Excessive lactation is the production of more milk than is needed for breastfeeding a child.[1]
Many ways are available to help manage and treat excessive lactation, including the following self-help, naturopathic, and homeopathic approaches:[1]
• To treat engorged breasts (i.e., breasts that are swollen due to milk production and inadequate release of milk), take a hot shower and manually massage your breasts to help release some of the milk. Certain massage techniques stimulate drainage of the lymph system and help release some of the milk,
• To treat engorged breasts, apply warm, wet packs to the breasts just prior to nursing your infant.
• To treat engorged breasts, manually massage your breasts to help release some of the milk just prior to nursing your infant. Certain massage techniques stimulate drainage of the lymph system and help release some of the milk. Massaging the breasts may help allow the infant’s mouth to fit around the areola (colored part of the breast around the nipple) of the breast.
• To treat engorged breasts, apply cold, wet packs to the breasts just after nursing your infant.
• To treat engorged breasts, use a hairdryer set on low to dry the milk on your nipples between feedings of your infant.
• If you experience overly abundant and/or too rapid flow of milk, manually release a small amount of milk from your breasts prior to each breastfeeding by your infant.
• If you are nursing a child and are experiencing excessive lactation or engorged breasts, take a homeopathic remedy, such as Belladonna, Bryonia, Calcarea carbonica, Dulcamara, Lac caninum, Phytolacca, Pulsatilla, Silica, or Urtica urens. Consult a homeopath (a healthcare professional with experience in using homeopathic remedies) for guidance on the homeopathic remedy and dose that are appropriate for you.
• If you are lactating (i.e., producing milk) even though you are not nursing a child, take a homeopathic remedy, such as Pulsatilla. Consult a homeopath (a healthcare professional with experience in using homeopathic remedies) for guidance on the homeopathic remedy and dose that are appropriate for you.
• During nursing, position your infant to make it easier for the infant to breastfeed and to allow gravity to help slow your flow of milk
• To help reduce your production of breast milk, let your infant feed from only one of your breasts during each feeding.
• If your infant refuses to breastfeed, collect your breast milk. Feed your infant with the breast milk given on a clean, small spoon, rather than from a bottle.
Also, the La Leche League International (www.llli.org) has helpful suggestions for women who are breastfeeding their infants.
If the self-help, naturopathic, and homeopathic approaches discussed previously do not resolve the symptoms of excessive lactation, consult your integrative medical physician and gynecologist for consideration of other types of treatment including:
• Devices to help release the milk from the breasts
• Prescription medications. The disadvantage of taking certain prescription medications is that certain drugs may be secreted into the breast milk.
If you are lactating even though you are not nursing a child, consult your integrative medical physician and gynecologist for diagnosis and treatment.
REFERENCE
1. J. Reichenberg-Ullman. Whole Woman Homeopathy. 2004. North Edmonds, WA: Picnic Point Press.
|
is a trademark of HC Search Corporation.
for free.
