An effective way to increase lactation: everything about breast massage. Breast massage for a nursing mother: technique, features, when it is prohibited Breast massage to increase lactation

When a child appears in the family, the personal affairs of the parents, and especially the mother, recede into the background. All attention and care is now directed to the newborn.

With this set of circumstances, many mothers, especially those who have given birth to their first child, are faced with breastfeeding problems.

This may be a lack of milk or some physiological features of the mammary glands that complicate lactation. Massaging your breasts while breastfeeding can help you avoid many problems.

The need for breast massage

It is not necessary to do breast massage during feeding. But it often happens that you cannot do without it. If you do it correctly and carefully, then it will only bring benefit. Do not give up massage if you need:

The same thing happens when the mother is sick and breastfeeding should be postponed for the time being.

On a note! By lightly stroking the breast, pumping will be easier, this is facilitated by the production of oxytocin.

The massage does not directly affect milk production, but it relaxes the muscles in the breasts, which makes the breastfeeding process easier.

Massage techniques

Before you start massaging your breasts, wash your hands, wipe your breasts. It is better if the soap is for children, without harsh perfumery odors.

Just do not wash your breasts often with it, it can dry out her delicate and thin skin. Enough once a day. Otherwise, wash your breasts with warm water and dry with a soft tissue.

Use natural vegetable oil for massage. Olive is most often used, because it contains a lot of vitamins, but sunflower can also be used.

Important! Apply the oil not to the nipple and the area around it, but to the area above it. Remember to wash off the oil before feeding your baby.

Massage slowly and gently to avoid injury to the chest and ducts, and to avoid causing yourself pain or discomfort.

If you massage while feeding with rough and sharp movements, strong pressure, you can "reward" the breast:

1. Swelling.
2. Cracks.
3. Bruised.
4. Stretch marks.

This massage will not solve the problem with lactation, but will only worsen it.

After all the manipulations, you can take a warm shower, directing the stream of water first to one breast, then to the other.

Varieties of massage

There are two types of massage during breastfeeding: preventive and therapeutic.

Preventive breastfeeding massage involves gentle stroking of the breast. With its help, you can increase the tone of the tissues and muscles of the breast, as well as avoid problems with lactation.

Therapeutic massage during feeding is used when you need:

• improve blood flow;
• improve breast tone;
• and most importantly, to ease the pumping process and eliminate stagnation.

Preventive massage

So, how to do preventive breast massage while breastfeeding in order to avoid complications during lactation:

1. Place your palm on your upper chest.
2. Start stroking your breasts in a circle, gradually moving closer to the nipple.
3. Wet your breasts in warm water and continue stroking. Water improves blood circulation and increases milk flow.
4. Watch your feelings and the pressure on your chest. You shouldn't be hurt or unpleasant.

On a note! Perform preventive breast massage before breastfeeding, it stimulates milk flow without leading to stagnation.

Massotherapy

If stagnation nevertheless arises, proceeds to a therapeutic massage while feeding:

• Place your palm under the collarbone and make light circular, spiraling movements downward toward the nipple.
• Move your palm from the collarbone to the nipple in straight movements, from top to bottom. Try these movements from different angles.
• Lean forward and stroke your chest. Pay special attention to those areas where seals are felt - stagnation. Massage them for a minute.
• Rinse your breasts with warm water, or better yet, take a shower. Afterwards, gently pat your breasts with a soft towel in a circular motion.

After the massage, you can express your breasts and then give them to your baby. Then the suction efficiency will be several times higher, and milk stagnation will pass faster.

Therapeutic massage kneads the seals well and increases milk production.

Make sure you don't get hurt. The intensity of the massage should be low, but the duration should be long.

The seals are massaged gently, do not try to break them.

Attention! Use this type of massage only when stagnation has already appeared.

In all other cases, perform preventive massage while feeding.

There is another method of dealing with breast swelling during breastfeeding when the breast is overcrowded so that the baby cannot even grasp the nipple.

