Still Lactating After 4 Months?

I seem to recollect that I had milk for a very long time, and if I squeezed my nipple, I could bring the milk for a year.

Not to worry, my daughter is 8 months and I still lactate. I spoke with my OB and she said that some women lactate a year.

I nursed all three and my children so from experience - the old wives tale is to: Put a cabbage left in your bra -It helps dry up your milk supply and with any discomfort that you have. IT WORKS!
Good Luck,
V.

I've heard of ladies who adopted being able to nurse if they can only get the baby to suckle enough. I guess the capacity to produce milk is never far from the surface! Anyway, nothing to be concerned about. You COULD probably give 'Dad' a nice, nourishing taste! LOL

I stopped lactating right around 3 months after weening my baby. I used cabbage leaves and every other suggestion anyone gave me to try to stop it. Nothing worked. I couldn't believe it either! Then finally I noticed one day I wasn't anymore.

I actually knew a woman whose youngest was around 10 years old and every time she heard a baby cry she would visibly lactate. I saw this happen! Guess it is completely normal.

I'm so glad someone asked this question because the answers have helped me also. I finished nursing my son at a year and now he's 17mos and I was concerned that I can still squeeze milk out. I thought that something may be wrong because I don't remember it being this long after my other two children. Thanks for all of your responses.

I personally didn't notice any lactation after weaning my oldest (still in the process of #2), but I've heard of women who did for quite a while. 4 months is definitely not the longest I've heard. It's totally normal as long as its small amounts. Give it more time. If you're very concerned call your ob or even your ped might offer some reassurances. Or you can contact a lactation consultant or your local le leche chapter.

K.,
You can lactate for up to three years after giving birth. I still had a little bit of milk for approx. that period of time.
My best to you.
W.

I didn't. I never lactated ever after quitting for good but I had the babies suck me dry, every last drop before I stopped. The way that I weaned is I went days before they nursed and before I quit, they would go a week or more then I would nurse. I don't know if this is true or not but I always heard that if you left some in that your boobs stayed that size but if you got it all out, they would go down. I hate boobs and didn't want to leave a drop in there.
My sister, on the other hand, just quit and she leaked for months and months. I remember her saying that after 6 months she was still leaking and wondered if it was every going to quit. So it must be normal as to how much you leave in there without getting it out.

I lactated after my third child for a long time. When I say lactated, I just mean I had breast milk when I would squeeze my nipples or when I would take a shower sometimes some would express...this went on for years. I did breastfeed him the longest of all three of my children so maybe that had something to do with it. I asked my gyne about this and she said not to worry. I think what you are experiencing is totally normal but if you aren't sure, consult your gyne.

I was pregnant when my older child suddenly weaned (@ 13 months), so I didn't notice this with him; but when I weaned my younger child (@ 22 months -- 6 months ago), I noticed that my milk didn't dry up for a while... not that he was nursing too much at that point anyway. In fact, I just checked and I can still express a drop or two. Before this happened to me, I didn't realize it was normal!

Dear K.,

I breastfed all 3 of my children and after I finally weaned my youngest, I lactated for 9 months, perhaps a year after I had weaned her. It wasn't a lot just a little. Four months sounds perfectly normal to me!

A.

My son is 1 1/2 years old. I stopped breastfeeding at 2 months due to post-partum depression.

I'm still lactating ::sigh:: I don't necessarily leak, but I can still express quite a bit of milk. My mother said she continued to lactate for 2 years after I was born (I was the 2nd child), and she didn't bfeed me. Go figure! You could probably check with your OBGYN if it's bothering you a lot and see what they recommend.

It is very common to continue lactating a bit after four months, according to my OB, CNM, and several nurses. That being said, I continued to lactate every now and then (in the shower and during intercourse) between my first and second children - all six years! I occasionally continue to lactate still - one full year after weaning the second, but not nearly as much as with the first who I didn't nurse. It tends to manifest after significant nipple stimulation (a tight sports bra, etc). Also, I'm on the pill after the second versus nothing after the first so that may help.

Nominally, I would say it's fairly normal and nothing to worry about. Check with your dr tho. There are a few issues that can cause that unrelated to recently given birth, but probably none that you need to be concerned about. Your dr. will have the answer for that.

This has worked for several moms I know of including two of my daughters, and was told to us by a pediatrician and a midwife.
Use cabbage leaves and place on your breasts. When the leaves start getting "limpy", and changing color, remove. Usually one application will work, but sometimes it takes two or three times, space apart by a day or two.

I still lactated about 8 months after weaning my first son. I went to see my doctor and he told me that I probably had a high prolactin level. Sure enough it was high. He didn't do anything and told me it was normal for women to continue lactating up to a year after weaning. It's all hormonal. Three months after that appointment lactation stopped and my prolactin level was normal. He said they would worry if it went past a year after weaning.

I lactated for almost a year after I had my daughter. It was disturbing. I would notice it most the week before my period. I went to my gyno and she said that a year wasn't really normal and she did a bunch of test turns out my ovaries had gone wild. I think she said six months was about normal so I wouldn't worry to much. I was put on Yaz (BC Pill) and it stopped. Not to mention my mood improved, my periods were much easier, my skin was gorgeous, my hair started coming in blonde again and For some reason my energy improved as well. SO WEIRD!!!

Hi K.,

It can go on for a long time and there is nothing your doctor can do about it. It was 3+ years for me. They kept telling me t was normal.

Good luck!

I still had a little milk up after about 6 mos and yes, it is normal. It will eventually stop on its own.

Hello K.,

There is something that you can get at a health food store that is all natural and will dry your milk up if it is bothering you enough. If you live in NC and there is a store called Apple Crate around they should have it. If it's not that big of a deal to you then eventually it will go away! when? I have no idea!
Have a good one!

OK...I was either nursing or pregnant for over 9 years from my first to my last and for YEARS after I weaned my youngest(I would say 3 or more) I still had let down when I heard a baby cry. Even today (my youngest is 12 and hasn't nursed in 10 years) I will get "tingly" there if I hold a newborn baby. So, I guess I would say it's normal! I was never worried about it anyway and it always makes me feel a little nostalgic...especially when they are driving me nuts as teens! I guess my advice would be not to worry about the little stuff...there will be far bigger things to use that energy on!!

ghr