It is sometimes difficult for newly minted mothers to figure out on their own whether there is enough breast milk their crumb.

The baby is crying ... The first thought that brings mothers literally to panic: "What if he is hungry?"

Yes, it's not bottle feeding. You cannot tell offhand how much profit - how much has disappeared from the chest.

Often all the concerns of moms about the lack of milk are far-fetched, have no foundation. And mom's panic leads to inevitable and natural dysregulation of many processes in the body. Including, the processes of milk production are disrupted.

In this case, the well-known expression "Thoughts are material" is best suited for an explanation. Mental processes in the body (in this case, our thoughts) are closely related to somatic phenomena (find their expression in the peculiarities of physiology). This is how the vicious circle closes.

Today we will investigate, which indicates a true shortage of breast milk. Let's find out the reasons for this condition. Let's discuss what mom needs to do in a situation of insufficient breast milk.

Signs for which you can suspect a lack of milk production

These symptoms may include the following situations listed below. Although I will immediately make a reservation that it is not at all a fact that each of these situations was caused precisely by a lack of milk.

1. Little or no weight gain in the child.

It should be understood that physiological weight loss (up to 10% of body weight) can only be in newborn children. They are born with a certain amount of water and fat, which they lose in the first days of life. Then the children must constantly gain weight.

There are special tables with average figures for normal weight gain per month. Please note that these are average values. It is impossible to be strictly guided by these figures. All children are individual, so they can gain weight in different ways. Someone is picking up in jumps. Someone grows slowly but surely.

I can only say, combining scientific data and practical experience, that weight gain in a month of less than 500 grams already makes you think. If this happened only in one month, then it's okay. And if a child gains less than 500 g for several months in a row, then you need to look for the reason.

For mothers, it is important to know one more figure for normal body weight gain - in a week. Because how the baby grows, you need to monitor constantly, here and now. It is an impermissible mistake to find out about the problem in a month, when the mother and the baby go to the scheduled doctor's appointment.

So, on average, a baby gains from 120 to 240 grams per week. If your baby's gain is less than these numbers, then this is a reason to worry. If there is no other apparent reason, the child may be malnourished. It is necessary to immediately try to correct the situation by stimulating lactation or adding supplements.

Table of approximate values ​​for the age and weight of the child:

2. Decrease in the excretory function of the child's body.

This clever scientific expression is translated into normal human Russian simply - the child does not stain the diapers a lot. In other words, rate how often your child poops and pees. Quite a simple and inexpensive way.

Breast milk is 90 percent water, so there is a simple pattern - the more milk the baby drank, the more urine he excreted. The child should be left without disposable diapers for about a day and wet diapers should be counted. An infant should urinate at least 10-12 times a day.

Stool frequency in children varies. A child up to 3 months can have a chair after each feeding. It is very good. Or maybe even less than once a day. And this is also not a tragedy, but more often than not a variant of the norm.

It is important to take into account the weight gain, the child's mood, the consistency of the stool. For example, when a baby sucks only front milk rich in carbohydrates but poor in fat, the stool will be lean, greenish, and the weight curve will be flat.

If you have already counted 10 wet diapers in less than a day, then put all suspicions of a lack of milk out of your head.

What are some common situations that do not indicate a lack of breast milk?

The baby often requires a breast.

Breast sucking for a baby is not only a way to get food, but also a way of close contact with mom. A baby may crave for a breast to satisfy hunger or thirst, or perhaps to calm down in an unfamiliar situation.

Sometimes, if the mother behaves incorrectly at the beginning of breastfeeding, the situation "Mom - nipple" develops. Then the child literally hangs on his chest for days, even if he does not want to eat at all.

If the child often requires breast, it is necessary to analyze the situation well in order to exclude underfeeding.

Firstly, it is important to check if the baby is correctly latching on to the breast. Very often, the baby hangs on the breast for a long time and often requires it when he takes the nipple incorrectly. Then he gets little milk, and the baby tries to compensate for this by increasing the feeding time.

Also, very often this behavior is observed during periods of the so-called lactation crises. As a rule, crises in lactation can occur in the 3rd - 6th weeks of a baby's life, as well as at 3, 6.7, 9, 12 months.

During these periods, the intensity of milk production temporarily decreases. The reasons for this state of the mother are in the hormonal changes in her body. Part of the reason may be the ever-increasing need for a baby's breast milk.

The period of the lactation crisis lasts on average 2-4 days, sometimes up to a week. But this state just needs to be experienced. The problem is solved by frequent attachments of the baby to the breast, an increase in the mother's drinking volume.

It is important during these periods to try not to acquaint the baby with a bottle or other "mum substitutes". After all, children quickly figure out where it is easier for them to suck. Of course, getting milk from a bottle is easier. The next day, the little sly guy will not want to suck, he will get angry, tear the nipple.

If mom, unknowingly or for some other reason, gives the bottle again at this moment, then it's gone. The baby will refuse breast milk or will only suck out the most easily available front milk. And this is fraught with the cessation of lactation altogether for the mother.

Mom's breasts are no longer so heavy and dense by the time of feeding.

Only at the beginning of the formation of lactation does the mother's breast become rude, it becomes heavy, as if poured.

After 5-6 months of lactation, the breast no longer reacts so much to the flow of milk. This is normal. A soft breast does not indicate a lack of milk, but only that lactation is established and proceeds normally.

Milk leaks less.

Many mothers, referring to the fact that before feeding or during feeding from the free breast, milk was leaking intensively, suspect that there is a shortage of milk when there is little milk leaking. It is also an unreliable symptom of a lack of milk.

This speaks not at all about a decrease in the amount of milk, but about the degree of maturity of lactation. Over time, the muscular part of the ducts of the mammary gland (the so-called sphincters) becomes, as it were, more trained.

By contracting, the circular muscles of the sphincters no longer allow milk to flow wasted in the same volume as before. The body adapts not to waste its resources. Therefore, after a certain time of adjusted feeding, these changes occur, which characterize "mature" lactation.

"I literally express drops after feeding."

I often hear this phrase from mothers who, before suspicion of a decrease in the amount of milk, as a rule, did not express their breasts. And then, after feeding, Mom nervously tries to drain the leftovers. Naturally, he gets a completely negative result or a very small amount of milk.