In this case, it is clear that he and the areola area are tense, and pumping is very unpleasant and painful. Here's how to mitigate them:

1. Place on the area around the nipple, the areola, the pads of the fingers of both hands. Leave the nipple itself free.
2. Press gently on the areola, as if plunging your fingers deep into the chest. The nails should not dig into the skin, only the fingertips are involved.
3. Apply the pressure for 1-2 minutes, then change the position of the fingers to soften the rest of the areola. Remember not to press on the nipple.
4. Try to apply your fingers differently: place any two fingers parallel to each other, and press.

If everything is done correctly, the areola softens after these manipulations. The baby will now easily pick up the breast. Or, if it is pumping, it will be painless.

Massage has the best therapeutic or prophylactic effect while feeding the baby. It simultaneously develops the breast well and prevents milk stagnation.

Important! Correct feeding massage does not cause painful sensations.

Spend five minutes on it.

There are also situations when it is necessary to refuse massage:

• dermatitis of the skin of the breast;
• acute infectious disease;
• stressful condition;
• the presence of cracks in the nipples.

In such cases, massage during feeding will only worsen the situation and provoke an exacerbation.

If there are no problems with feeding, then you can easily do without breast massage.

Ask questions on the topic in the comments!

Many breastfeeding mothers face the problem of insufficient lactation. To increase the amount of milk, women try a variety of methods: filling their diet with certain foods, drinking herbal teas, lactogonic teas and tablets. Another remedy to help solve the problem is breast massage. This procedure is affordable, pleasant, does not take a lot of time and has almost no contraindications.

Benefits of breast massage for women during lactation

It is advisable to start massage of the mammary glands even before childbirth, in order to prepare them for future stress. During the period of breastfeeding, this procedure is especially useful:

• muscles are strengthened, which push milk along the ducts to the nipples. As a result, the risk of congestion is reduced, which can lead to inflammation and edema of the breast, lactostasis and mastopathy;
• blood circulation improves, which improves the flow of milk (lactation increases), and also has a positive effect on the shape of the bust, protects against the formation of stretch marks, while maintaining elasticity;
• the ducts open, making it easier for the baby to suck;
• the formed compacted areas are absorbed;
• the skin of the nipples becomes softer. In this case, rubbing and cracking will not occur during the sucking process;
• mood improves, which, in turn, is beneficial for full lactation.

Breast massage has a positive effect on the nervous system of a nursing mother

Breast massage is available to all lactating women and has practically no contraindications (except for damage to the skin of an organ or already formed cracks in the nipple).

Types and techniques of breast massage

There are many ways to affect the breast during the lactation period.

Traditional massage

The key technique of traditional (or classic) breast massage is stroking (soft and light). At the same time, movements are directed to the nipple from all sides. It is important to engage the entire mammary gland.

Stroking alternates with other methods:

1. Rubbing the organ in the form of circles (clockwise) and zigzags with the palm of your hand (one palm is placed below the organ, and the other - on top) or with the fingertips.
2. Gentle shallow kneading with fingertips and light pressure and squeeze.
3. Light tapping or tingling (movements should be frequent).
4. Vibration - jerky and rapid movements of the fingertips. Alternatively, you can simply bend over and gently shake your chest.
5. At the end of the massage, the mammary gland is placed on the palm of your hand and squeezed at the base with your thumb and forefinger.

When rubbing the chest with a palm, one palm is placed on top and the other on the bottom

Massage of the nipple significantly improves milk flow. It is clamped with two or three fingers, and then bent in different directions, pulled back and released. You can also make circular movements.

Nipple massage improves milk flow and prevents cracking

It must be remembered that in the presence of inflammation and already formed cracks, no manipulations with the nipples can be performed.

Acupressure breast massage

A targeted effect on the breast also helps to improve lactation:

1. The chest is placed in the palm of the hand, with the thumb on top and the rest on the bottom. Circular movements are performed, during which the fingers perform light pressure.
2. The palm wraps around the chest in the center. Small finger presses are performed, starting from the base of the breast and ending at the nipple area.

Interestingly, there are special points in the neck area, by pressing which you can act on the chest. However, only an experienced specialist can correctly carry out such a massage.

