Breast milk supplement pills. Products that increase and decrease lactation. Insufficient lactation: a perceived problem

28.07.2019

Scientists have proven that the quantity and quality of milk during lactation directly depends on the products that a woman consumes. Therefore, if the question arises about how to increase lactation, you need to think first of all not about drugs and medicines, but about how to increase the calorie content of your own diet. But this should be done correctly, without going beyond the use of healthy and wholesome food.

Diet as a means of increasing lactation

Before starting to eat more, it is necessary to analyze the existing diet and determine its nutritional value. During the breastfeeding period, it should be on average 700-1000 kcal higher than in the usual state, for which the energy value of the food consumed per day should be on average 2300 kcal.

The mother's daily diet should include poultry or fish, milk and dairy products, cottage cheese, cheese, vegetables and fruits. From fats it is better to use butter, but not more than 20 g per day. The main tool that helps a woman both increase lactation and maintain it at this level is maintaining the correct ratio of these products. It is impossible to allow an overweight in the direction of proteins, carbohydrates, and even more so fats. By increasing the consumption of one component, you need to adjust the amount of the rest.

The amount of water you drink should be at least 2 liters per day. Some women find that if they drink more fluids, the amount of milk they produce will increase. And this is true, but at the same time its composition will change. It should be borne in mind that in this case the milk will contain less protein and vitamins. Therefore, this is not the best way to increase lactation. The level of protein in breast milk is also influenced by how much a nursing mother consumes sweets - sugar, rolls, pastries, bread. The more of these foods eaten, the less protein the child gets.

Products that increase and decrease lactation

Before you start artificially increasing the amount of milk, you need to be firmly convinced that it is really not enough. If you cannot determine this on your own, then you can always consult a pediatrician.

But if it nevertheless turned out that the baby is malnourished, then first of all you need to limit yourself in products that reduce lactation: chocolate, coffee, citrus fruits, mushrooms, cocoa. In addition, you need to exclude alcohol in any of its manifestations. Contrary to the stereotype, it is not only not a product that increases lactation, but also has a negative effect on the health of the child, since it passes through the blood quite quickly into milk. The same applies equally to nicotine.

Onions, garlic and spices should also be excluded from the diet, since they give milk an unpleasant aftertaste, due to which the baby can refuse to breast.

If we talk about how to increase lactation, one cannot fail to mention such a remedy as warm tea with milk. Sometimes it is advised to drink it with honey, but since honey is a strong allergen, it should be added to tea with caution. Tea should be drunk half an hour before feeding the baby. This simple method does not affect the amount of milk, but the intensity of its production.

Lactation is also stimulated by meat and chicken broths, cheeses (especially Adyghe and feta cheese), seeds and various dairy products. In addition, you can start drinking drinks on a regular basis with natural lactation enhancers - dandelion, ginger, cumin, radish, carrots and fennel.

Means for increasing lactation: simple recipes for healthy drinks

Carrot juice. The washed carrots should be doused with boiling water, grated and squeezed out. 1 glass of juice should be drunk 2-3 times a day, and it should be prepared immediately before use;
Carrots with cream. One of the variations of an effective remedy for increasing lactation. Grated carrots (3-4 tablespoons) should be poured with a glass of milk and let it brew a little. Take 1 glass 3 times a day;
Tincture on dandelion leaves. Wash freshly picked leaves, scroll through a meat grinder, squeeze out the juice and salt a little. Leave to infuse for half an hour, then take half a glass 1-2 times a day. To slightly improve the taste, you can add a few drops of lemon juice and sugar;
Caraway cocktail. Pour 8 g of caraway seeds with 0.5 l of water, add half a chopped lemon and 50 g of sugar. Mix everything, put on low heat and cook for 5-10 minutes. Strain and cool the finished drink. Take half a glass 3 times a day.
Anise drink. Anise is an excellent product that increases lactation. To prepare a drink, you need to pour 15 g of the seeds of this plant with a liter of boiling water and leave for 1 hour, then strain, cool and drink 2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day.

Preparations for increasing lactation

In some cases, folk remedies to increase lactation do not help. It often happens that a young mother simply does not have enough time to prepare tinctures and drinks. In this case, the woman is forced to use some medicines with a similar effect.

