Reducing milk production

Just as your body needs to build up milk production in the first few days, you should also slowly reduce milk production when you decide to stop breastfeeding. If you stop feeding or expressing (too) abruptly, there is a risk that you will develop a breast infection due to not emptying the breasts. Due to the supply/demand principle of breastfeeding, your body will produce less milk when there is less demand.

You can reduce breastfeeding by slowly feeding or pumping less and less often. Usually, it takes 4 to 6 days to reduce one whole feeding. When you no longer suffer from full, engorged breasts at the time when you were used to giving this food, you can reduce the next feeding. You then choose a feeding that is a little further away from the first reduced feeding, in order to spread the emptying of breasts well over the day.

If you do not breastfeed, but only express yourself, you can also choose to allow longer and longer periods between pumping. You can do this by leaving an extra hour in between about every day or every other day. You can also use the pump to ensure that you do not completely empty the breast by pumping a little shorter each time. When part of the milk remains in the breast, this is also a signal for your body to make less new milk. It is also an option to extend the time between pumping sessions, so that your body also receives a signal that less milk needs to be made because the breasts remain fuller.

During reducing, it is important to keep an eye on the signs of a (potential) breast infection and to empty the breast properly when these occur. It is wise to take a little more time to stop breastfeeding. Signs may include red and/o hard spots in the chest, fever or chest pain while drinking.

Usually your body must get used to the reduction of the first few feedings, so during the reduction it may be that the milk production suddenly decreases faster. Listen carefully to your body to determine for yourself how quickly you can take the next step in tapering. This can be different for each woman.