Breastfeeding is a special time in the life of both mother and child and experts agree that breast milk is far superior to artificial feeding, which is associated with a general decreased state of health and more infant deaths from diarrhea in both developing and developed countries.
The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, with solids gradually being introduced around this age. Supplement breastfeeding is recommended until the age of two.
Studies show that in addition to the bonding that mother and baby experience, breastfeeding is associated with increased intelligence in later life and significantly lowers the risk of many illnesses including:
-sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
-middle ear infections, colds and flue
-childhood leukemia
-childhood onset diabetes
-asthma and eczema
-dental problems
-obesity
-pshychological disorders
Breastfeeding is also beneficial for the mother in the following ways:
-Helps the uterus return to its pre -pregnancy size and position
-Reduces postpartum bleeding
-Assists in returning to pre -pregnancy weight
-Reduces the risk of breast cancer in later life
Unfortunately even though mothers may choose to breastfeed, they often experience difficulty in the supply and production of breast milk. They may also unknowingly have a problem with low quality breast milk which can result in the baby not being completely satisfied with feeds.
Breast milk production and supply are not the same thing and each is influenced by different factors. A mother can have either a problem with production ( usually hormonal, obstructive or due to improper feeding habits) or supply (most often due to poor nutrition or weak constitution) or both. Sometimes there can be no problem with supply or production of breast milk but the quality of breast milk may not be sufficient to satisfy the baby. Traditionally modern medicine only accepted problems of insufficient production but now with advances in technology that enable us to measure the quality of breast milk it is now accepted that these three problems mentioned above are all real conditions that need to be addressed appropriately in the breastfeeding mother.
In order to understand how to address problems of low breast milk or insufficient lactation we need to understand how and when breast milk is produced and what factors are involved in the production, supply and quality of breast milk.
How and When breast milk is produced
Breast milk is produced under the influence of certain hormones that are released after birth, these include prolactin and oxytocin. The release of these hormones is directly related to the act of the baby suckling on the breast which in turn stimulates the nerve endings present in the areola of the breast and cause the release of these hormones by the pituitary gland. Prolactin causes the alveoli or glands within the breast to take nutrients from the blood supply and turn them into breast milk. Oxytocin on the other hand is responsible for the contraction of cells around the alveoli and subsequent release of the breast milk through the breast ducts and out through the 15 to 20 openings in each breast.
There are a number of factors that can affect production and therefore result in no or insufficient breast milk, these are categorised as follows:
1. Problems with secretion of either prolactin or oxytocin
2. Obstruction of the breast ducts
3. Fatigue and/or stress resulting in the inability of the muscles to contract and release breastmilk
Problems with hormonal secretion
It is rare that in sufficient lactation can be caused by a problem of the pituitary gland, more often cases of non-secretion are due to insufficient stimulation of the nerve endings by the baby not latching or sucking appropriately or indeed not suckling at all in cases where the baby may be unable to feed or the mother is unable to. In these cases it is encouraged to use proper posture and also use a pump in between feeds to encourage breast milk production.
Obstruction of the breast ducts
Obstruction of the breast ducts is a fairly common occurrence and usually is associated with inflammation of the breast (mastitis) but may be due to other causes such as injury or previous surgery to the breast etc. Fortunately it is easy to treat, a doctor could prescribe an anti-inflammatory or you could use natural herbs such as mu tong or fenugreek which has been traditionally used to open the breast ducts, reduce inflammation and promote milk
production and flow. Some of the natural supplements to increase breast milk contain these ingredients and will be discussed later in this article.
Fatigue/ Stress
Fatigue and stress can play a part in any illness and is a comon occurrence postpartum. For some this may even be serious enough to be considered postnatal depression. Both stress and fatigue can affect the function of both prolactin and oxytocin as energy is required for all bodily functions to occur including contraction of the muscles responsible for promoting the flow of breastmilk. Mother should get sufficient sleep and also eat healthy to combat fatigue. Stress can be eased by getting help in managing the baby from friends and family. Some natural postpartum supplements can also assist in reducing fatigue and stress. These will be discussed under the supplements section.
