How to increase lactation. Dairy factory: how to increase lactation. Thirdly, there must be physical contact between mother and baby

This topic deserves a separate full-fledged article, but even within the framework of our topic it is useful to provide several convincing facts in favor of breastfeeding for at least six months, and better - up to a year or even more.

  • Mother's milk strengthens natural immunity, thanks to which a breastfed baby has a high degree of resistance to all viral and infectious diseases. And this does not mean that mother’s milk protects the baby only while he feeds on it. Immunity is earned first in the mother's tummy and then throughout the entire period of breastfeeding for the rest of her life. In addition, strong genes are passed on from generation to generation, so by feeding the baby, the mother ensures not only his health, but also the health of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
  • Mother's milk is a natural “antibiotic”

Of course, this is not penicillin, but it can be called so by the fact that during periods of illness in an infant, mother’s milk provides it with the necessary antibodies. The nursing mother's body reacts sensitively to the baby's condition: in response to his illness, the mother produces the necessary leukocytes and passes them on to the baby with milk to fight the virus or infection. So you don’t have to “poison” the baby not only with antibiotics, but even with more gentle drugs.

  • “Natural” children are usually calm (since they suffer from indigestion much less. Therefore, mommy will also be calm and happy life. The fact is that the texture of breast milk is much lighter than that of any formula. In addition, during feeding it comes in “two portions”: “front” (light, filled with carbohydrates) and “back” (fattier, containing enzymes for digestion.
  • The torment familiar to parents of artificial babies from frequent constipation in children, which they suffer from the heavy composition of the formula, will also bypass you. Moreover, as I recall myself, you can literally use your own diet to regulate your baby’s bowel movements. So, in the case of my offspring, when it seemed to me that the bowel movements were too frequent, I ate a little fixative food. If she saw that the frequency of stool was insufficient, she included more soups, vegetables and dried fruits. Agree - a very convenient therapy, and also delicious!
  • You are not in danger of sleepless nights spent with screaming child on the hands (after all, it is night feedings with formula that are most often accompanied by pain from gas). Instead of going to the kitchen and preparing formula, and then painfully feeding your baby, you can simply take him into your bed and sleep while he peacefully suckles at the breast. The same privilege is available to mommy during the day: personally, I used every feeding as an opportunity to forget about everything and sleep next to the babies. Already from the second or third week, I didn’t even hold them in my arms while feeding (and this was another additional plus, as it saved me from the effect of “falling off arms and back”), but put them on the pillow next to me and...slept.
  • Children raised on breastfeeding in the future differ from their peers in more developed intelligence, physical strength and various talents.
  • “Naturals” grow up to be more stress-resistant people and can creatively resist social disasters. Therefore, by breastfeeding children, we are feeding future heroes.
  • Lactation is also important for the mother. With each feeding session, a natural contraction of the uterus occurs, which contributes to its better postpartum cleansing. As a result, the mother is protected from congestion both in the uterus and in mammary glands. It has been statistically proven that women who breastfeed are least susceptible to breast cancer in the future.
  • The mother’s quick return to her previous physical shape is also one of the important “bonuses” of breastfeeding. It may happen that a nursing mother looks even slimmer, younger and literally blossoms than before pregnancy. This happens due to the high rate of metabolic processes in the nursing body.

Preparing for lactation even before birth

You need to start preparing for breastfeeding even before giving birth. Basically, it comes down to five principles:

  1. giving up all bad habits
  2. proper nutrition pregnant
  3. development of breast nipples
  4. preparing comfortable clothes
  5. positive emotional attitude
  • ABOUT bad habits Let’s not even talk about it - after all, they have a detrimental effect not only on feeding, but also on pregnancy. I hope that all readers have resolved this issue long ago and unequivocally.
  • The importance of nutrition for a pregnant woman was proven to me personally by my own unsuccessful experience with my first-born. I will only state the conclusion: even when following a diet, it is necessary to adhere to the optimal content of protein products of animal origin (meat and fish), and also try to include as many salads from fresh vegetables in the diet as possible, and especially with parsley. As I learned later, parsley has an amazing milk-forming effect. However, during pregnancy it is enough that this crop is among the leaders in the content of folic acid, which is extremely important for the formation of healthy nervous system child.
  • It will most likely be necessary to develop breasts for feeding only before the first birth, since then the baby himself will prepare the ground for his brothers and sisters. Any observing doctor will show you massage methods, the main thing is that the breasts do not remain too tight. It happens that already during pregnancy the glands are engorged and aching, and by the end of the term some may even observe the appearance of colostrum. Don’t give in to the unpleasantness of sensations - it’s better to prepare now than to suffer later with a baby who is not able to latch onto the breast. Carry out the procedure every day in the shower and before bed.
  • Take care in advance of purchasing special nursing underwear (you may need to buy two sizes larger), as well as nipple pads (in case of milk leakage). In addition, you will make your life much easier if during pregnancy you choose your wardrobe so that the chest straps open easily and you can attach your baby at any time. Believe me, these early steps will greatly simplify your life in the first months after childbirth, and therefore will help in conserving milk. After all, the better the preparation, the less stress, and this, in turn, is very important for maintaining lactation.

Important! Think through and simplify the cooking process as much as possible to ensure timely nutrition for the nurse in the first month. It’s great if there are relatives who will take on household chores, including preparing nutritious food for mommy. If, besides yourself, there is no one to cook (as was the case in my case), and there are other children, then it is very useful to prepare in advance as many frozen vegetable mixtures, high-quality meat and fish semi-finished products, semi-finished soups and sauces (close them into glass jars and refrigerate). Prepare unsalted mixtures of nuts, dried fruits, yoghurts, juices and muesli - everything that can be quickly prepared and also stored for a long time.

  • Psychological preparation for feeding is of paramount importance. It is especially important for those who are giving birth for the first time and are not confident in their abilities. Don’t listen to your friends and even your own mothers, who will insist that you are “not dairy-free” and other nonsense. In my opinion, it is best to attend proven courses for pregnant women (just ask for recommendations not via the Internet, but from friends). On them experienced mothers They prepare young people primarily psychologically, sharing not just bare theory, but real experience and love. Similar non-state activities replaced the lost institution large family, in which traditions and, most importantly, motherhood skills were passed on to girls from childhood. Personally, I attended similar courses before the birth of my first child, and I am very grateful to my instructor, who taught me almost everything that was useful in bearing, giving birth, feeding and raising all subsequent offspring. In the future, if you give birth more than once, you will no longer need consultations - your own experience will help, and your body will be more ready and adapted.

The importance of the first days

It is very important for the baby and mother to attach to the breast from the very first minutes. The sucking instinct is well developed in any healthy newborn and at the same time is proof of his completeness. physiological development. That is, if the baby immediately “took” the breast, congratulate yourself not only on her birth, but also on good health.