Here the question is ambiguous, since many factors affect the production of milk and its exit from the ducts of the mammary gland.

For the normal release of milk, a comfortable position of the mother, contact with the baby "skin to skin", "eye to eye" is needed. It is important that the breast is correctly compressed during expression, similar to the work of a baby's mouth.

The emotional state of the mother while breastfeeding or pumping is also an incredibly important factor. After all, the release of milk from the ducts is provided by the action of an emotionally dependent hormone - oxytocin.

This is confirmed, for example, with cracks in the mother's nipple. With painful sensations during feeding, it is not possible to relax, which means that there is no release of oxytocin. In this regard, there is no rush of milk during feeding.

If this problem is not resolved in time, then lactation quickly collapses.

The baby is worried about the breast.

It happens that mommy notices anxiety, arching, twisting of the baby at the breast, as soon as he begins to suck. This situation often indicates not a lack, but a rapid flow of milk from the breast.

At the beginning of a feed, an oxytocin spike occurs and milk comes out quickly and easily. Naturally, the child cannot cope with it, chokes, does not have time to catch his breath. The baby's first reaction is to dodge, as if to get away from the stream, to catch his breath.

Another situation in which the baby may be anxious at the breast is improper grip on the nipple. The baby makes a lot of sucking movements and a minimum of swallowing. This ineffective work bothers him, and he begins to be capricious.

Make sure that the chest is properly gripped. If you cannot cope with this task on your own, then a breastfeeding consultant can come to your aid. There are many of them now.

Here are some signs of the correct position of the baby and the capture of the nipple during feeding (in a more correct feeding position - sitting):

• during feeding, the head and body of the crumbs are on the same line (head, shoulder, hip joint);
• the child's chin is pressed against the chest;
• the baby opens his mouth wide;
• lips tightly clasp not only the nipple, but also part of the areola. At the same time, the lower lip is turned outward;
• the tip of the tongue covers the gums, and a dimple (hollow) forms in the middle of it. The nipple is placed in this hollow so that the wave-like movements of the tongue can expel milk from the nipple;
• nasal breathing is free;
• feeding does not cause any pain in mommy.

The time intervals between feedings are not observed.

Still, no matter how much mommy tries to adhere to equal intervals between feedings, the child decides for himself when and how much to eat. We, adults, also notice from time to time that an increase in appetite, then its decrease.

Children are the same individuals. Although normally, after a while, a certain feeding regimen is still developed spontaneously or with some participation of the nursing mother.

In one feeding, the baby can eat less than the norm for various reasons. Possible reasons- uncomfortable, wet, choked, distracted. This means that next time the baby will ask for food much earlier than the mother expected.

Often there is such a situation that the baby is applied to the breast more often at night than during the day. That is, having eaten little during the day, the child eats up his norm during the night.

This, of course, is tiring for a mother who does not practice sleeping together with her baby. But you should not be afraid of this. Night feeds have a beneficial effect on stimulating lactation.

And even at night, milk is especially rich in a hormone that normalizes human biorhythms, or a sleep hormone - melatonin. Thanks to this hormone, babies sleep more peacefully and longer after night feeding.

Is checkweighing informative?

Doctors often advise mothers to check weighing the baby before and after feeding. So it is proposed to find out how much the baby ate from the breast. But this method is not very informative for many reasons.

First, there must be a high-precision medical scale that not everyone can afford to buy. After all, a single weighing of a child in a polyclinic does not make any sense. In addition, the child may not want to eat normally in unfamiliar conditions.

Adequate conclusions can only be drawn from the results of regular weighing over a relatively long period. That is, you need to regularly weigh the baby after feeding for at least a few days.

Secondly, a child can eat 90 ml in one feeding, and 180 ml in another. That is, in subsequent meals, he picks up what he did not eat in the previous feeding.

The mother is undoubtedly worried and tense during such “control feedings”. It is not possible to achieve a normal, relaxed state. Thoughts like “how can I do everything right” or “how much will he eat from me” haunt me. This condition of the mother is also transmitted to the baby. The weighing results after such feedings are not very correct.

It should also be said that the child loses weight during physical activity. Sucking is the biggest physical activity for the baby. During physical activity, energy is spent, which is formed in the body as a result of the decomposition of organic substances. That is, during the control weighing, you, in fact, will learn not how much the baby ate, but how much he ate minus the organic substances decomposed to obtain the required energy.

In the end, the baby may just poop or pee while feeding. As a result, you will get a false negative result.

Summary: Checkweighings provide an opportunity to realistically assess the situation. But they need to be carried out regularly over a rather long period of time. You need to do this at home. Weighing should be carried out on the same good, accurate medical scales. There is no way to do this - choose other methods of weight control.

Not enough milk: what to do?

If you do determine that you are low on breast milk, then the following tips are for you.

Drink

Increasing the drinking regime is one of the main recommendations if you want to increase milk production. It is not so important what you drink. It can be tea, dried fruit compote, herbal infusions. The main thing is to keep the drink hot. It is desirable that this be a sweet drink.

It is believed that some herbal infusions increase milk production. Even special milk teas and teas are sold. But there is no evidence-based medicine information about increasing milk production with herbal teas with fennel, anise, dill, caraway seeds, fenugreek and other herbs.

Milk production is affected by the hormone prolactin in the anterior pituitary gland (part of the brain). Another hormone, oxytocin, affects the exit of milk from the ducts. This hormone is produced in the hypothalamus (this is another part of the brain). It is clear that herbs cannot affect the work of these hormones.

But, probably, herbs can still have a certain effect not on the process of milk formation itself, but on milk flow. In particular, by influencing the psychological state of the mother. The fact that the psychological state of a nursing mother affects lactation was mentioned above. This issue will be discussed further in this article below.

In addition, herbs can, having a biologically active effect, influence the formation of milk indirectly, for example, by normalizing the digestion or blood circulation of the matter.

When consuming herbal infusions and teas, be aware of the possibility of allergies to their components. Essential oils, which are in plants, can cause an allergic reaction in the baby. Therefore, be careful with them.