The quantity and quality of beast milk is largely influenced by the health and nutritional status of the mother. Studies have shown that nutritional status affects more the quality than the quantity of breast milk so that often a mother will be producing enough milk but the quality and nutritional value of that milk may not be sufficient to provide optimal growth for the baby. Often the body will be able to provide sufficient protein and fat content for inclusion in breast milk by talking this from the mothers blood supply and if necessary by breakdown of the mothers own protein and fat stores.
However the inclusion of vitamins, minerals and other essential substances will be directly affected by the mothers intake of these substances. Besides a healthy and varied diet, dietary supplementation is also recommended to increase the production and supply of quality of breast milk, especially so when the mother is experiencing insufficient breast milk quantity to begin with. In the next section I discuss some available postpartum herbs and supplements for increasing breast milk production and supply and which are the best to use.
Herbs and dietery supplements to increase production and supply
Fenugreek
Perhaps the most commonly used herb for increasing breast milk is fenugreek, however it is not the best and certainly not the safest to use. Fenugreek is known in herbal medicine as a herb that is hot in nature, influences the liver and stimulates contraction of smooth muscle, hence its use in low breast milk conditions where it encourages contraction of the breast ducts and therefore release of breast milk. You will note however that this is not the only reason for low breast milk and therefore despite its high use it is not very effective in most cases and has a number of side effects that should be noted:
# It may cause nausea, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
# Fenugreek can also cause a maple syrup odor in urine and sweet.
# Fenugreek can interfere with iron absorption so people with anemia should avoid it.
# It can alter balances of various forms of thyroid hormones.
# Fenugreek can aggravate asthma, allergies and diabetes
# Fenugreek should be avoided by women who are pregnant since it is known to stimulate uterine contraction in animal studies and can therefore lead to miscarriage
Fenugreek is useful where stress may be a significant factor in causing low breastmilk however we do not recommend that it be used alone due to its other effects described above. In fact traditionally herbs were more often combined with others so as to limit their toxicities and harmful effects while retaining their beneficial ones.
For this reason we recommend one of the two synergistic formulas below for low breastmilk and in fact the second supplement can also be used as a general postpartum supplement.
Mothers Milk Tea
This tea is something you can make at home and is a combination of fenugreek, fennel, coriander, blessed thistle and aniseed. Though it is better than using fenugreek alone, the tea still retains as its primary function the ability of improving digestion and therefore indirectly improving breastmilk quality as well.
Lactaboost
Lactaboost is a relatively new supplement for postpartum mothers but is based on ancient chinese wisdom as well as recent scientific evidence that supports the use of this formula for nursing mothers. It is not only good for increasing quality and quantity of breatmilk as well as treating production problems, but it also has other benefits for mother and baby which include:
# Assists with postnatal depression, weakness and fatigue
# Enchances babies digestion and eliminates colic
# Assists with weight loss and return of the uterus to normal after birth
Traditional Chinese Medicine places a lot of emphasis on proper postnatal care and over a period of hundreds of years developed and refined herbal formulae for that purpose. Lactaboost is based on a number of these formulae and is supported by clinical research that confirm the benefits of it improving and increasing breast milk.
It contains a number of different herbs including ones that can:
# Relieve mastitis and open the breast ducts ( Caulis Akebia, Platycodon root)
# Enhance breastmilk quality and quantity ( Angelica Sinensis, Ophiopogonis Radix)
# Strengthen the digestive system ( Astragalus, Glycyrrhizae Radix)
# Assist with sleep ( Caulic Akebia)
# Relieve cramps and colic (Vladimiriae Radix)
This supplement however while safe to use during nursing should not be used while pregnant and caution should be exercised in cases of hypertension.
Other therapies
Sometimes the above approaches may not work and it is then useful to consult with a lactation consultant and/or other natural therapist who can work on an individual basis with you in order to prescribe a regimen, remedy or diet plan etc to address your specific condition.
As an example a practitioner of Chinese Medicine will take a history, look at your tongue and feel your pulse in order to determine what the root of the problem is. In cases of low breastmilk this may be due to liver qistagnation, blood deficiency, liver fire causing mastitis or kidney and digestive weakness. After making a diagnosis the practitioner would compose an individualised formula to treat the root condition and may also add ingredients known to treat the branch or manifestation of the root problem.