Warm shower massage

Exposure to the breast with a stream of warm water causes milk flow. The duration of the procedure is a few minutes. At the same time, the stream of water should be sharp, but not so sharp as to deliver pain.

This water massage is carried out in a circular motion. After the procedure, the breast does not need to be wiped off, but only blotted with a soft towel or napkin.

Exposure to a stream of warm water increases the flow of milk

Ancient oriental technique

A nursing mother should also familiarize herself with the techniques of ancient oriental medicine:

1. The chest is placed on the palm of your hand.
2. At first, smooth circular movements are made (gradually they move towards the nipple).
3. Then the breasts are covered with a palm.
4. As you exhale, you need to press your hands on the mammary glands several times.

Video: a nursing mother shares her experience on a breast massage

General rules for massage

1. A breast massage session to increase lactation lasts no more than 10 minutes. It is carried out between feedings.
2. The movements should be extremely careful, smooth, so that the woman does not experience any discomfort.
3. If there are painful areas on the organ (swelling, stagnant places), then they need to be given more attention, and after the massage, apply a cold compress there (this promotes the outflow of lymph).
4. You should not stretch the skin during the procedure. To avoid chafing, you should use special moisturizing oils, avoiding contact with the nipple (by the way, the beneficial substances in their composition fight stretch marks).
5. During the massage, it is imperative to adhere to the rules of hygiene.

Video: breast massage technique

Using massage oils

The breast massage procedure will be more pleasant and effective if you use special oils. This contributes to better hand sliding, moisturizing and additional nutrition of the skin (it is toned and strengthened, which prevents stretch marks).

Suitable massage oil options:

• almond,
• castor,
• sea ​​buckthorn,
• rosehip.

Sometimes they are additionally enriched with vitamin supplements (vitamins A and E). Nursing mothers can pay attention to formulations specially designed for breast massage during lactation, for example, German-made Weleda oil.

Weleda oil for breast massage

Weleda's product with a pleasant scent is a blend of delicate almond, fennel and caraway oils. The composition does not contain mineral oils, as well as synthetic colors and fragrances, so Weleda is suitable for women during the lactation period.

Weleda oil is specially formulated for breast massage during lactation

During the massage, the oil warms the breasts, increasing blood circulation, which causes better milk flow. Also, the use of the composition contributes to the prevention and elimination of existing congestion in the mammary glands.

The manufacturer recommends slightly warming the oil in the palms of your hands before use, and the procedure itself should be carried out 30 minutes before feeding the baby. The composition is suitable for breast massage throughout the entire period of breastfeeding, it can also be used to eliminate the unpleasant feeling of heaviness in the mammary glands.

Video: about Weleda products

For successful breastfeeding, it is often not enough to know only the physiology of the procedure, the technique of execution, the correct feeding postures. Even experienced and large mothers face all sorts of problems, such as,. And massage will help to cope with the ailment that struck the breast of a nursing mother. If in the early stages of the disease you can cope on your own, then in advanced cases you need to contact professional massage therapists. How to do breast massage correctly - you will find out in our article.

Breastfeeding is different for each woman. Too much or not enough milk leads to sternum discomfort. To relieve tension, doctors recommend massaging the bust, and it is worth starting immediately after childbirth.

The benefits of such procedures are obvious:

• Massage with light movements relaxes the muscles of the chest and stimulates the functioning of the mammary glands.
• A correct, correctly executed massage process will help eliminate stretch marks and sagging breasts.
• The massage facilitates the flow of milk from the breast.
• Helps to avoid clogging of blood vessels (lactostasis) through which colostrum and subsequently milk flows.
• It improves blood circulation in the breasts.

The procedure can be prescribed to almost any nurse: provided that all the rules for massaging the chest are observed, no side effects or allergic reactions occur. Such an unequivocally positive recommendation is definitely not available for various kinds of drinks that improve lactation.

