How to increase lactation in the breast. Do not assume that there is no milk in a soft breast. Need to give up

04.08.2019

All young mothers who are tuned in to serious and long-term breastfeeding of their baby are worried about lactation: will there be enough milk, will it be sufficiently saturated, how to protect yourself from its disappearance and how to increase lactation while breastfeeding? Breastfeeding will always be a pleasant and beneficial moment, both for the mother and for her baby, if this process is organized correctly and the measures recommended by specialists are taken to improve lactation (both qualitatively and quantitatively).

It has been scientifically proven that the hormone responsible for lactation in the body is prolactin, and its production depends entirely on the number of times the baby is applied to the breast. Thus, the more the baby suckles at the breast, the more his production will be.

For the same reason, it is not necessary to supplement the baby with water in the first months, mistakenly assuming that in this way it will be possible to "save" milk for the next feeding. It is important that the child actively and well empties the breast (this will stimulate the production of the next milk portion), but if the baby's appetite is interrupted, the sucking activity will decrease.

To increase the lactation of milk during breastfeeding, the baby should be fed at his request, the once-recommended strict hourly attachment does not give the desired result. Night hours are very useful for increasing milk flow, so nighttime applications should not be ignored.

A young mother definitely needs time for sound sleep and rest, fatigue and anxiety always negatively affect lactation. The fact is that in the female body, the hormone oxytocin is also responsible for the release of milk, and its production directly depends on the psycho-emotional state of the woman. The level of this hormone decreases with depression, nervous exhaustion, after stress.

All teas recommended today for lactation in their composition contain herbs aimed at normalizing the nervous state of a woman: lemon balm, chamomile, fennel seeds. This once again confirms that emotional calmness is needed to increase lactation.

Stimulates milk flow, helps to speed up the process and increase the volume of warm drinks. A nursing mother definitely needs to drink tea with milk, rosehip broth, dried fruit compotes, herbal teas, just warm boiled water as much as possible.

It is warm drink that promotes milk formation to a greater extent - neither hot nor cold. It is better to drink half an hour before the estimated time of the next feeding and immediately after it.

How to nutritionally improve lactation

When considering how to increase the amount of milk you breastfeed, keep the quality in mind. It should be saturated with all the necessary proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, useful microelements. All this is given to milk by the mother's body, which needs to be saturated as much as possible.

A nursing mother does not need to eat for two in the literal sense of the word, she just needs to balance her own nutrition.

Lactation experts have identified several types of products that will help both increase milk during breastfeeding and maximize milk saturation. The recommended list includes:

caraway. It can be chewed separately, eaten with bread, or used as a spice in cooked dishes, added to herbal tea when brewing;
nuts, best of all almonds, walnuts and pine nuts are also possible. They can be eaten every other day in very small quantities, this is a very fatty product that can cause severe constipation in a baby and provoke gas accumulation. In addition, a nursing mother should not eat salted and fried nuts. It is good to make a drink from pine nuts: pour a glass of water over them overnight, leave until morning, boil, insist a little, drink, sweetening with a little honey;
ginger. It can be added to cooked dishes, used as a spice, but warm ginger tea gives the best effect;
Hercules. Such porridge is an ideal breakfast for a nursing mother, you need to cook it in milk, add dried apricots and an apple, when the baby is a little older - you can sprinkle it with grated nuts every other day;
broths from lean meats;
fish broths;
vegetable soups;
feta cheese and Adyghe cheese;
carrots (in any form);
barley coffee. This drink, in addition to having a beneficial effect on lactation, will help those “coffee-lovers” mummies who are experiencing a difficult lack of their favorite drink;
lettuce leaves mixed with dill, seasoned with olive oil - an especially healthy dish for a nursing mother;
cocktail from seeds: dill, caraway seeds, anise and fennel fruits. All ingredients must be mixed, pour boiling water over, insist, and then drink, sweetening with honey.

Honey and anise can cause allergies in the baby, be sure to introduce them gradually, starting with a very small portion.

Boosting milk production with drugs

In search of effective ways to increase the amount of milk in a nursing mother, many women try to choose exactly a set of medications, considering it the fastest and most reliable. Today, nursing mothers are offered:

homeopathic remedies;
multivitamin complexes;
various dietary supplements;
teas to increase lactation.