Not enough breastmilk? Low breast milk supply is a frequent occurrence for many women. Due to this , many women try methods that can be able to help to increase the amount of milk supply that their brest contain.
One method that can be used to maintain or increase a woman's breast milk supply is to pump your breasts while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding and/ or pumping should be conducted at least up to 12 times per day.Feeding times or pumping sessions do not have to be long but should generally be more often and you should ensure that your baby seems full. Offer your breast to the baby every two or three hours during the day, for a couple of days or offer the breast in between usual feeding as a snacking option or for comfort to the baby. You should also ensure to offer both breasts during each feeding.
Allow the baby finish the first breast feeding before switching to the other. Alternative switching encourages the baby to suck more strongly, when the pressure seems to have depleted which may be due to the baby falling asleep, stimulating good milk let down. Try to feed for as long as the baby wants and not time it for your convenience.
This will make sure that the baby obtains a proper balance of foremilk and hind present in the breast. The removal of this milk will ensure increased milk production. Breast compression during feeding encourage the milk to flow more freely and keep the baby feeding longer. During the first couple of weeks of feeding, artificial nipples
should be avoided as it may develop nipple confusion for the baby. This will cause your baby to refuse the breast.
Resting adequately, increasing water intake, eating nutritiously and nursing frequently all promote milk production during the breast feeding weeks of your baby. Smoking, allergy medications and decongestants, sleeping on your stomach or wearing a bra that ia too tight should be avoided because it may reduce breast milk supply.If these methods fail, there are medications that can be used to increase breast milk supply.
Galactagogues are substances used to increase breast milk supply. These should be used as a last option to increase supply. Oats and oatmeal are also safe ways recommended to increase breast milk supply. While nursing, eat at least one bowl of oatmeal per day and observe if your milk supply has increased. Mother's milk tea can also be used to increase breast milk. The tea contains herbs that are thought to help with lactation. Other herbs such as Fenugreek can also be administered in capsule form by lactation specialists.
During breastfeeding weeks, do not introduce solid foods to a baby's diet. This will cause the baby to wean from the breast earlier than you would like reducing breast milk supply.
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Mothers often concern about their milk supply . Nearly all nursing mothers worry at one time or another about whether their babies are getting sufficient milk. It's common knowledge that "breast milk is best" and so many women try their hardest to breastfeed or at least provide breast milk for their babies.
Milk supply normally varies somewhat throughout the day and over weeks and months. As long as baby is allowed to nurse on cue, your milk supply will accomodate baby’s needs.
There are many situations why a breastfeeding mother may need to pump milk from her breasts. The most common reasons to pump are to collect your milk so your baby can have it when you're not around and to maintain your milk supply for when you're together. This is important if you're going back to work but want to continue nursing. Other than that may be when a mother on medication incompatible with breastfeeding like breast engorgement, severe nipple soreness, premature hospitalized infant or increasing milk supply.
Collecting your own milk and feeding your baby, or having someone else feed him, is an option that nearly all mothers use at one time or another. Pumping also means you don't have to be on call for every feeding when you're at home. Your partner (or another helper) can feed your baby your milk from a bottle, allowing you to get more uninterrupted sleep or take a break from baby care.
Whatever your reasons for expressing your milk, certain tools and techniques can help you be successful in obtaining the milk you need and maintaining your milk supply.
When my first was born, I was prompted by the NICU nurses to pump every 2-3 hours; when my milk came in, I had more milk than I knew what to do with. After that, I got lazy and decided to pump every 4 hours. Inevitably, my milk supply decreased. It decreased even more when I became pregnant with my second ( 5 months after the first born!); when the second was born and he failed to latch on to my inverted nipples, I turned to pumping; My supply went up and down, and after figuring out how to keep my breast milk supply up without killing myself over it, I can provide all the milk my growing baby needs ( and he's a big, growing baby at that!).
To Make Milk, You Need Liquid
Increasing your liquid intake will increase the amount of milk you produce, so drink up on a lot of water! Your liquid of choice doesn't necessarily have to be water, but it's the healthier liquid there is. If you're like me and don't like to drink water unless it's flavoured or super cold, you can add sliced cucumbers, frozen or crushed fresh berries, herbs like mint or parsley, or even just a bit of fruit juice to make the water a little more interesting.
