Reduced milk production – As a mother, you certainly want to provide the best for your baby, including giving enough breast milk so that the baby’s needs are met. However, problems when breastfeeding can come, one of which is the production of breast milk (ASI) has decreased. This of course will trigger concern in the mother. Mother is afraid that her baby’s nutritional needs are not fulfilled.
There are several reasons why milk production is reduced. It is important for breastfeeding mothers to know what causes reduced milk production so that they can find the right solution to overcome this problem. Check out some of the things that can cause reduced milk production below.
Causes of reduced breast milk production
If the breast milk is reduced, your little one’s needs will not be fulfilled. Even though as we know, breast milk is the baby’s main food, especially if your child has not received complementary foods (complementary foods). Here are some of the causes of reduced milk production:
Drinking Too Much Caffeine
Are you a coffee lover? If you can’t avoid it completely, it’s best to cut back on portions. Consumption of too much caffeine will have a negative impact on milk production, where milk production will decrease. Besides affecting the mother, the caffeine that enters your body will affect the health of your little one. When you consume food or drinks that contain caffeine, it can be absorbed by breast milk and then enter your little one’s body. As a result, baby will have trouble sleeping and easily fuss.
Active smoker
Smoking is certainly not good for health. In addition, smoking will also affect breast milk. Smoking habits will interfere with the release of oxytocin in the body. Oxytocin itself is a hormone that stimulates the let-down reflex response. Which is a reflex to release milk in the breast, then flow out and into the baby’s mouth.
Now, if this reflex cannot perform its function properly, then the milk will not flow from the breast, as a result the baby’s breastfeeding needs are not fulfilled. (Also read: The Right Way to Breastfeed a Baby )
Experiencing Fatigue After Childbirth
Childbirth will certainly drain your energy, so it’s only natural that you feel tired after giving birth. In addition, you also have to carry out the obligations of a mother, namely to care for and breastfeed your little one, as well as to restore yourself. Usually many mothers experience a decrease in breast milk at that time. This transition period is usually one of the reasons why breast milk production is reduced.
Therefore, it is important to fulfill your rest needs. When your body feels tired, you can ask your husband for help. Don’t let your body get tired because it will have a negative impact on milk production.
Experiencing Certain Diseases
Certain diseases can cause less milk production. The disease in question is infection. If you experience some symptoms of certain diseases accompanied by decreased milk production, then you should see your doctor immediately.
Diseases that can affect milk production include anemia and hypothyroidism. If you do have an infection, your doctor may prescribe medication. Make sure the doctor knows that you are breastfeeding so that the medication will be adjusted accordingly.
Drink Alcohol
Like smoking, drinking alcohol will also affect the let-down reflex response in nursing mothers. Apart from reducing milk production, drinking excess alcohol will also put your little one at risk of developing late development.
Stress
A mother must carry out many tasks, so the mother is obliged to maintain physical and psychological health. If the mother experiences stress that will cause physical, psychological or emotional stress, it can affect milk production. Even if the emotional changes you experience are small, they can interfere with the let-down reflex while breastfeeding.
There are many things that might make you stressed out, and it will certainly reduce milk production. It is important to be able to manage stress well. You can do activities that are fun to relieve stress.
Taking Certain Drugs
When you are breastfeeding, you need to be more careful about taking the medicine. Several types of drugs are known to affect the hormone oxytocin, a hormone that regulates milk production. Some drugs that are known to reduce milk production include cold medicines, allergy medications and diuretics.
Therefore, before a doctor can prescribe a particular drug, you must tell the doctor that you are breastfeeding. You can consult your doctor about what drugs can be taken while you are breastfeeding.
Consuming Excessive Spices or Herbs
If consumed in excess, some herbal ingredients can reduce milk production. Some of the herbs or spices referred to are mint, oregano and parsley. If you regularly consume these herbs and experience a decrease in breast milk, you can immediately consult a doctor.
Poor Diet
After having a baby, of course you often stay up late at night. It is important to always meet nutritional needs and keep the body hydrated. It’s just that, many mothers ignore this, where the amount of food and fluids needed is insufficient. If this is the case, the milk production will decrease.