What determines the quality of breast milk and how to improve it

From the entire list, the safest and no side effects are multivitamin complexes and teas. Dietary supplements are biologically active additives; for nursing mothers they are made on the basis of lactogonic herbs and containing royal jelly. The need for young mothers to use these supplements, the benefits or risks to the child's body - today all this remains a controversial issue among doctors. Of the homeopathic remedies, the most common is Mleoin.

For such a question, how to add milk to a nursing mother, teas are also produced by many manufacturers, the most popular ones: Humana, HiPP, Lactavit, Nestik. They differ mainly in price, as for the main components, most often they include: lemon balm, anise, fennel, nettle, cumin. Nestik has chamomile and rose hips added to its composition, while Humana offers an improved taste due to blackberry and hibiscus extract.

You can make tea in order to successfully solve such a problem as increasing the amount of milk in a nursing mother on your own at home, after looking at the composition from a vending manufacturer. You can also add hawthorn and oregano to homemade tea.

The benefits of breast milk can be talked about endlessly. None of the most adapted milk formula can replace a product created by nature itself. Mother's milk in its composition contains the most balanced complex of substances useful for the baby. According to statistics, only 3% of women who have given birth are unable to breastfeed due to the complete lack of breast milk. The most common cause of this problem is serious hormonal disorders. Despite this, according to the latest statistics, about 40% of newborns are on artificial feeding. Some moms refuse to breastfeed themselves. Others - milk (for reasons unknown to them) disappears for a while or irretrievably. It is about this category of nursing mothers that we will talk about.

Why does breast milk go missing?

The main reasons leading to temporary or permanent loss of breast milk:

NSuse of medications during childbirth ... The hormonal background in a woman is disrupted, as a result of which, lactation stops.
Late attachment of the baby to the breast. Today, in most maternity hospitals, the newborn is immediately applied to the mother's breast. The first application is a powerful stimulus for the timely establishment of lactation. Unfortunately, due to a number of medical contraindications and other objective reasons, not all babies immediately end up near their mother's breasts. As a rule, such women in the future may have problems with lactation and its duration.
Psychological problems. Stress, nervousness in the house, postpartum depression, anxiety, fears lead to the cessation or reduction of lactation.
Late introduction of complementary foods. Too early leads to a decrease in the amount of breast milk and a complete cessation of lactation.
Taking hormonal drugs with estrogen. The female hormone estrogen is found in many birth control pills.
Feeding the baby strictly according to the established schedule. It is recommended to apply the baby to the breast more often, and not 6 times a day, as was previously thought.

Lactation crisis: what is it?

This is a temporary decrease in the amount of milk. None of the mothers are immune from crises. During a crisis, lactation is usually reduced by three to four days. Doctors believe that the most common cause of crises is the growing needs of the baby for milk. How quickly the crisis passes directly depends on the emotional and physical state of the nursing woman. During a lactation crisis, mothers should not panic and urgently transfer the baby to artificial feeding. Reducing milk supply temporarily will not harm your baby if you apply it to the breast more often. Three or four days will pass and milk will appear in sufficient quantity.

The main symptoms of a lack of milk are:

The child becomes moody, often cries.
The baby is difficult to wean.
The baby sleeps restlessly, wakes up often.
The amount of urination is reduced. The kid urinates five to six times a day instead of the prescribed twelve.

How to check if you are getting enough milk?

What to do to increase lactation: 7 effective ways

We will not write about medication methods for increasing lactation, since medications must be prescribed by a doctor. We will focus only on those methods that every woman can use independently at home.

7 ways to increase lactation

Method number 1

Latch your baby to your breast as often as possible. During the breastfeeding time, two hormones are released in the mother's body, which are responsible for lactation. These are: prolactin and oxytocin.

Method number 2

Half an hour before feeding, you must drink a glass of warm tea with milk, a decoction of chamomile or just warm water.

Method number 3

Review your diet. A woman nursing a child must strictly monitor her diet. She needs to exclude from her diet all products containing artificial additives, any marinades and smoked meats. For a while, you will have to give up muffins, fizzy drinks and sweets. Of course, a nursing mother shouldn't eat for two at all. However, she should not forget that her menu must include cottage cheese, milk, kefir, fish, poultry, hard cheese.