Massage types

Among the many options for breast massage, there are four main techniques:

• General. Its second name is light. Doctors recommend in case of a lack of milk in the first weeks of feeding, as well as in the prevention of lactostasis.
• Healing. It is prescribed and performed by specialists when it was not possible to avoid stagnation of milk in the breast. Compared to the classic one, it is more intense, because its function is to break the clogged vessels.
• Lymphatic drainage. Experts do not recommend it to nursing mothers because the procedure removes waste products of cells, toxins that enter the bloodstream - and, as a result, breast milk.
• Unconventionally point. Originally from the Eastern countries. It is based on knowledge of certain areas of the human body. Point touching the area of ​​concentration of nerve endings improves the process of excretion and excretion of milk. For the implementation of the procedure, the presence of a specialist massager is required.

How to massage your breasts properly

Preparing for the procedure

In fact, learning self-massage is quite simple, you must follow all the recommendations. And to act in a strictly established order.

• To begin with, rinse your breasts and nipples, wash your hands with soap and water. Remember - your hands must be warm! The touch of cold fingers to the chest constricts the vessels, respectively, the milk duct becomes more complicated.

• Lubricate the arms and chest with a little oil. The main thing to remember is that the nipples and the skin around them do not need to be processed.

It is believed that the most comfortable position for massage is sitting or reclining in a chair, you can put a dummy or a roller under your back. It is advisable to set up a mirror in front of you and observe the process so that the massage can be adjusted if necessary.

• Place one hand under your chest, holding it. The second will be working. Massage with light circular movements from the base of the bust to the nipple.

Note! The entire process should not exceed 5-7 minutes.

• After the massage, rinse in warm water. Conduct a shower stream in a circle from the base to the nipples.

If you feel pain during the massage, the rules for the procedure may not have been followed. These symptoms also indicate the presence of lactostasis or mastitis in the early stages. In this case, you need to contact a specialist - they will explain in detail how to massage the breast.

Massage oils

They are used to improve the glide of the hands over the surface of the skin. But in addition to the convenience of a technical nature, oils nourish the skin, saturating it with vitamins, and promote the healing of microcracks. They also stimulate milk production.

• Vegetable - olive, sea buckthorn, castor, jojoba, peach.
• Essential - aniseed, eucalyptus, lavender, sandalwood, chamomile.

Be careful during massage! Avoid getting oils on the nipple and its halo. A foreign, non-mother's odor can cause the baby to be rejected from the breast and turn into an allergic dermatitis for the baby.

First of all, you must pass an allergen test. Drop oil into sensitive places (on the bend of the elbow, armpit, under the knee, on the wrist) and leave it on for 30 minutes. If there is no itching or burning sensation, then you can safely use it.

Important! Breastfeeding moms should use essential oils with care. The dose is half that allowed for an adult. It is strictly forbidden to massage the mammary glands with the addition of basil, nutmeg, juniper, rosemary oils.

Preventive massage

Based on the name, it is easy to understand that the massage procedure for the female breast in this case is prescribed to prevent diseases associated with milk stagnation, or with its lack in the first postpartum days.

Important! The preventive massage is done slowly and smoothly.

A general diagram of how to do breast massage is presented here:

• One palm is just below the collarbone, supporting the chest. The second, the worker, rests on top.
• With smooth strokes in a circle, move from the base of the bust to the nipple.
• Then move on to the décolleté area - slowly and gently stroke your breasts from top to bottom.
• Lean forward and shake your breasts slightly - this will activate the outflow of milk.
• Also gently knead and slightly pull the nipples to avoid unwanted cracks.
• Finish your session with a hydromassage - take a warm shower.

Proper breast massage is believed to be an effective adjunct to improve milk flow. And it is preferable to other options (for example, tea to enhance lactation) because at the time of massage, metabolic processes in the mammary glands are accelerated, which significantly improves milk flow.

Doctors recommend starting a preventive massage on the second day after childbirth. And first you should massage the upper back and neck. The procedure is performed while sitting, so you should ask your family for help.

Problems with mastitis and lactostasis

A common problem for nursing mothers is the appearance of milk stagnation in the breast. If you do not consult a doctor in time at the first symptoms of clogging of the channels (lactostasis) and miss the moment, stagnant milk leads to tissue inflammation - mastitis.