It is worth saying that any hot drink simply makes it easier for milk to exit the ducts. Milk production is unchanged and remains under the influence of prolactin. This acceleration of milk output is perceived by mothers as an increase in its volume. Therefore, almost everything that mom drinks should be hot.

It is also very important for a nursing mother to realize that she is doing something to maintain lactation. The formation of a dominant breastfeeding in the brain is an effective way to significantly prolong lactation.

Food

The nutrition of a nursing mother should be rational. There should be at least five meals. Hot meals are required at least three times a day.

In the menu of a nursing mother, you need to include a sufficient amount of protein products - meat, fish, legumes. Protein is construction material, which is so necessary for the rapidly growing body of the baby.

Also, the diet should be enriched with such carbohydrate foods as bread with bran, whole grain bread, cereals from unpolished cereals (buckwheat, millet, pearl barley, oatmeal), pasta from durum wheat.

This gives "long calories" to the nursing mother, plus it also provides the body with vitamins (especially group B) and microelements. Please note: porridge should in no case be instant cooking!

That is, the use of these products improves the vitamin and microelement composition of milk. Improving the quality of milk can be seen as one of the indirect ways to cope with the problem of insufficient milk supply.

You need to be careful with vegetables and fruits, as bright red and orange foods can cause allergies in the baby. Some vegetables can contribute to the development of intestinal colic in the crumbs. But in general, vegetables and fruits in the mother's menu should be present and make up at least 45% of the total diet.

Gradually, you will figure out which fruits and vegetables are well tolerated by you and your baby at a given time. It is worth giving preference to those cultures that have been growing from time immemorial in our latitudes.

All imported products atypical for us are potential allergens. I really do not want to face an allergy in crumbs during this difficult time.

Now I will mention about special mixtures for nursing mothers. They are also called protein-nutritional mixtures. These products are enriched with proteins, amino acids, vitamins and trace elements. They practically do not affect the amount of milk, but they can affect its quality composition in the most positive way.

Nursing mothers who, for some reason, cannot provide themselves with adequate nutrition (with a sufficient amount of protein, vitamins and minerals), can take advantage of the offer of manufacturers of such nutritional mixtures. The composition of all such products for nursing mothers is approximately the same and is calculated taking into account daily requirement women in vitamins and minerals.

Stress and anti-stress in the life of a nursing mom

All recommendations for moms who want to increase milk production begin with a recommendation that you need to learn how to relax, not to dwell on the problem. Your worst enemy, aggravating the situation of milk shortage, is negative emotions like “again they cannot advise anything concrete”.

I myself am a mother of an infant. Moreover, a mother who works at home in parallel with the performance of the direct duties of the mother of the baby.

I understand that recommendations in the style of "often latch the baby to the breast" and "find a way to relax" are not very compatible with real life and with each other. Indeed, these recommendations are both correct and in many respects contradictory.

Another thing is that not everyone understands how to do this. I will try to explain and give examples of the types of relaxation available to mothers who think that there is no time to even wash and comb their hair another time.

Self-massage, hot bath, contrast shower, listening to calm music, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy ... These relaxation methods can be incorporated into any everyday day of a nursing mother. They don't take too long.

Many relaxation techniques can be combined. For example, a bath is combined with listening to music. In the shower, you can do self-massage of the feet or hands.

Of course, you cannot do without the help of loved ones in such a situation. An important task is to explain to your loved ones that the peace of mind of the mother and child, their health now depends on the attention, understanding, perseverance and resilience shown by all family members at this critical moment.

Non-drug stimulation of lactation

Attaching and pumping

One of the main recommendations for reducing the amount of milk is to increase the frequency of breastfeeding. Frequent application stimulates the flow of signals to the mother's brain that the baby's needs are growing - it's time to increase milk production. The principle of "demand - supply" works here.

The more the baby sucks, the more milk will come to replace the sucked milk next time. This is why expressing after feeding stimulates lactation.

And in no case should you assume that by expressing you are taking an extra portion of milk from your baby. Once this remaining milk stagnates in the breast and is unclaimed, the brain will receive a signal that milk in such volumes is not needed - we will reduce production.

And production will be cut, rest assured! The body will never do unnecessary work.

Therefore, do not leave a drop of milk after feeding, express. Constantly tell your body - you need more milk, you need more. See, everything is used up, nothing is left.

This is especially important in the first month of feeding, during the formation of lactation. The child is still small, does not have time to eat everything. We need to help him.

In the first 3-4 weeks of lactation, there is a rapid increase in the amount of milk if all milk is used. And if milk remains in the breast, the build-up does not go.

After a month, lactation is established, the amount of milk does not increase as quickly. You can relax a little. But remember - once or twice the unused milk in the breast has burned out - and this amount of new milk will produce less. And it will hardly be possible to return it.

Who is not too lazy to work in the first month - will feed the baby for a long time and successfully. Then you can relax. After all, breastfeeding is not only good for the baby. It is also a huge relief for mom, especially at night.

Expressed milk can be offered to a baby not from a bottle, but from a spoon, a syringe, since at such a critical moment all substitutes for a mother's nipple will play a cruel joke with you.

And now let's get back to the situation that there is still not enough milk.

Today there is an excellent feeding system at the mother's breast, which provides breast stimulation by sucking the baby, even if there is little milk in it. Mothers very often face such a problem when it is impossible to force the baby's half-empty breast to suckle. The supplementary feeding device solves this problem.

The system is a reservoir with a lid from which two thin catheters come out. The tip of this catheter is inserted into the corner of the baby's mouth while sucking on the breast. When sucking movements, the milk flows to the baby, and he does not even know about such a trick.

The Breast Feeding System (SNS Supplementary Feeding System) is shown in these photos.

Thus, two tasks were solved simultaneously: stimulation of the breast by sucking the baby, and the baby receives nutrition and is not capricious.

Of course, it is better if there is expressed mother's milk in the reservoir than its substitutes. All formula milk tastes sweeter. Children feel this and can refuse to breastfeed just because of this.

There are and are quite effective physiotherapeutic methods for stimulating lactation. UHF, ultrasound, vibration massage are very common, but only a doctor can prescribe them.

The negative point is that the mother needs to be absent from the clinic for a certain time to perform these procedures. Doing them at home is prohibited. This circumstance makes the use of such procedures absolutely impossible for many mothers.