To increase lactation, it is necessary to consume a large amount of liquid - at least 2 liters per day. Decoctions of such plants as licorice, dandelion, dill, lemon balm, rosehip, mint, yarrow perfectly increase lactation. It is advisable to drink half a glass of carrot juice twice a day.

Method number 4

A breastfeeding mother should sleep at least eight hours a day. Remember, your baby's health depends on your psychological stability. Do not forget to take walks often.

Method number 5

Massage. During water procedures, you should direct the shower head towards the chest. Hydromassage is done clockwise. You can massage the back of the cervical area with a jet of water, while capturing the upper back.

For a classic breast massage, you need castor oil. They should lubricate their palms and massage their breasts. Oil should not be applied to the nipple and pre-nipple area. The massage should be done clockwise. Massage both breasts in a circular motion for three minutes at the same time, without touching the nipple. Do not squeeze your chest, massage should be done in smooth movements. Contrast shower well increases lactation. It should be done twice a day.

Method number 6

"Nut" milk. This recipe is very popular among the people, but medicine has nothing against this method of increasing lactation. For the preparation of "nutty" milk will need 2 tablespoons. walnuts, which must be thoroughly chopped, and 200 ml of milk. Add nuts to hot milk. Pour the mixture into a thermos and let it brew for six hours. You need to take "nut milk" in a tablespoon three times a day. Doctors remind you that the ingredients in this recipe may cause allergies. Therefore, using nut milk, the mother should carefully monitor the condition of the child. Nuts (any of their types) are good stimulants of lactation.

Method number 7

Gymnastics... We present 3 exercises that have a beneficial effect on increasing lactation.

- Spread your arms out to the sides. After that, bring your hands in front of you in a cross position. Raising your arms slightly, spread your arms again. Flatten. Repeat these movements until the crossed arms are above your head. Lower your arms gently.

- Bend your elbows and lift them to chest level. Connect the palms of the hands. Press (quite hard) with one palm against the other. Relax.

- Put your hands in the lock behind your head. Tilt your head back, press (quite hard) on your folded hands with the back of your head. Relax.

For the full development of a child up to one year old, breast milk is needed. Mother's milk is a balanced product containing the amount of vitamins, iron, and mineral salts necessary for a baby. If you want your baby to grow up healthy, try to keep lactating and breastfeed your baby for as long as possible. We hope that our tips will help you with this.

Breastfeeding is a special period in the life of a young mother. Breastfeeding helps you recover faster after childbirth, provide protection against mastopathy and build a close relationship with your baby. Breastfeeding mothers often face a milk shortage. Today we will tell you how to increase lactation at home, and what to do if there is practically no milk in the breast.

5 main factors affecting the increase and maintenance of lactation

The correct development of a child is impossible without proper nutrition. Mother's milk is ideally suited to the ability of the baby's body to absorb food. From breast milk, the baby receives everything he needs: enzymes, growth factors, immunoglobulins that protect the child's body from infections.

Important! Each child should receive breast milk for at least 6 months, because it is fully adjusted to the individual needs of the baby.

Among the many factors affecting the occurrence, increase and preservation of milk secretion, the most important are:

The health status of the nursing mother and baby.
A mother's desire and will to breastfeed her baby.
The state of mind of a nursing mother and the situation in the family.
Regular latching of the newborn to the breast;
Conscientious preparation and learning of correct breastfeeding techniques.

What if there is not enough milk? We will definitely tell you about many effective ways to improve lactation, but first we advise you to watch this video:

Before concluding that the mother has little milk, the above factors must be excluded. If there are errors in the correct attachment of the breast, physical fatigue of a nursing mother or excessive mental stress (excitement, anxiety), then the lack of milk is only a consequence of the existing problems. Their solution will help to avoid a decrease in lactation and premature weaning.

Nursing mom's menu: a list of foods to increase the amount of milk

The quality of milk and its quantity directly depend on the diet and diet that the nursing mother adheres to. A varied diet stimulates the improvement of lactation and helps to establish proper breastfeeding.

