We reduce lactation at home: herbs, foods and folk remedies to reduce the amount of breast milk. Problems with breast milk? What to do if the amount of breast milk has decreased

"I don't have enough milk." How often do we hear these words from a young mother. How to help?

In fact, it turns out that breast milk a lot, but lacks practical skills and confidence that it is enough. Before you go to your pediatrician for advice or for an adapted formula recipe, evaluate your own strengths and possible mistakes from your side.

Alas, in our country there is no specialist in breastfeeding in the staff of children's clinics and antenatal clinics. But it is the mother who can become such a professional specialist. You just have to want!

What is the problem?

First step

First of all, answer the question for yourself: “Why do I think I don’t have enough breast milk?” Possible answers:

the baby is crying more than usual;
I feel that the child wants to be fed more often;
the baby sucks the breast for a long time during feeding;
he shows anxiety at the chest or refuses to eat;
the baby sucks fingers or a pacifier in between meals, even immediately after sucking on the breast;
after bottle feeding, the baby sleeps longer.

Are you worried that your breasts haven't been filled enough with milk since your baby was born, that your breasts have become softer than they were before, or that milk has stopped leaking from your breasts? Or maybe someone from (girlfriend, mother, doctor) said. That you don't have enough milk. It is after this that it seems to many that the amount of milk decreases ...

The affirmative answers to the above questions are not a reliable reason for the lack of breast milk: the phenomena that we observe are normal.

Does your baby suckle a pacifier immediately after a feed? He seeks to satisfy his sucking reflex.

Does your mother claim that the entire female line of the family did not breastfeed their children? It has been proven that such a feature is not inherited.

Is the baby crying more than usual? Maybe he's in a bad mood today. He was tortured by colic or the baby was just tired ...

Do not look for the reason for the lack of breast milk in such fragmentary conclusions: nature has taken care of possible temporary failures and breast milk cannot “run away”! Even if for a number of reasons (for example, you ended up in a hospital) you didn’t breastfeed your baby for several weeks, there is a chance to start right now: within three months after giving birth, the hormone prolactin “responsible” for lactation is actively produced in the woman’s body.

So let's take a look at the intermediate results. Naturally, you are not indifferent to the health of the baby, upset by the insufficient (imaginary or real) amount of the most indispensable food for the baby - breast milk. It means that you are ready to act to correct the situation. And this is the first step towards a psychotherapeutic solution to the problem.

The woman after caesarean section, and also after premature birth, primary hypogalactia often occurs (this scientific term refers to insufficient production of breast milk). If you are one of these mothers, the main thing is not to lose the mood for breastfeeding. After overcoming some difficulties, you will be able to feed your baby with your milk.

The risk group for hypogalactia can also be attributed to mothers who were actively stimulated during childbirth tribal activity or they performed medical anesthesia - in this case, the natural hormonal background in the body is often disrupted, which does not at all contribute to a successful start of lactation.

An important point: when choosing a maternity hospital in advance, focus on the joint stay of mother and baby, on earlier attachment of the newborn to the breast and skin-to-skin contact. In many maternity hospitals, psychotherapeutic methods, herbal medicine, reflexology, acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. are practiced to prevent hypogalactia. kind people. Look for only such maternity hospitals!

Diaper - helper and friend

Second step

How do you actually know if your baby is getting enough milk? The method is simple - a "wet diaper" test. Calculate how often the baby wets diapers (namely, diapers, not disposable diapers!). Newborns and children of the first months of life should urinate six or more times a day, and the urine should be colorless or pale yellow.

If a child is exclusively breastfed and at the same time “uses” six or more diapers a day, he will definitely have enough milk, regardless of his weight and height at birth and at the moment.

Estimating the amount of milk with wet diapers is the second step to solving the problem. If you give your baby water or other drinks, this test will not help: urine will be produced from water, and at the same time, the baby may not have enough breast milk.