At the same time, taking medications and pharmaceutical teas to increase lactation does not cancel the normalization of the diet, since this is the main way to increase the amount of milk. Here is a list of some of the most effective drugs for increasing lactation:

Lactagon. The preparation contains royal jelly in combination with nettles, carrots and some other components, due to which the desired result is achieved;
Femilak-2. Dry milk product, which contains protein, vitamins and some useful minerals;
Lactavite. Cumin, fennel, nettle and anise - the most powerful herbs that improve lactation are collected here;
Apilak. The preparation is based on royal jelly with a variety of trace elements and vitamins;
Tea "Grandma's basket". It contains useful herbs in the right proportions. This is a ready-made answer to the question of how to increase lactation - packed and waiting for a woman on the shelf of a store or pharmacy. Such tea saves time, which is spent on self-preparation of the collection for brewing drinks;
Mlekoin. Homeopathic medicine in granules taken before meals.

How to increase and maintain lactation?

After enough milk has been produced, women often wonder how to maintain this condition.

Firstly, you need to remember about the quantity and quality of consumed products, and secondly, follow simple recommendations:

Observe the daily routine: sleep 8-10 hours a day, walk in the fresh air for at least 2 hours;
Do not skip night feedings, they are required. This point is especially important because the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for lactation, is produced precisely at night. Due to this, the night feeding of the baby is of better quality, and the process itself is lengthy. If a mother has stopped feeding at night and is interested in the question of how to increase lactation, then all she needs to do is resume them;
Consume more fermented milk products;
Apply the baby to the breast more often;
Drink multivitamins;
Be less nervous, have a positive attitude;
Relax during feeding and put off all business for the sake of this process.

These are the main methods of how to increase lactation. If after their application the situation does not change, then you will need to consult a doctor for advice. You may need to additionally feed your baby formula milk.

Text: Alina Litovchenko

4.62 4.6 out of 5 (81 votes)

Breastfeeding is a natural process that is sometimes disrupted. There are many reasons for this, one of them is hypogalactia (a decrease in the volume or duration of lactation). But what if a nursing mom wants to continue breastfeeding? How to establish this process without harm to the child?

There are various methods for increasing lactation. More on this later.

Reasons for a decrease in lactation

Primary hypogalactia - milk deficiency from the first days, rarely occurs, in no more than 5% of women due to neuroendocrine disorders.

In other cases, lactation decreases for the following reasons:

A woman does not have a dominant lactation - the belief that breast milk is the best nutrition (psychological problem).
Unbalanced diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Stressful states.
Long pauses between feedings.
Early introduction of artificial nutrition.
Feeding the newborn on schedule, not on demand.

All these conditions are dangerous and threaten with a sharp decrease in the production of breast milk.

Another danger is that which can arise during the first six months after childbirth. In a nursing mother, the amount of breast milk periodically decreases and increases. This is due to the fact that the child is growing, his appetite increases dramatically, and the mother's body simply does not have time to adapt to such leaps. It is during this period that hormonal imbalance occurs, which affects the volume of milk.

To maintain and improve lactation, it is necessary to calculate the lactation crisis and try to feed the baby more often. To improve lactation, use various herbs, folk remedies and biologically active preparations.

Symptoms of insufficient breast milk

Hypogalactia is determined by the behavior of the child, the main symptoms are:

the baby is slowly gaining weight (less than 500 g per month);
decreased daily urine volume (urination less than 6 times in 24 hours);
the newborn is restless, especially during feeding.

It is on these grounds that a decrease in the volume of milk in a nursing mother is calculated. If you have suspicions of hypolactia, then conduct a study, for this, weigh the baby for 24 hours before and after feeding, write down the data.

If the diagnosis is confirmed, then it is necessary to act. To improve lactation, increase the number of feedings per day. If the problem has a psychological origin, then a specialist consultation is necessary. Herbs and a balanced diet also help to cope with the problem.

