend prescription drugs, which supply you with estrogen or bromocriptine, to decrease your breast milk supply. Physicians generally reserve these drugs for abnormally persistent cases of breast engorgement that do not respond to home remedies.
