I know that pregnancy activates hormones that make the breasts lactate, but when does it stop? I’ve heard weird stories of children being beast fed up until they were 16 so like how do you stop producing milk? Does your body automatically stop making milk after a day or so of no breastfeeding?
Like I know getting pregnant does alter the breasts and make them big but eventually they will come back to normal right?
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I might be wrong but I do believe that a woman’s breasts stop producing milk after she chooses to stop breastfeeding. In cases such as those that breastfeed for years and years, it’s because they continue to breastfeed. You don’t use it, you lose it. And yes, most often the breasts return to normal. Sometimes slightly bigger and sometimes slightly smaller than before.
Yes, the breasts does stop making milk once you stop breastfeeding. It can be a bit of a problem to stop suddenly though but if you step it down the milk production will decrease by itself until it stops. There used to be a profession called “wet nurse” where women would continue to breastfeed other babies for a living even years after their own children had been weened off. There are even some cases of people starting to lactating without being pregnant so that they could become a wet nurse.
Your body goes through a lot of changes during pregnancy and afterwards. Some people’s body goes back similar to what it was before others change permanently. It’s not the same for everyone.
As for breastfeeding, it’s all about demand. If you keep breastfeeding regularly you will continue to produce. When you stop, it’s painful for a few days until they get the message not to produce any more. It depends on the individual if size changes. Some keep a bigger size some actually get smaller post breastfeeding.
Source: I breastfed my son for a year.
When one gives birth, there’s a surge of hormones that signal to the breasts to start making milk. After that initiation, the act of breastfeeding signals to the breasts to continue making milk. “Oh, we’re empty, better make more!” Conversely, when the breasts are full, it signals to them not to make so much. So when one is trying to stop breastfeeding, it’s usually done gradually so as not to have to deal with the discomfort of overfull breasts by nursing or pumping less frequently over time until they stop.
There are always exceptions, of course: some have issues producing for various reasons and so never make much to begin with, making weaning go faster. Others might stop but then find themselves lactating a little even months after stopping.
Milk production is regulated to meet demand. As babies get older, they begin to eat more solid food, which means they drink less milk. Milk production usually drops when feedings drop. Many people continue to breastfeed after their child begins eating solids, but the amount of milk they produce is reduced. Hormones regulate the process, and there are other factors that influence the hormones. So, for example, sometimes returning to work and spending less time physically holding your baby can also reduce production. In general, most babies are weaned – which means their parents choose to gradually reduce feedings until stopping. This is often an intentional process, so you could choose to continue breastfeeding for years and your body would continue to produce milk until you stop feeding or pumping.
For much of history (and still in many parts of the world), food and water were not always safe and readily available. Breastfeeding babies ensures they have food even on days adults don’t and protects them from foodborne and waterborne illness. For that reason, babies were usually breastfed for years. The global average remains about 4 years.
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