Products for increasing lactation

The nutritional value of a lactating woman's diet should be about 2400 kcal, which is 800–1000 kcal more than usual. The daily diet of a nursing mother includes lean poultry, sea fish, dairy products. You can't do without vegetables and fruits. As for butter, the daily portion should not exceed 20 g. It is important to strictly observe the ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

The daily volume of liquid is at least 2 liters, it is better if it is ordinary filtered water. If you drink too much liquid, milk will contain less protein and vitamins. And therefore it is necessary to adhere to the norm.

If a woman during lactation consumes a large amount of sugar, confectionery and flour products, then the amount of protein in milk will decrease. And proteins are necessary for newborns for normal development.

Make sure the problem exists before increasing the milk volume. For this, it is better to consult a pediatrician.

Avoid the following foods and drinks:

chocolate;
tonic drinks (coffee, strong tea);
citrus;
mushrooms;
cocoa;
alcohol.

Onions, garlic and spices make milk taste bad and your baby may refuse to feed several times.

In order to increase milk production, drink mild tea with added honey. But watch the dosage, as honey is considered an allergen. Drink the drink 30 minutes before feeding.

Do not refuse meat, chicken broths, hard cheeses, seeds and dairy products.

Specialized products that increase lactation:

Femilak is a dry mixture containing vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, taurine.
Enfa Mama is a dry mix with the same composition, but without taurine.
Dumil Mama + is a dry dairy product with similar components without taurine.
Olympic is a dry mix with vitamins and soy protein.
Milky Way Milk Formula with Soy Protein Isolate and Goat's rue extract.

All these products saturate the mother's body with minerals, trace elements, multivitamins, correct the diet for proteins, fats, carbohydrates.

Folk remedies to increase lactation

You can fight hypolactia with the help of folk remedies. Use herbs to make medicinal decoctions during breastfeeding.

To improve lactation, prepare the following drinks:

Pour 8 g of dandelion (root) with 200 ml of boiling water, let it brew. Consume 4 times a day before meals.
Nettle is an excellent milk-producing remedy. Pour 25 g of dry herb leaves with 200 ml of boiling water, strain after 20 minutes and consume 30 ml three times a day.
Pour 40 g of caraway seeds with boiling water (300 ml), strain and take 100 ml three times a day.
Pour 50 g of dill with boiled water (300 ml), let it brew, strain after 20 minutes and take 100 ml three times a day.
To increase milk production, consume 200 ml of birch sap 30 minutes before a meal.
These funds help fight hypogalactia in mom. You must obtain a doctor's permission to use traditional recipes. After all, many herbs are allergens.

Effective means by which lactation increases:

Boil carrots in milk, divide them into 3 servings and consume three times a day. Repeat the procedure every day for 2 weeks.
Eat green onion feathers daily.
Stir 50 g of caraway seeds with sour cream (120 g), put on low heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Consume the entire serving at once.

These are not all folk recipes that help fight hypolactia. Be sure to consult with your doctor about the possibility of using this or that remedy.

Preparations for increasing lactation

Sometimes folk recipes do not help to cope with hypolactia, or a nursing mother does not have time to prepare infusions and decoctions. Then drugs come to the rescue to increase milk production.

Observe the diet while taking medications and medicinal drinks, this is the only way to increase the volume of milk. Effective drugs:

Lactogon with royal jelly, dill, ginger, nettle, oregano, etc.
Apikaltin, based on pollen and royal jelly, helps fight hypolactus. To avoid unpleasant symptoms, take preparations with bee products under the supervision of a doctor.
Lactavit is an effective preparation with caraway seeds, fennel, nettle and anise. Strong herbs have a beneficial effect on the mother's body, with their help lactation increases.
Apilak is a preparation based on royal jelly, which contains various vitamins and microelements.
Mleoin is a homeopathic medicine that stimulates the production of prolactin and is essential to improve lactation. Homeopathic remedies are safe for the child.

When lactation has improved, the question arises of maintaining this state.

And therefore, lactating women need to adhere to the following rules:

Watch your diet.
Observe the regime, the minimum duration of sleep per day is 8 hours.
Walk for 3-4 hours.
Be sure to breastfeed your baby at night so as not to disrupt the production of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for increasing lactation.
Eat fermented milk products.
Take a multivitamin.
Avoid stress.
Relax while feeding.

If these rules are followed, lactation should recover and even improve. If the situation has not changed as a result of using all these methods, consult your doctor.