Foods that should be included in the daily diet of the mother:

boiled milk and fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt) - not less than 0.5 l / day;
cottage cheese or curd products - 50-100 g / day;
boiled meat - at least 200 g / day;
fresh vegetables (carrots, onions, bell peppers, radishes) - 600 g / day;
butter - 30 g / day;
boiled chicken eggs - 1-2 pcs.;
fruits (green apple, pear) - at least 300 g / day;
black bread with caraway seeds - 400 g / day.

Also, during the lactation period, it is recommended to daily use vegetable oil as a dressing for fresh vegetables or dishes with cereals (about 20 g / day). Sunflower oil is a natural source of vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids. We talked about in one of the previous issues.

Foods that increase lactation:

warm green tea (lightly brewed);
hot chicken broth;
liquid cereals with rice and barley milk;
bee honey (as a substitute for sugar);
watermelons;
walnuts;
first courses with sea and river fish.

A nursing mother needs to monitor the amount of fluid consumed per day. It must be at least 2.5 liters (including all liquid dishes). 10-15 minutes before the start of the next feeding, it is useful to drink a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey - this simple drink helps to increase lactation and stimulates the flow of milk in the breast.

What foods to avoid during lactation:

natural coffe;
semi-finished meat products;
fast food, flavored chips and croutons;
store sauces (mayonnaise, ketchup, cheese sauces, etc.);
canned food of industrial origin;
products with a high cocoa content (including chocolate);
any alcoholic drinks (strictly prohibited!).

Note! In recent years, there has been a tendency for babies to be born with a deficient immune system. Try to avoid eating foods that can cause allergies in your baby.

Increasing lactation with folk remedies

Homemade ways to increase milk production were used by our grandmothers. Complaints about the lack of breast milk have been encountered at all times, and breastfeeding mothers have tried all available methods to solve the problem of breastfeeding. Many of them are still relevant today.

More liquid!

Drinking fluids increases milk production is a well-known fact. Try to drink as often as possible whenever possible. Lactation improves with the use of warm herbal decoctions, milk, special phyto-drinks for mothers.

Many of the herbs can be found at drugstores at penny prices: dill seeds, anise, cumin, and fennel. A vitamin drink will help to cope with a lactation crisis.

Recipe 1. Take a teaspoon of cumin seeds, pour a glass of water. Bring to a boil over the fire, simmer for 10 minutes, covered. Turn off the heat, let it brew for half an hour, strain the resulting broth. To improve the taste, you can add 0.5 tsp. honey.

Recipe 2. Pour anise seeds into a thermos, pour 200 ml of boiled hot water. Close the lid and let it brew for 2-3 hours. Then strain and cool the infusion. Take a drink of 50 ml before each feeding.

Self-massage of the mammary glands

Kneading the breast after breastfeeding develops the inflows well, stimulating milk production and its frequent hot flashes. Massage should be done on the breast with which the baby was fed. Hand movements during massage should be circular, from the nipple to the periphery, with light finger pressing over the entire surface, for 5-7 minutes.

Breast attachment on demand

Feeding the baby on demand is the key to proper breastfeeding and the production of the right amount of milk for each feeding. Do not take night breaks, let the baby apply to the breast as many times as his body requires. Frequent applications are the best way to stimulate lactation without any additional methods. Try to do the first months without calculating feeding by the hour - the baby knows better when it is time for him to eat, and your breast will “adjust” itself to his requirements.

What to do to keep the baby from starving and how to improve lactation? Tips from a young mom:

Medicines to improve lactation

Currently, the question of how to increase lactation can be solved with one trip to the pharmacy. Many medicines have been tested by mothers and help to solve an acute problem with hepatitis B - a decrease in lactation and a lack of milk. If folk remedies do not help, and the lactation crisis has dragged on, then it's time to contact a breastfeeding specialist and find a suitable drug to increase the amount of milk.

Release form	Names	Operating principle
Herbal teas for nursing mothers	Lactavit, Hipp, Humana, Grandma's basket, Lactafitol	Lactogenic agents with a firming and tonic effect. Teas based on natural herbs (fennel, cumin, anise, etc.) taste good and are used as daily drinks in the diet.
Tablets and granules	Lactogon, Apilak, Mlekoin	Effective drugs to increase lactation. It is taken with food as an active supplement when breastfeeding has stopped. It contains natural ingredients - nettle, ginger, royal jelly.
Milk formulas to improve lactation	Lactamil, Milky Way, Femilak, Bellakt Mama +, MD Mil Mama	Nutritious milk formulas meet the needs of a nursing mother for vitamins, minerals and stimulate the glands to produce breast milk. It is enough to dilute the mixture with water and drink it several times a day as a cocktail. Formula helps milk production and increases milk supply when consumed regularly.

