Lactation Decisions After Stillbirth
After losing a late-stage pregnancy or an infant, your body will still likely produce milk. Most mothers who lose a child after the 18th week of pregnancy will lactate. For some women, lactation begins even after an earlier loss (sometimes as early as 12 weeks). For some mothers, lactation is a painful reminder of what they have lost. Other mothers find that lactation helps them embrace their loss. Others use lactation as an opportunity to donate their milk to babies in need. This article will outline what you can expect from your body and tips for care, whether you choose to immediately stop milk production or continue to lactate after your loss.
Stopping Lactation
While some medications exist to suppress lactation, recent review has found weak effectiveness of these medications and they are no longer recommended due to possible side effects. There may be no way to immediately stop milk production, but there are several therapeutic remedies that can relieve the discomfort of engorgement:
Wear a supportive bra
Apply ice packs to breasts
Engorgement is an effective and natural part of stopping milk production, but it can also be very painful even when using the above therapies. If the pain from engorgement proves to be too intense, you can express a small amount by hand or pump. However, doing this too often can stimulate your body to continue to produce milk. In most cases, lactation will cease within a few weeks.
Continuing Lactation
For a variety of reasons, some mothers may choose to continue to lactate after their loss or to gradually decrease milk production over time. Lactation can help them come to terms with their loss or to feel closer to their child. Some may choose to donate their milk, finding an altruistic purpose in the loss. If you choose to donate your milk, the safest way to do this is through a milk bank. To learn how to donate and to find a milk bank click here. You can also donate your milk within your community or directly to another mother.
Additionally, some mothers decide to turn their unused breastmilk into meaningful keepsake to remember their child. These can be DIY’d or crafted d by an outside vendor. To read about some of these options, click here.
As you process and work through your grief, remember that deciding how to handle lactation after your loss is your decision. Be kind to yourself and take care of your physical and emotional needs. Talk with your health provider about the treatments and let them know if you have any concerning symptoms, such as high fever or body aches. Your provider will likely recommend a lactation consultant who can provide recommendations and support during this time.