Often women have problems with breastfeeding, for example, when the baby stops breastfeeding or, even worse, there is not enough milk, there is not enough milk for the baby. But these conclusions are often wrong. What are the signs that the baby is really lacking in nutrition, in what cases is mom mistaken about the amount of her milk, what techniques and means to increase lactation of breast milk are there?

An observant mom will not miss the signs of a lack of milk. They are quite visible. So, mommy can note that the baby rarely has to change disposable diapers. In the first days of a child's life, while he feeds on colostrum, urination can be only 1-3. After more - up to 6-8 per day. And after the 10th day of life, their number grows to 10-12, no less. Since disposable diapers can absorb a lot, it is not easy to find out how many times a baby has urinated. You have to resort to trickery. Either very often you watch diapers, weigh them or purchase such diapers that have a control strip on the front that changes color when the hygiene product gets wet. Did you see the strip? Change your diaper and keep it counting.

The number of bowel movements of a child per day is not so indicative, but it can also be taken into account. Babies from about 5-7 days after birth are mostly emptied 2-5 times a day. Their stool has a mushy or liquid consistency.

All these rules must be followed, and attempts must be made to restore normal lactation. To do this, you should eat right, get plenty of rest, often feed your baby and drink plenty of fluids yourself.

What is the best liquid to drink? Popular rumor usually talks about special teas for milk lactation and cow's milk. And doctors advise plain water. Necessarily either boiled or bottled. Not from the tap! As for cow's milk, it should be consumed in moderation. A large amount of cow's milk in a mother's diet will almost certainly provoke an intolerance to cow protein in a child. It is better to use fermented milk products, but also in moderation. If you are worried about the lack of calcium in your body, eat more fresh herbs and vegetables, they are also very high in calcium. Or drink special formula for nursing mothers (like babies).

Some women like to use herbal teas for nursing mothers to quench their thirst, containing aromatic herbs such as anise, dill and fennel. Many people notice the positive effect of drinking this drink. However, modern doctors believe that the point is not in the lactogonic properties of tea, but simply in the fact that a woman begins to drink more and, in general, follow the recommendations for increasing lactation.

Now there is a lot of talk about the fact that there are products that increase lactation, and they traditionally include walnuts, carrot juice, just raw carrots and milk. As for milk, we wrote earlier. But carrots are useful for the mother's body, but you should not get too carried away with it in order to avoid an allergic reaction from the child.

Drugs are actively promoted to increase milk production in a nursing mother. These are dietary supplements containing the previously mentioned anise, fennel and dill, as well as royal jelly. For example, "Apilak". Before you start taking any dietary supplement, carefully read the instructions. Any drug can provoke allergies in you and your child, and cause sleep disturbances in your baby.

It has been proven that only drugs to increase lactation, which have undergone a number of studies for efficacy and safety, can stimulate the mammary glands. But they don't exist yet. Is that "Oxytocin", a hormone that is injected into women in maternity hospitals for the rapid recovery (contraction) of the uterus. It provokes the release of breast milk. But these injections are recommended for a maximum of 3 days, since they have many side effects, including provoking the appearance of postpartum edema. And they certainly shouldn't be used on their own for lactation.

We hope we have been able to answer most of your questions regarding successful breastfeeding. Breastfeeding your baby is not difficult at all. Listen to the advice of breastfeeding counselors and ignore those who say you won't succeed.

Almost any representative of the fair sex is able to conceive, bring in and give birth to a baby. But modern ecology, increasingly weakening genetics and other negative factors lead to the fact that the percentage of infertile women or those who have borne and given birth, but are not able to feed their baby with breast milk, is increasing over the years. In this case, drugs that increase lactation come to the aid of mothers.

The principle of their work is to activate the hidden reserves of the woman's body, which purposefully begin to stimulate the natural processes of breast milk production in the mammary glands of a woman in labor.

Indications for the use of drugs that increase lactation

There is a certain percentage of women who categorically do not want to breastfeed their babies, but there are not many such representatives. Most, nevertheless, understand it as mother's milk, and tactile contact is necessary for a little man. But, unfortunately, there are mothers whose mammary glands simply do not produce or produce, but in a small amount, such a necessary milk for a baby.