Medication stimulation of lactation

To stimulate lactation, homeopathic medicines such as Mlekoin, Lactogon, and the Milky Way are sometimes recommended. It is worth saying that no studies have been conducted to prove their effectiveness. From my personal experience as a pediatrician, I have received more positive reviews of these drugs than negative ones.

The choice is yours, but remember that self-medication is unacceptable. Any drug should be prescribed only by a doctor who has assessed your characteristics and propensity for allergies. For example, if you are allergic to any beekeeping products, it is contraindicated to use Mlekoin.

By using these drugs without a doctor's prescription, you will act at your own peril and risk.

But, before you start stimulating lactation, you need to know for sure whether your baby is really short of breast milk. I hope this article helped you decide on this issue. And let breastfeeding be a joy for you, and your baby - health!

A practicing pediatrician, twice mother, Elena Borisova, told you about the signs of a shortage of breast milk and ways to solve this problem.

After pregnancy, many women begin to wonder why they have little breast milk. The problem is familiar to many young mothers. Some people just panic. It begins to seem to them that the baby is not eating enough. Others do have cause for concern. This may be due to a lactation crisis, when unexpectedly the amount of breast milk is significantly reduced. However, inexperienced mothers should be warned that this phenomenon is often temporary and, as a rule, goes away on its own. Another factor in reducing milk supply may be recent stress or medications not recommended at the time of pregnancy and breastfeeding. There are a lot of reasons. Let's try to consider in detail each case separately and understand what exactly could provoke a decrease in lactation and how to deal with it.

Causes of insufficient breast milk

The problem of lack of breast milk in Lately began to gain momentum. Young mothers are often faced with this disturbing phenomenon. The main reasons why a woman is low on breast milk are:

• Strict adherence to the rules of feeding by the hour. Pediatricians have long recommended giving up this and feeding the child exclusively at his request.
• Mommy's lifestyle. This can include factors such as: stress, persistent sleep problems, lack of peace of mind, bad habits.
• Failure in power mode. Imbalance, snacks on the go, poor nutrition.
• Insufficient amount of the hormone oxytocin.
• Reduced levels of the hormone prolactin in the body will adversely affect the amount of breast milk.
• Consequences of difficult childbirth. Caesarean section, great blood loss.
• Certain medications that affect the quality and quantity of breast milk.
• Hereditary and chronic diseases... These include: diabetes, problems with the cardiovascular tract, malfunction of the endocrine system, preeclampsia in various forms.
• Lactation crisis. This phenomenon is considered natural and, as a rule, after a while it is able to pass on its own. It may take five days for the mammary glands to adapt themselves to the child's increased milk demand.
• Health problems of the child himself. These include congenital malformations or diseases of the oral cavity.

Young mothers with a shortage of breast milk most often do the wrong thing, choosing for themselves two ways to solve this problem. They reduce the number of feedings, or supplement with expressed milk. Don't do that. This will aggravate the situation even more. The secretion of breast milk will decrease, and the activity of the infant's sucking movement will decrease with it. It is not uncommon for a baby to categorically refuse to breastfeed after that.

Preparations for stimulating lactation

Pills

• A nicotinic acid. Promotes increased milk production. The permissible dose is twice a day, 1 tablet half an hour before meals. Possible allergic reaction to the drug in the mother and child. If an allergy occurs, the drug should be replaced. Apply strictly as directed by your doctor;
• Glutamic acid. Increases lactation. Take after meals three times a day, 2 pieces. The course of admission is 10 days;
• Domperidone. Increases lactation. Take three times a day, one piece before meals. The course of admission is two weeks. Already on the third day, improvements will be noticeable, but you should not interrupt the drug intake because of this. You must complete the course completely. It is not recommended to use the medicine earlier than a month after childbirth;
• Leptadenti. Improves the quality and quantity of breast milk. Take two pieces twice a day 30 minutes before meals. The course of admission is a month. At the time of taking the drug, you should follow a diet. Avoid sugary and fatty foods;
• Desaminooxytocin. Increases lactation. One tablet four times a day a few minutes before feeding. It is quickly excreted from the body. Women who have reached the age of 35 should take the tablets with caution in order to exclude the side effects of this drug.

Other drugs

• Femilak. Dry mix. It has a positive effect on the quality and quantity of breast milk. Diluted with water until smooth. Can be added to any drink. Cooking instructions are included;
• Oxytocin. It is a solution for injection. Relieves painful sensations. Stimulates milk production. Do not apply on your own. Only as prescribed by a specialist and observing a strict dosage. Injections are given in the first two weeks after childbirth;
• Plantex. Soluble granules for making a drink. Increases lactation. An allergic reaction to the drug is possible. The permissible daily rate is four sachets;
• Enfa mom. Dry mix. Increases lactation. Optimizes nutrition. Taurine-free;
• Mom thought plus. Diluted powder. Stimulates lactation. Extends its period. Contains a complex of useful microelements and vitamins. Replenishes their lack in the body of a nursing mother. Does not have side effects;
• Apilak. Dietary supplement. Contains a huge amount of trace elements, amino acids and vitamins. Stimulates lactation. An allergic reaction is possible;
• Lactogon. Dietary supplement. Increases the volume of breast milk, stimulates lactation. Diluted with water. Noticeable improvements occur on the third day after starting this drug;
• Mlekoin. Dietary supplement. Increases the volume of breast milk, stimulates lactation. It has no contraindications. An allergic reaction is possible. Granules are taken before meals, slowly dissolving.

Exercises to enhance lactation

Another way that you can significantly increase breast milk lactation is through exercise. In addition to the fact that they increase the amount of milk production, this set of exercises will help the breasts to maintain excellent shape. It will increase the elasticity of the skin, strengthen the muscular and ligamentous apparatus.