It happens that the child and mother are too tired after childbirth, or the baby is weak (especially if the birth is premature). But even then it is very advisable to put the baby to the breast, at least in order to “trigger” the lactation reflex in the mother. In addition, the very first drops of colostrum contain elements that are extremely necessary for the baby at the moment. Therefore, not allowing the child to at least try to latch on to the breast immediately after birth is, in my opinion, simply a crime.

What should you do if, due to the health of you or your newborn, you are temporarily separated from him? Don't despair, stay positive. Develop your breasts and pump. It’s best if you manage to put your baby to your breast before each formula feeding. On the one hand, this will make it easier to establish lactation, and on the other hand, it will allow the baby to get at least a fraction of your milk, which he needs right now.

If the birth went well and from the first hours you are regularly given baby food for breastfeeding, do not overdo it with pumping. Excessive stimulation will provoke abundant flows of milk, which neither the baby nor you will simply be able to cope with. This situation is fraught with stagnation and subsequent complications.

How to cope with the first flush and breast tightness

Usually on the third day after birth, real milk replaces colostrum. At this moment, the breast becomes very engorged, so that it is difficult for the baby to dissolve it, and for you to strain it.

I also want to say about the very popular effective means getting rid of severe swelling of the mammary glands. It can also help with mastitis. Stock up on heads of cabbage. Its leaves, applied to a swollen chest, will very quickly soften it, while they themselves will turn into a kind of wrung-out rag. You can constantly keep pieces of cabbage leaves under your bra cups for the first few days - believe me, it’s very effective.

In addition, there is a set of exercises to make breastfeeding easier. Basically, this is a technique for relaxing the shoulder girdle and opening the chest. However, any gymnastics available to you during this period will be useful, as it increases blood flow, including in the mammary glands.

Where does breast milk come from?

Two hormones are responsible for the possibility of breastfeeding in the mother’s body - prolactin and oxytocin. Moreover, the first one is specifically for production. And the second - for the timely release of milk from the glands. Prolactin production requires a “signal” that a hungry child is present. Simply put, any application of the baby to the breast and sucking causes a response from the pituitary gland - the production of a milk hormone. That’s why they say that the mother’s body knows how much milk it needs to produce, and with pure breastfeeding the baby will not starve.

The hormone oxytocin is the hormone of physical pleasure. Thanks to him, spouses experience pleasure in moments of intimacy, and mothers experience pleasure from tactile contact with the child. During feeding, the task of oxytocin is reduced to “squeezing” a stream of milk from the glands. Therefore, the popular saying that milk “disappears from stress” is not without foundation. For proper feeding, the mother needs positive emotions, the strongest of which at this moment she receives from tactile communication with the baby. Sometimes just the smell of it is enough for a dairy factory to “work” in the mother’s body. But at first, even not very strong stress can “knock down” such a production mindset (given the instability of the mother’s psyche, which is why there is even the concept of “postpartum depression”). It is difficult to teach absolutely all relatives how to properly treat a “vulnerable” mother. It is much easier to learn to manage your emotions yourself and treat many things philosophically.

About the diet of a nursing mother

If you have taken care in advance of filling the refrigerator and freezer with healthy semi-finished products, this is already half the success. It remains only to additionally list the most useful elements and products for promoting breastfeeding.

  • Protein

In the first days, especially in the hospital, try to eat 150-200 g of animal protein product at least twice a day, that is, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good maternity hospitals have a special diet for promoting lactation. It is advisable to find out in advance about the details of postpartum care in the hospital where you are going to go. If the menu does not suit you, ask your husband or relatives to bring you ready-made dishes according to your recipes in the first days. It is better to eat fish, meat or chicken dishes evenly throughout the day.

  • Dietary products

There is no need to rush with eggs, but low-fat milk, yogurt, diet cottage cheese - just like during pregnancy, should be welcome guests on your table for a long time.

  • Liquid

It is extremely important to get up to 2 liters of fluid (in the form of drinks and soups) from the very first day.

  • Vitamins

In addition to protein products and healthy side dishes (the rule for the latter is less starch, more complex carbohydrates), mother needs natural sources of vitamins in increased doses. Drink at least two glasses of freshly squeezed juice (orange plus any other fruit) every day. A carrot-milk drink is extremely healthy and inexpensive (pour hot milk over grated carrots). You can add cream to freshly prepared carrot juice. Also, try non-traditional parsley or spinach juices (with added cream). Parsley enhances lactation and also supplies you and your baby with folic acid.

Important! Avoid black and even green tea, and especially coffee. The caffeine they contain reduces the production of prolactin and also promotes stimulation of the nervous system, which means it can cause stress. When stressed, adrenaline is released, which narrows the milk ducts. Even if the breasts swell, milk simply will not be able to get into the baby's mouth.

  • Meals should be small, at least 6 times a day. Of these, there are three main techniques. In the breaks before and after feeding, you need to drink a glass of liquid with a healthy “snack” (nuts, dried fruits, yogurt, unsweetened oatmeal cookies, muesli).
  • Fruits and berries are sources of vitamins and energy. You can and should eat them without restrictions, except for those that can cause allergies and disturbances in the child’s digestion. Introduce them carefully, one type per day, and monitor your baby's stool and skin.
  • Avoid sweets for at least the first six months.
  • Don't overeat. Rule: more often and less helps to maintain lactation and figure.

Instead of a conclusion - a few more useful tips

  1. Stay close to your baby more often, hug and kiss him - positive tactile contact is beneficial for the production of milk hormones
  2. Always breastfeed at night. Sometimes this is how you can transfer a “lazy” sucker from a bottle to the breast. In the last third of the night, from 3 to 6 am, the production of prolactin increases, so milk comes out stronger and easier. In addition, the child sleeps and sucks in his sleep - that is, he does not notice the “severity” of the process.
  3. In the first days of breastfeeding, make sure you have the correct “latching”. The baby should suck not only the nipple, but also grasp the areola around it. His lips should be well spread, and after feeding you should even see a bright pink fold under his lower lip.
  4. If you are holding a baby in your arms, hold his face and whole body towards your chest and stomach. Make sure that the bottom handle does not break.
  5. If the baby “falls asleep” on the breast from fatigue, and there is still a lot of milk, try massaging his feet, or blow lightly on his forehead. If the child is clearly full, he is more likely to throw his head away from the chest and purse his lips funny.
  6. Always monitor your baby's weight gain if you keep him on breastfeeding alone. In the first months it should be at least 125 g per month.
  7. Even if at first the baby was accustomed to a bottle and formula, try to give him the breast more often so that he learns to take only it. This happened with my daughter: until she was 2 months old, she was weak and could not suck everything she needed, so I had to supplement her with formula from a bottle. Having grown stronger, she herself refused the bottle, and until she was 9 months old, she fed exclusively on my milk, without solid foods or supplements. I was forced to stop lactation only because of the next pregnancy, since while carrying another child, the milk becomes unsaturated (this, in fact, is the nutrition of the next baby).

