How to Do the Cabbage Leaf Thing

J. B
Congratulations on nursing your baby for a year!

If you're breasts are feeling large/uncomfortable, pump to comofort - but no more. Your milk supply is in response to the demand. You have a good start in the way you weaned. Your body will still 'produce' milk for a while yet. BUT the full feeling typically goes away fairly soon. It varies woman to woman, so I'm hesitant to put a specific number of days on it.

Although bc pills 'work' to decrease/stop milk supply, it's really really NOT necessary. I know so many moms who have successfully dried up their supplies without the use of "estrogen therapy".

Cabbage leaves can be of great help - especially on the engorged breast. The women I know that used this would put one on each breast inside the bra (2 each for a larger mom), and then as soon as they wilted much at all, change them out for fresh ones. One mom was done after a day, another did this for 2-3 days and although it greatly diminished her supply, it did not dry her up.

There are some herbs that you can take to help dry up. Sage is the one that comes to mind first - also oregano, parsley and mints (peppermint, spearmint). So you can make a batch of spaghetti and add a good dose of sage, oregano and parsley to it. Some women are sensitive enough that just that would make a difference. I think you can also get Sage capsules at your local health food store. You could also make a strong tea - but I think you'd have to drink quite a bit....

I also know that any otc decongestant will help dry you up. Any medicine that dries up your mucous membranes will dry up your milk too.

kellymom.com has some good information on weaning tips for mom.... http://www.kellymom.com/bf/weaning/weaning_mom.html

HTH

K., mama to
Catherine, 4.5y
Samuel, 19m

I tried the cabbage leaf as well....didn't seem to work with me. The only tried and true thing that I know works, since you are positive that you are completely done nursing, is to get on birth control pills. It was an easy thing to do for me because I used the pill before I got pregnant, and it was just natural for me to go back to that once I had my daughter.

I used cabbage leaves and it worked like a charm. Put a leaf on, I recommend, right out of the fridge. I would replace them every so often. About three a day. After about 2-3 days, everything was back to normal.

Margaret

P.S. You should have enough left over to make yourself some slaw!!!!

My friend tried it, and all that happened was that she smelled like cabbage and had the visual appearance of lumpy breasts. :-) Just try pumping a little less each time! Best wishes

I'm not sure that it dries up the milk, I only used the leaf once with my first child and it did relieve redness and heat, but I was still able to nurse after, using this home remedy. I used it after my milk came in at the beginning, just after my first daughter was born, when engorged.

Yes, the milk does dry up after awhile eventually. you will just produce less and less. Though you might be surprised to find you've expressed a little milk a few months from now.

There is something in the cabbage leaf that if you just place the leaf on your breast it absorbs the heat and really does take care of the discomfort. I remember smelling kind of cabbagey though and haven't really needed to do the remedy after the first child. I remember it was a tremendous relief though. Any discomfort after the other children totally gave nursing up was very short and mild for a day or so.

Good luck!

I haven't tried it, but the lady who did the breastfeeding class I took told us about it and said it works.

I also tried the cabbage after nursing my second son, and it was a lot of releif. I would just peel off a good size and stuff it in my bra. Although the heat made me smell like I was brewing some cabbage for supper, it helped! Also, wear a great supportive sports bra (the more you move,the longer it will take). My biggest mistake was burping him over my shoulder..I didn't realize I was patting him, but at the same time, my breast! It took me a while to figure out why one was always more engorged than the other!!