The simplest, not requiring special skills and not taking much time will be exercises of the following plan:

• The well-known exercise "scissors" will be a lifesaver in this case as well. You need to do it with your hands, not your feet. It will strengthen muscles and increase milk flow. It must be done in a standing position. Straighten your arms in front of you at the level chest... Swing your arms up and down. Exercise from the side resembles a pair of scissors, when they check something on the paper;
• The next exercise will be regular push-ups. You can rely on anything. You can stand on your feet, kneel, or just get on all fours, whichever is more convenient for you. The fingers on the hands must be pointed inward. Then you can begin to perform downward bends. The main thing is not to forget to keep the spine straight;
• This exercise can be done in one of two positions. Either sitting or standing. Bend your arms at the elbows, be sure at right angles. The hands should be closed and at the level of the chest. Fingers are pointing up. We squeeze the hands together. The exercise is done 20 times in three rounds.

Breast massage

Breast massage is performed with unhurried, gentle movements. The sponge should not be hard to the touch, so as not to cause painful sensations in contact with delicate skin. The massage should be done while being careful not to touch the nipples. In a circular motion with a soapy solution applied to a washcloth, massage each breast in turn.

A contrast shower is considered a good massage agent. To do this, it is necessary to direct the flow of water first to one breast, then to the other, making the water either cold or hot.

You can massage with any oil. To do this, apply a few drops of moisturizing oil to the palm of your hand. Cover the upper half of the chest with the right palm, and hold the lower half with the left. Perform light circular movements, moving clockwise.

Folk remedies to stimulate lactation

Folk remedies have never harmed anyone. Even in the old days, many women, with a shortage of breast milk, used medicinal herbs and prepared medicinal decoctions from them. There are many such ways. The composition of each is available and does not require much effort in preparation. Consider those folk remedies, which are more popular than others, whose effect has already been appreciated by many women who have managed to face the problem of reducing lactation.

Recipe 1. Vegetable. The main component is carrots. Grate one small carrot on a fine grater to make about 4 tablespoons. Pour grated carrots with a glass of cream with the highest percentage of fat. Use the resulting mixture up to 3 times a day.

Recipe 2. Dandelion decoction. Crushed plant roots (1 tsp. L) pour 1 tbsp. boiling water. Cover and let the broth brew for half an hour. Strain. Divide the resulting mixture into about 4 parts and drink it a day.

Recipe 3. Broth from caraway seeds. Pour 15g of caraway seeds with one liter of boiling water. Add one chopped lemon and 4 tbsp. l sugar. Put on fire and cook for 10 minutes. Strain the resulting broth. Drink pre-chilled three times a day.

Recipe 4. Decoction of anise seeds. Pour boiling water over the anise seeds. Insist for an hour. Strain and cool. Take 2 tbsp. l. up to 4 times a day.

Recipe 5. Chamomile broth. It is recommended to take a decoction of chamomile for about seven days. It is prepared very simply. You need 1 st. l boil the plants with boiling water. Let it brew. Strain and take one glass up to three times a day.

Recipe 6. Plain tea. The benefits of tea for breastfeeding are invaluable. Pediatricians recommend that young mothers use black or green tea... The tea should be well brewed. Let it brew for a while and add a little milk there before taking it. Drink unlimited.

Recipe 7. In equal proportions, take the seeds of anise, dill, fennel, oregano. Steam everything with boiling water. Let the broth brew for about an hour. Strain. Cool down. Apply the broth up to three times a day. The volume of a single serving is 200 ml.

In conclusion, I would like to wish you, young mothers, not to panic when lactation suddenly decreases. After all, now you know what to do if breast milk is low. You should not immediately transfer the baby to artificial feeding, because it is unlikely to be able to replace, in terms of composition and quality, real breast milk, which contains all the vitamins and nutrients necessary for the health and full development of the baby. We need to pull ourselves together, calm down and try to solve the problem. All of the above methods have been tested and have been successfully applied in practice for a long time. They can actually improve the lactation situation and many will notice a significant improvement almost immediately after they start taking these drugs. Folk recipes no less effective and their big plus is that they are absolutely safe for both mother and child. Choose any recipe you like and try it. The result will not be long in coming and in most cases it is always positive.

Perhaps you will learn about hypolactation.

• 1

  Physiology of breastfeeding

• 2

  Possible causes of hypogalactia

• 3

  What to do if there is not enough milk

• 4

  Tips for Improving Lactation

• 5

  Mom's comments

Let's take a look at the reasons why milk can really "disappear", get acquainted with the physiology of lactation, and also find out what can be done in order to increase milk production.

Let's start with physiology.

So you are pregnant. The first thing that women pay attention to is changes in the breasts: the breasts "fill up", become sensitive, the nipples and areolas change their color. And all this is due to the placenta, which began to produce a hormone - human placental lactogen. It is this hormone that provides the baby with colostrum in the first 3-4 days of life.

Then a hormone known to almost everyone - prolactin - begins to be produced. You've probably heard the phrase that “milk is produced not in the breast, but in the head,” in part, this is true. There are two small glands in the human brain: the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, they are responsible for the production of prolactin, which is responsible for the production of high-grade breast milk, and oxytocin, thanks to which milk leaves the breast. Remember?

And now a little bit of anatomy

The female breast consists of several milk lobules, and each lobule contains cells responsible for milk production and muscle cells that push milk out of the lobules. So, the hormone oxytocin is responsible for the work of muscle cells. This is very important and we will come back to muscle cells a little later.

And now the long-awaited hour has come and your baby is on your chest. The first thing to do is give your baby a nipple. And the more often and for longer a woman will attach the baby to the breast, the more receptors are formed in the nipples, which are directly connected with the pituitary gland and stimulate the production of prolactin. Even if you had a cesarean section or there are any other reasons why the baby was not attached to the breast on the first day, you should not worry, because you already know that the first 3-4 days human placental lactogen is responsible for the production of colostrum. Therefore, from the second day, more often apply the baby to the breast, even if feeding is accompanied by pain - this must be endured, because a lot depends on your actions in the first 4 days.

From 3-4 days, transitional milk begins to be produced. It is formed under the influence of the maternal endocrine system and does not depend on whether a woman gives a breast to a child or not. And again, it is necessary to feed the baby as often as possible, because this, again, increases the number of prolactin receptors in the breast. Gradually, transitional milk is replaced by mature milk, and here, which is very interesting, the mother's hormones cease to play an essential role in milk production. Now everything depends on the child: how much he sucked - so much will arrive.

