What can I do to get more milk? What foods increase lactation in a nursing mother

Very often, women, having waited for the happiest moment in their lives - the birth of a baby, having endured all the hardships of pregnancy and childbirth, face another problem - a lack of milk. As a rule, this is accompanied by panic and a rash transfer to supplementary feeding with artificial mixtures. But such a decision is correct only in some cases, but basically, almost all women can maintain lactation for as long as the baby needs. The main problem is not in the female body, but in the young woman's ignorance of what to do if a nursing mother has little milk.

According to WHO, true hypogalactia (the inability of the female body to produce enough milk) is detected only in 3% of women. For others, the problem is temporary and easily fixable.

What signs are most often mistaken for a lack of lactation

Usually, nursing mothers make their most often erroneous conclusions about the lack of lactation on the following grounds:

• poor pumping of milk residue from the breast after feeding. But this can also be a physiological phenomenon, in which the breast simply reacts incorrectly to pumping (in the form of a spasm of the ducts), while it does not prevent the baby from sucking milk in sufficient quantities;
• soft chest. Here it should be understood that already 1.5 months after the birth of a child, the mother’s breast can only be filled by the beginning of direct feeding (most often this is a “habit” of the body developed while observing the baby’s diet);
• small breast size;
• disappointing results of control weighing (carried out before and after feeding the baby). Do not forget that at different times the child sucks out a different amount of milk;
• anxiety, frequent crying of the baby after feeding (the problem may be hidden in the work of the digestive system, which is only being adjusted);
• the need for numerous feedings (every 40 minutes, an hour and a half);
• long duration of each feeding.

The likelihood of a new pregnancy while breastfeeding

How can you accurately determine that the problem is insufficient lactation

You can make sure that a nursing mother does not have enough milk in one of three ways.

1. Weekly checkweighing.

This is a more objective option than weighing before and after feeding. At one time, a child can eat from 15 grams to 100 grams of breast milk, so the result cannot be objective, but if the baby has gained at least 150 grams in its own weight in a week, then this already indicates sufficient nutrition.

1. Counting daily urination.

A newborn up to six weeks old should wet the diapers at least 10 times a day, walk "in the big" 3 times. Pay attention to the color of urine - normally it is pale yellow or colorless.

1. Monitoring the condition of the baby.

The reason for concern is that the child is lethargic, sucks badly, urine is dark, weekly weight gain is less than 130 grams, the chest grabs eagerly and draws milk strongly, but does not swallow (outwardly, this can be seen from the wide-open mouth). You can talk about a lack of nutrition if a newborn sleeps more than four hours in the first month, he has an increase in body temperature.

Causes that can lead to a decrease in lactation

There are actually many reasons why a nursing mother has little milk. Very often they are associated with fatigue, poor nutrition of the mother herself, insufficient rest and increased nervousness (at first, a young mother is unreasonably worried and nervous for any, even harmless reason).

Violate the process of breast stimulation attempts to observe the feeding regimen strictly by the hour. Today, doctors do not recommend doing this: you need to give a newborn a breast when he asks. And in the first month it should be from 12 times a day.

Short feeding and supplementation of the newborn with water will also lead to a decrease in lactation, because. the baby simply will not pull out of the chest everything that he is supposed to for full feeding. All attempts to accumulate milk for the next feeding will fail, because the body perceives the rest of the milk in the milk ducts as its excess and begins to produce the next portions less.

After mothers begin to give pacifiers to babies or “spare” their crumbs, periodically feed them from a bottle, babies, having satisfied their natural need for sucking, pull their breasts less, which leads to a decrease in milk production.

Mommy's uncomfortable posture, stress during feeding - also affects the lactation process.

Hormonal disorders in the female body, stress, taking diuretics, prolonged separation from the newborn after childbirth - this and much more can be the reason why a nursing mother has little milk.

What should be done to improve lactation

To have more milk from a nursing mother, the first thing to do is:

• establish a complete, balanced diet for women;
• ensure a sufficient amount of fluid entering the body of a woman;
• make time for your own rest and worry less about it.

No need to constantly worry, be afraid and think that the baby is missing something. Scientists have long noticed one interesting fact about this: in underdeveloped countries with lactation, there are much fewer problems than in Europe. But here much attention is paid to this topic by doctors and young mothers. This means that one of the main roles is played not by the standard of living and security, but by the psychological mood of a woman. Try to perceive the feeding of the crumbs as a natural process, pleasant for the mother, useful for the baby, regulated by nature. Just enjoy putting the baby to your chest.

