How to stop breast milk flow and reduce nipple size?
Assistant Commissioner (Child Health), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare,
Govternment of India
Q: My wife delivered a baby girl a year back through C-section. The baby stopped taking breast milk after 6 months but even now if her breasts are pressed, the milk flows out. We are not able enjoy our sex life due to this milk flow. Her nipples too have enlarged. How to stop the milk from flowing out and how to reduce the size of her nipples? Please advise. My wife is 25 years old.
A:It is normally advised for the mother to give nothing to her baby but breast milk for the first six months of life and to continue breast feeding beyond that as long as possible. Here your wife has stopped breast feeding at six months. It is normal for the breasts to stop breast milk secretion in a few days if the baby is not breast fed. In case this has not happened, as appears to be the case with your wife, it is advisable to go in for a consultation with a gynaecologist who may then prescribe medications to stop the breast milk - it is important however that these medications are to be taken only under medical supervision. As far as the enlarged nipple size is concerned, there will be some decrease in the nipple size after breast feeding is completely over but some differences will remain between the pregnancy nipple size and now. In case further reduction is required, cosmetic surgery may have to be resorted to.