Gain or underweight

Third step

Regular checking of the baby's weight is needed only in case. If you are still sure that your milk is not enough. But do not torment yourself with daily weighing of the baby, this will not bring any benefit: you are nervous, the amount of milk decreases sharply.

Weigh your baby regularly - every month or every two months. If your baby's weight is a concern, weigh him weekly (but not every day!). Enter all the data in a separate plate: enter the months of life in the horizontal lines, starting from the month of birth, in the vertical lines - the weight of the child in grams (for example, the baby's body weight at birth is 3700 g - this is the starting point of your graph).

A healthy baby should gain between half and one kilogram in weight every month, or at least 125 grams every week. Only breastfed babies can gain weight much faster in the first months. This is quite normal and even natural and only indicates that breast milk is the best food for a baby.

As a rule, after 4-5 months, the weight gain curve for a child who is breastfed only falls. If the baby's weight gain curve is quite smooth, without sharp jumps down, then everything is in order with your breast milk, its quantity. Remember: during illness, weight gain (and also in height) slows down or stops, and only a few days after recovery, the baby will again begin to add both grams and centimeters.

Temporary setbacks

A decrease in milk production can be due to various reasons. Physiologically conditioned are the so-called lactational (hypogalactic) crises. They can be repeated at intervals of approximately 28-30 days, which is associated with the cyclical nature of the hormonal activity of the female body.

During these days of a temporary decrease in milk production, it is necessary to apply the baby to the breast more often, and after 3-4 days the previous volume of milk will be restored. Sometimes the baby himself refuses the breast, or the feeding conditions you have created do not suit him.

Avoid these situations:

the child sucks the breast in the wrong position (captures only the nipple, and not the entire area around the nipple; lips are extended forward, cheeks are drawn in; smacking sounds are heard, but the baby is not audible swallowing milk);
in crumbs of a disease of the nasal cavity or mouth (for example, thrush or a common cold);
the taste of your milk has changed due to the return of the menstrual cycle (although most children do not respond to this) or you have eaten foods that change the taste of breast milk - garlic, onions, spices. Fresh cabbage and sauerkraut, pickles, all types of soda are likely to cause flatulence in a child. In summer, be careful with early vegetables - they can contain a large amount of nitrates;
the baby is fed strictly according to the regime, and not at his request; night feedings are not allowed; the child is rarely picked up, caressed a little, afraid to spoil.

Attention: for a successful breastfeeding, and just for the health of the baby, you need to do everything exactly the opposite!

According to statistics. Serious problems with milk production exist in no more than 4% of women. In many cases, hypogalactia is due to other causes.

Therefore it is necessary:

Calm down, tune in to breastfeeding.
Eliminate stressful situations.
Stimulate the flow of milk with homeopathic preparations (such as "Mlekoin") and ready-made lactogenic preparations (for example, "Laktovit").
Try to increase milk production with the help of lactogenic recipes, which should be used carefully when alternating - a lot of milk can come!

Recipes:

1 tsp cumin brew 1 cup of boiling milk. insist 10-15 minutes. Drink sips throughout the day.

3 tsp brew dry nettle with 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 10-15 minutes (leave fresh nettle grass for only 2 minutes). Take during the day.

Brew 0.5 cups of peeled walnuts in a thermos with 0.5 liters of boiling milk (if the child does not have food allergies). Insist for 3-4 hours. Take 1/3 cup 20 minutes before each feeding. Use in a day.

Doctors refute:

Old recipe: Before each feeding, be sure to drink 2 large cups of tea with milk. It has been proven that excess fluid not only does not stimulate lactation, but also reduces it.

There is no need for pumping: milk is produced exactly as much as the baby needs. By expressing it to a drop, you, injuring the breast, cause excess milk for the next feeding. Pumping is sometimes necessary in the first weeks, when you and your baby “coordinate” your positions. After lactation has been established, the child is its main stimulant - your body adapts only to it.