I hope my advice will help young - and not only - mothers in establishing such a wonderful process as breastfeeding, and they will experience many happy moments with the child! Good luck!

Now more and more experts advise mothers to fully breastfeed their baby and not introduce formula. Therefore, the main task of the mother is by any means necessary. However, there are situations where breast milk becomes scarce and the question begins to arise as to whether how to restore lactation. What causes the milk supply to stop?

1. Two- to three-day lactation crisis. Milk volume can decrease for many reasons. The reasons for the cessation of lactation are a jump or drop in hormones, stress, resumption of the menstrual cycle, phases of the moon. How to establish lactation in this case? You need to massage your breasts, drink special teas that increase milk flow, and restore balance in your diet. If your milk is just starting to decline, you should under no circumstances switch to formula, otherwise your lactation will completely disappear. You can sometimes supplement the baby with formula, but very little at a time, and in the meantime solve the issue of lactation by breastfeeding as often as possible. Sucking enhances lactation.

2. Health problems. In some cases, the doctor prohibits breastfeeding. Sometimes lactation disappears naturally after the use of medications or surgery performed on the breast. After recovery, you will have to again expend energy on restoring lactation.

3. Separation. If the mother spent some time separately from the baby (travel, going to work, session, hospital, etc.), the issue of lack of milk may arise. At these moments, the baby does not receive the breast at the first call. Then expressed milk can help out. But since the mammary glands are not stimulated, it will not be possible to fully breastfeed due to a lack of milk.

4. Disturbed breastfeeding schedule. Mothers and grandmothers, in the old fashioned way, advise putting the baby to the breast every hour so as not to spoil it. But this is a fundamentally erroneous misconception! If you follow these tips, it will be very difficult to establish lactation. Feeding by the hour, supplementing with water, reduced frequency of feedings at night - all these are reasons that lead to the cessation of lactation.

5. Mental stress. It is extremely harmful for young mothers to be nervous and worried. This leads not only to nervous exhaustion, but also to poor lactation. Stress hormones have a strong effect on milk production, so lactation is restored only when the mother is calm.

10 ways to increase milk production and improve lactation

There are cases when milk came to the breast of a nulliparous woman. This means that a mother whose lactation was interrupted for some reason can easily establish lactation. It is important to follow the 10 ways below and create a calm, pleasant environment that will increase milk production, whatever the reasons for stopping maternal lactation.

Milk production– it’s a matter of time and a certain regime. If the baby is not yet 6 months old, then the lack of milk can be eliminated in just a couple of weeks. Remember the period of fading lactation. This time will also be needed for its restoration.

Now is the time to agree with your husband and grandmothers so that they help you with the housework. Don't ask mom how to improve lactation, so as not to listen to advice about switching to mixture. Let her help you around the house. After all, now you will be literally attached to the baby. It also wouldn’t hurt to consult with a breastfeeding specialist (write down the phone number in advance). Now let’s talk about the most effective ways to help your baby receive adequate maternal nutrition.

1. Try to breastfeed constantly. Give it to calm the child down, put him to sleep, or just like that, even if he doesn’t want to eat. The more he sucks it, the sooner milk production will begin. Also forget about the pacifier. Remember: we offer breasts always and everywhere! Put your baby to sleep with you at night, let him suckle all night long and thereby stimulate milk production.

2. Take care of a menu that can quickly increase lactation. It should be as filling as possible and high in protein. Drink as much liquid as possible: water, lactation tea.

3. With the help of folk remedies you can also improve lactation. No wonder they have been tested for centuries. Drink nettle infusions, add spices to tea: anise, fennel or cumin. Also drink milk. If all this does not help, the doctor may prescribe hormonal medications.

4. Try to breastfeed only and not supplement your baby. If there has been no milk for a long time and the formula has become the child’s main source of nutrition, reduce its portions gradually until breastfeeding is fully established. The supplementary feeding system has proven itself to be excellent. It is a tube that is attached to the nipple and helps increase lactation. The baby sucks at the breast, stimulating it, and at the same time receives formula nutrition. The result: the baby is not hungry, milk supply is restored, and it is not difficult to establish lactation in the future.

5. Provide your baby with plenty of tactile sensations. The more the baby touches your skin with his skin, the calmer he will be and the better for you. Allow him to “walk” naked on your bare tummy. Such contact is very helpful in combating poor lactation.

6. Massage in the shower. Warm jets directed at the chest area are excellent for restoring lactation. It will help improve milk flow and prevent lactostasis.

7. Back massage in the area of ​​the shoulder blades, shoulders and neck. It will ensure not only the restoration of lactation, but will also help the husband feel needed and loved again. If there is no one to ask, contact a massage therapist and warn that you are feeding.

8. Try to fill your life with one positive thing. What could be better than breastfeeding your baby and enjoying life! Walk more, sleep and watch good films.

9. Breast massage. Correctly performed breast massage also affects the restoration of lactation. You can learn this from videos on YouTube.

10. Fenugreek seeds , brewed as tea, also help to quickly restore lactation.

A few additional tips:

1. Sometimes a mother has a question: lack of milk due to lactostasis. The chest becomes lumpy, swells, bursts and the temperature rises. In this case, try to breastfeed your baby more often. This will help resolve congestion.

2. Remember that restoration of lactation is a natural mechanism that does not require drug treatment.

3. Sometimes doctors advise not to increase lactation, but rather to suppress it. In this case, medications like Bromocriptine or Dostinex are prescribed. However, even after them, you can easily restore lactation if you follow the above tips.

Be patient and use these recommendations. Then the flow of milk will not be long in coming. If you know how to restore lactation and start breastfeeding your baby only, then give your baby the most valuable thing - good health and high immunity.

Breastfeeding is a special period in the life of a young mother. Breastfeeding helps you recover faster after childbirth, provide protection from mastopathy and establish a close relationship with your baby. Often nursing mothers face a lack of milk. Today we will tell you how to increase lactation at home, and what to do if there is practically no milk in the breast.

5 main factors influencing the increase and maintenance of lactation

Proper development of a child is impossible without proper nutrition. Mother's milk is ideally suited to the baby's body's ability to absorb food. From breast milk, the baby receives everything it needs: enzymes, growth factors, immunoglobulins that protect the child’s body from infections.

Important! Every child should receive breast milk for at least 6 months, because it is completely tailored to the individual needs of the baby.