Is flu and breastfeeding compatible?

The following dietary adjustments will help increase lactation:

• hot dishes should be consumed at least twice a day;
• be sure to drink plenty of warm water. Tea with milk helps very well to increase lactation, it can also be a rosehip decoction, dried fruit compote, herbal teas;
• despite many restrictions, nutrition should be balanced. Especially recommended are whole grain cereals, protein foods and containing complex carbohydrates, vegetable oil;
• it is undesirable to consume sour-milk products in the first month.

If the problem is in the “empty” milk of a nursing mother, attention should be paid to the presence of lactagons in the diet. These are: walnuts, cheese, fatty fish, ginger. Some grain spices are useful: cumin, dill, fennel.

In addition to the above, do not forget that it is necessary to feed the child on demand, no breaks of three hours. Night feedings should not be ignored, they are most beneficial for the milk separation process, as it is at night that the greatest amount of prolactin (the hormone responsible for this process) is produced. And also be sure to work out the possible causes of the problem with lactation, eliminating them as much as possible.

The main thing is that it is important for you to correctly assess whether you really have little milk. And if you are convinced of this, then you need to know what to do so that there is more milk. So, let's begin…

Step one. Find out if the baby is getting enough milk.

How to check?
• Weighing. Weight gain less than 500 g per month, less than 120 g per week is an indicator that you are actually low on milk
• Wet diaper test. The number of urinations less than 8 per day is critical. Only well-soaked diapers count.

Cases when a child does not have enough breast milk are not so common. Much more often, mothers think that they or someone (mother-in-law, doctor, neighbor on the street, etc.) told them that they did not have enough milk. Sometimes, women who could breastfeed without any problems lose milk simply because they do not have enough knowledge about

IF YOUR CHILD GAINED 500 OR MORE GRAM IN A MONTH AND THEN THE NUMBER OF URINATION MORE THAN 8 TIMES A DAY, THEN IN YOUR CASE THERE IS NO SPEECH THAT THE MILK IS SMALL. HOWEVER, YOU CAN LEARN THE FOLLOWING STEPS AND CHANGE SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE WITH YOUR CHILD.

Step two. Little milk

If you are convinced that the child does not have enough milk, in fact, before taking action, answer the following questions:
• Do you feed your baby on demand and how many times a day?
• Does the child eat at night? Where does he sleep?
• Do you use nipples and a bottle? Do you provide water?
• Maybe you have already started supplementing with formula? How much and how many times a day do you formula feed?
• Watch your condition while feeding your baby. It often happens that a woman during feeding is very tense because of an uncomfortable position or because of the fear that there is not enough milk in her breast again, and the child will not be satisfied again.
• Are you drinking enough fluids?
• Watch what time of day you have the minimum milk production.
• What is the emotional state of your family? Are you surrounded by people who do not support the idea of ​​breastfeeding.

Step three. Not enough milk, increase lactation.

Step four. Increasing lactation with lactogenic agents.

To increase lactation, use lactagon remedies: anise seeds, dill fennel, nettle, homeopathic remedy lactatosan, apilac.

Step five. Increase lactation with massage.

Regularly massage with a special oil “for breasts during lactation” or any vegetable oil with the addition of fennel or anise essential oil.

Also do a breast massage to restore lymph flow, shown in ours.

Step six. Little milk. Weighing

Stop weighing your baby frequently. Do this no more than once a week.

Step seven. Little milk. walks

Do not walk for several days, especially if it is cold outside. After all, going for a walk is often associated with stress. The baby is screaming, mom is in a hurry. And any stress for a breastfeeding mother is contraindicated, especially if she has little milk. You now need to direct all your efforts to increase lactation and solve the problem with breast milk.

IF YOU HAVE LITTLE MILK, I WISH YOU NOT TO LOSE HOPE. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BREASTFEED!

Everyone knows that the ideal food for babies is mother's milk. However, breastfeeding mothers often face some challenges in their breastfeeding journey. Not enough milk is one of the frequent. And this problem requires a careful approach and quick resolution, because the further successful growth and development of the little man directly depends on whether the child has enough milk.

How to understand if a baby has enough milk?

Often, mothers worry that there is not enough milk, focusing on unreliable signs. Let's take a look at them.