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Breastfeeding is one of critical factors that create favorable conditions for a full-fledged physical development babies. This fact is explained by the fact that breast milk contains easily digestible fats, whey proteins, taurine, lactoferrin, lysozyme, nucleotides and other necessary components that provide adequate nutrition and protection for a growing body. To date, more than 1000 components of breast milk are known, many of them are the basis for expensive pharmaceuticals. Of course, even a small part of these substances is not contained in any other milk, and even more so in infant formula.

If it seems that breast milk is not enough ...

Sometimes young mothers begin to feel that their baby is not eating enough due to insufficient breast milk. But is it really so? In such cases, it is recommended to follow a few rules.

Rule number 1. Don't panic! According to statistics, the percentage of women who are actually unable to fully feed their baby with mother's milk is quite small. In addition, those women who really have such problems, with the right approach to the process of breastfeeding, can achieve improved milk production, which will contribute to better and more complete feeding.

Rule number 2. No speculation! Only facts! Due to suspiciousness, it may simply seem to young mothers that their baby remains undernourished. And that's okay. But it never hurts to double-check yourself.

Biased assessment. The most common methods of self-checking, but, unfortunately, not allowing to draw up an objective picture of the quality of breastfeeding, include:

weighing the baby before and after feeding;
measuring the duration of feedings;
grade appearance milk;
control pumping, etc.

Objective assessment. An objective assessment of the amount of mother's milk can be obtained by measuring weekly weight gain and urination volume.

Urination. When a baby consumes 45-50 ml of food, one-time urination should be about 25-30 ml of urine. That is, with 12 urinations corresponding in volume to the indicated figures, the child's consumption of breast milk will be about 600 ml.

Weekly weight gain. According to WHO recommendations, the minimum weekly weight gain should be:

125g - for children up to 6 months;
85g - for children from 6 to 9 months;
65g - for children from 9 months to 1 year.

If the baby receives complementary foods / complementary foods, this should also be taken into account. As far as WHO standards are concerned, there is absolutely nothing to worry about. The baby is definitely not hungry.

To allay suspiciousness, new mothers can regularly measure weight gain and work to increase breast milk production.

What should not be overlooked?

Although the rate of weight gain is an individual concept for each baby, the general trend in this process is still visible. Newborn babies gain weight more intensively, but gradually weight gain slows down. Disorders, illnesses, stresses and even wellness massages affect the reduction of weight gain.

When exchanging experience with other young mothers and comparing your own and other people's babies, you should do this not by one parameter, for example, by weight, but by several at once, that is, to compare in a complex.

Do not panic if the weight gain is equal to the minimum allowable value. This will continue to be the norm. According to the median (middle line of growth graphs), again according to statistics, only 50% of children develop. The remaining 50% of babies have weight deviations up or down.

Rule number 3. An objective assessment of the situation. The volume of breast milk produced directly depends on the state in which the young mother is. Completely different factors / events can stimulate or vice versa inhibit the processes of milk formation and milk secretion: restoration of the menstrual cycle, new impressions, pregnancy, etc.

If we talk about stress, then they can adversely affect not milk formation, but the separation of milk from the mammary glands. If the mother is nervous for some reason, experiences negative emotions, then the number of attachments of the baby to the breast must be increased. The baby will act as a breast pump, which will positively affect the lactation process.

At the same time, if it is not possible to attach a baby, you should still use a breast pump. In any case, you should not leave milk in the breast. Only regular emptying of the mammary glands will lead to the formation of new portions of milk.

It is recommended to relieve stress in order to avoid disruption of the lactation process with the help of aromatherapy, breathing exercises, relaxing music, yoga or baths.

lactation crises. Fortunately, not all mothers are faced with such a problem as a lactation crisis. But each of them should have a general concept of the patterns that affect the decrease in the volume of mother's milk.