Now you know that in most cases all fears of pregnant women about whether she will have milk are groundless. A mother is an ideal factory for the production of food for her child and, in the early days, nothing depends on her desire to feed or not feed the baby. Once there was a pregnancy, there will be colostrum. But the further milk production is entirely up to the woman.

Now let's look at the reasons due to which there is not enough milk and, in short, how to get rid of them..

The first and main reason- this is a woman's belief that she does not have or will not have milk. Girlfriends / mothers / mother-in-law, and sometimes health workers who know better how much milk your child needs, help a lot in this. Don't listen to anyone. Why your neighbor below, your best friend, or your mother didn't have milk, you shouldn't worry. If the child is cheerful, cheerful, gaining weight from 500 g per month or 120 g per week - forget that you have little milk. And there is no need for any control weighing - there is no sense from them, because it is during this feeding that the child will suck out 10 g of milk, and you already wind yourself up so that the milk will really become less.

And this the second common reason for a lack of milk- stress. The fact is that the hormone adrenaline is responsible for stress. And it suppresses the production of oxytocin. Remember muscle cells? It turns out that the baby suckles the breast, prolactin is produced, milk is produced, but there is little oxytocin (and adrenaline is to blame) and muscle cells do not push milk out of the lobules. The breast is full, the baby sucks, tries, and there is very little milk. In such cases, you just need to calm down and often put the baby to the breast.

Third reason- lack of sleep. The mechanism is the same: due to fatigue and lack of sleep - stress, a lot of adrenaline, little oxytocin, no milk. What to do? That's right, sleep with your child. The baby is sleeping - the mother is sleeping.

The fourth reason is "lazy"(let's call it that) child. Those. mom gave the baby a bottle of formula. Children, although they are small, also understand that sucking is hard work, and a nipple is tasty, fast and without much effort. Therefore, even if there is a need to feed a child, do it from a cup, spoon, syringe, etc., but without a nipple.

Fifth reason... Lactation crisis. It arises in each case individually. After all, children grow up in different ways and at one moment (some a month, others at three), the mother understands that the child does not have enough milk. There is nothing wrong with that, just give the baby breast more often, within 2-3 days everything will be fine.

Sixth reason- improper attachment to the chest. Also a fairly common factor in hypogalactia. It is necessary to control whether the baby is breastfeeding correctly, if necessary, to teach the baby the correct capture - and breastfeeding will continue.

These are the most common causes of milk deficiency. Medical factors associated with endocrine pathology in women, we will not consider, since they are quite specific.

Now let's discuss in more detail how you can act on one or another cause of insufficient milk production.

1. A woman's belief in her hypogalactia. Vera- this is generally a unique phenomenon, you can believe strongly enough in anything and it will definitely come true. Therefore, if your relatives or friends claim that you have little milk and strongly recommend starting to feed the baby, stop communicating with them for a while, or, in extreme cases, reduce communication to a minimum. Then, in two or three months, you will proudly show them your chubby toddler and tell them about the dangers of unreasonable supplementation.
2. Stress... Unfortunately, no one is immune from stress, but you already know about insidious adrenaline, therefore, either you calm down on your own, or you start taking valerian and calming fees. Important! Epinephrine decreases the production of oxytocin, but does not block it. Therefore, often apply the baby to the breast. Firstly, close contact with the baby has a calming effect, and secondly, the child, at least a little, still receives milk. You can offer your baby both breasts alternately.
3. Lack of sleep... A very painful question, especially if there are still older children in the house. This requires the support and understanding of the husband and relatives, who must understand that you are a milk production factory that works around the clock and without interruptions, and that breast milk in the first year of a child's life is much more important than order in the house and a full refrigerator of household delicacies. Therefore, if someone does not like something - let them clean / cook / wash themselves, and you will have a rest at this time. It is more difficult with older children, but even here you can find a way out, for example, combine the daytime sleep of children, it is not as difficult as it seems. Or, again, ask your relatives for help, let the grandmother take a walk with her grandson for a couple of hours, and in the meantime you will rest.
4. A baby who was given a pacifier and refused to breastfeed. Yes, there are times when children need to be given something other than breast, for example, medicine or water, or the mother has been absent for a long time and the child is fed expressed milk - there can be many reasons. And the child was given a bottle. With water. Or with a medicine diluted in water. It is unlikely that the baby will give up breast - water does not saturate. Therefore, in most cases, children calmly drink water from a bottle and suckle at the same time. But, if there is milk or a mixture in a bottle, then the situation changes dramatically: the child, despite his age, understands that you can get enough with a minimum of effort. In such cases, the risk of breastfeeding is very high. Therefore, if you want to keep breastfeeding, give your baby expressed milk or formula only from a spoon, cup, syringe - whatever is more convenient for you and your baby.
5. Lactation crisis... It occurs when a child's need for breast milk sharply increases, and it is produced in the same quantities. The literature even gives the timing of the crisis: 4-6th week, 3rd, 7th, and 12th months of life. But in practice, you come across the fact that almost every mother has a lactation crisis at different times - it depends on the growth rate of your baby. Some are lucky and do not face such a problem at all, others feel the "charm" of all crisis periods. Here the solution to the problem is one - apply it to the chest more often. Night feedings are especially important in such cases, because prolactin is produced most intensively from 3 am to 8 am.
6. Improper attachment of the baby to the breast... Because of this, the baby swallows a lot of air and does not completely empty the breast. Over time, less milk is produced. Add to that bleeding cracked nipples and feeding through a terrible pain. The child suffers from colic, does not gain weight, the mother suffers from terrible pain ... It is no wonder that after a month or two, natural feeding stops, to the general joy. And you just need to make sure that the baby takes the breast correctly, then the cracks that occur in most women in the first days of feeding will heal on their own, the baby will normally empty the breast and breastfeeding will improve.