Means for stimulating lactation can be of real help in reducing milk in the breast. But you should not expect a quick effect: in one case, it will take a couple of days to normalize feeding, in the other it will take a week.

On a note! A breastfeeding consultant will help you choose the most suitable drug - after examining your specific feeding history and observing the process, it will be easier for the specialist to suggest the optimal solution to your problem and, if necessary, choose a drug with you.

5 best ways to stimulate milk production

Before turning to medication, it is better to try simple methods that you can use on your own and without a doctor's recommendation.

Frequent breastfeeding
Nature itself made sure that the baby was full of mother's milk. At the moment of each breastfeeding, two important hormones are secreted and activated in a woman's body: oxytocin and prolactin. They are responsible for the amount of milk produced during lactation. The more often the baby sucks at the breast, the more milk will be delivered at each feeding moment.
Feeding the baby at night
A night break is detrimental to breastfeeding - if the baby does not breastfeed for a long time, milk becomes less. The body of nursing mothers believes that the baby will receive enough milk, which means that you can reduce its amount. This is how the decline in milk production occurs. Try to feed your baby at least twice a night to keep breastfeeding healthy.
Providing tactile contact with the baby
Skin-to-skin is the basic recipe for increasing milk supply without any additional recipes. Lactogenic hormones wake up at the moment the mother communicates with the baby, when the baby is rocked or carried in her arms. Caress your baby more often, and the problem with a lack of milk will be solved by itself.
Rest, rest and only rest
During the formation of lactation, free yourself from at least some of the household chores and chores. Adequate sleep - at least 7-8 hours a day, good nutrition and mental balance - these are the main conditions for the full production of a sufficient amount of breast milk.
Easy and useful chest exercises
Daily breast exercises stimulate ducts, circulation and breast milk production. It is necessary to do it while standing or sitting on the fitball in a comfortable position. Fold both hands together, palm to palm. Lead them behind your head. Tilt your head back, then press the back of your head vigorously on your folded arms several times. Repeat the exercise 2-3 more times.

P.S. Earlier we talked about the nutrition of a nursing mother and about products. Let's reinforce this topic once again, as proper nutrition is the key to good lactation:

Breastfeeding is a very important process for the health and physical development of a baby. Sometimes in the life of a young mother, the situation develops in such an unfavorable way that the baby is sorely lacking in breast milk or it practically disappears altogether. If there is a desire and desire to continue feeding a newborn, you need to know how to improve lactation, by what methods you can increase the production of breast milk and provide your baby with the right amount.

In order for the child to always have enough milk, the mother must monitor her lifestyle, nutrition and psychological balance.

In order to improve lactation, women are advised to follow a few simple tips that doctors usually give in such cases. They are aimed at stimulating the mammary glands and increasing the amount of breast milk. They relate to the lifestyle of a young mother.

Drink at least 1.5 liters of high-quality (filtered, mineral) still water a day.
Special teas to increase lactation.
Try to rest more in any free moments, not to overwork.
Get enough sleep: a nursing mother, according to doctors' estimates, needs at least 10 hours of sleep a day.
Two hours a day - walking in the fresh air.
Avoid stress, domestic, family quarrels and worries, do not be nervous.
Eliminate excessive physical activity.
No weight loss diets.
Frequent feedings (at least 10 times a day).
Do not give up night feedings, which just contribute to the production of prolactin in the female body - a hormone that improves lactation.
Do what you love to do that will make you feel good. This can be knitting, reading, and even watching your favorite movie. The grandmother or dad can stay with the baby at this time.
Do a special self-massage at home. Moisten your palms liberally with castor oil. Place your left hand under your chest, and your right hand on it. Make light, massage movements in a clockwise direction. Avoid getting oil on the nipple.
Sign up for a massage with a specialist, but be sure to warn him first that you are a nursing mother.

