How Do I Get My Milk to Dry up & What Can I Do for a Clogged Milk Duct???

I had several clogged ducts in the beginning; they are very painful. Besides advice that the other moms have given you, I would recommend a hot shower. Turn it as hot as you can stand it, and while the water hits your breast, massage it (hard). Start from the outside and massage inward (towards the nipple). This was the only thing that worked for me. It is painful, but it relieved the clog. Someone also recommended to me putting a hot compress on before nursing, but I don't think that will help you since you are trying to wean. Good luck!

Hello S., when I stopped breastfeeding I was told by a friend to use green cabbage to stop your milk from coming in. You need to put the green cabbage leaves over your entire breast in a tight bra. It will relieve the pain and dry up your milk. You leave the cabbage leaves in your bra until they welt, then change them. I thought the idea sounded funny but it works. My milk dried up in a few days. Best of Luck to you..

I used fresh cabbage leaves to dry my milk up. The coolness of the leaf made it so that the engorgement didn't hurt as much and there is something in the leaf that supposedly dries up milk.

The best thing for clogged ducts is to nurse on that side.Also the hot showers work well especially is you can massage the breast while in the shower. Also stay hydrated. If you have red streaks or start a fever you have mastatis and need to see a doctor, rest and drink lots of water.

Could you use a sling and nurse while playing with the twins? There are many types out there and are easy to use.

Not kidding- Cabbage leaves. Dried my milk up in less than a week. My OB told me to do it.

To get the milk to dry up, you can got to your OB doctor. There is a medication available to speed up that process. I also had repeated occurrences with clogged milk ducts. It was excruciatingly painful, but I allowed my daughter to nurse until the clog was gone. If I remember correctly, the instructions on the breast pump tell you not to pump if you have a clogged milk duct. There is also a product that you can buy to help loosen the clog. It is a pad that contains a gel. You heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds and apply it your breast. Using a hot damp washcloth will also help. Skipping nursing times,pumping and nursing in the same position each time can lead to clogs. Avoid these things if at all possible. Hope this helps.

To get it to dry up, I actually had to just let it do its thing. Dr's rarely prescribe anything to dry it up, however, I have heard birth control pills help. I used cold cabbage leaves to draw my milk out, (I was engourged). It worked, felt awkward, but it worked after about a week.... good luck.

I was going to say pretty much what Ann L said. I have a friend in the same situation with a demanding 4 mo baby and 2 1/2 yr old twins also... she's like a circus and things can get pretty hectic, however she is dead set on ebf this baby and finds other activities to occupy the twins when baby nurses. It's taken some time to get used to but it's really working out. Reading, offering a special snack, their favorite movie, or a fun song with hand signs. The sling for the baby works wonders too. Kellymom site gives herbs that dry you up, cabbage leaves are good too like pp said. You can also come to the local La Leache league meetings at the Episcopal church on Wayne Ave the 2nd Tues of each month and get ideas from the mamas there. SO many of them have been there done that. They are a great bunch of mamas and it's like a free play group! HTH!

To help your milk dry up,I would recommend gradually reducing your output. If you are at the point of only pumping twice per day, then cut back to once per day for about a week and then pump maybe every other day for a few days and then stop all together.

I have had a clogged duct several times before with both my son and my daughter who I am now nursing. The best thing to do is use heat (hot shower, hot wash cloth or a heating pad on the sore breast) and nurse or pumpt as frequently as possible. I would clear up the clogged duct first and then work on cutting back on the pumping. Just cut back gradually. Good luck to you....

Very warm compresses work... but if it is really bad take a large bowl and fill it with very warm but not hot water, then lay it on a table about chest height, gently lay your breast in the hot water for 10 minutes. Gentle massage in small circles towards the nipple will help stimulate but also relieve pressure. Do this 3-4 times a day and maybe it will soften the clog and release milk at the same time.. I know it sounds time consuming but it really does work!! Good Luck! let me know if I can help with anything else.

Same Advice as Maryam, nursing through it has worked for me 2 times. However, if you want to dry up, that will probably not help very much. But at least you wont get mastitis. If you DO get mastitis, I dont know what you are talking about that hurts a lot, when I had it they just gave me antibiotics.
I dont know that I would recommend this as a way to dry you out, but I was told not to take sudafed when I had a cold because it would dry me out.

Try checking this link out from Kellymom. There's lots of good info on that site.

http://www.home.kellymom.net/bf/weaning/weaning_mom.html

I agree...work out the clogged duct first, then SLOWLY reduce feedings/pumpings...like eliminate one feeding/pumping per week, otherwise you might get another clogged duct.
I also have a very demanding baby and my three-year old has figured out that if he acts-up while I was nursing the baby, he could get away with more stuff. So I finally just started getting up with the baby still attached to my breast, to straighten out the older boy. The baby would complain and fuss a little, but it sure got my three-year old to listen better when he knew that I'd still come and correct his misbehavior while I fed his brother. I"m sure chasing down two kids while nursing is a bit harder--so I'm inclined to agree wtih offering them a favorite movie or toys or read to them while you slowly wean your baby.

I am not sure if this will help drying up your milk but to help you to be more comfortable while you are trying this might help...wrap yourself (around your breasts) with a large 6 inch wide ace wrap....as tight as you can stand it, the more pressure the better you should feel. The pressure on your breasts actually feels more comfortable than the constant motion of them being able to move when they are engorged as you try to decrease feedings etc. My friend who was a nurse told me to do this and at first I ignored her advice but after a few days of engorgement and pain I tried the ace and was amazed at how comfortable I was once I did. I could walk across the room without having to hold my breasts..the pain was so bad I couldn't bare for them to move/bounce at all...the ace held them still until the milk was dried up. As for the clogged duct, I seem to remember warm compresses helping that but I think there is more to it and I am not sure what else....could need professional advice from a nurse or lactation consultant. Good luck!

Best way to clear up a clogged duct is to drain it. Best way to drain it is line the baby's chin up with the clog and let him nurse it out.

I just stopped pumping a couple of months ago. I stopped and it took a week of engorgement and then I started getting real sore on one side. It was getting red looking. I pumped and got rid of the soreness and my milk never came back. So pumping would be the best way to get rid of a clogged duct. I have tryed nursing but it never relieves it the way pumping does.

D.