Mother less milk to breastfeed - the reason and solution to call breast milk back

Little mother breast-feeding is a headache of many women who are breastfeeding. So what is the solution?

Cause mothers less milk to breastfeed

Breasts are not fully developed during pregnancy 

This can happen if the mother's breast doesn't have enough milk-producing tissue (milk-producing glands).

Mothers underwent surgery or radiation therapy to the breast resulting in less breast milk

Women who have had surgery, such as breast augmentation or shrinking, may have difficulty producing enough milk for their baby.

Mother is suffering from other diseases such as endocrine disorders, anemia

Endocrine disruption causes hormone disruptions, including the hormone that produces milk. The lack of anemia will make the mother tired, not enough blood goes to the organs, slowing the lactation process.

Poor breastfed babies: Babies who suckle and drink less at each meal also make mothers less milk

When the baby is a child (about less than 3 months old), wheezing happens very often because the baby's stomach is small. At this time, the breast milk is not much down, the baby's suckling activities will stimulate the milk glands to secrete more milk. However, as the baby gets older and still latches on each meal, the mother's body will mistakenly think that she needs less milk and limits milk production.

Insufficient nutrition or ingestion of foods / drugs that cause milk loss

In the milk-making process, under the influence of Prolactin, the milk follicles take protein, fat and essential nutrients from the mother's blood to prepare raw materials for the milk-making process. However, when the diet is unbalanced, or when the mother eats the food groups that inhibit the activity of the hormone Prolactin, it can lead to loss of milk, less milk.

Mental stress, stress is the cause of inhibition of the milk glands

The mother's body releases milk from the milk glands, which then follows the milk ducts to exit at the nipple. This lactation is influenced by two main hormones, Prolacin and Oxytocin. When the mother is under stress, prolonged stress causes these two hormones to drop, resulting in less and less breast milk loss, or even prolonged loss of milk. In fact, this is the reason why mothers have less milk after giving birth quite often but often ignored.

Mother lacks milk to breastfeed because vegetables are missing

Pouring vegetables is a phenomenon where part or all of the placenta remains in the mother's cervix after the mother has given birth to the baby. Although vegetables are rare, but it can cause pain for the mother with uterine contractions, the amount of the hormone progesterone (which is responsible for maintaining the pregnancy) does not decrease, preventing the secretion of milk, making the mother less milk .

Premature mothers, caesarean births also encounter less milk after birth

A mother who gives birth prematurely when the milk production mechanism is incomplete will lead to less milk after giving birth. For mothers who have a cesarean section, post-operative pain along with anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics are great obstacles to the functioning of the milk glands. Therefore, mothers who are born prematurely or have a caesarean section tend to experience less milk supply than mothers who deliver normally.

Common cause of inadequate feeding

Not being fed regularly, leading to a decrease or stop in milk production

Not latching properly

Separated from mother too soon

Raised with formula milk

During the first few days after birth, many babies often sleep lethargically, it is difficult to wake up and thus suckle less than necessary. Others have difficulty controlling the muscles involved in sucking and having difficulty getting enough milk from the breast. Babies born prematurely or prematurely also often have difficulty breastfeeding .

What to do with little milk to breastfeed?

Feed your baby often, don't wait until your baby cries to breastfeed. Babies who feed more or less sleep may fall asleep and skip a meal.

Choose the right position when breastfeeding and help your baby latch on properly. Let your baby decide when to end breastfeeding

Offer your baby both sides of each feed. Let your baby suck at the first breast, switch to the second breast only when the baby is feeding slowly or stopped completely.

If you have followed these things and the baby still breastfeeds a little, the mother lacks breastmilk, then it is necessary to increase the number of feeds or find ways to stimulate milk production through pump or hand expressing.

Avoid giving your baby formula or formula too early as this can make your baby tired of breastmilk, and thus reduce your breastmilk supply.

Limit the use of pacifiers

Add a lot of foods to help call for milk, so mothers will breastfeed more milk

Drink plenty of water: Mom should drink 2-3 liters of water a day to balance the amount of water in the body and the amount of milk secreted.

Limiting stress, stress after giving birth: Please balance the time to rest, do not worry too much will inhibit breast milk secretion.

Completely treat diseases related to the mammary glands such as mastitis, breast abscess, fibroids, ... or endocrine diseases, metabolic disorders that make mothers less milk after birth

Finally, don't forget to seek the help of a medical professional if you have any doubts about the source of breast milk.

Refer to Dr. Tran Thu Thuy / Central Pediatric Hospital

See more:

There is more milk on one breast than if there is enough milk to breastfeed

Breast massage for abundant milk to breastfeed

Lack of milk for your baby - 6 signs that make a mother think she is lacking milk