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Carey Mulligan on why she wore cabbage leaves under her gown

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Getty Images

Carey Mulligan sat down with British Vogue to discuss some of her most memorable red carpet moments, leading the Maestro star to reveal a surprising wardrobe detail from her past.

While attending the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences' Governors Awards in 2017, the Oscar-nominated actress wore a Giambattista Valli couture gown that featured a plunging neckline.

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At the time, Mulligan was breastfeeding her second child and was trying to stop any leaks from happening while wearing the "busty" number. In a pinch, she used cabbage leaves to stop the oversupply.

"I had two kids by then, and my son was a baby, so I was stopping - this might be an overshare - but I was stopping breastfeeding, but this dress was quite busty, but someone had told me to put cabbage leaves [on] to stop the milk," she told British Vogue.

"So in this photograph, I am actually wearing cabbage leaves underneath my... I know I'm going to regret saying that, but that is the truth! And it works! We'll do a separate video about that for the ladies."

According to the National Institutes of Health, a 2015 study showed that cabbage leaf treatment used on women with breast engorgement "did reduce pain, the hardness of the engorged breasts, and increased the duration of breast feeding".

The HSE recommends washing some whole cabbage leaves, removing the hard spine, and then placing them inside the bra until they wilt.

They suggest using the cabbage leaves for 20 minutes, three times a day, but note that treatment should be stopped as soon as users notice a slight decrease.

If you have any concerns, be sure to contact your GP or relevant healthcare provider.

For more information on breastfeeding and oversupply, visit HSE.ie.

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