Among the many factors influencing the occurrence, increase and maintenance of milk secretion, the most important are:

  1. Health status of nursing mother and baby.
  2. A mother's desire and will to breastfeed her baby.
  3. The mental state of a nursing mother and the family situation.
  4. Regular latching of the newborn to the breast;
  5. Conscientious Preparation and Study correct technique breastfeeding.

What to do if there is not enough milk? We will definitely tell you about many effective ways to improve lactation, but first we recommend watching this video:

Before concluding that the mother has little milk, it is necessary to exclude the above factors. If there are errors in the correct latching of the breast, physical fatigue of the nursing mother or excessive mental stress (anxiety, worries), then the lack of milk is only a consequence of existing problems. Their solution will help to avoid decreased lactation and premature weaning.

Menu for a nursing mother: list of products to increase milk supply

The quality of milk and its quantity directly depend on the diet and diet followed by the nursing mother. A varied diet stimulates improved lactation and helps establish proper breastfeeding.

Products that should be included in a mother's daily diet:

  • boiled milk and fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt) - at least 0.5 l/day;
  • cottage cheese or curd products – 50-100 g/day;
  • boiled meat – at least 200 g/day;
  • fresh vegetables (carrots, onions, sweet peppers, radishes) – 600 g/day;
  • butter – 30 g/day;
  • boiled chicken eggs – 1-2 pcs.;
  • fruits (green apple, pear) – at least 300 g/day;
  • black bread with cumin – 400 g/day.

Daily use is also recommended during the lactation period. vegetable oil as a dressing for fresh vegetables or dishes with cereals (about 20 g/day). Sunflower oil is a natural source of vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids. We talked about it in one of the previous issues.

Products that cause increased lactation:

  • warm green tea (weakly brewed);
  • hot chicken broth;
  • liquid porridge with milk from rice and barley;
  • bee honey (as a substitute for sugar);
  • watermelons;
  • walnuts;
  • first courses with sea and river fish.

A nursing mother needs to monitor the amount of fluid consumed per day. It must be at least 2.5 liters (including all liquid dishes). 10-15 minutes before the start of the next feeding, it is useful to drink a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey - this simple drink helps enhance lactation and stimulates the flow of milk in the breast.

What foods to avoid during lactation:

  • natural coffe;
  • semi-finished meat products;
  • fast food, chips and crackers with flavoring additives;
  • store-bought sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, cheese sauces, etc.);
  • canned products of industrial origin;
  • products with a high cocoa content (including chocolate);
  • any alcoholic drinks (strictly prohibited!).

Note! In recent years, there has been a tendency for infants to be born with insufficiency immune system. Try to avoid eating foods that can cause allergies in your baby.

Increasing lactation with folk remedies

Homemade methods to increase milk production were used by our grandmothers. Complaints about a lack of breast milk have been encountered at all times, and nursing mothers have tried all available methods to solve the problem of breastfeeding. Many of them are still relevant today.

More liquid!

Drinking fluids helps increase milk production - this is a well-known fact. Try to drink whenever possible as often as possible. Lactation improves by consuming warm herbal infusions, milk, and special herbal drinks for mothers.

Many of the herbs can be found in the pharmacy at cheap prices: dill seeds, anise, caraway seeds and fennel. A vitamin drink will help cope with the lactation crisis.

Recipe 1. Take a teaspoon of cumin seeds and add a glass of water. Bring to a boil over heat, simmer covered for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it brew for half an hour, strain the resulting broth. To improve the taste, you can add 0.5 tsp. honey

Recipe 2. Pour anise seeds into a thermos and add 200 ml of boiled hot water. Close the lid and let it brew for 2-3 hours. Then strain the infusion and cool. Take 50 ml of the drink before each feeding.

Self-massage of the mammary glands

Kneading the breasts after feeding develops the inflows well, stimulating milk production and frequent flows. The massage should be done on the breast that the baby was fed on. Hand movements during the massage should be circular, from the nipple to the periphery, with light finger pressure over the entire surface, for 5-7 minutes.

Breastfeeding on demand

Feeding your baby on demand is the key to proper breastfeeding and producing the right amount of milk for each feeding. Do not take night breaks; let the baby latch on to the breast as many times as his body requires. Frequent application is the best way to stimulate lactation without any additional methods. Try to get by during the first months without calculating feeding by the hour - the baby knows better when it’s time for him to eat, and your breasts will “adjust” to his requirements.

What to do to prevent your child from starving and how to improve lactation? Advice for a young mother:

Medicines to improve lactation

Currently, the question of how to increase lactation can be solved with one trip to the pharmacy. Many medications have been tested by mothers and help solve an acute problem with breastfeeding - decreased lactation and lack of milk. If folk remedies do not help, and the lactation crisis has dragged on, then it’s time to contact a breastfeeding specialist and choose a suitable drug to increase your milk supply.

Release form Titles Operating principle
Herbal teas for nursing mothers Lactavit, Hipp, Humana, Grandmother's Basket, Lactaphytol Lactogenic agents with a strengthening and tonic effect. Teas based on natural herbs (fennel, cumin, anise, etc.) have a pleasant taste and are used as daily drinks in the diet.
Tablets and granules Lactogon, Apilak, Mlekoin Effective drugs to increase lactation. Taken with food as an active supplement when breastfeeding ends. Included natural ingredients– nettle, ginger, royal jelly.
Milk formulas to improve lactation Lactamil, Milky Way, Femilak, Bellakt Mama+, MD mil Mama Nutritious milk formulas replenish the needs of a nursing mother for vitamins, minerals and stimulate the glands to produce breast milk. Just dilute the mixture with water and drink it several times a day as a cocktail. Formula milk, when consumed regularly, helps produce milk and increase its quantity.

Means for stimulating lactation can provide real help in reducing milk in the breast. But you shouldn’t expect a quick effect: in one case it will take a couple of days to normalize feeding, in another it will take a week.

On a note! A lactation consultant will help you choose the most suitable drug - by studying your specific feeding history and observing the process, it will be easier for the specialist to suggest the optimal solution to your problem and, if necessary, choose a drug together with you.

5 Best Ways to Stimulate Milk Production

Before turning to medication, it is better to try simple methods, which can be used at your own discretion and without the advice of a doctor.

