Stopping Lactation: Dostinex

Yes. I decided to give up breastfeeding. 

Because it's eating away my sleep and health, mentally and physically. 

People always say, "breastfeeding is the best for your child and try to breastfeed as long as possible, at least 6 months". Well, it's easier said than done. Now that I've experienced breastfeeding, I'd really admire those mums who actually breastfed for months or years. It's so so so tough and tiring, I swear.

For those who don't understand and never knew what's the life of a breastfeeding mom... 

Here's an example (newborn). 

1am baby sleep. Mummy sleep. 

3am baby cry. feeding time 

(Latch: 30-40 mins. Or Bottle: 5 mins prepare and warm milk, feed 20-30 mins.)

3.35am burp baby.

3.40am change baby diaper.

3.45am put baby to sleep

3.50am pump out (remaining) breast milk.

4.20am done pump. Prepare storage.

4.25am store breast milk in fridge. Wash up breast pump and sterilize.

4.35am Sleep.

5.45am baby hungry for milk (baby slept about 2 hrs already, while u only slept for 1 hr.).

Routine repeats. 

Especially for those with good milk supply like me, it's a must to pump, if not, the breasts will engorge, which is soooo painful.

So during my confinement, i didn't actually have a good rest. My health deteriorated instead. I became to look like a zombie mom. Heavy dark eye circles. Pale looking. All because, "I wanted to give my baby the best."

On the day I held a Full Month Party for my little princess, I expressed breast milk at 4pm before heading out to the party venue. Party started at 5pm. I was so busy handling stuffs and entertaining friends and guests, that i forgo breast pumping. By the time i got home at 11pm, my breasts were soooo engorged, swollen and PAINFUL. Pumping that night didn't take away the pain. It was so frustrating.

When my mum saw the state i was in, she said, "if you want to give the best to your baby, nothing is more important than your own health. If you just wanted to sacrifice your sleep and health for these few months of breastfeeding, who is going to live longer to take care of your baby in future (moreover, when you are a single mother)? Those formula babies are as healthy as breastfed babies. Don't be so hard on yourself. If breastfeeding is too tough, let it go. Ignore breastfeeding pressure." her words hit me. 

After days of consideration, i decided to give up breastfeeding and focus on taking good care of my baby AND MYSELF.

So mummies out there, if you're in the same situation as me, suffering from the pain of breastfeeding, losing alot of sleep, and hesitating if you should give it up.... Here's my 2 cents advice.... 

If you are able to breastfeed well and coping well with the breastfeeding routine and schedule, PLEASE, by all means go ahead and breastfeed, because it's good for your baby. BUT, if you are suffering too much due to the pain from engorgement or blocked ducts, and if you are losing too much sleep til you feel that the state of your health has worsened, feel free to give up on breastfeeding. You may feel guilty, feel bad, feel like you are not a good mum because you cant "give your baby the best", STOP. PUT AWAY ALL THESE FEELINGS BEFORE YOU FALL INTO POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION. You had already given your baby the best by TRYING to breastfeed. You went through the pain of breastfeeding for your baby. Your baby needs you more than breast milk. So you need to take good care of yourself before you can take care of him/her. If breastfeeding is deteriorating your health, let it go. YOU WILL FEEL BETTER EVENTUALLY, TRUST ME...

So, this is what Dr Hii prescribed me. Dostinex 0.5mg. 

1 tablet costs $50. I was prescribed 4 tablets, which cost me $200 (omg!). 
A 2-day course. Morning 1 tab, Night 1 tab. 
And Dr advised NOT TO PUMP/EXPRESS ANYMORE, as expressing milk will only stimulate more milk supply, which defeat the purpose of this (expensive) drug. 
Some people only took 1 tablet and the milk supply dries up, that is because their milk supply is low, or usually they only latch directly with no pumping, or they decided to give up breastfeeding right after birth. But for me, i have been pumping out my breast milk and emptying my breasts every few hours, for 1 month, and has built a good milk supply. Each pump is about 150ml, and i pump every 3-4hrs, which is considered a good milk supply for a 1 month old baby. So i needed 4 tabs instead of 1, to stop the milk supply. (Once you start taking Dostinex, do not latch or feed your breast milk to your baby anymore. It's "poisonous".)

Before you start, you will need....
Cold cabbage compress (optional: to ease breasts engorgement)
Firm support bra
Breast pads to soak up leakage.

Day 1 
11am: my last pump, 150ml
1pm: Took 1st tab.
7pm: Breasts engorged.
8pm: Took 2nd tab.
Tried to soothe the swelling with cold cabbage compress. If you are not sure what it is, google it. It is believed that cold cabbage compress not only soothe the swelling, but is able to decrease milk supply. So i left them inside my bra overnight. Remember to wear FIRM SUPPORT BRA, a sports bra will be a good choice.

Day 2
Woke up with breasts swollen and hard. So engorged. But gotta bear with it, "NO PUMPING".
2pm: Took 3rd tab.
Engorged engorged engorged. 😵😥😣😖
11.30pm: Took the 4th tab.
After shower, breastmilk keeps dripping from breasts.

Day 3
Still waking up with engorged breasts. Cant sleep on my sides, as touching the engorged breasts hurts. After shower, breastmilk still leak from breasts.

Day 4
Still engorged... But breasts are not as hard as last few days. A little softer. Not painful when touched.

Day 5
Able to lie down on my front. Breasts size reduced. Less engorged. No more leakage.

Day 6
No more engorgement. Breast milk does come out from nipples when expressed manually, but no leakage.

Day 7
Breast milk still comes out from nipples when expressed manually. Breasts size reduced to close to pre-pregnancy size.

After I've stopped breastfeeding for a week, I'm catching up with my sleep and health, and I'm feeling much better from the exhaustion. 

So this drug actually takes about a week to stop your milk supply from coming in.
But I don't know where the extra milk (from engorgement) goes to. haha.
As for other side effects, I noticed none, for now.
Mummies out there, if you are researching information about this drug to stop lactation, i hope this post helps.