How to remove residual milk at home?

After mothers stop breastfeeding their babies, there will be some residual milk in their breasts, which is called residual milk. If the residual milk remains in the breasts for a long time, it will be very detrimental to breast health. For example, it can easily cause infection and in severe cases it can lead to breast hyperplasia, etc. Therefore, mothers who stop breastfeeding must find a way to expel the residual milk. The specific methods of elimination are listed below.

How to remove residual milk at home?

The involution phase begins about 40 days after the mother stops breastfeeding completely. At this time, the connections between the alveolar cells open, allowing chloride and sodium to enter the milk and absorb water. The concentrations of chloride and sodium in breast milk increase, while the concentrations of lactose and potassium decrease. Therefore, after weaning, some mothers will find the milk they squeeze out salty. After the water is continuously absorbed, most of the remaining substance is fat, which appears as white or milky toothpaste, and some are more yellowish.

So, how long does it take after weaning for the residual milk to completely disappear?

It varies from person to person. Interestingly, many women who have breastfed report that the longer they breastfed, the longer it took for their milk production to stop completely.

Is milk residue harmful to the body?

Mothers don’t need to worry. Milk is a type of body fluid, just like saliva and blood. The milk remaining in the breasts will gradually be absorbed by the body. With the end of lactation, the involution phase begins. After the unnecessary milk-producing cells in the breast are destroyed, the remaining matrix is ​​reconstructed. Fat tissue is returned to the breasts, gradually returning them to fullness.

Knowing this, mothers don’t have to worry about whether their breasts can still produce milk after weaning. In order to make the milk disappear as soon as possible, do not continue to squeeze out the remaining milk. If you continue to stimulate the breasts in that way, the breasts will mistakenly think that breastfeeding is not over yet, and will continue to secrete milk!

Just squeeze it out with your hands. Of course you can also use a breast pump. But since you're already weaned, there's no need to buy a breast pump.