  1. Frequent breastfeeding
    Nature itself made sure that the baby gets enough of its mother’s milk. At the time of each breastfeeding, two important hormones are released and activated in a woman’s body: oxytocin and prolactin. They are responsible for the amount of milk produced during lactation. The more often the baby suckles at the mother's breast, the more milk will arrive at each feeding moment.
  2. Feeding your baby at night
    A night break is detrimental to breastfeeding - if the baby does not breastfeed for a long time, there is less milk. The body of a nursing mother believes that the baby will receive enough milk, which means that its amount can be reduced. This is how the decline in milk production occurs. Try to feed your baby at least twice at night to maintain lactation at the proper level.
  3. Ensuring tactile contact with the baby
    “Skin to skin” is the basic recipe for increasing milk supply without any additional recipes. Lactogenic hormones wake up at the moment of communication between mother and baby, when the child is rocked or carried in her arms. Caress your baby more often, and the problem with lack of milk will be solved by itself.
  4. Rest, rest and only rest
    During the period of lactation, free yourself from at least some household chores and chores. Sufficient sleep - at least 7-8 hours a day, good nutrition and peace of mind - these are the main conditions for the full production of a sufficient amount of mother's milk.
  5. Easy and healthy “chest” gymnastics
    Daily breast exercises stimulate the functioning of the ducts, blood circulation and the production of breast milk. You need to exercise standing or sitting on a fitball in a comfortable position. Place both hands together, palm to palm. Place them behind your head. Tilt your head back, then vigorously press the back of your head onto your folded hands several times. Repeat the exercise 2-3 more times.

P.S. Previously, we talked about the nutrition of a nursing mother and about products. Let's reinforce this topic once again, since proper nutrition is the key to good lactation:

Every woman dreams of giving her child the best of what is available to her, be it clothing, treatment or education. When it comes to nutrition, most people have no doubt that for a baby from the first months of life there is nothing better and healthier than breast milk. In addition, it is available to absolutely everyone.

However, in practice, it often happens that due to certain difficulties that arose when trying to establish lactation, as well as due to following outdated recommendations, the process is threatened, or even comes to naught.

It happens that mom comes to terms with this quite easily. After all, advertisements for modern adapted formulas subtly claim that they are only slightly inferior to breast milk. However, the World Health Organization has a different opinion on this matter.

For many years, everything possible has been done to ensure that women different countries were aware of the indispensability of breast milk for a baby(this is confirmed by numerous studies), and health workers support them in their desire to breastfeed and provide assistance if necessary.

Unfortunately, in our country, the culture of breastfeeding is just beginning to revive, and not everyone has information about how important it is to succeed in this seemingly natural process, and how to achieve it.

Including doctors in maternity hospitals and children's clinics do not always know how to establish breast-feeding, how to help in a given situation.

Therefore, the expectant or established mother will have to take the initiative into her own hands and look for information on her own (we will try to give the main tips in this article), and if necessary, then seek help from assistants who have positive experience in this feminine art.

Why is breastfeeding worth the effort?

  • Breast milk contains the necessary substances for the growth and development of all organs and systems of the baby, and vitamins and minerals are in a form in which they are very easily absorbed by the baby’s body, unlike formula components. In addition, the mixture reproduces the composition of this natural elixir only partially.
  • It contains immune factors that protect the infant’s fragile body from many infections, especially gastrointestinal and respiratory ones. If a mother gets sick, antibodies to the causative agent of her disease enter the baby’s body through feeding and protect him, so most likely he will not become infected. And if the baby gets sick, breast milk changes its properties, promoting his speedy recovery.
  • Children who were breastfed for more than nine months were less likely to develop ear infections and other ENT diseases in the future.
  • Breast milk protects your baby from allergies and, according to some reports, from inflammatory bowel disease and certain types of cancer.
  • Bifidus factor contributes to the formation of healthy intestinal microflora in the baby, and colostrum components help the epithelium of the digestive tract quickly prepare for work.
  • Later, breastfed people are less likely to become obese and score better on intelligence tests.
  • Breastfeeding provides not only the baby's need for nutrition, but also tactile contact, affection and care, establishes a strong connection with the mother, and is usually a reliable way to calm the baby and put him to sleep.
  • The milk in the breast is sterile, it does not need to be heated, it is always with you. Breastfeeding eliminates unnecessary hassle and significant material costs.
  • Breastfeeding is beneficial for the mother’s body: it promotes contraction of the uterus after childbirth, weight restoration, and also reduces the likelihood of developing breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis.
  • For some, the contraceptive effect will be a plus, which is quite reliable as long as the child does not receive any other food other than breast milk and is fed on demand.

Of course, not necessarily taken separately infant will be healthier and happier than his peer receiving formula. But he will definitely feel better than if he had not been breastfed.

The right attitude is the key to success

Doctors consider the so-called dominant breastfeeding. This concept includes the mother’s conviction in the need to breastfeed (we hope that the previous section of the article contributed to this), as well as her confidence that she will be able to feed her baby.

Often women are afraid that their milk will not come or the amount will be insufficient.

There is good news about this: only about 3-5% of mothers suffer from true hypogalactia, that is, a lack of milk.

This may be due to anatomical features, breast surgery and diseases that affect hormone production.

In other cases, the baby will have enough milk, and if problems arise, they can be solved by properly organizing breastfeeding. You will definitely succeed!

Childbirth: the more natural the better

If you are still preparing to become a mother, keep in mind that labor interventions such as induction labor activity, drug anesthesia and, of course, caesarean section, sometimes do not allow you to quickly establish feeding, as they negatively affect the condition of the newborn and his reflexes. Therefore, after such a birth, he may not immediately take the breast.

WHO recommends minimizing the practice of artificially induced labor, as well as caesarean section. According to this organization, the real need for surgical birth occurs in 10-15% of cases, and drug stimulation in less than 10%, whereas in our country this occurs all the time.

If it is possible to choose a maternity hospital and a doctor in advance, it is worth finding out what the views of this obstetrician-gynecologist are on the management of childbirth, whether he often has cases of stimulation and cesarean sections.

When you find the right doctor, try to work out a birth plan with him, discuss in advance what you will do in different situations. It happens that, indeed, it is impossible to do without interventions, but they must be exclusively justified.

When choosing a maternity hospital, additional advantages in favor of one or another institution may be the possibility of free behavior during childbirth (including taking a shower or bath in the first period), as well as vertical childbirth. All this contributes to the softest and most natural birth of the baby.

What is important to do after childbirth

In principle, if the birth was not medicated, the newborn is able, after some time, imagine, to crawl to the chest and take it (colostrum smells like amniotic fluid and therefore attracts him). But this requires a lot of effort from the baby, so, of course, it’s better to help him a little.

The more the newborn is on the mother’s bare stomach and chest, the better. If a new mother and her baby are covered with a blanket, there will be no risk of hypothermia, and the baby will warm up better than in an incubator.

In general, a mother and baby staying together in a maternity hospital is very important point to establish lactation. This allows the newborn to latch on as many times and suck for as long as he needs.

In addition to the fact that the baby needs colostrum for nutrition and protection from infections, in the first days after birth, a kind of “programming” of the breast occurs for the entire lactation period: the more the baby sucks, the more milk the mother will have and the longer she will be able to feed.

Keep in mind that colostrum completely satisfies The baby's need for food and drink, he does not need additional water or formula feeding.