Painful breast swelling can be caused by:

• swelling of the chest;
• increased body temperature;
• induration in soft tissues;
• trauma to the mammary glands;
• increased production of breast milk;
• mother's anemia, due to the wasted iron resource during pregnancy and childbirth
• wearing uncomfortable slimming clothing, which leads to squeezing of the chest;

Incorrect and infrequent attachment of the baby provokes the development of lactostasis and mastitis in a nursing mother. Obstetricians recommend constantly putting the baby to the breast, as well as expressing the remaining milk so that it does not stagnate.

Dangerous signs of breast disease that you need to pay attention to:

• During lactation, a minimum amount of milk is released or it has completely disappeared.
• Pain in the chest and armpits.
• Severely compacted breast with a bright venous pattern.
• Painful reaction to touching swollen areas.

If a young mother noticed these symptoms, then as soon as possible it is necessary to seek advice from an obstetrician-gynecologist. He will prescribe the appropriate treatment, tell you how to properly massage the breasts for her recovery.

How is the procedure performed

• At first, stroking the breasts almost weightlessly from the base to the nipple.
• Stroke in a spiral in the same direction. The pressure should be slightly increased.
• Massage the nipple with twisting movements.
• From the periphery to the center, stroke the chest in a straight line, increasing the pressure.
• A thorough massage is necessary - work on the inflamed areas of the mammary glands, but avoid sharp painful touches.
• Finally, take a warm shower.

Important! The massage on your chest should not exceed the 8 minute limit. The procedures will be correct, at the end of which there will be a complete softening of the mammary gland.

The final point should be breastfeeding. Make sure that the painful areas of the breast are dust strictly under the baby's lower jaw - it is in this place that milk is actively sucked out. After - always the leftovers of milk. This will clear the blocked channels.

Outcomes

• Forget about hot showers and even more so a bath. Avoid overheating the mammary glands.
• You can not limit the drinking regime.
• Be sure to have a balanced diet, rich in vitamins B (iron) and C.
• Never stop breastfeeding, even if symptoms of milk stagnation appear.
• A daily massage of the shoulder and chest glands will relax the muscles that are tense during the day.

And, of course, go to the hospital in a timely manner for an examination, even if the cause for concern seems minimal. Obstetricians-gynecologists will definitely tell and show you how to properly massage the breast for nursing mothers.

From the first days of life, a newborn baby needs breast milk. The benefits of breastfeeding are to protect the baby's body from infections and viruses due to the immune component, prepare the digestive system for rougher food, and provide the baby's body with all the necessary nutrients and trace elements.

Breast massage for lactation allows both to normalize the process of milk arrival in women after childbirth (during the period of recovery of its production), and helps to stimulate its supply in nursing mothers.

Anatomical and physiological features of the mammary gland

During pregnancy, the main stages of the restructuring of the female body occur. It should be noted that this also applies to the mammary glands. The breast increases noticeably in size and grows in the first and third trimester, although the processes in tissues and structures aimed at preparing for breastfeeding continue throughout pregnancy. This is due to a change in hormonal levels and an increase in blood supply.

In the first days after childbirth, during breastfeeding, colostrum (thick yellowish-white discharge) is excreted from the breast, which contains all the substances that the baby's body needs. Within 2 - 3 days, the period of milk arrival begins: the breast pours, swells, increases in volume, and the discharge becomes less thick and lighter.

Hello doctor, are there any breast massage techniques so that milk comes immediately?

The specialist's answer:

Hello. In order for milk to come, you should regularly and correctly massage the breast for lactation. You should not expect this to happen after the first procedure, but you will feel that milk begins to arrive. Use a combination of several techniques (shower massage, stroking, nipple massage, breast lift) to achieve the desired effect more quickly.

Indications for the use of breast massage for lactation

Breast massage for lactation before and after childbirth, as well as breastfeeding has several goals:

1. Allows to prepare the nipples and breasts of the woman, which is a good prevention of cracks.
2. Indirectly affects milk production, increases milk flow.
3. It is aimed at improving the blood supply to this area, which helps to increase the tone of the chest.
4. If the massage is carried out correctly, then the outflow of milk improves, and, therefore, the likelihood of mastitis decreases, which is especially effective in lactostasis.

