Lactation suppression. Nonpharmaceutical versus pharmaceutical method.

Mothers bottle feeding their infants need an adequate method of lactation suppression to prevent/lessen discomfort related to breast engorgement. This study compared the effectiveness of a non- pharmaceutical method (ice and tight bra) of suppressing lactation to a pharmaceutical therapy (bromocriptine mesylate). The sample consisted of 36 subjects who used the pharmaceutical therapy (drug group) and 17 subjects who used the non-pharmaceutical method (protocol group). The data showed that the drug group had significantly less engorgement, milk production, and discomfort on the fourth postpartum day, but the lactation process was prolonged until postpartum day nine or 16. The protocol group had more engorgement, milk leakage, and discomfort on postpartum day four, but the lactation process was completed before postpartum day 16.