In order to maintain breast milk production, there is nothing wrong if you still meet the needs of food and fluids every day. In addition, eating healthy foods and meeting fluid needs is important so that both mother and baby stay healthy.
Is pregnant
If you are pregnant, your milk production will decrease even though you are breastfeeding. Pregnancy hormones are known to decrease milk production.
Inappropriate Selection of Birth Control Pills
Using contraceptives can affect milk production. If you do not want your milk production to decrease, it is advisable to avoid using birth control pills that contain the hormone estrogen. You can consult a doctor to find out what contraceptives are good for breastfeeding mothers to use.
Mothers Experiencing Excessive Weight Loss
When breastfeeding, it is recommended that the mother does not lose weight quickly. As long as the mother is breastfeeding, you should exercise wisely and consume 1800 calories per day. Avoid consuming drugs or weight loss drinks.
How to Incre
ase Breast Milk Production
In order for your milk production to increase and your little one’s needs are still met, you can increase milk production in the following ways:
Continue to Breastfeed
The body will produce breast milk according to the needs of your little one. If your baby is breastfeeding frequently, the milk production will also increase. When the baby is breastfeeding frequently, you should not be afraid that the milk runs out.
Smooth milk production will signal the body to continue producing milk. Breastfeeding when your little one wants and never skips breastfeeding is the natural and easiest way to increase milk production. (See also: Signs of Fetal Movement Towards Normal Delivery )
Adequate Nutritional Needs
To increase milk production, mothers must meet their nutritional needs properly. If you fulfill your nutritional needs properly, the nutritional needs your body needs will be met and milk production will be more. You can fulfill nutritious foods that contain essential minerals and vitamins such as green vegetables, fruits, chicken, meat, eggs, fish and so on. In addition, it is also important to meet your daily fluid needs. At least you are advised to drink as many as 8 glasses per day or more.
The Baby is in a good position when feeding
The position of the baby while breastfeeding will affect the flow of milk smoothly. The correct position of the baby while feeding, i.e. the baby is attached to the breast properly, will make him get enough milk.
Conversely, if the baby feeds in the wrong position it will make the milk production less. Sufficient breast milk does not necessarily mean that your baby will get enough milk even though he often breastfeeds, because the baby may suckle in the wrong position so that to meet his needs, your little one will feed longer and often.
If the baby latches on to the breast properly and correctly, the baby will be able to suck all parts of the nipple, so that the little one will suckle properly and the body will be stimulated to produce a lot of milk.
Stimulates Breast
If you have finished breastfeeding, but you still feel that your breasts are not empty, you can continue to stimulate the breasts so that milk comes out. You can stimulate the breasts by using a special pump for the breast or using massage techniques. Stimulating the breasts can be a signal for the body to produce milk.
Empty the Breast Well After Feeding
For maximum milk production, you must make sure that your breast is completely empty before you feed on the other breast. If your breast is completely empty, then switching to the other breast is a sign that your little one is feeding well. It usually takes at least 10 minutes for a baby to feed on one breast.
In addition, you also have to make sure that your baby feeds on both breasts at each feed so that milk production in each breast is balanced. However, if your little one feels full before the milk in both breasts runs out, you should pump the remaining milk until it is completely used up. If the milk is still left in the breast, then your body will think that it is overproducing milk, so that the next milk production, hormones will reduce production according to your needs. So that if the milk is often left in the breast, then the milk production will be so little.
Your little one must stay awake while breastfeeding
If your little one wakes up while breastfeeding, he will suckle your breasts effectively. The baby will get adequate nutrition and you will still receive stimulation to continue producing breast milk. So that your little one stays awake, you can talk or make other efforts. If your little one spends a lot of time sleeping, while it is time to breastfeed, there is nothing wrong if you wake your baby.
Avoid Stress
Many things will stress you out. Stress is known to affect milk production. It is important to manage stress well. Besides that, you also have to fulfill your rest needs.
If you have done various methods but the milk production is still lacking, it is better if you consult a doctor. Thus the cause of reduced milk production and how to increase milk production. Hope it is useful.
This article is reviewed by Midwife Pevi Revina sTR. Keb
