Increasing Breast Milk Production
The amount of breast milk produced by the mother’s body depends on how often the baby is breastfed and how well it succeeds. In all cases, the mother’s body is unable to produce enough milk for the baby’s needs. How to increase breast milk production in such situations?
As the baby sucks into the breast, the mother’s body begins to produce the hormones oxytocin and prolactin, the latter of which are responsible for producing milk. The more the baby sucks, the more milk the mother’s breasts produce. If a baby needs more milk than the mother’s body produces, the baby should be breastfed more often or more efficiently to increase milk production.
One of the hormones, oxytocin, causes contractions in the breasts that cause milk to flow through the milk ducts and out of the nipples as the baby sucks on it. This is called the plunge effect.
Increasing breast milk production
Next, we list seven tips to help you increase and maintain your breast milk production. These tips will help the mother develop strong and healthy milk production or increase it naturally.
1. Help your baby with the same good suction cup
The production of breast milk may be perfectly fine and adequate, but the baby may not be properly attached to the breast. As a result, he is unable to absorb the amount of milk he needs.
In this case, the key to resolving the situation is to help the baby suckle properly. For example, a midwife can teach you the best way to place a baby next to you so that your baby can suckle milk effectively.
2. Milk the breast
Breastfeeding is a technique that helps your baby drink more breast milk during breastfeeding. It also works as a way to excrete more milk from the breast when using a breast pump.
This is done by holding the chest with one hand, placed close to the chest. The chest is then pressed firmly with the fingers, but not so hard as to cause pain. When the baby begins to suckle, it is released from the breast so that the milk then flows through it.
3. Make changes to your lifestyle
You may not notice it, but some of your daily habits may affect your breast milk production. Breast milk production can be disrupted by things like smoking, birth control pills, stress and fatigue.
Don’t hesitate to try to increase your milk production naturally by making some changes to your daily routines!
4. Observe meal times and do not use infant formula
Your body produces more breast milk when you are breastfeeding your baby. If you skip breastfeeding or give your baby breast milk instead of breast milk, your body will start to think that it no longer needs to produce as much breast milk. Breast milk production will decrease unless you use a pump.
5. Breastfeed on each breast
During the first few weeks, breastfeeding on both breasts each time you breastfeed will help build up milk stocks. You just need to make sure you alternate the breast with which you start breastfeeding each time, as the breast used first usually receives more stimulation.
If you always start with the same breast , that breast will produce more milk and increase in size compared to the other breast. After the first few weeks, when the amount of breast milk you produce feels appropriate, you can continue breastfeeding on either breast then only one breast at a time.
6. Eat well
Although full breast milk stocks are possible even with a poor diet, it is still a good idea to try to eat a little better than usual as a breastfeeding mother.
Breastfeeding and breast milk production require a lot of energy. So nourish your body with balanced and healthy meals in order to develop and maintain an adequate milk situation for yourself.
You can even add certain milk-enhancing foods such as oats, vegetables and almonds to your daily diet. This will also help you get the extra calories your body needs right now.
7. Drink water
Breast milk is made up of 88% water, so if you don’t drink water after every breastfeeding, your body can dry out suddenly.
Finally, also remember that it is very important for you to maintain a healthy lifestyle to produce more breast milk. Most breastfeeding mothers manage to provide their babies with enough breast milk by following the advice above.