Supplementary feeding is especially dangerous because it can cause an allergy to cow's milk protein contained in the mixture, as well as provoke intestinal dysbiosis. In such a situation, the microflora will recover after about a month of exclusive breastfeeding.

With all this in mind, when choosing a maternity hospital, consider choosing one of the facilities that have received the title of “Baby-Friendly Hospital” from the WHO. The staff of such a hospital must be aware of how to establish lactation and not advise supplementary feeding or supplementation unless strictly medically necessary.

Shared stays are practiced in many other maternity hospitals, so modern mothers are much more likely to successfully initiate breastfeeding than previous generations. However, even in the case of a separate stay, everything can be adjusted, but sometimes it requires a little more effort.

Feeding after caesarean section

If you are planning a surgical delivery, try to arrange for it to take place under epidural anesthesia. Its advantages are not only that you will be aware of what is happening during childbirth, but also that the baby can be immediately put to the breast. Ask the medical staff about this.

After general anesthesia, the baby should be fed as soon as the mother regains consciousness, but you may have to wait about four hours, according to domestic recommendations.

It would be best if the child is left with you in the room, and at the same time someone close to you can be nearby and help (some maternity hospitals offer the “Home Birth” service, which provides the opportunity for the baby’s father or grandmother to be with him and the young mother around the clock).

We put the baby to the breast

Before feeding your baby, be sure to wash your hands with soap, but do not do the same with your breasts (otherwise cracked nipples may occur); it is enough to wash them with water once a day.

Very comfortable posture for latching a newborn, and even a grown-up child, is the so-called “relaxed feeding”. Mom half sits, half lies, leaning back on pillows that serve as support for her back and shoulders.

The baby in one diaper is on the mother’s bare chest (skin-to-skin contact is important), you can hold him by the back and shoulders. You shouldn’t rush your baby to take the breast, it’s better to wait until he starts looking for it himself, then it makes sense to help a little.

If the baby takes the breast and sucks, and it doesn’t hurt you, or it only hurts in the first few seconds, then everything is going right.

If the nipple is sore for a long time, you should not endure it; you need to carefully place a clean little finger in the corner of the baby’s mouth (this is important, because otherwise, when you pull out the nipple, you can damage it) and interrupt feeding, and then start all over again (for more information about correct breast latch, see below). below).

About feeding positions

In addition to the above-mentioned position, there are many more positions from which you can breastfeed your baby. We will briefly describe only a few of them.

  • The classic position is considered to be the “cradle”, when the baby is pressed with his tummy to the mother’s stomach, and his head lies with his ear on the bend of the elbow (according to some versions, on the forearm) of the mother’s hand, which holds the baby’s back.
  • The “reverse cradle” (the baby is in the same position, but the back and head are fixed with the other hand) is convenient for correcting the latch on the chest, then it can be changed to a regular one.
  • The “under-arm” position will be especially convenient for those who gave birth by cesarean section, since the baby does not put pressure on the mother’s stomach: he lies on a pillow on the side of the mother, and she feeds him, holding his shoulders and head with her hand.
  • Also, after surgery or episiotomy, it will be comfortable to feed while lying down (and, by the way, any mother will need this position at night). The woman's head is on the pillow, the baby's head is at chest level. Both lie on their sides, stomach to stomach. You can place a cushion under the child's back to prevent him from rolling onto his back. You can feed from both the upper and lower breasts. The mother can place her lower hand under her or the child’s head (the ear will be in the bend of the elbow), after first lifting it by the shoulder blades and neck with the other hand.

Good chest grip: what is it like?

To prevent painful cracked nipples, as well as to ensure effective sucking (which, in turn, will allow the baby to eat enough and milk to actively flow), it is necessary that the breast latch is correct.

On the one hand, for many mother-baby couples, attachment does not look ideal at all, but at the same time it works perfectly.

On the other hand, there are some signs of a good grip that are worth paying attention to:

  • The child should take into his mouth not only the nipple, but also a section of the areola with a radius of about 2.5 cm.
  • More of the free areola should be visible from above than from below.
  • The baby's lips are turned outward (especially the lower one), the angle between them is about 130 degrees, the cheeks are not retracted, and no extraneous sounds (except for sips) are heard.

To achieve high-quality attachment, sometimes you need to help the baby. Place your thumb on the edge of the areola above the nipple, and the rest below, at a distance of about 5 cm from the nipple.

Squeeze your chest slightly (like we squeeze a fluffy bun to make it easier to bite). If you press a little harder thumb, the tip of the nipple will rise.

Point it towards your baby's nose and tickle his lips with the lower edge of the areola. When the baby opens his mouth wide, place the breast there, at the same time as if putting the baby's head on it.

What damage do pacifiers and bottles cause?

Using sucking objects to supplement feeding or calm the baby has the following consequences:

  • The pacifier and bottle feed differently than the breast. The baby does not need to open his mouth wide and use his tongue; besides, you don’t have to stand on ceremony with a rubber pacifier, chewing it with your gums, for example. Therefore, after using these items in caring for a child, his latch on the breast, the role of which we discussed above, deteriorates.
  • As a result of “nipple confusion,” the baby may completely abandon the breast in favor of a bottle. It is easier to suck, and the baby can get used to a stable flow of milk, while from the breast it either gushes like a fountain, or barely oozes.
  • Refusal from the breast in favor of a pacifier is less likely, but the baby, satisfying its sucking reflex without the help of the mother's breast, ultimately sucks less at the breast, which leads to low gains and insufficient milk production.

Feed on demand: what does it mean?

Since breasts work on the principle “the greater the demand, the greater the supply,” it needs constant emptying. Therefore, when feeding according to a regimen, in order to maintain lactation, you have to regularly express your breasts.

But neither hands nor a breast pump can free it from the contents the way a baby can do. It is not surprising that in the era of universal feeding “by the clock,” many mothers quickly ran out of milk.

In addition, feeding on demand is incomparably more comfortable psychologically, both for the baby and for the mother.

A child experiences much less stress if his life in his mother’s womb continues in her arms, at her breast, and not in a crib with the opportunity to only occasionally suck on such a dear and warm breast. It is also natural for a mother to respond to any squeak of the child, and not wait for a certain hour for this.

A baby’s “demand” for food and closeness to his mother does not always look like loud crying. The latter is usually given out in the most extreme cases, when the first signs of hunger have been missed. Keep in mind that a very upset baby may be more difficult to breastfeed than a calm baby.

If in a dream the baby's eyelids begin to tremble, he opens his mouth and turns his head from side to side, tries to suck his hands - then it's time to give him breastfeeding.

Do not be embarrassed if the newborn is ready to suckle every 15 minutes or, on the contrary, only once every 2 hours, everything can be individual here. However, if the baby sleeps for more than 3 hours in a row, you need to wake him up for feeding or put him to sleep, waiting for the superficial phase of sleep.