• The baby hangs on the chest all the time

A newborn baby has the right to be on the chest as often as he needs. This is the essence of feeding on demand. For a baby in the first weeks of life, breastfeeding is not only food. Through suckling, young children satisfy their basic needs - to be warm and safe, to calm down, relieve pain, quench their thirst, and most importantly, to feel their mother.

This does not mean that you are not getting enough breast milk.

• Baby screams after feeding

Another common sign by which mothers decide that the child does not have enough milk. But the baby can cry for a variety of reasons: something hurts, he is cold or hot, the seam on the clothes causes discomfort, he peed or pooped and demands to change the diaper and wash it, the feeding position is uncomfortable, it is uncomfortable attached to the breast (and, as a result, , the baby cannot effectively empty the breast and get milk). And there are many other reasons for crying that are not directly related to the lack of milk.

• You don't feel the tides

Hot flashes are well felt in the first weeks after childbirth. As soon as lactation is established, on average, after 1-1.5 months. after giving birth, you may not feel them. And this does not mean that there is less milk. There are women who do not experience hot flashes from the first days of feeding, but successfully breastfeed.

• You have small breasts

Neither the size nor the shape of your breasts affect your ability to produce breast milk. A small breast volume is just a reason for its more frequent emptying. Do not accumulate milk in the breast and do not take long breaks in feeding.

• Can't Express Milk

This is the most unreliable sign. Firstly, not everyone knows how to express properly, and secondly, only your baby empties the chest better and more efficiently. Neither hands nor a breast pump can handle it like that.

• Baby SHARPLY began to suck more often and longer

This is probably the so-called lactation crisis. Your baby needed more milk because of the growth and developmental spurt. Therefore, more frequent feeding became necessary. Yes, there was not enough milk. But you don't have enough! And his rapidly growing baby was not enough! After 2-3 days of frequent feeding, the volume of milk will increase and feeding will return to normal.

There are only 2 reliable signs, focusing on which we can talk about the real problem of lack of milk. This is the baby's weight gain and the number of times the baby urinates. Let's take a look at them.

• Weight gain

In breastfed babies, weight gain is uneven. Therefore, weighing every day is not objective. One day it may be less, the other more. Weighing is optimal once a month, and in case of serious suspicion of a lack of milk - once a week. In children of the first 3 months, the increase is 500-2000g. per month, and per week at least 125 gr. Such increases will indicate that there is enough nutrition. Children for 4-6 months gain 1000-500g. per month.

If in the first months the weight gain is less than 500 grams, this means that the baby is not getting enough milk.

At the end of the article, we have prepared for you a checklist "Why does the baby cry after feeding?". Download it and be a calm and confident mom!

• Number of urinations

Here the norms are as follows: in a newborn up to 14 days of life, the number of urination is equal to the number of days of life. From the 14th day of life to approximately 6 months, the norm of urination will be an average of 12-16 times a day.

Thus, if you count fewer “pees” per day than it should be according to the age of the child, then there is a high probability that you do not have enough breast milk.

To summarize: if the baby is gaining weight well, peeing enough, has pink and smooth skin, development according to age, then you have enough milk!

What to do to increase breast milk?

If you have noted at least 2 signs of the above, then you really do not have enough milk. What to do if a nursing mother has little milk? See tips below:

• Feed more often and for longer

Download the checklist "Why does the baby cry after feeding?"

Every mother worries and worries when her child cries. And there is no such mother who would not cry with her baby at least once. Download the checklist and find out exactly why your baby is crying after feeding.

For a newborn to develop normally, he needs to eat well. Sometimes new mothers notice that the child is very naughty, constantly crying and very irritated. Basically, this behavior is a sign that the baby is hungry. We have to think about increasing lactation and how to increase the fat content of breast milk.

Breast milk is the most useful nutritious product for a child, the development of the immune system and the body depends on it. It is for this reason that it is important that it be sufficiently fat.

Signs indicating low-fat milk:

1. The child continues to cry after feeding, does not eat up.
2. When expressed, mother's milk is clear or has a blue tint.

If one of the listed signs is found, it is necessary to conduct a kind of analysis of milk, which will help determine its percentage of fat content. The test can be done at home. Take a test tube and express some milk into it. Let the contents stand for 5-6 hours until cream forms on top. After that, measure with a ruler how many mm they occupy. 1 mm equals 1% fat. The normal rate is 4%.

In the event that the analysis showed less than 4%, you need to find out how to increase the fat content of breast milk.