It is worth talking about a lactation crisis if, for reasons related to the external or physiological life of the mother, there is a decrease in milk production in the period from 3 to 7 days.

critical period. Critical periods should not be confused with lactation crises. Cause critical periods growing need for food becomes growing baby. The duration of such periods is from 5 to 14 days, and they can occur in about 3-5-7 months.

Reduced milk production in the evening. Some mothers start to panic, noticing that in the evening the amount of breast milk has become less. On average, the total daily volume of mother's milk is constant (small deviations are acceptable). In such situations, "storing food" in reserve is not worth it. As mentioned above, the addition of milk in volume depends on the release of the mammary glands from it.

Feeding from 3 to 8 in the morning also has a beneficial effect on the volume of milk produced.

When can problems with breast milk appear?

The most noticeable decrease in milk production during such periods of a child's life:

From 0 to 1 month. The baby is whiny and restless, it seems that he is not getting enough sleep and malnourished, as weight gain is somewhat lower than expected. The reason may lie in the incorrect organization of breastfeeding: feeding takes place strictly on time; mother and baby when feeding are located in the same position; the child unsuccessfully captures the nipple, which does not allow him to completely empty his mother's breast.

You can solve the problem of such a plan at a face-to-face consultation. A lactation specialist will observe how the feeding goes, analyze the schedule and give specific recommendations. It is almost impossible to determine in absentia what is actually being done wrong, especially regarding breast capture and posture.

3 months. The frequency of flushes of milk, if they were earlier, gradually decreases, the breast becomes less engorged. This happens due to the fact that milk is produced at the time of sucking the baby's breast, and not in advance. It is not necessary to talk about malnutrition of a baby without assessing the dynamics of weight gain and the volume of urination.

From 6 to 7 months. Reducing the number of attachments of the baby to the breast due to the introduction of complementary foods. The baby receives useful nutrients from solid food the need for milk is reduced. To solve this problem, it is enough to change the feeding regimen.

9 to 10 months. Weight is added more slowly due to increased physical activity of the baby. Some mothers take these changes personally, assuming that minor weight gain is due to malnutrition.

For what reasons can mother's milk really become less?

Most often, the volume of mother's milk decreases for the following reasons:

The use of bottles and pacifiers (the child loses the habit of sucking the breast, is less often applied to the breast, which leads to a decrease in the intensity of lactation);

Unreasonable introduction of additional nutrition (supplementary feeding);
Lack of night feedings, increased intervals between them;
Intentional separation of the child from the mother (sleeping in different beds, prolonged separation during the day, feeding for a short time).

The volume of breast milk consumed is equal to the volume of breast milk produced!

This suggests that when the feeding regime changes, the amount of milk also changes, gradually it decreases. Therefore, if a mother wants to improve lactation, put the baby to the breast as often as possible. And if the child himself reaches out to her, trying to independently provide himself with the necessary amount of food, do not limit him.

For normal lactation also It is important that the breaks between feedings throughout the day are small. This also applies to night feeding. If the mother does not have the opportunity to attach the baby to the breast, she needs to express milk every 3 hours. At night, breaks between feedings or pumping can be increased up to 4 hours. In total, there should be at least 7-8 feedings or pumping over a 24-hour period. It is necessary to express either from two breasts, or alternately from each for half an hour.

But before you start pumping, it is recommended to consult a doctor and make sure that there is really not enough milk, and stimulating lactation in this way is the most effective measure to eliminate the problem of a lack of mother's milk.

Diet of a nursing mother. This is another factor that directly affects the production of breast milk. During lactation, mothers are not recommended to introduce any restrictions that are unusual for their body and change their diet. But at the same time, it should be borne in mind that both an excess of liquid in the diet and a lack of nutrition (deficiency of certain components provoked by diets) can negatively affect lactation.

In the course of scientific research, it was found that for 1 kg of weight a person needs at least 30 ml of liquid (the lower limit of the norm). It is allowed to take a warm / hot drink 10-15 minutes before feeding.