In addition to these recommendations, which mainly affect the lifestyle of a nursing mother, her diet is very important. It should include products, from the use of which milk becomes significantly more.

Ginger is one of those foods that promote milk production, but you shouldn't get carried away with it: strictly adhere to the recommended portions.

To improve lactation, young mothers need to include drinks, meals, and certain foods in their daily menu that increase the production of breast milk. These include:

warm tea: black (weak) with milk or green with honey - it is recommended to drink half an hour before feeding the baby;
caraway seeds: chew a small amount of caraway seeds daily or eat bread with this cereal;
fresh almonds, pine nuts, walnuts (be careful: they can cause profuse gas formation and constipation in the child);
herbal teas (from oregano, lemon balm, nettle, dill, hawthorn, anise);
juices: carrot, currant, blackthorn;
meat, but low-fat broths and soups,
fermented milk products, milk, feta cheese, Adyghe cheese;
carrots, watermelons, onions, lettuce;
buckwheat, rolled oats;
seeds, nuts;
barley coffee with honey and milk (the product can be found in a regular store);
ginger.

The right breakfast for a mom who wants to improve her lactation: oatmeal porridge with dried apricots, milk and a few walnuts.

By including enough of these healthy foods in their diet, women can be confident that they will have more milk after 3-4 days of the new diet. However, there are foods that have properties exactly the opposite - they should be avoided by those who have lactation problems.

Too spicy foods, as you know, are strongly discouraged for breastfeeding.

From the diet, you will have to remove foods that reduce lactation, retaining fluid in the body. These include:

hot seasonings, spices;
parsley, sage, mint;
smoked meats;
canned foods.

Those women who regularly consume these products will not be able to avoid problems with lactation: they will have much less milk with such food intemperance. And if they do not take urgent measures to somehow improve lactation, do not exclude these products from their menu, the baby will soon have to be transferred to artificial feeding. To make more milk, it is recommended to prepare various folk remedies.

Uzvar is a wonderful folk remedy for increasing lactation, in addition, it saturates the body of a young mother with the vitamins she and the child need

You can improve lactation by using certain foods and drinks that promote the active production of breast milk by the young mother's body. You need to choose from all the variety one of the recipes that can be prepared daily and consumed throughout the day: the results usually do not take long.

Caraway drink

Pour caraway seeds (1 teaspoon) with boiling milk (200 ml), leave under the lid for 2 hours. Take 100 ml shortly (15 minutes) before feeding.

Uzvar

Rinse dried fruits (200 g each of dried pears and apples, prunes, raisins), cover with cold water for 10 minutes. Then pour the pears and apples with 3 liters of water, cook for 15 minutes over low heat. Add raisins and prunes, cook for another 15 minutes. Add 200 g of honey, wait for a boil, remove from heat, cover, leave for 3 hours. Uzvar is considered one of the most effective remedies to improve lactation in case of problems with breast milk production.

Cedar cocktail

Pour fresh pine nuts (1 tablespoon) with water (200 ml) overnight. Boil in the morning, add honey (2 tablespoons), drink.

Dill tea

Dill seeds (1 tablespoon) pour boiling water (200 ml), leave in a thermos for 2 hours. Drink 100 ml twice a day.

Dill cocktail

Grind and mix together the seeds of anise and dill (20 g each), fenugreek seeds and fennel fruits (30 g each). Pour 1 teaspoon of the resulting mixture with boiling water (200 ml), leave under the lid for 2 hours. Drink 100 ml twice a day.

Milk and dill cocktail

Grind dill seeds (1 tablespoon), pour in kefir (200 ml), add nutmeg and salt to taste. Drink before breakfast.

Nut milk

Boil peeled ground walnuts (100 g) in milk (500 ml) until thickened, add granulated sugar to taste. Drink 30 minutes before feeding.

Radish with honey

Grate the radish, squeeze the juice out of it (100 ml), dilute with boiled, but already cold water (100 ml), add honey (1 tablespoon).

Dandelion juice

Grind young, fresh dandelion leaves in a meat grinder, squeeze the juice out of them, add salt, let it brew for half an hour. Drink 100 ml twice a day in small sips. To remove the bitterness, add a little lemon juice, honey or granulated sugar.