Proper nutrition

Women's doctors say that proper nutrition contributes to better lactation and constantly maintains the desired level of fat content in milk. A nursing mother needs to receive 500 Kcal more every day than usual. Moreover, it is required not chocolate and other sweets, but healthy foods. Let's try to figure out in more detail what a nursing mother needs to eat so that there is a lot of milk.

Foods that should be in the diet of a breastfeeding mother:

1. Broths made from meats such as chicken, rabbit or beef. If you eat hot soups every day, then there will be no problems with lactation, in addition, the body will begin to better absorb other foods.
2. A nursing mother needs cereals. It can be buckwheat, rice, semolina, millet, arnautka. They are high in calories and contribute to a better flow of milk into the mammary glands.
3. If the child is breastfed, the woman must definitely drink herbal infusions. For example, chamomile soothes and does not contribute to the development of an allergic reaction in babies.
4. To always have a lot of milk, nails and teeth remain strong and white, a nursing mother should eat cottage cheese and yogurt. But cow's milk should not be abused, it should not be drunk more than 2 glasses a day.
5. Seasonal vegetables and fruits. These are very important products that supply vitamins to the mother's body, then they are transferred to the baby during feeding.

What foods increase the fat content of milk

What lactation depends on, and what you need to eat in order to have milk - it has already become clearer. Now it remains to figure out how to increase the fat content of breast milk if it is not enough. Reusable fractional meals enriched with vegetable fats, complex carbohydrates and proteins are recommended.

If the baby is breastfed, then it is through mother's milk that he should receive everything that is needed for normal development.

Products that increase the fat content of milk:

1. Nuts and sunflower seeds.
2. Homemade cottage cheese and hard cheeses.
3. Beef meat and liver.

It is important to understand that each of the above products must be eaten very carefully, for the reason that, for example, nuts can provoke an allergy in a baby. It is recommended no more than 30-40 grams per day of seeds and nuts; beef meat and cottage cheese can be eaten in slightly larger quantities.

Drinks that support the fat content of milk

How to make breast milk fat by drinking, and is it possible? There is an opinion that the liquid dilutes the milk, making it more watery. However, the arguments presented were shown to be unnecessarily exaggerated. To have an acceptable percentage ratio, you just need to choose the right drinks.

1. When breastfeeding, new mothers need not only to eat well, but also drink liquid in the amount of 2-2.5 liters per day. This includes water, soups and broths.
2. In order for the fat content of milk to be enough to feed the child, doctors recommend using rosehip broth.
3. If a woman loves coffee, then at the time of breastfeeding her baby can be replaced with a barley drink.
4. Green tea with cream half an hour before feeding not only stimulates lactation, but also has a positive effect on maintaining the balance of breast milk fat.
5. If a woman wants to eat and drink so that her baby gets vitamins, you can cook compotes from seasonal fruits. The main thing is to choose products that do not contribute to the manifestation of allergies. If you want strawberries, then you can try to eat it, but for the first time - only one berry, and only if the child is 5-6 months old.
6. Useful for the body of the mother and child will be natural juices from carrots and apples. They contain a large amount of vitamins.

It is not enough just to drink and eat correctly during breastfeeding. There are other factors that can reduce the percentage of fat content in milk and contribute to the cessation of lactation. Stress, lack of sleep and chronic fatigue deplete the mother's body, and the baby suffers from this. To avoid unpleasant consequences, follow the helpful tips below.

1. You need to eat only healthy foods in the allotted time. Compliance with the correct diet plays a fundamental role in the fat content of breast milk and its quantity.
2. Try to be as little nervous as possible - young children feel the stress of their mothers a lot, as a result they may refuse to eat and sleep.
3. If you want to give your baby maximum care and protection, always get enough sleep. Chronic fatigue causes irritability and loss of energy.
4. There are many ways to make milk fatter, choose the safest for yourself, based on the individual characteristics of the body.
5. You can't overeat. You need to eat often, but in small portions. This will help to avoid sudden "tides" of milk and increase its fat content.
6. Try not to overexert yourself. The first portion of milk that the child eats is less fat than the second. Therefore, make sure that the baby eats everything to the end. Only after that you can attach it to the other breast.

If you want to increase the fat content of breast milk, make sure you really need it. It is possible that the reason for the baby's starvation and his anxiety is different. In the event that it is not possible to figure it out on your own, you can seek help from a pediatrician.