Indications for the use of drugs that increase lactation:

Hypogalactia is derived from the ancient Greek words hypo - low and gala - milk. That is, the mammary glands are either insufficient or do not fully produce breast milk. But this problem is not fatal. It can be prevented, since true hypogalactia is observed quite rarely (such cases are less than 5%).

So why does a young, healthy woman still face a problem feeding her baby?

Lack of psychological disposition to breastfeed the baby or persistent fear of not having enough milk.
Agalactia is a complete absence of breast milk secretion in the parturient woman.
Stressful situations.
Mastopathy is a dyshormonal hyperplastic process in the mammary gland.

Release form

The modern pharmacological market is ready to present new mothers with drugs that stimulate lactation in women in labor. The form of release of such medicines is different - these are herbal tea bags, and powder form, and tablets.

Pharmacodynamics of drugs that increase lactation

Our grandmothers were of the opinion that the more mothers milk for feeding a newborn, the more a woman eats, drinks and rests. Undoubtedly, this is important, but these factors more affect its quality, but not the volumes produced. The hormone prolactin is responsible for the amount of milk produced, it begins to work the more actively, the more often and for a long time mom will put her baby to her breast. At the same time, milk will be produced in the amount that this particular baby needs.

Pharmacodynamics of drugs that increase lactation is a secret that stimulates prolactin and oxytocin enzymes. The first, of which is responsible for the production of breast milk, and the second provides its "supply" directly for feeding the newborn. The drugs also have anesthetic, antifungal, antibacterial properties. They have a sedative effect on the body of the newly-minted mother, relieve inflammation well, relieve chest pains, and normalize hormonal levels.

Pharmacokinetics of drugs that increase lactation

The products of the vital activity of bees, which are part of the preparations, are similar in structure to the enzymes of the human body, therefore they are easily accepted by the woman's body. Due to this, the pharmacokinetics of drugs that increase lactation is expressed by a high absorption rate, and cellular metabolism is activated. These funds have a slight diuretic and laxative effect.

Contraindications to the use of drugs that increase lactation

Due to its maximum naturalness, contraindications to the use of drugs that increase lactation are reduced to only two points.

Hypersensitivity to the constituent components of the preparations, or to beekeeping products.
Addison's disease is a rather rare endocrine disease caused by chronic insufficiency of the functioning of the adrenal cortex, as a result of which the adrenal glands lose their ability to produce a sufficient amount of hormones necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Side effects of drugs that increase lactation

The ongoing monitoring revealed minor side effects of drugs that increase lactation, which are caused by allergic reactions and the immunity of the body of a woman and a child to beekeeping products. In this case, you must stop taking the drug. If there is a sleep disorder, it is worth slightly reducing the dosage of the drug consumed.

The names of drugs that increase lactation

Faced with this problem, some mothers begin to panic, enrolling themselves in the ranks of those who cannot breastfeed. Someone shrugs off and transfers the child to artificial feeding, while others seek advice from mothers, grandmothers, girlfriends, and only a small percentage of women first turn to their doctor for advice. But you can help such mothers and this article is ready to provide everyone with the names of drugs that increase lactation.

Apilak is a preparation created on the basis of royal jelly and containing a complex of vitamins and microelements useful for both mother and child.
Lactogon - this drug is classified as biologically active additives (BAA), it is not a medicine, as such, but its phyto-basis is able to actively stimulate biophysical processes in the human body. The stimulant contains: royal jelly (bee product), nettle, dill, oregano, potassium iodide, carrot juice, ascorbic acid, ginger.
Mlekoin is an effective homeopathic medicine that is allowed to be used throughout the entire period of breastfeeding, which is unacceptable for many other medicines.
Apilactin is an adapted preparation based on beekeeping products: royal jelly and pollen.

These funds are far from all that pharmacology can offer on the issue of interest.

On pharmacy shelves, you can find specialized milk formulas, which, most likely, affect not so much the lactation itself as the quality of milk produced by a woman.
Various herbal teas can be found to stimulate more active milk production.
- Tea for nursing mothers HIPP, which includes: cumin, lemon balm, fennel, nettle, anise.
- Lactavit - the composition is almost the same as the previous one. The taste may not be quite to someone's taste (it resembles hay in taste and aroma), but the result is more expensive.
- "Babushkino basket" - the components are practically the same. The difference is that there are such components: tea with rose hips, which in some cases can act as an allergen, and sometimes with an anise additive. Everyone chooses to their liking.