Dandelion decoction

Grind the roots and leaves of dandelions in a meat grinder (1 teaspoon), pour boiling water (200 ml), leave for 1 hour under the lid. Strain, drink 4 times a day, 50 ml half an hour before meals.

Dandelion milkshake

Chop dill leaves and dandelion petals, mix. Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture, add grated walnuts (10 g) to it, pour kefir (4 glasses), beat with a mixer, drink 100 ml for breakfast.

Ginger tea

Grind fresh ginger root (3 tablespoons), add a liter of water, boil. Add lemon and honey to taste. Drink 60 ml three times a day.

Vitamin mass

Mix dried apricots, raisins, figs, prunes, peeled walnuts (1 tablespoon each). Grind, add honey. Eat half an hour before feeding, wash it down with warm tea.

Herbal decoctions

Herbs that improve lactation must be chosen wisely, since each plant will work only in a certain case:

for stomach problems: anise, caraway seeds, fennel, dill;
under stress: lemon balm, oregano;
with anemia: nettle.

Any herb (1 teaspoon) is poured with boiling water (200 ml), boiled for 10 minutes, infused under the lid for half an hour. Drink 50 ml every hour.

Knowing how to improve lactation, young mothers will be able to provide their baby with a sufficient amount of breast milk, even in the most critical situations, when its production is on the verge of stopping. It is very easy to adhere to the above tips, it is also quite possible to organize a kind of lactation diet, and it is a pleasure to prepare tasty and healthy folk remedies that improve lactation. Enjoy and please your baby.

Mother's milk is the best food for an infant. No matter how adapted the formula is, it is not able to replace the natural food of the newborn. Therefore, many mothers are concerned about maintaining lactation at the proper level.

Breastfeeding a baby is a natural process that can be suspended due to the individual characteristics of the female body. To improve lactation and provide the baby with nutritious breast milk, it is advisable to follow a special diet.

What to do to increase mother's milk if the baby does not have enough of it? There are several ways to improve lactation:

to breastfeed the baby correctly;
normalize the feeding process;
do the exercises;
include in your diet foods and drinks that stimulate milk production, exclude those that worsen its quality;
the last resort is medication.

What does the milk production process depend on? Many factors, including:

the psychological state of the nursing mother;
taking medications;
mother's posture during feeding;
how correctly the mother gives the breast to her child, and how much the child can suck it.

Stress can lead to cessation of lactation. The depressed state of a nursing mother, her bad mood in the most direct way affect the quantity and quality of milk produced by her mammary glands. This means that a nursing woman should try to avoid conflicts and feed her baby in the best possible mood.

Taking medication can negatively affect the quality of lactation, the taste of milk and the very possibility of feeding. Even if milk is available, if it contains medications, it should be expressed. The mixture will have to be introduced into the baby's food. It is impossible to feed the baby with milk with medicines. It is categorically not recommended to take medications for a nursing mother without consulting a pediatrician.

The flow of milk depends on the position of the mother during feeding. An uncomfortable posture reduces milk flow, a comfortable and comfortable position supports full milk production and can help increase milk production.

How to offer breasts correctly and how many times should you do it?

This article tells about typical ways of solving your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

The breast should be offered to the child correctly:

Insert the nipple into a wide open mouth, so that the baby can capture not only the nipple, but also the pigmented area around the nipple (areola). Then he will be able to suck out both "forward" liquid milk and concentrated "far" milk. This will make the baby's nutrition more complete and will increase lactation.
When breastfeeding, you do not need to add water to the baby, especially in the first months of its life, an exception may be a too hot climate.
You should also avoid "breast surrogates" - nipple bottles, pacifiers. With their help, the child can satisfy the sucking instinct, but will not receive full-fledged communication with the mother, and may then be lazy to suckle.
If there is enough milk, it is worth feeding with one breast (one breast - one feeding).

The use of pacifiers is very convenient for parents as it instantly soothes the baby. However, the benefits of such tricks for the baby himself are very doubtful, because they do not replace the full communication with the mother, which takes place during breastfeeding.

