We all know how nutritious breast milk is – but when’s it’s time to wean your baby, you need to use natural solutions to stop nursing. Let’s discover 5 herbs to dry up breast milk safely and naturally.
Breast milk is the most wonderful custom-crafted food for newborns. It is packed with nutritional benefits and antibodies that help in their overall growth and development. Breast milk is essential for babies to stay healthy.
It contains many important ingredients that are vital for the baby’s balanced growth. It’s easily digestible and its properties change naturally as per your baby’s need. In fact, breast milk is a superfood! The unique composition of breast milk helps to develop immunity in babies and can protect them from diseases. Breastfeeding is a healthy practice and has benefits for both the mother and baby.
How to Dry Up Breast Milk Naturally
It is suggested that up to six months of age, breast milk should be the primary food for babies. But, sometimes it happens that due to some situational or unavoidable reasons, there occurs a sudden need to reduce the production of breast milk and finally stop its supply completely.
This can be either due to the need for natural weaning or if excess milk is produced that is leading to painful engorgement and postpartum mastitis. Or it can be due to long hours of separation of the baby from the mother that might lead to such a decision. The reason behind the necessity to dry breast milk can vary and so can the process of getting it done.
Although today several methods are available for reducing breast milk production, adopting natural remedies are safe for both mothers and babies. There are several herbs whose application or consumption leads to suppressed lactation and these are called antigalactagogues.
Top 5 Herbs to Dry Up Breast Milk
Some of the most popular herbs that help in drying up breast milk are:
1. Sage
When planning for complete weaning or planned breast milk reduction, the intake of sage is one of the best remedies to try. Sage contains estrogens in its natural form and thus helps to reduce and dry up breast milk fast and easily. This is a very quick and painless method of drying up breast milk. Sage can be consumed in a number of ways. The easiest way to consume sage is to prepare sage tea.
- How to make sage tea to dry up breast milk: To make sage tea, infuse dried sage or fresh sage leaves to boiling hot water for about 15 minutes. For one cup of hot water, add one tea bag of sage tea, or one teaspoon of dried loos sage. Add a sweetener like honey or sugar to it to balance the bitter taste before drinking it. Intake of 3-6 cups of sage tea will quickly result in drying up breast milk. Again, fresh sage leaves or dried powdered leaves can also be added to normal food and eaten about 2-3 times in a day.
2. Peppermint
This is yet another important herb that is consumed to aid in lowering breast milk supply. Peppermint can be used to make strong infused tea and drinking it a number of times throughout the day can help to reduce milk supply and thereby drying it completely. Also, peppermint candies and peppermint oil are known to have been used by women to decrease breast milk production.
You can add fresh peppermint leaves to your diet, or consume peppermint tea with dry peppermint leaves. Furthermore, you can apply diluted peppermint oil around your breast for 20 minutes twice a day to reduce breast milk supply.
3. Cabbage
Cabbage leaves are believed to have a remedial effect for inflammation and relieve engorgement. Cabbage has been believed to help in reducing breast milk since time immemorial. Topical prolonged application of fresh cabbage leaves on breasts can actually help in reducing milk supply.
Insert cleaned cabbage leaves into your bra every 2 – 3 hours to dry up breast milk. Refrigerating the cabbage leaves before use can be helpful in reducing the pain that comes with engorgement.
4. Jasmine
Jasmine flowers can help to stop milk production and supply. Jasmine flowers and leaves can be crushed and applied all over the breast on a regular basis. This helps to suppress lactation and dry breast milk. Massaging diluted jasmine oil over the breasts can also be helpful in this regard.
5. Parsley
Parsley, being a popular diuretic, is another well-known herb that has an impact on milk production when consumed in right amount. You can take some sprigs of parsley and chew it to reduce milk production. It is one of the best herbs to dry up breast milk.
Other Herbs to Dry Up Breast Milk
Besides the above-mentioned herbs and leaves, there are many other herbs which are also known to be of great help for mothers trying to reduce milk supply. Some other herbs that are also known to lessen milk production include:
- Spearmint
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Chickweed
- Black Walnut
- Yarrow
- And others!
However, it is always advisable to consult a doctor or lactation expert before adopting any process for drying up breast milk, especially if nursing is still going on.
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