# how to dry up breastmilk?



## candipooh (Jun 22, 2004)

My sister-in-law lost her baby last week at 21 weeks. I am looking for advice on how to help her dry up her milk. Her breasts are very sore.
I heard sage tea? And cabbage too right. You just put the raw cabbage in your bra?

Thanks. This is her 3rd loss.


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## JessicaS (Nov 18, 2001)

Yes cabbage leaves in the bra..change leaves as they get warm.

I am so sorry for her loss.


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## julielp (Jul 16, 2004)

I lost my baby at 21 weeks also and I also asked these ladies how to dry up my milk. They told me the same things you said about sage tea and cabbage leaves. They tell you not to push on them to get milk out b/c it will cause more milk to come but it won't. Mine were so swolen the only way i could get them to go down was to push on them and let some milk out. Also wearing a tight bra helps. I wore a sports bra.
I'm so sorry for her loss. Like i said I had the same experience at 21 weeks do you mind if i ask what happened. I had in incompitent cervix and i was just wondering if maybe she had the same. You both are in my thoughts. Thank you so much for being there for her i'm sure she appricates it.


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## candipooh (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *julielp*
I had in incompitent cervix and i was just wondering if maybe she had the same. You both are in my thoughts. Thank you so much for being there for her i'm sure she appricates it.

Yes incompitent cervix. She lost her last baby because they didn't know about the incompitent cervix. This time it was because the stitch wasn't done propperly. That plus the added stress she was going though at home that caused contractions. SO heartbreaking. I am sorry for you loos as well. Do you plan on having any more children. My SIL isn't sure she wants to or not.

How long did it take for your breasts to feel normal again?

Thanks for the advice ladies. I will pass it along.


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## julielp (Jul 16, 2004)

Oh my gosh. I'm scared now. My lost angel was my first baby and I'm gettin married in April and we plan on trying again right after. They told me about the stitch and that there would be no problem. Now to know that it can be done wrong i'm scared. Plus I was so sick during my last preg. I'm sure i will be again. This stressed me out badly. When I first lost him I didn't want another baby I felt quilty for wanting one. but the women on here helped me realise it was okay to want a baby.

About how long it took for my breasts to feel normal i'd have to say about 5 weeks. after about 4 days the swelling was gone but the leaking kept up till about 5 weeks.
Does your SIL have any kids? just wondering. I'm so sorry that she is going through this as well. It is hell. Again i'd like to say how great you are for being there for her. Belive me she needs it. It's still very fresh for me bein only a little over a month. So please be there for her a month from now or 2 months from now that is when she will need you the most. much love Julie


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## candipooh (Jun 22, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *julielp*
Oh my gosh. I'm scared now. My lost angel was my first baby and I'm gettin married in April and we plan on trying again right after. They told me about the stitch and that there would be no problem. Now to know that it can be done wrong i'm scared. Plus I was so sick during my last preg. I'm sure i will be again. This stressed me out badly. When I first lost him I didn't want another baby I felt quilty for wanting one. but the women on here helped me realise it was okay to want a baby.

About how long it took for my breasts to feel normal i'd have to say about 5 weeks. after about 4 days the swelling was gone but the leaking kept up till about 5 weeks.
Does your SIL have any kids? just wondering. I'm so sorry that she is going through this as well. It is hell. Again i'd like to say how great you are for being there for her. Belive me she needs it. It's still very fresh for me bein only a little over a month. So please be there for her a month from now or 2 months from now that is when she will need you the most. much love Julie


I didn't mean to scare you. I am sorry. I believe the cercloge is 90%. That is pretty high. My SIL was just in that small 10%. Just make sure that when you get the cercloge that no matter how great your cervix looks, that you get it stiched as high up as possible and as tight as possible. When SIL had her's done the dr said that her cervix looked fine. And that she "probably" didn't need it. He did once 'just in case' SO...I am thinking he did it half assed.

What happened to her was a freak thing. She is scared to try again but she wants to be a mom so bad! (has no kids)

May I ask you how big you sweet one was? SIL's was over 3 pounds. That sounds so huge to me for a 21 week baby. I just heard a story of a 22 week baby that was 1 pound that lived. And has no problems health wise (is now 16) So I don't understand why a 3 pound baby wouldn't even make it through labor.

Thank you for your kind words. The grave side services are tomorrow. I was thinking of getting her something on her due date. Do you think that would be painful or helpful? What would be a good gift?


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## julielp (Jul 16, 2004)

3 pounds? gosh. my little angel was only 11.2 oz. and 9 1/2 in. That does seem strange to me that the baby was that big. I'm not too worried about the cercloge. My dr herself had an incompitent so she will be very attentive i hope. Her baby lived but it has mental handicaps.
About getting her something for her due date I would enjoy that personaly. Like I said it has been a little over a month and it seems as if everyone has forgotten that he ever exsited. (except my fiance) So for me some one remembering his due date would be huge. A good gift.... Maybe something with the baby's name on it. Something permanent ya know so that it's memory will be permanent. I think that would be nice. My baby was supposed to be our ring bearer in our wedding so we are getting a lil ring pillow with his name stitched onto the front of it. I know I wish cherish it always. That was very sweet for you to think about it. I still can't belive the baby was 3 pounds. Had they named it? Well again your in my thoughts.


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## ksjhwkr (Apr 1, 2003)

When Emma died, I was nursing full time. Sage tincture, parsley capsules, and red cabbage leaves were my best friends. I also would pump about 2 ounces off in the beginning or just let my milk flow when I was in the shower. I don't recommend binding, it can cause mastitis and hurts like the dickens.
I am so sorry for her loss...you are wonderful to be helping her like this.


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## shelbean91 (May 11, 2002)

peppermint also dries milk

sorry for your loss


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## iris0110 (Aug 26, 2003)

3lbs sounds huge for 21 weeks. My daughter was born still at 22 weeks. She was on the large side at 1lb 3ozs and 11". I have a close friend who was born at 23 weeks, he only weighed two ounces more than my daughter did at birth. He is now 20yrs old, and you would never know he had been so premature, except for the scar on his chest from the heart operation he had as a baby. But I know most premies aren't nearly so lucky.

I am sorry that your SIL is going through this, and from the sounds of it, she has experienced this type of loss before. Binding you breasts is one of the best ways to dry up milk, and it helps support swollen breast tissue. It has been 7 months since I lost my daughter, and if I wanted to I could still get breast milk out. But I was still nursing my son up to about a month before I lost my daughter, so that probably has something to do with it.

I think a small gift, or a card on her due date would be a very nice gesture. The women here were the only ones who remembered my due date, and while I am grateful for the support I recieved from them, it would have been nice if some one IRL had said or done something. Even if it is just a card, I know she will apriciate that you remembered her and her little baby. Some nice gifts are naming a star after her baby, a small piece of jewelry, maybe a birthstone or an angel, or if she likes to garden, a special plant in remembrance of her baby. I am so sorry that your whole family has to go through this. It is so nice that you are thinking of your SIL's feelings like this.


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