How to do breast massage for lactation correctly: the secrets of successful implementation

Before doing massage, you should thoroughly wash your hands, examine your chest. If the skin of the mammary glands is not changed, the temperature does not rise, there are no painful sensations, then the procedure can be started.

If the mother is breastfeeding, then it is better to massage just before breastfeeding!

The duration of the session is on average from 3 to 7 minutes up to 5 times a day. Sea buckthorn oil and rosehip oil are used as moisturizing oils. It is forbidden to use various synthetic oils and creams, as their components can pass into breast milk. Depending on the purpose, two types of massage are distinguished:

1. Massage to improve lactation.

Is it possible to massage the breast to enhance lactation at home?

The specialist's answer:

Hello. You can massage your breasts to enhance lactation at home. However, it should be remembered that in case of unpleasant or painful sensations, you should consult a doctor. You can individually select a program from the described techniques, based on your own feelings.

5 stages of breast massage to improve lactation

Light massage movements are stroking the breast in several directions:

• from the center of the sternum to the armpit,
• from the base of the breast to the nipple,
• around the areola.

This combination should be repeated 5-6 times!

1. Hands are placed on the mammary glands in such a way that the nipples are in the center of the palm, thus raising the chest up 9-10 times.
2. Two hands (one above, the other below) cover the chest, carry out light circular movements clockwise and then counterclockwise. Repeat 5-6 times.
3. The nipple is clamped between the thumb and forefinger, and light rotational movements are made.
4. Massage of the mammary gland with a shower. Standing under a warm shower, you should direct the stream (the pressure of the water should be light and not cause discomfort) in the direction from the base of the breast to the nipple. Up to 5 times for each breast.

The expected correct effect of this procedure: the absence of pain in the mammary glands with the arrival of a sufficient amount of milk. If milk appears at any stage, then it is worth interrupting the massage and feeding the baby. The remaining techniques should be postponed until the next feed.

How to massage the breast while breastfeeding?

The specialist's answer:

Hello. Breast massage during breastfeeding should be done immediately before breastfeeding. Try each of the techniques separately, mark the ones in which you feel the arrival of milk. Combine effective techniques.

• Massage begins with lactostasis, as well as massage during lactation, with stroking, during which moderately painful areas of compaction are noticed, the skin over them should be of normal color, there should be no swelling and temperature rise.
• They try to massage the area of ​​the seal without resorting to physical effort. In this case, it is not the intensity of pressure or rubbing of the zone that is important, but the duration of the work. The preferred massage movements should be considered circular in the area of ​​compaction, which alternate with light ones directed from the base of the breast to the nipple, the frequency of their repetitions should reach 10-15 times. If you experience intense pain or any other undesirable reactions, you should stop the procedure and consult a doctor.

According to the latest recommendations, gynecologists oppose expressing milk after each feeding, since this method in some cases can lead to trauma to the outflow tract. In individual cases, with an increased tendency to lactostasis, mastopathy and mastitis in history, the attending doctor may advise you to express the excess milk that has come.

• Massage of the breast with a shower is contraindicated in lactostasis, as it can unwittingly cause it.
• Dry heat is applied to problem areas a few minutes before the massage. Usually this role is played by an ironed diaper or handkerchief. The temperature of the applied object should be no more than 1 degree higher than the body temperature, so as not to cause a burn and not to stimulate the inflammation processes in this zone. The use of heating pads, compresses is contraindicated, as it can provoke the development of mastitis.
• Massage of the nipples during lactostasis is not carried out, since the reason for the process lies in the violation of the outflow of milk through the excretory ducts located in the thickness of the mammary gland, therefore, stimulation of the nipples is meaningless.

If a painful infiltrate appears in the thickness of the mammary glands (the pain does not subside after feeding), a sharp deterioration in the general condition (weakness, lethargy), an increase in body temperature to 39 and above, not associated with a cold or any chronic disease, you should immediately consult a doctor.

