Why Is There Still Breast Milk in Me?

Well, each one of us is different. I have to tell you that I stopped breastfeeding when my son was 9 months. I didn't completely dry up until this past spring, a little after his 2nd birthday. Some of us just keep producing.

You Don't!
I breastfed for a year and a year after I quit there was still a little...
The dr said it was normal and it would go away on its own!

Hi S.. Don't fret! It will take months before your milk completely disappears. In fact, it may take years. My daugther will be 3 in February, and during my last self-breast exam I was able to squeeze a tiny bit of milk out of my breasts. I haven't breast fed her since she was 6 months old! My doctor said this is completely normal. Remember, pregnancy changes your body forever! And in some ways that we never even thought about.

If it's only been 2 months for you, be patient. There's not really anything you can do but let nature take its course. Chances are in a few months, you won't even notice it. : )

Some women have the ability to lactate long after they are done breastfeeding. I bf for 3.5 years and my son is now 4.5 and if I squeeze I will still drip. If it's not leaking out I'd leave it alone. Don't express it because that signals your body that you need to produce more; remember breastfeeding works on supply and demand. Over time it will just stop producing, and what is in the breast will be reasbsorbed into the body.

It's strange isn't it? I lactacted for a 8 months after I was done breastfeeding. I could have went to Africa to nurse starving children. I felt like I was carrying two half gallons of milk in me then gradually the milk just turned into small drips and my boobs got smaller thank God. Hopefully it takes less time for you. I nursed Elijah for 19 months and my body just was to into it I guess. Good luck!

Hello S.,

It does take awhile to dry up. I breastfed my eldest until she was a yr old. My milk didn't stop leaking for a couple months and then even 6 months later I could express milk if I tried manually!!! My doctor said it was due to stimulation. I work with small babies so am constantly around hungry small infants. Mother nature tells your body that it should keep some reserves!! Also she told me nipple stimulation can also delay the process. In my case that wasn't the issue because my hubby was in Iraq that year. Hope this helps.

Buy a head of green cabbage, put leaves in your bra, change when they are wilted...this will dry you up within 24 hours.

I's kind of embarrassed to tell you this but I had the same issue and as of today I still do. My baby is almost 5 and I stopped breast feeding her when she was 13 months. I was really concerned after about a year and asked my ob/gyn. He states that it has to do with stimulation and the more theyare stimulated the longer the milk stays. When I asked about "stimulation" he laughed and states any touching and having fun affects the milk. So needless to say my man is a breast man and the Dr. stated I would be ok and just have to deal with a little for awhile. I still get some production, not a lot but I can if I try. I think it is one of those things people just don't talk about. When I said something to a friend of mine, she told me the same thing. Of course, always consult your doctor to make sure nothing is medically wrong, but I wanted to write to you to make sure to calm your fears and know you are not alone.

They do have meds that can dry you up if you wish. I breastfed my first daughter for three and a half years and had still had a little milk when she was 5... beyond that, I never noticed any leakage, but still may have had some.

There are herbs that will decrease your milk supply as well, but my list is on another computer. If you're interested, I will send you the list later.

Another option is to continue to embrace the fact that you have milk and can supply her with the wonderful nutrients only YOU can provide. It's cold season and pumping your milk for her would give her the added protection of your immunities :)

-M.
aspiring IBCLC

Call your doctor to check in on this. They have a blood test they can do to check if you are lactating if necessary.

You cannot remove all the milk completely. What you should do is stop stimulating your breasts and stop the breast from producing milk as much as you can. When you expell breastmilk, the body reacts by producing more, which is exactly what you do not want.

I stopped nursing my son when he was 7 months old and once I stopped stimulating the breast in any way, I was dried up by the time he was about 3. It does take a while sometimes!

When I was done nursing, I had to hand-express the "left-overs" to be completely empty.

I stopped breast feeding 14 months ago, and I too am still producing milk. I am leaking enough that I need to wear a nursing pad in my bra. I was also told that some women just take longer to dry up, at my last visit my doctor told me to wear a tight bra and apply ice packs to my breasts when possible. He also stressed that I not have any type of contact w/ my breasts that will stimulate more milk production.
Good Luck!
MJ

It will eventually dry up. The production will stop, but you may have some residual milk for quite some time. Maybe even years...just think of the bright side...you could adopt a child, re-lactate and nurse that one too!

Yep...I had the same thing for months...but only with my second child. My first round wasn't that way. I don't think you have anything to worry about...your body knows what it's doing and will adjust in time. Isn't it great being a woman?! LOL.

N.

Talk to your doctor. I know my friend had the same problem and it was discovered that she had a thyroid problem...

I'm nursing my 3rd baby now. With the other two I had small amounts of milk in my breasts (when I checked) for well after a year of when I stopped. It's completely normal.

What worked for me was manually expressing in the shower each morning for a few seconds to relieve the pressure.

I stopped nursing 7 months ago and still have signs of lactating. My doctor told me to just give it time and not do anything. My husband read that some women never stop (very rare) I am believing that I am not one of them and hoping with time it will stop.

You may have milk in there for several months. Do NOT try to pump or express it, it will think you are still nursing. It's just a waiting game. I nursed all 3 of my children for a year each. My last baby I stopped nursing in March of this year and by July I still had some leakage during a routine mammogram.