WHO claims that lactating mothers do not require a special diet at all. It is good to adhere to the norm of a healthy diet: eat little but often, eat healthy foods that are easily heated and well absorbed.

This approach will help to establish lactation: first, the mother eats, then she starts feeding the baby. Since women are often thirsty during breastfeeding, a container with a drink should be prepared in advance and placed next to the nursing mother.

Nursing mothers should also take note that it is impossible to single out any food groups that have a beneficial effect on milk growth. Therefore, the intake of various teas that allegedly improve lactation, herbal preparations and folk remedies is not recommended, since most often such compositions contain not only stimulating lactation, but also components that depress it. In addition, some of the herbal ingredients are absolutely not safe for the baby.

If it is really necessary to stimulate lactation, a breastfeeding specialist can advise special means. But this happens quite rarely, and only after the application of all non-drug measures.

You can use lactagons for no more than 10-14 days, as they are addictive. Whether the drug is effective or not can be determined only after 3-4 days of admission. I would like to note that even inexpensive homeopathic remedies or herbal preparations can be effective, so you should not take an expensive drug right away.

With the desire and desire of the nursing mother herself, almost all problems with insufficient production of breast milk can be solved relatively quickly. Of course, a comprehensive and competent approach is important here. It is best if a young nursing mother consults with a breastfeeding specialist who will give specific recommendations, help establish a feeding regimen, suggest the most effective positions in which the child can most effectively capture the breast.

It is difficult to say how long it will take to restore lactation. Some women can recover within a week, others within a few weeks or a whole month. It all depends on individual physiological features. Most importantly, do not give up and do not stop trying to establish breastfeeding if tangible results are not noticeable for 2-3 days. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the measures taken is carried out no earlier than 4-5 days.

Lykova Polina Petrovna
Doctor, lactation consultant
Telephone and e-mail consultation (free of charge), house calls
+7-963-66-77-44-3 [email protected]

Lactation is a very mobile process, which is influenced by many different factors (mother's health, frequency of feeding, the severity of the sucking reflex in the child). Breast milk cannot be produced according to a certain schedule, and under the influence of certain factors, a decrease in lactation may occur.

Reasons for reducing lactation

Insufficient milk production in the mother is called hypogalactia. Depending on the reasons that cause it, experts distinguish primary (true) and secondary hypogalactia.

True inability to produce milk occurs, according to various sources, in only 3-8% of women in labor. It usually develops in mothers who suffer from endocrine diseases ( diabetes, diffuse toxic goiter, infantilism and others). In the presence of these diseases in the female body, underdevelopment of the mammary glands is quite often observed, as well as a violation of the processes of hormonal stimulation of lactation, as a result of which her mammary glands are simply not able to reproduce a sufficient amount of milk.

Treatment of hypogalactia of this form is quite problematic, for its correction in such cases the doctor prescribes hormonal preparations.

But secondary hypogalactia is much more common. The decrease in lactation in this case is mainly associated with improperly organized breastfeeding (irregular breastfeeding, long breaks between feedings, improper breastfeeding), as well as physical and mental overwork, lack of sleep, eating disorders, diseases of the nursing mother.

The causes of hypogalactia can also be complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, prematurity of the baby, taking certain medications and much more.

Decrease in lactation can be triggered by the unwillingness of the mother to breastfeed the baby or her self-doubt and disposition to artificial feeding.

In many cases, secondary hypogalactia is a temporary condition. If the reason for the decrease in lactation is correctly identified and eliminated, then the production of breast milk is normalized within 3-10 days.

Already in the process of established breastfeeding, a nursing woman may encounter such a physical phenomenon as a lactation crisis (when her milk supply suddenly decreases for no apparent reason). Usually this is due to a mismatch in the amount of milk to the needs of the child and cyclic hormonal changes in the mother's body.