1. thermal procedures before or during feeding: shower, foot bath, heated diaper on the breast, warm tea - all this very well relaxes the mother, stimulates blood flow to the breast and, accordingly, increases lactation;
2. sedative fees. But here you need to be very careful with mint. There are a lot of types of mint and each has its own characteristics, for example, peppermint suppresses lactation, and curly mint stimulates;
3. be sure to drink enough liquid. You need to drink when you want, but avoid the feeling of dry mouth;
4. eat well, it does not depend so much on the quantity and quality of milk produced as on the woman's well-being. Feeling unwell provokes stress, and then you already know :)
5. and, last but not least, what we have already talked about is faith. Belief in your success, belief in breastfeeding, belief that no matter what life circumstances You will breastfeed your baby. In this case, you are not afraid of any stress, or bad sleep, or the need to interrupt breastfeeding for a while - in any case, your baby will be able to receive the required amount all vitamins, micro- and macroelements, maternal immunoglobulins, as well as tenderness, warmth, a feeling of comfort, protection and love.

Temporary breast milk deficiency is a very common problem for every breastfeeding woman. This is especially true for primiparous women, who develop lactation function.

A decrease in the amount of breast milk should not become a reason for switching to artificial formula. A young mother should make every effort to maintain natural feeding.

Causes of breast milk deficiency

Various factors can cause a decrease in lactation. In most cases, these factors depend on the lactating woman who does not comply with the conditions necessary to maintain lactation function.

Incorrect feeding regimen

Many women practice feeding their babies on an hourly schedule. This technique has not proven itself over many years of use, and most doctors recommend abandoning it.

It is necessary to apply the baby to the breast on demand. Only in this case there will be a mutual benefit for both the mother and the newborn child. During the feeding process, you cannot wean the baby on your own. It is recommended to wait until the baby is full and drops the breast.

Using the nipple

It is permissible to use artificial nipples only if the breastfeeding woman has enough breast milk and there are no prerequisites for its reduction. In case of breast milk deficiency, it is recommended to completely abandon the use of nipples and bottles.

Regular breastfeeding promotes increased work of the mammary glands and has a calming effect on the baby.

Drinking water for a child

The body of a newborn baby is not able to distinguish between hunger and thirst. The intake of water in the body can make the baby feel full, and therefore the baby begins to eat less breast milk. A decrease in the need for breast milk causes a decrease in its production.

Failure to follow the technique of attachment to the breast

Putting the baby to the breast in an uncomfortable way is a gross violation of the breastfeeding technique. The baby begins to poorly capture the nipple and halo, which leads to partial emptying of the mammary glands. A woman learns the basics of breastfeeding even within the walls of the maternity hospital, where she is assisted by obstetricians-gynecologists and breastfeeding specialists.

Saving breast milk

Some women try to conserve breast milk in order to store it. This tactic works exactly the opposite, since the less milk consumption, the less milk production. If the baby is applied to the breast on demand, then the problem of milk deficiency does not arise.

Stress factor

Constant emotional stress has Negative influence on the lactation process. Only in a calm atmosphere is a woman's body able to produce enough breast milk.

How to stimulate lactation

The issue of improving lactation function must be approached in a comprehensive manner. A breastfeeding woman will need to reconsider her level of physical activity and. Exist simple rules allowing a woman to cope with this problem.

Physical exercise

A passive lifestyle can play a cruel joke with a nursing mother. During lactation, dosed physical activity is very useful. In this issue, the measure is important, since excessive overload lead to the opposite effect.

Swimming in the pool, hiking in the fresh air, and light morning exercises are beneficial for a nursing woman. It is forbidden to lift heavy objects, do squats and jumps.

Massage

In order to make up for the lack of milk, it is useful for a nursing mother to self-massage the mammary glands. Before the massage, it is recommended to take a warm shower, wipe the chest dry and lubricate it cosmetic oil... Self-massage techniques begin with gentle stroking of the mammary glands. After that, you can proceed to light kneading.

The duration of the procedure should not exceed 5 minutes. The massage should be performed 2 times a day, in the morning after waking up and before going to bed. During the procedure, you should avoid sudden movements and strong pressing on the mammary glands.

Feeding mode

It is necessary to feed a newborn baby exclusively, without observing certain regulations. Breastfeeding is the best stimulant for lactation. This is due to the fact that as a result of stimulation of the nipples during feeding, an increased amount of the hormone prolactin is produced in the woman's body.

Food

Sometimes, the lack of milk is due to insufficient intake of certain substances in the mother's body. With normal lactation, female body consumes from its reserves daily 700-800 calories.

To fully breastfeed, you do not need to increase the calorie content of your food. To do this, it is enough to ensure that all the necessary useful components enter the body.

• products containing cocoa (chocolate, candy, ice cream);
• salty food (salted fish, homemade preserves);
• citrus fruits;
• spicy food;
• smoked products;
• alcohol.

The nursing mother is allowed to eat the following foods:

• fresh vegetables and vegetable dishes;
• fruits and berries;
• protein-rich foods (beef, chicken, fish, cottage cheese, hard cheese);
• cereals and cereals (muesli).

If a nursing mother produces a small amount of breast milk, then she should pay attention to her drinking regime. For normal lactation, it is recommended to drink 1.5-2 liters of liquid daily. The total volume of liquid includes first courses and all kinds of drinks.

The recommended drink is green tea, which has a beneficial effect on the milk production process. You can also use fruit and berry compote, as well as a decoction of oregano. A nursing woman can indulge in the use of melons and gourds. Watermelons and melons should only be eaten in season to avoid chemical fertilization.

Drug therapy

If a woman has not been able to overcome the lactation crisis using improvised methods, then after preliminary consultation with a doctor, she may need drug therapy... You can enhance the synthesis of breast milk with the help of such medications:

• homeopathic medicines;
• vitamin complexes created specifically for lactating women;
• phytopreparations and herbal preparations that improve breast milk production;
• natural food additives (, Femilak,).

All of the listed drugs are of natural origin, however, it is recommended that a nursing mother coordinate the intake of each medicinal product with a medical specialist. Self-selection of the name and dosage is strictly prohibited.

Alternative methods

You can increase the amount of milk produced using the following recipes:

1. 200 g of sour cream must be mixed with 15 g of caraway seeds. The resulting substance is heated over low heat. It is recommended to take the remedy for 1 tsp. 3 times a day 15 minutes before meals.
2. Milk-honey mixture effectively stimulates lactation. To do this, mix 250 ml of cow's milk with 1 tsp. honey. It is necessary to drink the resulting product in a warm form 2 times a day 30 minutes before a meal. The product should not be used in case of bee honey allergy.

