Lactation suppression refers to the act of suppressing lactation

Lactation

Lactation describes the secretion of milk from the mammary glands and the period of time that a mother lactates to feed her young. The process occurs in all female mammals, however it predates mammals. In humans the process of feeding milk is called breastfeeding or nursing...

 in new mothers by chemical or other means.

After birth some women may desire to stop the production of breast milk, for example when the mother wishes to bottlefeed from birth onwards, or in the case when the infant dies

Infant mortality

Infant mortality is defined as the number of infant deaths per 1000 live births. Traditionally, the most common cause worldwide was dehydration from diarrhea. However, the spreading information about Oral Re-hydration Solution to mothers around the world has decreased the rate of children dying...

 or is surrendered at birth

Child abandonment

Child abandonment is the practice of relinquishing interests and claims over one's offspring with the intent of never again resuming or reasserting them. Causes include many social and cultural factors as well as mental illness. An abandoned child is called a foundling .-Causes:Poverty is often a...

.

This can be done in several ways:

• by simply not stimulating the breasts after birth. After a few days the production of milk will cease. Women may experience some discomfort such as engorgement and in few cases pain. These discomforts can be treated with analgesics, cooling packs and chilled cabbage leaves.
• by binding the breasts by use of tight fitting bras or bandages. This approach should be discouraged as this may cause blocked milk ducts and mastitis.
• by medication, prescribed by a doctor

In the past, hormonal therapies, such as diethylstilbestrol

Diethylstilbestrol

Diethylstilbestrol is a synthetic nonsteroidal estrogen that was first synthesized in 1938. Human exposure to DES occurred through diverse sources, such as dietary ingestion from supplemented cattle feed and medical treatment for certain conditions, including breast and prostate cancers...

 (DES) and bromocriptine

Bromocriptine

Bromocriptine , an ergoline derivative, is a dopamine agonist that is used in the treatment of pituitary tumors, Parkinson's disease , hyperprolactinaemia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.- Indications :Amenorrhea, female infertility, galactorrhea, hypogonadism, and acromegaly...

 were used, but these are no longer recommended due to side effects (e.g. DES is a known carcinogen). In some countries cabergoline

Cabergoline

Cabergoline , an ergot derivative, is a potent dopamine receptor agonist on D2 receptors. In vitro, rat studies show cabergoline has a direct inhibitory effect on pituitary lactotroph cells...

(dostinex) is used for this purpose. Estrogen containing birth control pills may have the same side effect.