How to Increase Lactation? - Best For The Health

Most mothers who have recently given birth to a baby and are breastfeeding have thought at least once that they have little breast milk. Therefore. the question naturally arises – how to increase lactation during breastfeeding. what methods to use for this will various folk remedies, infusions, decoctions, or tea help.

To know if the baby is getting enough milk and to quickly increase lactation (breast milk production). It is necessary that the mother understands where the milk comes from, how lactation begins, and during what periods attention should be paid so that the baby receives enough nutrition.

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What Increases Milk Lactation In Nursing

Excretion of breast milk (or lactation) is a clear and well-functioning mechanism that has been formed in the course of evolution so that mothers can feed their children even in the most severe conditions. Therefore, knowing the mechanisms of starting and maintaining the production of breast milk, any mother can quickly increase lactation without any material costs and special efforts. They are simple – the more often a woman breastfeeds and the more the mammary gland is emptied, the more milk there will be.

Let’s immediately answer one key question – what to do to increase lactation? The answer is very simple – to breastfeed the baby: often, for a long time and from the first minutes of his life. In the first days after the birth of the baby. Milk arrives gradually, the mother and the baby adapt to each other. Breast overflow occurs with the onset of transitional milk production. The baby cannot fully empty the breast. And therefore engorgement and milk leakage may occur. As mature milk arrives. Around the second week of feeding. Lactation enters a stable phase.

After 4-5 weeks of feeding, strong milk leaks from the breast gradually disappear (literally drops can stand out) and the feeling of overflow. Which scares inexperienced mothers. It seems to them that there is less milk. In addition, the baby can sometimes be capricious at the breast, he begins a period of colic, or literally hangs on his chest (he can suck for 30-60 minutes or longer without interruption). Accumulates strength before a new stage in development. But this gives mothers the idea that there are probably problems. They are starting to look for ways to increase lactation and the fat content of breast milk. But you shouldn’t worry. The first thing to do is to objectively assess whether there really is a shortage of milk and you need to look for means that increase lactation (breast milk production).

Does the baby have enough breast milk

The first mistake that many breastfeeding mothers make is that to estimate the amount of milk they try to express milk from the breast (usually after feeding). They get literally a few drops and decide that the baby is malnourished. Therefore it is capricious, and you need to look for ways to increase the amount of breast milk. Let us emphasize that expressing is not a method of objectively assessing the sufficiency of milk when feeding a baby.

Not even a single high-quality breast pump, let alone a manual method, can empty the breast as effectively as a baby does.

Plus, breast milk is actively produced during feeding, and the baby is actively satiated. The milk that is stored in the breast between feedings is “front”. This milk is rich in water, sugar and poor in fat. The baby uses them to quench his thirst and “have a snack”. During feeding, the breast synthesizes “back” milk, it is thicker, fatty – this is already the “main dish” of the crumbs, with which it satisfies hunger.

But if the mother doubts whether the baby has enough nutrition during breastfeeding. It is necessary to evaluate its increase in a month. If the crumb has added more than 500g-600g, he gets enough milk. Another method of objective assessment is counting wet diapers (while the baby is not given anything but breast, not even water!). If the crumb has wetted more than eight to ten diapers in a day (in 24 hours), milk is enough for him.

If the diapers are not enough. In this case, it is worth considering how to increase the amount of breast milk in a nursing mother. But it is important to emphasize that you do not need to immediately give the child supplementary food. You can restore the volume of milk in case of a lack of it in 3-4 days. You just need to be patient, give yourself and your baby more time.

How and how to increase the amount of milk during breastfeeding

If there is a problem of lack of milk, several useful tips help to increase lactation in a nursing mother. Which works and helps women to quickly and effectively normalize the situation.

Frequent feedings: it is necessary to apply the baby often. Every one and a half to two hours. Including the period of night sleep. If the child is sound asleep. He is applied to the chest in sleep and lightly scratches the heel or cheek. The baby, half asleep, will attach itself to the breast and will empty it. It is not worth skipping feedings for more than two to three hours because of the baby’s sound sleep.

Long-term stay at the breast: do not limit the time the baby stays at the breast. If he has completely emptied one gland. He should be offered a second. If he shows a desire for more food. This allows the baby to get to the fatty “rear” milk. And stimulates the activity of the mammary gland. If the baby does not breastfeed for long. He receives mainly foremilk. It is less satiating. And short feeds are less stimulating to the breast.

Is it possible to increase lactation if the baby quickly falls asleep at the breast and sucks very sluggishly? This is a common problem. For such babies. There is a method of alternating feeding. It is necessary to attach the baby to the breast. While the milk flows from it actively. The baby swallows it quickly. As soon as the sucking activity slows down. Transfer the baby to the other breast so that he actively sucks. As the tension in the breast relaxes, reapply the baby to the first mammary gland. This allows the baby to remain awake and to empty the breast more actively.

How to Increase Your Breast Milk When Expressing

Expressing milk is great for stimulating lactation as the mammary glands work on a supply-demand basis. The more milk is removed from the breast. The more actively the production of its new portion is triggered. Increasing lactation while expressing can be done by mothers of babies who are weakened and cannot fully attach to the breast.

As the baby matures and matures. The mother can help maintain adequate breast milk levels by expressing. Expressing large volumes of milk by hand is difficult and tedious. So you need to know how to increase lactation while expressing with a breast pump.

Important!

It is important to express the breast when it is full, after feeding the baby, and between attachments. Excess milk can be stored in the freezer as a reserve.

What foods increase lactation (the amount of breast milk) in a nursing

As the baby matures and matures. The motion pharmacies and children’s stores. In advertising brochures for antenatal clinics. You can find various supplements. Vitamin complexes and other products that increase lactation (the amount of breast milk) in a nursing woman. But it is important to understand that the effectiveness of these funds is low. Since milk synthesis is a hormone-dependent and reflex process. Which is stimulated by frequent and maximum complete emptying of the breast.

However, many foods and drinks, other methods, work like placebos, allowing the mother to release the internal “clamp” in her head and reduce stress, which positively affects milk flow.

Herbal teas and drinks for nursing: although many herbs and plants have a lactogenic effect. It is not so pronounced that only due to the intake of these formulations. Lactation is restored without frequent and prolonged feeding of the child. Any warm liquid that the mother takes before feeding has a lactogenic effect. The flow of blood to the breast gives the sensation of a rush of milk inside the glands. er, can help maintain adequate breast milk levels by expressing. Expressing large volumes of milk by hand is difficult and tedious. So you need to know how to increase lactation while expressing with a breast pump.

The undoubted advantages of teas are that they give confidence, contain mild sedative components, and are a source of additional fluid. Obvious disadvantages – allergies are possible to any herbs, negative effects in the mother or baby are possible.

Vitamin-mineral complexes and dietary supplements for nursing: they do not have a lactogenic effect. But they help to support the woman’s body. Replenishing the supply of essential minerals (especially calcium, iron) and vitamins, which are actively consumed in the synthesis of breast milk.

Ban on breast imitators

To ensure that the amount of breast milk does not decrease. The baby should not have any breast mimics. Dummies, nipple bottles are excluded. They reduce the time of breast stimulation and also form the so-called “nipple confusion”. When sucking on a bottle and pacifier, the baby uses different muscles, which may cause problems with attachment. Instead, you need to apply the baby to the chest more often.

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