Method of administration and dosage

Drugs to increase lactation are injected into a woman's body sublingually. The method of administration and doses are such that the tablet must be placed under the tongue and kept there until it is completely dispersed. Reception of a stimulant milk is carried out at the rate - but one tablet three times throughout the day. The recommended duration of taking the drug can be found in the instructions attached to the drug. Most drugs can be taken for no more than 10-15 days, but there are some that are allowed for use throughout the entire period of breastfeeding.

Overdose

In the process of monitoring the intake of drugs that stimulate lactation, their overdose was not revealed. No such cases are reported.

Many mothers, faced with the problem of lack of milk, transfer their children to artificial feeding, while studies show that only about 5% of women suffer from a real lack of milk - true hypogalactia.

Why there is little breast milk

The reasons for the lack of milk can be primary and secondary. Primary causes are associated with true hypogalactia, and secondary causes arise against the background of improperly organized breastfeeding. The most common cause of milk shortages is secondary causes.

Primary causes

Disruption of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) associated with insufficient production of hormones. In this case, a woman can become pregnant only with a mild degree of the disease, in other cases, only after treatment. Further breastfeeding is possible with hormone replacement therapy.
Surgical operations of the mammary gland to reduce it, in the case of using a technique to remove everything unnecessary by elementary cutting, followed by sewing the nipple into place.
Sheehan's syndrome. This is the death of the pituitary gland due to the absence or lack of blood circulation due to significant blood loss during childbirth. Since prolactin and oxytocin are produced by the pituitary gland, there is no milk after childbirth.
Congenital defect of prolactin. Extremely rare.
Breast hypoplasia is the most common of all primary causes. It manifests itself in the absence or insufficient development of the glandular tissue of the mammary gland. This does not mean that if you have breasts of size 0 or 1, then you have hypoplasia. This amount of adipose tissue may be sufficient for breastfeeding.

Important! If you have breasts of size 0 or 1, then this does not mean at all that you have hypoplasia. This amount of adipose tissue may be sufficient for breastfeeding.