The fact is that the growth of a baby may not occur systematically, but in leaps and bounds. Growth spurts are most typical at 3 and 6 weeks, and at 3, 4, 7 and 8 months. As the baby grows, so does his appetite. In such a situation, the mammary gland simply cannot cope with the production of the required amount of milk. At the same time, the baby can receive as much milk as before, but this amount is already not enough for him.

In addition, it is during these periods of active growth of the child in the body of the mother that a temporary change in the hormonal background can occur, which also affects the amount of milk.

This situation is reversible and does not pose any danger to the health of the child. With an increase in the number of feedings and the absence of supplementary feeding with a mixture, the mother’s breast will adjust in a few days and provide the baby with sufficient nutrition.

Most often, lactation crises occur in the first 3 months after childbirth and can sometimes occur at intervals of 1-1.5 months, their duration is no more than 3-4 days (much less often 6-8 days).

Therefore, before going to the store for formula, mom needs to find out if she really has little milk. The following complaints are the most common grounds for such doubts:

1. The breast is always soft, there is no rush of milk.

During the first few months after birth, lactation develops, when mother and baby adapt to each other. During this period, milk production may be more or less than what the baby needs and, accordingly, both a feeling of fullness in the breast and a feeling of empty breasts may occur.

When mature lactation is established, milk begins to be produced as much as the baby needs for this feeding. In this case, the mammary gland may not be as full as before.

In addition, milk continues to be produced directly during feeding. Thus, based on the feeling of breast fullness, it is impossible to draw a conclusion about the sufficiency or lack of milk.

2. Inability to express even a small amount of milk.

No even the best breast pump can be compared with a child in terms of the efficiency of sucking milk from the breast (provided that the baby has correctly grasped the breast).

Besides, the pumping process requires a certain skill. Some women, having a large amount of milk in their breasts, can express only some of it, so the amount of milk expressed cannot be used to judge the sufficiency of lactation.

3. The baby is anxious during or after feeding, often requires a breast, sucks for a very long time and does not let go of the breast.

All these circumstances may indicate a lack of milk, but may also be a reaction of the baby to stress or fatigue. Such behavior can also indicate a child's poor health. Therefore, relying only on the behavior of the child, it would be wrong to draw conclusions about the decrease in lactation, but of course, in such a situation, the mother has a reason to pay attention to more reliable criteria.

Almost all mothers who breastfeed their baby had to go through extremely unpleasant days when there was very little milk in the breast. The fear of premature cessation of lactation leads women to take various medications and apply on yourself all sorts of recommendations from grandmothers, girlfriends, traditional and alternative medicine. Why does lactation decrease and what can be done to not only maintain it, but also increase the amount of milk?

Why does breast produce milk after childbirth?

Even during pregnancy, under the influence of increased levels of the hormone prolactin, the mammary glands prepare for lactation. In them, the milk-producing lobules, similar to bunches of grapes, increase in number and size, begin to be intensively supplied with blood, and even begin to produce the first drops of colostrum after 30 weeks of gestation.

During childbirth and in the first few days after them, the strongest hormonal surge stimulates lactation. Especially a lot of the hormone prolactin is released during sleep and at night. In addition, during this period, the biologically active substance oxytocin is also connected, which not only causes uterine contractions, but also affects the secretion of milk. After childbirth, oxytocin is produced in response to irritation of the nipples of the mammary glands during suckling by the infant. A nursing mother can feel the result of its action: regardless of her desire, the breasts suddenly become denser, the nipples harden, often milk begins to drip from them at this time, and the woman feels a feeling of pressure inside the mammary gland. In the first months after childbirth, many women release oxytocin not only during feeding, but also when carrying a baby in their arms and even at the mere thought of a child.

Why can the amount of milk decrease?