When it is contraindicated to massage the breast

Contraindications to breast massage for lactation are:

1. Abundant and normal milk production in the absence of lactostasis. In this case, further stimulation of an increase in milk production can lead to both the appearance of areas of milk stagnation, and in the future become the main cause of the development of mastitis.
2. Inflammatory diseases of the skin, breast. Improving blood supply in this area in the presence of even minor abscesses can promote the spread of inflammatory agents in a woman's body up to sepsis. In cases where the infection enters the baby's intestines with breast milk, the failure of the immune system can manifest itself either as a severe form of dysbiosis, or as a nonspecific immune response with the further development of secondary immunodeficiency.
3. In the presence of any neoplasms (in cases where breastfeeding is not prohibited), massage is contraindicated before consulting a mammologist, since increased blood circulation can provoke the progression of the disease.
4. With mastitis, the procedure is strictly prohibited, as this can lead to the further spread of the process and its progression up to the cellulitis of the mammary gland.
5. At the end of breastfeeding, you should exclude all actions aimed at ensuring that milk arrives, and in the first place this concerns massage.
6. In the case of serious chronic diseases from all organs and systems, breast massage is not recommended, as this can lead to a deterioration in the general condition of the woman and threaten her life.

How to massage your breasts so that milk arrives? I tried several methods, performing them every other day, but did not feel the effect.

The specialist's answer:

Hello. In order for breast massage for lactation to be effective, it should be done every day. Alternate between different techniques, combine shower massage with stroking techniques, apply nipple massage. Try to do this before every feed.

You can ask your question to our author:

Is your baby growing up every day and needs more and more milk?

You start to worry that every now and then you feel that the breast is not full enough and the baby remains hungry.

We hasten to calm you down! If your baby gains at least 500 grams per month, if he asks to eat no more often than every 1-3, if he has normal stools and regular urination, then everything is fine with the amount of milk, your baby is full. And all fears are just a figment of your mother's "experiencing" imagination.

But if the child is restless, constantly "hanging" on the chest, is not gaining weight, and also if his diaper stays dry for a long time, and the baby's stool is irregular, then this is a reason for concern and visiting a pediatrician. And for you, this is a significant reason to learn how to increase lactation and continue.

Why is there not enough milk?

According to statistics, only 5% of women suffer from lactation disorders caused by hormonal disruptions. Such violations are difficult enough to eliminate and establish normal milk production. All other women often face lactation problems due to the wrong organization of breastfeeding.

According to statistics, only 5% of women suffer from lactation disorders caused by hormonal disruptions. The rest is fixable!

Experts name such main reasons that prevent moms from breastfeeding baby:

• if the mother does not want to feed the child;
• the woman does not eat well;
• mom is haunted by stress;
• a woman rarely lays the baby to her breast, feeds not on demand, but on a schedule;
• mother introduces complementary foods earlier than 6 months;
• the mother has a lactation crisis - this is a condition in which a normally lactating woman suddenly decreases the amount of milk; usually such crises occur at 3-6 weeks of feeding, as well as at 3, 4, 7 and 8 months of breastfeeding, during such crises it is recommended to put the baby to the breast as often as possible in order to establish milk production.

What to do to stimulate lactation?

If you do not have enough milk, remember the main ones, based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization, which you were given in the hospital and try to follow them:

• frequent attachment of the child;
• feeding on demand;
• night feedings;
• the duration of feeding is regulated by the child;
• refusal to use bottles and pacifiers;
• do not supplement and feed the child up to 6 months;
• make skin-to-skin contact between mother and child as often as possible;
• Healthy food;
• observe a sleep and rest regimen.

How else you can increase lactation: alternative methods

Breast massage

According to experts, it is possible to increase the level of lactation with the help of proper massage, as it stimulates blood circulation in the chest.

Method number 1

Massage the breasts for 3-4 minutes after each feeding. Lubricate your hands with castor oil and gently massage one breast and then the other in a clockwise direction. Only palms are involved in the massage, one palm should be on top of the chest, the other on the bottom.