If you prefer your water to be very cold yet tasting fresh, I would suggest investing in a filtered water pitcher. My husband bought an inexpensive Brita pitcher from Target that we keep in the fridge filled with water. It tastes clean and doesn't even need any ice because it's already cold!
If you need more flavour in your water, then try tea or diluted fruit juice. If it's time for lunch, try a soup! Even a cup of plain broth counts!
Beware though, not all liquids are good! If you're nursing, you should of course limit your caffeine intake and as far as alcohol goes, avoid it! Alcohol can actually decrease your milk supply.
If There's One Thing You Eat, Make It Oatmeal
I don't know why, but oatmeal increases breast milk supply. I never liked oatmeal, unless it was one of those days where there was snow outside and all you want to do is sleep under the warm sheets of your bed all day. Now I eat it every day, simply because of the effects it has on my supply. The best thing I like about it? It's easy to prepare and doesn't take much time to make.
It doesn't have to be mushy oatmeal every day, though. I often like to have a snack or dessert of youghurt with granola...it's even better if you have fresh fruit! Oatmeal cookies can also help increase breast milk production.
If You Pump, Pump Often
There's no way to deny it: You need to pump often if you're going to feed a baby with exclusively pumped breast milk. I do it every 3 hours during the day, and then once during the middle of the night. For a restful sleep, make sure yiu have at least 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep before doing your nighttime pump. When I was pumping for my first child, either a lactation consultant or a NICU nurse said that the best time to pump for increasing breast milk production was something like 1-2 a.m ( I'm saying "something like" because this was 2 years ago!). I usually do my nighttime pump at 3 a.m.
Speaking about pumping, some technique is involved in extracting all of the milk you can get. When pumping, they advise you to start at the highest amount of suction that you can withstand, and then once you're used to that level of suction, to increase it steadily.
Unless you're using a hospital grade breast pump, the suction you're getting probably isn't all that great, even with a double electric breast pump. I have C-cup breasts and it's a chore to hold the pumping bottles to my chest: the highest level of suction feels just the same as the medium level of both breast, I unplug one of the suction tubes and only use one pumping bottle.
This allows me to concentreate the suction onto one breast at a time, and also allows me to get out the last drops by freeing up one hand to massage, poke and push any area that still has milk.
Increase Milk Supply Without Worrying Yourself to an Early Grave
Now, let out a sigh of relief!It does take some time to increase your supply if you're pumping breast milk, but really, don't worry. If you don't have enough milk for your baby, don't kill yourself if you have to temporarily supplement with formula. If you really want to make this breast milk pumping thing work out, try my tips out and just relax. Your milk supply will go back up in just a few days! Unless, of course, if you're pregnant again!
If you have reason to believe that your supply of breast milk has decreased, then you may be wondering how to increase breast milk. A dwindling of breast milk supply may be due to a multitude of things, such as too much stress, bay's increased demand due to a growth spurt, or not enough feedings. If this is making you feel down, do not worry. There are lots of tips in getting you to increase your supply of breast milk, and fortunately, they're not that hard to follow.
Feed More Often
You can use a breast pump or you can breast feed more. Since the supply of breast milk has a supply and demand relation, in order to have more milk, you should increase the number of feedings in a day. This will give your body the signal that your little one is feeding more often and needs more milk. Try pumping for five to ten more minutes after feeding the baby. You can insert an extra feeding early in the morning since you have the highest supply of milk during that time. Likewise, you can also try pumping the other breast during nursing time.
Do Not Go On A Diet
If you're breastfeeding, do not diet. Your milk supply goes down if you do not consume enough calories. Sources say that moms who breastfeed should consume anywhere around 1,800-2,200 more calories per day to maintain adequate milk supply. You do not need to worry about your weight - breastfeeding burns a lot of calories, and you will achieve that pre-pregnancy body in no time. However, the calories you consume should not be empty calories taken from junk food and fast food. Try to eat protein-rich food, as well as fruits and vegetables.
Relax and Rest
Rest and relaxation may be the farthest thing from a mom's mind. There's a baby and a husband to take care of, a house to clean, chores to be done - these tasks can barely leave a mom with time for herself. This can lead to stress, and a decrease in milk supply. If your little one is napping, those chores can wait. Try to sneak in a nap for yourself during the day, and co-sleep with baby during the night so you do not have to crawl out of your cozy bed to feed the baby.
