Breastfeeding lost milk, what to do?

This is an automatically translated article.

Sudden loss of milk while breastfeeding makes mothers extremely worried because there is not enough milk supply for their babies. So if this is the case, what should the mother do to quickly have milk again?

1. What is the sudden loss of milk?

Sudden loss of milk is a phenomenon in which a mother's milk glands stop working and do not produce milk as usual. The length of time depends on the mother's condition, sudden loss of milk can happen suddenly or gradually and then disappear completely.
When there is a sudden loss of milk, mothers will easily see typical signs such as flat, loose breasts, not feeling tight, painful when not feeding. No matter how hard you try to squeeze or express, the milk doesn't come out.
Sudden loss of milk after giving birth with no milk, little milk or loss of milk due to many reasons (local, systemic) such as: having milk but not being able to excrete it because the milk duct is not clear or the mother herself does not produce milk production due to poor blood circulation before, after childbirth due to other factors affecting milk production... All of the above causes cause less milk, no milk or complete loss of milk whole.

2. Losing milk what to do?

2.1. Feed your baby more The more you breastfeed, the more milk your body produces. It is not necessary to strictly follow a timetable for breastfeeding. Feed your baby whenever he is hungry, as long as he wants, especially in the first week when the mother begins to have milk and pay attention to only let the baby finish one breast and then the other.
2.2. Drink plenty of water Drinking plenty of water, especially warm water, is the key to helping your body produce milk each day. According to folk experience, Southern remedies are used to cook drinking water for mothers after giving birth such as tea water, ... are widely applied. If you are dehydrated, you will produce less milk. When you are too busy in taking care of your baby, you can carry a water bottle with you and don't forget to drink water regularly. Besides, you should also stay away from alcoholic beverages like wine, beer,... Because, alcoholic drinks reduce milk production, it will take you longer for breast milk to be excreted and total Milk production also decreased.

3. Stress management

Although stress may not have a big effect on milk production, it can interfere with the let-down reflex as milk is released into the milk ducts during breastfeeding and make it difficult for your baby to suckle. get milk. Taking care of yourself is the best way you can take care of your baby.
You should take a reasonable rest time, avoid being too tired and stressed. Give yourself plenty of time to sleep. Every day, mothers should sleep for at least 10 hours, about 2-4 hours during the day and 6-8 hours at night so that the body can rest, the lactation process also becomes more favorable. You should also ask for support from your partner, family and friends in other matters. Limit the number of visitors in the first weeks after giving birth so that you have more time and quiet space to breastfeed and stimulate milk down.

4. Breast massage

Breast massage can help enhance your fat composition as well as your total milk production. When the baby is nursing comfortably, you can massage around the breast and then towards the nipple, wait until the baby has swallowed a few sips. Massage to another area and wait for the baby to swallow again. Repeating such movements will stimulate the milk to come down more and more easily.
Mother should note that breast massage movements must be done very gently so as not to hurt the chest area and help achieve maximum effectiveness. If the baby does not finish feeding once, the mother must squeeze it into a reserve bag, to avoid the condition that the milk glands are full and can no longer produce milk or cause stagnation, causing inflammation of the milk ducts.

5. Eating and drinking

Postpartum mothers need 2,500 kcal per day, this energy source comes from many different foods. You don't need to eat certain foods to increase breast milk production. In the past, the concept that eating a lot of hoof nails after giving birth would help milk. This is a misconception of mothers, because hooves do not help mothers have a lot of milk, but on the contrary, this is the cause of blocked milk ducts, obesity and overweight in mothers after giving birth. Just a balanced diet with lots of fruits, whole grains, protein, and moderate amounts of fat.
Mothers should refer to some foods to help cool breast milk and gain weight; should not be abstinent; Priority should be given to choosing foods rich in fiber, which does not cause weight gain and constipation. For foods from cereals, it is recommended to eat 30 minutes before meals to absorb well, keep weight and increase milk for lactation.
These are the ways to deal with sudden loss of milk that mothers say are quite effective. If you have applied the above methods but still don't see the milk coming back or the milk coming back less, you should go to a hospital or medical center to find a way to fix it
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital applies the method. The spinal manipulation method treats milk loss, lack of milk, restores breast milk supply after giving birth without the use of drugs. With the Spinal Impact Method, the treatment technician mainly uses the fingertip software to work on the patient's back spine to adjust and open the milk glands, helping to treat breast milk problems. effective postpartum.
Here, patients can use medicinal methods with natural and traditional origins, along with non-drug therapies such as nutrition, acupuncture, massage, and acupressure.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.