The most common causes of reduced milk supply and premature cessation of lactation are:

1. Lactation crisis. This is a periodically occurring decrease in the level of prolactin in the blood against the background of a gradually recovering menstrual cycle in a woman. It usually lasts from 2 to 5 days. During this period, the amount of milk decreases sharply, but with continued attachment to the baby’s breast, active sucking or pumping, it gradually recovers, and its volume may even become much larger. Lactation crises are observed several times after childbirth, they are more pronounced in first-time nursing mothers.

2. Mother's fatigue. A short night's sleep and a lack of daytime rest leads to insufficient production of prolactin, and therefore to a small amount of milk. Lack of time for frequent attachment to the breast and additional pumping during lactation crises often causes hypogalactia. Against the background of fatigue, a woman ceases to feel the joy of being able to feed her baby, which also reduces the release of oxytocin.

3. Not enough liquid. Mom during the entire period of breastfeeding needs about one liter of water per day more to maintain a normal amount of milk.

4. Diseases of a nursing mother. Low hemoglobin in anemia, dehydration in high temperature, vomiting or diarrhea lead to reduced blood supply to the mammary glands, and hence to insufficient milk production.

5. Sluggish sucking of the breast by the child. The illnesses of the baby or the peculiarities of his temperament, leading to sluggish sucking, cannot maintain the amount of hormones responsible for lactation in the mother's blood at the right level.

6. Pain during breastfeeding. Improper attachment to the breast, flat or inverted nipples, restlessness of the baby during suckling lead to the development of very painful cracks, forcing the mother to reduce or even stop breastfeeding.

How to maintain lactation and increase milk supply

To avoid a decrease in milk production and maintain lactation, the mother should follow the following rules:

1. Be sure to sleep at least 8 hours a day. The lack of night sleep must be compensated by daytime rest. It is especially important to adhere to this principle in the first four months after childbirth, when the woman's body must still recover itself, and when lactation crises are most pronounced. To do this, you need to postpone part of the homework "until better times" and not refuse the help of friends and family.

2. Drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day. As an additional prophylactic against hypogalactia, it can be special teas for nursing mothers, or decoctions of dill, fennel, caraway seeds.

3. Eat well: do not overeat, so as not to cause fatty degeneration of the milk lobules in the chest, consume high-grade meat proteins and low-fat dairy products. Eat foods high in iron, folic acid, trace elements and vitamins.

4. Use techniques that improve the blood supply to the mammary glands. This is a contrast shower, massage, gymnastics, warm dry chest wraps, especially during lactation crises.

5. Avoid any stress, since all stress hormones suppress the production of prolactin and reduce blood circulation in the breast tissue. The fear of losing milk is also a lot of stress, so you don't have to think about it all the time.

6. Avoid any infectious diseases, overheating and other reasons that can cause dehydration.

7. Correctly attach the baby to the breast for feeding. Sucking should not cause pain! The close contact of the mother with the baby should bring only pleasure to both of them. With an irregular shape of the nipples of the mammary glands, special corrective pads can be used.

8. And most importantly: frequent active breast sucking- the most important way to maintain lactation. What is needed for this:

make sure that after feeding in the mammary glands there are no areas of milk stagnation. If they are not expressed, the squeezed milk lobules will stop milk production;
if the child belongs to the category of "sluggish suckers", it is necessary to additionally express the breast after feeding. This will allow you to supplement the baby with milk, not with an artificial mixture, and will also help maintain the amount of prolactin at a sufficient level. In this situation in a good way there will be rubbing while expressing the nipples, as if you need to start mechanical watches. This method causes an additional release of oxytocin;
during a lactation crisis, the baby should be applied to the breast as often as possible, even if the breast seems completely empty to the mother. Particularly well helps to cope with the crisis frequent sucking at night;
if the mother fails to learn how to express her breasts correctly, it is better to purchase a modern breast pump in a timely manner, even before the onset of the first lactation crisis.

The joy of being able to feed your baby with breast milk, the pleasure of close communication with him, the help and support of loved ones will give the young mother a calm confidence that she will be able to maintain lactation for as long as she wants.