How to improve lactation if you are not together

When circumstances are such that after giving birth you are separated from your baby, then to stimulate lactation you need to pump every 2-3 hours, for 10 minutes on each breast. This will also help prevent excessive breast engorgement in 2-4 days when the milk comes in (some women who are breastfeeding on demand may also need to pump during this period).

To pump your breasts, wash your hands and take a sterile container (for a healthy full-term newborn, just a clean one is enough). Lightly shake and massage your breasts.

Then place your fingers around the nipple in a “C” shape: the big one just above the edge of the areola, the rest just below.

Now start pumping: the thumb and index fingers move towards each other, squeezing the glandular tissue.

Release your finger pressure, then repeat the movement. After some time, turn your hand slightly to release milk from the other lobes of the breast.

Pumping is also necessary if the baby is with you, but for some reason does not take the breast. The resulting colostrum or milk should be given to the baby, preferably not from a bottle.

There are various other methods of supplementary feeding: from a pipette, from a syringe without a needle, from a spoon, from a small cup (beaker), from a special soft spoon that has a milk reservoir at the end.

What to do if there is not enough milk?

First of all, you should make sure that it is really missing. You should focus on how many wet and dirty diapers the baby leaves, as well as weight gain.

  • A baby over 7 days old should gain at least 125 g per week
  • He should also urinate at least 12 times a day (this can be checked by removing diapers for a day and stocking up on diapers).
  • With the arrival of milk, the baby empties his intestines at least 3-4 times a day. After 3-6 weeks, bowel movements will likely become less frequent.

Keep in mind that signs such as: lack of breast engorgement, lack of leaking milk, inability to express more than 20-40 ml from the breast do not mean anything at all!

If there are problems with weight and amount of discharge, the baby will need to be supplemented with expressed milk or formula. In this situation, you should contact your doctor and a lactation consultant to figure out what's going on.

  • Putting the baby to the breast whenever there is any sign of anxiety.
  • During the day, mother offers the breast on her own initiative every hour.
  • At night, the child eats 3-4 times, especially between 3.00 and 8.00 in the morning. If the baby does not wake up on his own, the mother sets an alarm clock.

In some situations, it may be necessary to take lactogenic agents and additional pumping. Remember that if there is a lack of milk, supplementary feeding should be done without the help of a bottle using the methods discussed above.

A breastfeeding system (available on our market from Medela) can also help. This is a container with a thin tube that the baby sucks along with the breast, simultaneously sucking out the formula and stimulating lactation in the mother.

As weight and the number of urinations normalize, the amount of supplementary feeding gradually decreases. Sometimes it is necessary to maintain a certain amount of formula in the child’s diet up to six months, but then it is replaced with complementary foods, that is, with products from the family table or baby food appropriate for the age.

Is breastfeeding possible after artificial feeding?

If sometimes nulliparous women manage to breastfeed their adopted children, then relactation is possible in most cases. You will need the methods described above to stimulate lactation, and you will most likely have to overcome breast refusal.

One of the main ways to solve the problem is the “nest method”, when the mother spends most of the time in bed with the child, ensuring skin-to-skin contact, does not allow him to be held by other relatives, all factors that can cause stress in the baby are limited, even walks and bathing.

If you want to go from artificial feeding breastfeeding, it is best for the mother to contact a lactation specialist who will select the optimal scenario for returning the baby to the breast.

Where to look for help?

If your mother did not have experience with successful breastfeeding, one of your friends probably did. If they cannot offer any advice, do not hesitate to contact consultants, members of Breastfeeding Support Groups, and leaders of the International Dairy League.

Pay attention to the sites www.akev.ru and http://www.llli.org/russian.html. In most cases, a free consultation online or by phone is sufficient.

A personal visit from a specialist is usually not cheap (Moscow and the region - around 3,000 rubles), but there are situations when it is worth it and can become a wonderful gift to a nursing mother from her husband or other loved ones.

We wish you feeding with pleasure!

A decrease in breast milk production in a nursing woman is called hypogalactia and can be caused by various reasons. The level of lactation depends not only on the capabilities of the woman’s body, but is also largely determined by surrounding factors.

Hypogalactia may be caused by a violation of the production of hormones that directly affect the process of lactation, or, as is most often the case, it is caused by improper organization of breastfeeding, namely:

  • infrequent latching of the baby to the breast, feeding “by the hour” and not “on demand”;
  • insufficient duration of feeding, rapid weaning of the child;
  • incorrect grasp (the child grasps only the nipple, and not the entire areola);
  • no night feedings;
  • early introduction of supplementary feeding;
  • irrational and improper drinking regime;
  • psychological factors: stress, unfavorable family environment, overwork, lack of sleep.

Often, a decrease in milk occurs without any external reason. These conditions are called and are caused by the peculiarities of hormonal regulation. Most often, such crises appear in the 3rd, 7th, 12th weeks of a child’s life. During these periods, the mother experiences a temporary change in hormonal levels (a decrease in the production of the hormone prolactin), which affects milk production. The body of a nursing woman adapts to the new needs of a growing baby for milk. Lactation crises are a temporary phenomenon and usually last no more than 2-3 days. They can be easily dealt with by putting the baby to the breast more often.

Little milk or enough?

There are several criteria by which you can judge whether a baby has enough milk:

  • the baby has become restless, often cries, often during or immediately after feeding;
  • there is a small increase in body weight per month (the average monthly increase in the first three months of life is approximately 800 g, the minimum is 500 g);
  • there is a decrease in the number of urinations (less than 6 times a day). A child in the first months of life should urinate on average at least 8–10 times a day (minimum 6 times a day).

How to increase lactation?

Even if a nursing mother’s milk production has really decreased for some reason, under no circumstances should you rush and start supplementing your baby with formula milk without consulting a pediatrician. The baby will eat up the formula and ask for the breast less often, and this, in turn, will lead to an even greater decrease in milk production. When the amount of milk decreases, the mother’s attitude and willingness to do everything in her power to maintain and normalize the lactation process is very important.

So what should you do if you don't have enough breast milk?

Every mother can try to establish breastfeeding and increase lactation on her own. But, if she is not confident in her abilities, it is better to seek help from lactation consultants or a pediatrician who is monitoring the baby. So, let's start taking action.

To stimulate lactation, you need to put the baby to the breast more often. This is the so-called on-demand feeding of the baby, in which the breast is offered to the baby at the first sign of anxiety and as often as he wants. Milk production is influenced by two hormones - prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin is responsible for the process of milk production, oxytocin is responsible for the milk ejection reflex. The higher their level, the more milk a nursing mother has. And the amount of hormones produced in a woman’s body is influenced by the frequency and duration of the baby’s breastfeeding.

