The figurative expression "burnout of breast milk" does not quite reflect the essence of the process. The people under the burnout of milk mean a decrease in its production, until its complete stop. In medical practice, the phrase "burnout of breast milk" is used only in the case of acute mastitis , with a high temperature and severe current, which resulted in a decrease or reduction in the production of human milk. The general public knows the first meaning, "burned out" for most moms means "gone."
How does breast milk burn: physiological processes
There are more than one scientific article about how breast milk burns out, from the physiological point of view, this process looks like this.
The lactation process is controlled by two hormones: prolactin (responsible for the production of milk) and oxytocin (responsible for the allocation of milk from the breast). Lactation occurs on the principle "the higher the demand, the higher the supply". By the same principle, breast milk burns out - "the lower the demand, the lower the supply". When a woman reduces the number of feedings, the level of prolactin and oxytocin decreases, breast milk is produced and released in smaller amounts. The subsequent reduction of feeding further reduces the level of hormones, up to the complete breakdown of breast milk.
How long does breast milk burn?
No doctor can tell exactly how long the breastmilk burns out. The processes of lactation are very individual. Some women forget that in their breasts there was milk already a week after the end of feeding, in others two more years after weaning, its drops are allocated.
To the question of the agitated mothers: "How many days does breast milk burn?", The answer is still possible, but slightly ambiguous. Theoretically, the feeling of fullness of the chest and minor painful sensations should last no more than a week after the correct (!) End of breastfeeding. But an insignificant allocation of milk (a few drops) when you press the nipple or, for example, during showering can be observed for several weeks, months and even years.
Symptoms of breast milk burnout
If the baby is weaned correctly, there should be no symptoms of milk burnout. The maximum that a woman can feel is heaviness in the chest and mild pain for several days after the end of feeding.
But, of course, if a young mother feeds her baby 8 times a day, and then for no reason ceases to feed, the symptoms of breast milk burn will be, with what else and clearly expressed. Namely:
- feelings of overflow and heaviness in the chest;
- pain in the mammary gland;
- presence of seals in the chest;
- increased body temperature;
- the general or common morbid status.
To avoid everything written above, it is necessary to stop breastfeeding correctly. Gradually reduce the number of feedings per day, for example, a month before the expected complete end of breastfeeding. Thus, breast milk burnout will occur slowly and by the end of the month there will be only one or two diurnal feeding, the cancellation of which will not affect your health and the psyche of your child.
If the GW is completed correctly, then various questions like: how much does breast milk burn? How long does breast milk burn? and others - will simply not be relevant.
But until now, in the issues of breastfeeding, there are persistent myths.
Do not carry out this unhealthy event. To reduce pain, just express a little milk, massage your chest under a warm shower. If you are a very "milk" mom and can not cope with the abundance of breast milk, then it may be appropriate to take a tablet of Bromocriptine or Dostinex. Of course, these medications are prescribed by a doctor, and he will acquaint you with a possible side effect.