Stick To Breast Milk
Try to avoid formula supplements as much as possible.Even though formula can be a lifesaver for a weary mom,it can do damange to your milk supply if you miss even one feeding. Once your baby starts to miss feedings from the breast, your breast milk supply will start to lower, too.
Avoid Stress
Milk will not flow if you are wound up and stressed. There are messages and relaxation technique that you can use, such as playing calming music, massaging your breast or pumping your breast so activate the letdown reflex.
Try Some Herbs
There are herbs taht are said to increase the milk supply. Fenugreek is an herb that's used to increased the milk output of a mother. There are Fenugreek capsules available, but you should ask for your doctor's opinion before trying it. Mother's Milk Tes is also said to help lactating mothers. Malunngay or Moringga is also a common herb used to enhance breast milk.
Time Your Baby's Feedings
There are some sourrces that say you should time your baby's feeding. Instead, you should wait for baby to detach himself from your breast, burp him, and offer him the other breast, so that there are no "favourite breasts" and the milk supply will be equal.
Eat Some Lactogenic Food
It's also said that eating oatmeal boosts your milk supply, but only slightly. Try eating oatmeal every morning, and oatmeal cookies during snack time. Likewise, green papaya is used all over Asia as a lactogenic food, and is served along with soup.
You shouldn't let a low milk supply stress you out. Push out the negative thoughts that say you aren't a good mother because you don't produce enough milk - it's only going to affect your very own milk supply. Instead, focus on the positive thoughts that you're the one giving your baby nutrition, and practise the tips above to have adequate milk supply.
Most mothers naturally make an adequate breast milk supply to feed their infants. Unfortunately, some mothers will experience periods of low supply when breastfeeding. This may last only a short time such as a day, or it may stretch out into weeks and months. For most women facing a low breast milk supply it is easily solved by taking a few simple steps. Knowing these five things will help you get your supply back up and prevent low supply from happening again in the future.
Take care of yourself. One of the most common causes of low breast milk supply is the mother putting herself last on her list of priorities. Stress, lack of sleep, and low fluids can all cause a mother's breast milk supply to dwindle. Breastfeeding mothers need to take the time to keep themselves healthy, both physically and emotionally. The more you worry about your breast milk supply the lower it may become.
Breastfeed as frequently as possible. Breastmilk has a natural supply and demand system. The greater the demand for milk, the more your supply will become. Restricting infant eating through schedules and sleep training can often cause a woman's breast milk supply to drop. Allow your infant to feed as often as she wants and needs to stimulate your breasts into creating more milk. When not nursing spending time lying together skin to skin also helps to stimulate your breasts into creating more milk. Use an efficient breast pump. If you are unable to nurse your infant more, using a good quality breast pump can be almost as effective. Though nothing will compare to your actual baby's latch, stimulating your breasts several times a day with a pump can cause you to make more breast milk. You may not notice much milk being pumped out at first, yet with repeated use you will notice your supply increasing. Be careful, however as a low quality pump can cause pain and discomfort.
Enjoy milk stimulating herbs. There are a few herbs that are thought to increase breastmilk supply for many women. Though testing on these claims has been inadequate so far, there are many women who swear by herbs such as fenugeek, milk thistle, and Brewer's yeast. You can easily find these at most health food stores or in online herbal shops. Many breastfeeding sites also offer herbal teas already packaged and designed for increasing your supply to where you need it. Buying these premade teas can be a tastier way to get milk boosting herbs into your daily diet.
Caffeine can give a short term boost. Soda, coffee and other drinks that have caffeine are good for giving a quick, yet temporary, boost in your supply. The caffeine stimulates your milk production and helps you make a little more. This can come at a cost, however, as the caffeine can also stimulate your infant and cause grumpiness and loss of sleep.If you need a quick boost caffeine will work, but be prepared for any possible negative effects you may face later.
It can be frustrating and a bit worrying when you notice that your breastmilk supply is lower than it should be. Luckily a few simple tricks will help you increase your milk supply and keep it up so that you can breastfeed with a little more peace. And having a little more peace will make the rest of your day go a lot smoother.
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