There is no need to limit the baby in the first months of life in the time spent at the breast. This will allow it to suck out enough milk to feed and increase its production. The mode will begin to "be drawn" only by the third month of the baby's life. It is recommended to feed the baby on demand. In the first 3-4 days, while the colostrum is replaced by milk, and the production of the latter is small, the baby can suckle for hours. Then this process is normalized, but in the first months the baby can eat 10-12 times a day.

Massage to enhance lactation

Massage is not only able to stimulate lactation, but also prevent congestion in the mammary glands. It will become the prevention of mastitis and mastopathy. It is very simple to execute it:

We place one hand under the chest, the other on the chest.
We make simultaneous circular movements in a clockwise direction with both hands. Actions should not be accompanied by pain.
In order not to injure the skin, it is recommended to use oils (olive, castor, almond). The oil should not get on the areola and the breast will need to be washed before feeding. Applying the oil will help prevent the formation of stretch marks and keep the skin in good condition.

You can restore the beauty of your breasts with massage oils that contain a complex of nutrients. Their use will help, among other things, get rid of stretch marks or prevent their appearance.

Physical exercises

If this is not enough, you can do one or more of the following exercises:

Wild cow exercise- to complete it, get down on all fours, bow your head as low as possible and move around the room in this position. You can perform any amount of time, the longer the better.
Exercise "scissors". You need to stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, spread your arms to the sides, then cross in front of you, lifting them higher and higher with each subsequent movement. Complete 10 sets.
"Turtle" - to perform this exercise, you need to sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Bend your arms at the elbows, bringing your palms together in front of you (as if you are praying), palms need to be pressed strongly against each other (as hard as possible), count to three and relax your hands without separating your palms. Complete 10 sets. The exercise is called so because if it is performed correctly, among other muscles, the back muscles are strained, making it look like a tortoise shell.

"Milk" products

We are what we eat. The volume and quality of breast milk produced by the mother's glands is not least dependent on her nutrition (see also:). Foods for a nursing mother while breastfeeding should be rich in nutrients.

Lactation directly depends on the amount of liquid you drink. Mom should drink a lot, at least 2 liters / day of clean water, and use hot dishes (soups) without fail.

Soups must be included in the diet of a nursing mother (see also :). They realize several functions of an ideal dish for the lactation period at once: they contain a lot of vitamins and microelements, and they are also hot liquid food, which enhances the processes of breast milk production

What products most actively affect the increase in lactation (more in the article :)? Here are some examples:

Cumin, fennel, anise and dill - the seeds of these plants affect lactation and save the mother and her child from flatulence (see also:).
Fermented milk products (bifidokefir, bifidok) are an excellent means for normalizing bowel function, excellent suppliers of calcium and "lacticogonous" means.
Weak warm tea with milk.
Honey, like royal jelly, contains a huge amount of beneficial compounds. However, the choice of honey must be approached carefully. Firstly, it must be natural, and secondly, honey can not be used on any herbs. It can be administered in small amounts so as not to cause allergies in the baby.
Nuts are a nutritious and healthy product that improves the quality of breast milk and increases its production (we recommend reading :). However, in the first months, modern pediatricians do not recommend eating them. The baby may develop constipation, and when taking more than 100 grams of the product per day - intestinal obstruction.
Carrots - the product is rich in vitamins and minerals. Keep in mind, however, that beta-carotene is a fat-soluble vitamin, so carrots should be consumed with vegetable fats.
Watermelon - This berry has excellent lactation-stimulating properties. But do not use it in the first months of feeding. Firstly, it can cause allergies in the child, and secondly, diarrhea, bloating and other problems. In addition, early watermelons are very easy to poison (unscrupulous farmers "pump" early berries with urea to accelerate ripening).

Delicious recipes

Carrot juice with a small addition of cream, milk or kefir (we recommend reading :). The juice should be freshly squeezed, you can make it yourself, using a juicer, or "manually" - by rubbing the carrots on a medium-sized grater and squeezing the juice through a gauze.
Delicious drinks with fennel, anise, dill and a little honey.
Milk infusions or cocktails can be prepared at later feeding times. For example, brew 4 small walnuts in 1 tbsp. hot milk, insist 60 minutes in a thermos and add a drop of honey, this daily portion, consume it 4 times.

If these methods fail to increase lactation, you will have to resort to medications. An experienced professional can recommend them.