Prophylaxis

Dosed physical exercise, proper diet, and maintaining the emotional background are the best prevention of this problem. A nursing mother needs to follow a work and rest regimen.

1. It is strictly forbidden to accustom your baby to bottles and nipples. Such experiments inhibit the sucking reflex in infants, as a result of which the stimulation of the mammary glands of the nursing mother is disrupted.
2. To stimulate blood circulation, a nursing mother should take a contrast shower every day and self-massage the mammary glands.
3. Before transferring the child to mixed feeding, it is necessary to coordinate this moment with the pediatrician. Reducing the consumption of breast milk is the reason for the suppression of its production.
4. It is strictly forbidden to wean a baby on your own. As satiety, the baby will do it himself.

If a woman's breast milk production has not returned to normal, then she should consult a doctor for an additional examination. In rare cases, some diseases of organs and systems become the cause of this problem.

Every day, the number of questions young mothers ask doctors is increasing: not enough breast milk - what to do? That is why we decided to sort out this issue and tell young mothers who gave birth to a baby about what to do if breast milk is very little and it is not enough for the normal nutrition of your baby.

Every young mother should understand that breastfeeding a baby is a completely natural process. Only with breast milk, the child receives all the necessary substances for the normal growth and further development of a small organism. Plus, along with milk, the vitamins necessary for the formation of strong immunity enter the child's body.

Nevertheless, sometimes women notice that the milk in the breast has become much less than usual. This causes concern for most young mothers who are not yet familiar with this phenomenon.

How to find out if your baby has enough milk?

Experienced pediatricians have carefully studied the process of breastfeeding and made peculiar conclusions. The results showed that it is possible to recognize from the movements of the baby whether there is really milk in the breast or whether the baby is just trying to take it, but it is not really there.

With normal feeding, the child does not just grab the breast, but also makes characteristic movements. Experienced pediatric pediatricians describe this cycle in three short phrases: baby's wide open mouth - a pause of different lengths - a closed mouth. If such a pause can be traced, you can be sure that there is still milk in the breast. The longer this pause lasts, the more milk the crumb received with this sip.

The second sign that milk is decreasing is the nature of the baby's stool. On the first day after birth, the child has a dark green feces.

If there is not enough milk, then the color of the child's stool does not change, but when the child has enough of it, the shade of feces on the 4th day will already be brown and slightly light in color. If the baby does not poop every day, then you should think about the fact that breast milk is really not enough for a growing body.

Also, professionals recommend monitoring the amount of urination per day. The mother's milk supply is sufficient if the baby urinates at least six times a day. With all this, the urine should be very light and practically free of the characteristic unpleasant odor.

In addition, experts have identified the main signs that indicate that milk is getting smaller every day for the normal nutrition of the baby. When the baby is full, then by the end of the feeding he becomes calm and practically falls asleep. If there is very little milk and the baby is not full, then the baby will be very anxious and will start crying.

If it is really not enough, the baby begins to ask for food very often. Typically, the breaks between feedings in this case are less than 2 hours. And, of course, you need to monitor the process of sucking the baby's breast. If he sluggishly sucks it for a long time and does not let it out of his hands, then we can conclude that there is little or no breast milk.

What to do if there is not enough milk

After an experienced specialist and the young mother herself have determined that there is less milk, and this amount is not enough for the normal nutrition of the child, this problem should be immediately prevented. You cannot cope with this phenomenon on your own, and only a breastfeeding specialist can help in solving such a problem.

Nevertheless, if the baby is reluctant to ask for food and gradually begins to lose weight, then it is necessary to apply it to the breast about every 2-3 hours. Well, we must not forget that even at night the child should receive a sufficient amount of nutrients.

During the period of normalization of nutrition, various pacifiers and nipples should be abandoned, as they can cause the baby to reluctance to suckle. If the mother's milk has not recovered, you can use special infant formula. They must be fed with a small teaspoon, but in no case through a bottle.

If a woman has not enough milk, she needs to monitor her diet, perhaps it is he who is the main reason the appearance of this problem. A young mother should eat a lot of lean meat, fish, liver, cereals and pasta every day, in addition, vegetables. After a month of feeding, you can introduce fermented milk products and raw vegetables and fruits. And, of course, we must not forget about correct mode drinking. The mother should consume at least 1.5 liters of clean water per day. Green tea also has a good effect on the lactation process.

What means will help increase lactation

Why young mothers lose milk is very difficult to find out. Experts say that there can be many reasons for this.

The main ones are:

• improper nutrition;
• bad habits;
• nervous breakdowns, stress;
• taking some medications, etc.

In any of these cases, the problem should be eliminated as soon as possible, since the future health of your baby depends on the presence of milk in the breast.

First of all, experts prescribe special lactogenic preparations, herbal teas and even vitamins. Lactogenic foods can be divided into 2 large groups. The first of them is necessary for the correction of the diet for the main nutrients. The main representatives of such substances are Femilak, Dumil Mama plus, Enfa-Mama, Olympic, etc. The second group includes lactogenic additives. Usually, such preparations are based on extracts of various herbs. A typical example of such a drug is the Milky Way.

If the milk has disappeared due to maternal vitamin deficiency, then the woman must undergo a course of treatment with vitamin complexes. Among them, the most famous and suitable for young breastfeeding mothers are Gendevit and Materna.

Often, various folk methods help to increase lactation. With great success, women use freshly squeezed juices, herbal and green teas, as well as decoctions of medicinal herbs.

The most common option for increasing lactation at home is to consume carrot juice. It is very important that the drink is prepared by yourself using fresh carrots. You need to drink such a mixture in 100 ml daily. After a few days, the amount of breast milk increases.

In most pharmacies, you can find whole lactogenic sets of herbs, from which drinks are made that increase the amount of breast milk.

All of the above methods can really help you conserve breast milk and thereby provide your baby with the best nutrition you can give to a baby of his age.

Breast-feeding- a natural process, as a result of which the child receives all the necessary substances for his growth and further normal development. If the mother noticed that the amount of milk is getting smaller every day and it is not enough for the child, you should consult a specialist. He will prescribe the proper treatment for you.

Video

The video will tell you in detail how to reliably find out if the baby has enough milk.