Big breasts, more breasts, but small breasts, but no milk?

August 1-7 is the 30th World Breastfeeding Week
.

The amount of lactation is not directly related to the size of the breast

The size of the breast is not directly related to the amount of milk produced
.

In addition, lactation is also related to two hormones in the body: prolactin and oxytocin
.

Oxytocin is stimulated by the baby's nipple sucking, and is transmitted to the posterior pituitary through the nerve endings, where it is produced, and sent to the breast through blood circulation, causing the muscle cells around the breast to contract and express milk, causing milk ejection
.

Breast milk volume really has something to do with heredity

Successful lactation requires at least three conditions: 1.
Hormone balance during pregnancy and lactation; 2.
Breast acinar and duct proliferation, differentiation and nervous system integrity; 3.
Continuous synthesis and discharge of milk
.

Some novice mothers think that since they had never drunk breast milk when they were young, would they have poor lactation? Will the amount of lactation be inherited? Yes, there is a certain relationship between lactation and heredity
.

This time period is the critical period of lactation, don’t miss it

How does lactation start? In fact, mothers began to prepare for lactation after pregnancy.
After pregnancy, the mammary glands develop again under the action of a variety of endocrine hormones, and mammary glands and ducts proliferate and differentiate
.

With the delivery of the placenta, the level of progesterone, which inhibits the role of prolactin to secrete milk, drops sharply, which is the trigger point for the initiation of the second stage of lactation
.

How to maintain continuous lactation after lactation has started? Regular sucking or emptying of the breast is an important condition for the maintenance of lactation
.

It can be seen from the mechanism of lactation that within 2 weeks after delivery, it is a critical period of lactation for all breastfeeding women
.

Do these six points to protect your baby’s "granary"

1.
Early contact, early sucking, and early breastfeeding after birth should help mothers to start breastfeeding within 60 minutes after delivery, that is, early contact, early sucking, and early breastfeeding
.

Studies have confirmed that whether a full-term baby or a premature baby, the mother's first breastfeeding or breastfeeding start time is closely related to the duration of breastfeeding and the amount of milk
.
Most mothers who express breast milk within 6 hours after birth can maintain their lactation time for more than 40 weeks
.
Delayed pumping can lead to a delay in the start of phase II of lactation and a shortened duration of lactation
.
And studies have shown that the longer the mother-to-child skin contact time, the more breast milk secreted, which is related to the dose
.

2.
Assess the lactation volume Within one week after the baby is born, Baoma should closely observe the lactation volume
.
It can be assessed by breast filling, or it can be assessed by judging whether the baby is full
.
If the baby is full, he will spit out the nipples on his own, with a satisfied and quiet expression
.
If the amount of lactation is insufficient, evaluate whether the baby's sucking is effective and correct it in time to avoid or slow down the delay in lactation
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Effective sucking refers to the slow and deep sucking of the baby, sometimes with a sudden pause, swallowing action can be seen or swallowing sound can be heard
.

3.
Empty the breasts (1) Breastfeeding as needed
.
Breastfeeding or pumping is usually done every 2-3 hours
.
If a baby who is exclusively breastfed sleeps for more than 2 hours during the day, the baby can be woken up and fed once
.
If you are pumping with a breast pump, it is recommended to pump both sides at the same time; regular pumping 8-10 times a day, at least once every 3 hours during the day, and at least once every 5 hours at night; (2) Extend the breastfeeding time
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Each feeding is generally more than 30 minutes
.
Because our prolactin peaks after 30 minutes of sucking
.
If you are pumping, it is recommended to pump until 2 minutes after the milk stops flowing out to increase milk output; (3) Breastfeeding at night
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Feed at least once at night; (4) For snooze babies, you can alternate breastfeeding or double breastfeeding
.
Alternate feeding is to allow the baby to eat on the first side until the sucking intensity decreases and swallowing decreases.
When the baby starts to soothe and suck, switch to the other side and encourage him to take active breastfeeding until the sucking intensity decreases again
.
At this time, switch back to the first side
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Finally, switch to the second side until the end of the feeding
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Double-feeding means that after the baby has eaten and drank enough, do not put the baby down to sleep immediately, but hold him for a while and burp him to expel the gas in the stomach
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Give him another round of breastfeeding to keep him full
.
Double feeding, like alternate feeding, can stimulate more lactation reflex and increase milk secretion
.

4.
Sufficient nutrition Nutrition is the basis of lactation, and food diversification is the basis of adequate nutrition, supplement high-quality protein and vitamin A-containing animal food and seafood
.
In addition to nutrients, the mother's daily water intake is also closely related to the amount of milk secretion
.
So drink plenty of water and eat more liquid food every day
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The relaxation techniques such as music, massage, heat and so on
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Drinking a cup of hot water, taking a hot bath, or massaging the shoulders and back before breastfeeding can help the breast formation
.

6.
Get enough rest and keep a happy mood.
Mothers should also recharge their energy during the day while the baby is sleeping to ensure enough rest time
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The family should give the mother enough support, so that the mother’s task only needs to "eat well, sleep well, and breastfeed
.
"

Text/Wang Haoyue (Beijing Tsinghua Chang Gung Memorial Hospital)