The interval between feedings should be no more than 1.5–2 hours. To maintain full lactation at first, 10–12 applications per day are necessary. The more your baby sucks, the more milk will be produced in the following days.

Care must be taken to ensure that both breasts are offered the same number of times. If one breast feeds less than the other, it will produce less milk.

Allow your baby to stay at the breast for as long as he wants. The duration of feeding should be determined by the child himself, i.e. It will be individual for each child, but on average it will take at least 15–20 minutes. You should not take the breast from the baby before he releases it himself, otherwise he will not receive the very valuable “hind” milk, rich in healthy fats and nutrients, and the breast will not receive a “request” to produce a new portion of milk.

Night feedings are an excellent way to maintain lactation, since at night the production of the hormone prolactin, which stimulates milk production, is much higher than during the day. Therefore, in order to increase lactation at night, it is recommended to put the baby to the breast 3-4 times, with two feedings occurring between 3 and 7 am.

For good lactation and effective sucking of the baby, it is important to properly attach the baby to the breast. If the baby is not attached to the breast correctly, he cannot suck out enough milk, the breast does not empty well and the milk supply decreases. In order for the baby to latch onto the breast correctly, the mother must choose a comfortable position that will allow her to relax. The child should be turned with his whole body towards her, his chin touching her chest, the baby’s head and body should be located in the same plane. When applied correctly, the baby's mouth is wide open, the lower lip is turned outward, and the baby grasps not only the nipple, but also the entire areola (peripapillary circle).

Another mechanism for triggering milk secretion is physical contact between mother and baby. Tactile skin-to-skin contact promotes the production of hormones necessary to increase lactation. That is why, when milk supply decreases, it is recommended for the mother to carry the baby more often in her arms or in a sling.

Walking on fresh air necessary not only for the baby, but also for the mother. Lack of oxygen also negatively affects milk production, so it is recommended that a nursing mother spend 1.5–2 hours a day in the fresh air. This is a great opportunity to take a break from household chores and take your baby for a walk in the forest or in the park.

For sufficient milk production, a nursing mother must follow a drinking regime. You need to drink enough to not feel thirsty. In this case, the amount of fluid entering the body should be at least 2–2.5 l/day. For good lactation, it is recommended to take a warm drink 30 minutes before feeding.

One of the methods of increasing lactation is herbal medicine - the use of herbal decoctions and teas. with lactogenic properties. Mom can drink special ready-made teas for nursing mothers or prepare a decoction of medicinal herbs herself, observing certain proportions. Dill seeds, caraway seeds, anise, fennel, lemon balm, oregano, nettle leaves, and green tea have lactogenic properties.

Their decoctions can be used separately or as various preparations.

An additional measure to increase lactation can be a hot shower.(water temperature about 45 ° C) after feeding. The meaning of such an effect is to stimulate milk production, as if on account of the next time. At the same time, you can massage the mammary gland with circular kneading movements from the center to the periphery and from top to bottom, while simultaneously removing the remaining milk. It is advisable to carry out this procedure for 10 minutes, 2 times a day for each breast. After a shower, it is good to do a relaxing massage of the neck (collar area) and back (the area between the shoulder blades).

From water procedures Warming the hands and feet before feeding has a positive effect on lactation in hot water.

Expressing milk can be used as a temporary measure to improve lactation. It stimulates milk secretion. Pumping is carried out after each feeding of the baby and/or in between feedings (if a break between them allows - at least 1.5–2 hours), but at least 5–6 times a day. It is very effective to express your breasts at night (from 3 to 7 am) during the period of intense production of the hormone prolactin. As lactation increases, the number of pumpings should be gradually reduced and then stopped completely in order to prevent excess production and lactostasis. It should be remembered that frequent latching of the baby to the breast is an excellent alternative to pumping.

The process of restoring lactation is individual for each woman, but on average it takes 5–7 days. This depends primarily on the mother’s desire to continue breastfeeding, on the baby’s activity when sucking, on observing the correct breastfeeding technique and on the support of loved ones.

Do no harm!

We must be very careful about the various advice of others and “ traditional methods» to increase the amount of milk. Not only can they not be beneficial, but they can also harm mother and baby.

  1. The most common recommendation that a nursing mother may hear when reducing the amount of milk is to drink as much liquid as possible, and it is better if it is milk, tea with milk or condensed milk. Breastfeeding experts have proven that excess fluid not only does not stimulate lactation, but can even reduce it. Excessive fluid intake can lead to the formation of more milk than the baby needs, which, in turn, often leads to stagnation (lactostasis). Of course, you can drink tea with milk if your mother likes this drink. It just doesn’t have any special lactogenic effect. Consumption of whole cow's milk by the mother also does not affect lactation, but can cause allergic reactions and colic in the child. Tea with condensed milk due to large quantity Sugar can also trigger allergic reactions in your baby.
  2. The second statement, that walnuts promote lactation, is also very doubtful. For an infusion that supposedly has lactogenic properties, you need to brew 1/2 cup of peeled walnuts with 0.5 liters of boiling milk. Both milk and nuts are allergenic products for the baby. A nursing mother can eat no more than 1–2 nuts per day, which will not affect lactation in any way. Otherwise, the risk of developing allergies in the child increases.

In a good mood

The mother's mood also affects the supply of breast milk. Accumulated fatigue, physical exhaustion, stress - all this can lead to a decrease in milk production, as the production of oxytocin decreases. Therefore, in order to establish lactation, a nursing mother needs to:

  • First of all, pay attention to your regime. It is important to organize your day so that you have time for proper sleep and rest. Sleep should be at least 8–10 hours. If your baby often wakes up and asks for the breast at night, you can organize a co-sleep with him. The best option would be a baby crib with one side removed, placed close to sleeping place mothers - there is no risk of injuring the baby, and the mother will have the opportunity to sleep and relax more, since she does not need to go up to the child;
  • Don’t constantly think about the lack of milk and worry about feeding;
  • we must try to eliminate stressful situations and try to remain calm;
  • You can turn to your relatives and husband for help and support, who will help you care for your baby or take on some of the household chores.

Recipes for lactogenic decoctions

1 tsp. Brew cumin with 1 glass of boiling milk, leave for 10–15 minutes. Take 1/4 cup of infusion 30–40 minutes before feeding the baby 3 times a day.

3 tsp. Brew dry nettle with 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 10–15 minutes. Take throughout the day.

Take equal parts of dill, anise and fennel seeds. Pour 1 tbsp. l. mixture with 1 cup of boiling water, leave in a closed container for 15–20 minutes, strain, drink 1/3 cup 2–3 times a day.

Take nettle leaves (2 parts), dill and anise seeds (1 part each), mix them. 2 tbsp. l. Brew the mixture with 0.5 liters of boiling water and leave for 2 hours. Drink throughout the day.