Method number 2

We massage the nipple. This type of massage is relevant only for those mothers who do not have problems with the nipples (cracks, painful sensations). The nipple must be slightly squeezed between two fingers, move it in a circle, press it, pull it back, move it in different directions. All movements must be done carefully and gently.

Method number 3

Massage shower. This procedure is recommended to be done after a feed, by expressing the remaining milk (by the way, expressing after each feed also helps to increase the amount of milk). You need to take a shower, direct the shower stream to your chest and massage each chest with circular movements of warm water for 5-7 minutes. After that, you need to wipe yourself dry and put on warm clothes so as not to catch a cold, your child needs a healthy mother!

Diet and drink

What is?

Breastfeeding specialists and pediatricians are confident that there are no products that would definitely increase lactation. But in the matter, the correct regime and variety of food are important.

The diet of a nursing woman should be balanced, because the body needs to receive all the necessary vitamins in order to produce a sufficient amount of milk. It is advisable for mom to eat 200 grams of meat (fish), 200 grams of cottage cheese and fermented milk products every day, as well as different cereals in alternation.

From sweets it is better for mom to choose halva, marshmallow, marshmallow, marmalade, that is, what is beneficial, and does not give empty calories. But you shouldn't get carried away with these sweet joys either.

It is also important that mom eats enough fruits and vegetables, of course, excluding allergenic foods: citrus fruits, red fruits and vegetables.

“Mom should eat what she loves to eat, pay attention to the fact that the products are of high quality, varied, so that she receives enough vitamins. It is advisable to eat those products that grow here, that is, local. "

What and how to drink?

The question of whether drinking plenty of fluids during HB stimulates lactation is controversial. Most doctors and breastfeeding consultants argue that you do not need to drink a lot, this will not help increase lactation, but can only harm the kidneys and hormonal levels in the woman's body.

Ksenia Solovey, breastfeeding consultant, certified specialist of the Educational and Methodological Center for Breastfeeding Support, KMAPO named after P. Shupika, perinatal psychologist, organizer and head of the Milk Rivers Center: “There is a myth that a nursing mother should drink a lot, someone speaks 3 liters a day, someone speaks after each feeding or a glass before each. This is not entirely true, it is very important for a nursing woman to simply not feel thirsty, since she still gives off liquid. But if she drinks too much when she no longer wants to drink, hormonal changes occur. The hormone oxytocin, which pushes milk out of the breast, reduces production when overdrinked. If we do not have enough oxytocin, then we simply cannot give milk to the baby, even if we have enough of it in our breast. Therefore, the golden rule of a nursing mother - I drink at will. "

But some mothers notice that after another cup of tea, milk comes from them, despite the statements of doctors. Therefore, they diligently drink theoretically useful (since the benefits have not yet been scientifically proven) during breastfeeding green tea with milk, tea with condensed milk, dried fruit compote, as well as special herbal teas to increase lactation (tea with chamomile, fennel and other herbs ).

Mum-AnitaSidorova shared her breastfeeding story:“I have heard many times from doctors and HV consultants that there is no food and drink that would help increase lactation, that it does not matter how much you drink and what, but tea with condensed milk, which was given to mothers in maternity hospitals in Soviet times, - this is complete nonsense, it's all about hormones. Well, at least kill me, tea with condensed milk in large quantities personally stimulates lactation to me. As soon as I drink, I immediately feel that more milk is coming. I really believe that there is no scientific evidence for the usefulness of such tea for lactation. But it works! Why? I don’t know ... Maybe because I just love sweets, maybe because I believe in the benefits of tea with condensed milk, or maybe this tea really has something like that ... "

To really effectively stimulate lactation, of course, you need to try all the existing methods of increasing lactation in order to understand what is right for you. After all, all women are very different, one to increase the amount of milk will be enough to apply the baby to the breast every hour for 3-4 days, and the other will need to apply and massage, and drink tea, and pump, and sleep more, and more there is.

If you have problems with lactation, do not despair, remember, more often than not, this can be fixed quickly enough. Seek help from a specialist and try to do everything to improve lactation so that your baby can receive the breast milk that is necessary for health!

Successful breastfeeding!