After the birth of a child, the next most important task for a woman is to breastfeed him. There is no better food than breast milk for a baby, Both the mother and the child are programmed for breastfeeding by nature itself.

Almost all women are able to breastfeed their newborns, with the exception of no more than 2-3 percent of women, for whom breastfeeding is contraindicated for medical reasons. Everyone else can and should feed, and this will be of inestimable benefit to their child. Breast milk contains all the nutrients a baby needs. They help its growth, strengthen the immune system, contribute to the development of the brain. And also, breastfeeding is the most important close contact between mother and child.

Constantly feeling close to the mother, her warmth and love, the child will be emotionally calmer, have fewer digestive problems, and illnesses in the first year of life will also bypass him. Breastfeeding is now very widely promoted, there are many specialists in breastfeeding. Indeed, at the initial stage of feeding, a nursing mother has many questions, for example, how to properly attach the baby to the breast, how often it should be done, and whether the baby has enough milk. These worries are quite understandable, since the baby is not yet able to explain his needs, and the responsibility for his successful development lies entirely with the parents, so proper child care and properly organized breastfeeding are extremely important.

It is not uncommon for mothers to ask how to eat so that there is more breast milk. First of all, you need to drink as much liquid as possible, at least 1.5, but not more than 2.5 liters per day. Since breast milk is almost 80 percent water, the body of a nursing mother must also receive it in sufficient quantities. You can drink not only water, tea with milk, freshly brewed, black or green, is very useful to enhance lactation. Even grandmothers used this method to increase the amount of breast milk. Before feeding, drink a glass of this tea for 10-15 minutes, and eat a bowl of soup or a cheese sandwich. Secondly, herbs such as anise, fennel, cumin, nettle and decoctions of them also have a milk-producing effect. Currently, special teas are sold in baby food departments to enhance and maintain lactation from various manufacturing companies, both foreign and Russian. One of the most effective teas for nursing mothers are "Hipp" or "Laktogon". The foods that are included in the diet of a nursing woman must be both dietary and provide the body with the necessary amount of calories so that a milk shortage is not created. Dishes should be consumed protein, fish, meat, vegetables, but be careful with fruits. Unwanted canned food, cakes, pastries, the need for carbohydrates is best met by bread (bread with cumin is especially useful), cereals, cereal biscuits. Kefir, cereals, dairy products are required. Previously, doctors' recommendations on how to eat in order to have more breast milk included advice that the mother herself should drink as much milk as possible, now almost no one recommends doing this, due to the possibility of a negative effect of cow's milk on the composition chest. Many children now often have such a phenomenon as an allergy to cow protein, which means intolerance to cow's milk.

It is assumed that the body of a nursing mother will independently form the composition of breast milk that is optimally useful for the child. In order to make her milk nutritious, the mother should eat more natural foods rich in vitamins. To have more breast milk, often apply to the baby's breast, this is the basic rule. By constantly stimulating the work of the mammary gland, the child will thereby help produce the amount of breast milk that he needs. There is no need to limit the duration of feeding, when the child is full, he will let go of the breast. No less important is the technique of applying the baby to the breast - there should be no chomping sounds during feeding, so that less air gets into the baby's mouth, then he will not be tormented by belching and increased gas formation.

During breastfeeding, you should eat in such a way as to consume as few allergenic foods as possible. If the mother has allergies to certain foods, the baby is likely to have them too. You do not need to eat seasonings with a strong odor, garlic, a lot of onions. This can give the milk an unpleasant aftertaste that the baby will not like. Products that increase lactation are cheese, carrots, dill, parsley, walnuts. Squeezed carrot juice mixed with milk is very useful, it should be drunk warm before feeding. However, you need to carefully monitor whether the child has an allergy to carrots. You can also buy specialized nutrition, which is produced for pregnant and lactating mothers. Many antenatal clinics issue coupons for its free purchase, to all women at their request.

Such nutrition contributes to the saturation of milk with the necessary nutrients, supports and strengthens the body of a nursing mother. But, if it is not at hand, then you should not worry. If breastfeeding is organized correctly, a nursing woman does not starve and eats regularly, drinks enough fluids, and there will always be enough breast milk for the baby. When the so-called lactation crises occur, they can also be dealt with by proper nutrition, a calm emotional environment, and, if necessary, by taking lactogenic teas. However, it is still not worth constantly consuming these teas, since you can even make the production of breast milk excessive, and it will be much more difficult to lower it.