While not as likely to happen with earlier term loss, lactation can occur with later term miscarriage, stillbirth, and abortion. If you’re experiencing lactation after your loss, it’s important for you to know that you have options for what that process looks like for you.
Your breastmilk will likely begin to come in within a few days after your delivery and continue to be present for days, weeks, or even months after stopping hand-expressing or pumping. Symptoms of lactation may include tender and engorged breasts and leakage of milk. There are options to help you with pain management including over the counter pain relievers, hand expressing small quantities of milk to reduce pressure, and cold compress.
Contact your medical provider if your breasts are warm and/or red, you have a fever, body aches, or chills, or if you’re experiencing white or bloody discharge from your nipples. These could be signs of mastitis or another type of infection requiring treatment.
Stopping milk production
There is no current universal guide to stopping milk production, but you can help to lessen the discomfort of symptoms while supporting your body to stop stimulating milk production as soon as possible. This process typically takes 7-14 days.
- Wear a supportive sports bra 24 hours a day
- Apply ice packs to the breasts
- Limit hand-expressing or pumping in an attempt to relieve engorgement symptoms. The more often this is done, the more your body is stimulated to produce breast milk.
- Avoid stimulating the nipples as it stimulates milk production
If you’re experiencing discomfort or distress with lactation, contact your medical provider to see if other pharmacological options may be available for you.
What to do with breastmilk
With hand-expressing or pumping, there are several options on what to do with the resulting breastmilk. Some loss parents may find different options more helpful and healing to them on their journey.
Discard
Any milk stored or produced may be discarded.
Donate
A certified lactation consultant can give you local options for donations, including milk banks, as well as discuss the screening and donation process with you. You may be able to donate milk that you’ve already produced or even continue to pump for a period of time to produce more milk for donation.
Kept as a memento
There are companies available that are able to turn breastmilk into wearable keepsake pieces such as jewelry like beads or pendants.
You may also choose to keep the breast milk stored in the freezer as a memento or until you are able to make a decision on what to do with it at a later date.
Your body has been through hormonal, emotional, and physical changes throughout your loss. Lactation may be another step in that process for you. If you find yourself in need of additional bereavement or lactation support, please reach out to your provider so they can get you in contact with the appropriate resources.
Casey Thomas-Hardesty, MS
Casey is the owner of Two Peas Wellness. She specializes in core and pelvic floor health as well as returning to fitness after pregnancy loss.