Secondary causes

Long breaks between feedings. Keeping a 2–3 hour break between feedings leads to overfilling of the breast with milk if it is too small or too much milk is produced. Along with the increase in milk, the content of a special protein increases, which slows down the production of milk by the breast.
Lack of attachment to the breast in the first three days after childbirth. Leads to a slower and more painful start of the process. In addition, these days, with the active stimulation of the breast by the child, prolactin receptors are intensively produced in the mammary gland, which will no longer be produced and the breast will not “respond” quickly enough to increase the production of breast milk to the child's increasing need for nutrition.
Mom's refusal from night feedings. Leads to long breaks in feeding and, as a consequence, to a decrease in milk. At night, the pituitary gland produces the hormone prolactin. In addition, signals from the nipple receptors during feeding during this time increase the production of prolactin, which increases the amount of milk produced.
Short attachments. Lead to insufficient breast stimulation by the baby, and the breast is not completely emptied. This is a surefire way to reduce milk supply. Feeding should take as long as the baby needs. The only thing worth paying attention to is that the baby really sucks milk. A full suck and swallow looks like this: wide open mouth-pause-closed mouth. Of course, sometimes you have to give to suck and just like that - "for pleasure."
Incorrect gripping technique and ineffective sucking. The baby cannot empty the breast well, therefore, despite the good production of prolactin, the amount of milk will still decrease, since not consumed milk will start the process of suppressing its production due to the inhibitor protein contained in it.
Breast health problems unresolved in time. Here, first of all, we mean nipple cracks, which in themselves do not affect milk production, but due to a decrease in the frequency of attachments to the breast and the lack of adequate actions aimed at eliminating them while maintaining lactation, will gradually lead to the transfer of the baby to artificial feeding ...
Bottle feeding with breast milk or formula. Often, mothers supplement the baby, believing that they do not have enough milk, without understanding in detail whether this is really so. If, nevertheless, such a problem exists, a mandatory element of its solution should be a quantitative determination of the introduced complementary foods with a mixture, since often an excess of the mixture leads to overfeeding of the child. There is another negative side - the mechanism of sucking from a bottle is fundamentally different from the mechanism of sucking from the breast. It is much simpler and easier, which naturally cannot fail to be noticed by a child who, following the path of least resistance, will "love" the bottle more. As a result of the simultaneous influence of the above two factors, there is a decrease in breast stimulation by the baby and, as a result, a decrease in the production of breast milk.
Using a pacifier. Since milk production is directly related to the amount of time a baby spends sucking milk from the breast, the harm of using a pacifier is obvious. In addition, since the baby gets used to sucking in a different way, the technique for capturing the breast is disrupted, and, therefore, the effectiveness of sucking decreases.
Mom's return to work with unsteady lactation. The inability to feed the baby on demand at the initial stage plus improperly organized pumping is a sure way to unreasonably early end of breastfeeding.
Mom's stressful state. The process of breastfeeding in a woman's body is controlled by two hormones - prolactin and oxytocin. The first triggers and maintains milk production, while the second helps push milk into the breast ducts. The production of oxytocin is suppressed by the stress hormone adrenaline. That is, in a state of stress, milk does not decrease, the baby simply cannot suck it out of the breast, he begins to be tormented by hunger, he screams, and a caring mother, in order to stop this suffering, gives him a bottle with a mixture. Thus, embarking on the same vicious path to reduce the amount of breast milk. In such a situation, the main thing is not to withdraw into yourself, but to switch to the baby - to spend more time nearby, think about him, let him suckle and of course try to calm down and tune in to the positive.
Mom's illness. Common viral and bacterial infections, even in the presence of a fever, are not at all a contraindication to breastfeeding, if, of course, they are treated with drugs allowed for lactating women. On the contrary, antibodies that are produced by the mother's body during the period of illness, penetrating into the child's body, create a barrier against this infection. It is also a mistake to think that milk deteriorates from an elevated temperature and to wean the baby from the breast. At the same time, there are diseases in which breastfeeding is undesirable.

Important! Mom's viral and bacterial infections are not a contraindication to breastfeeding.

Of course, if the lack of milk is due to the above-mentioned primary or secondary reasons, it is necessary to fight for the preservation of breastfeeding, increasing the amount of milk and trying to eliminate the mistakes made.

However, there are other reasons why it is necessary to increase the amount of breast milk:

a sharp spurt in the growth of a child;
restoration of breastfeeding after a break;
parallel breastfeeding of one's own and an adopted child;
expressing milk for another baby, also called breast milk donation.

Methods and means aimed at increasing the amount of milk are divided into main and auxiliary. In most cases, it is enough to use the main methods without resorting to auxiliary ones.

The main ways to increase the amount of milk

Important! Expressing frequently and shortly is better than infrequent and prolonged pumping.

It is not necessary to use all of these measures to increase the amount of milk. Perhaps the first two will suffice. But if they still do not help, then you should try to apply all or at least some.

To make sure of the positive result of all efforts, it is necessary to control the amount of urination of the child or the weight gain of the baby.

Aids to increase the amount of milk

These measures are applied only in conjunction with the main measures to increase lactation and involve the effect on the mother's body by adjusting the diet and introducing substances (lactogens) into it that increase the amount of milk.

In most cases, the mechanism of the effect of lactogens on the amount of milk is unknown or little known. Indeed, in order to increase the amount of milk and increase the efficiency of its return, it is necessary to directly or indirectly influence the biosynthesis of prolactin and oxytocin - hormones that regulate the process of breastfeeding. Nevertheless, many mothers note that after taking lactogens with a seemingly inexplicable mechanism of action, lactation increases.

It is possible that this is due to the effect of self-hypnosis, which, creating a favorable psychological mood, plays an important role in the production of the hormone oxytocin, which is responsible for the release of milk from the mammary gland.

Preparations for increasing lactation

Domperidone (motilium)

Taking domperidone is the most effective and clinically proven method that can affect the increase in lactation.

Domperidone (TM Motilium, Motilak, etc.) is a drug that improves gastrointestinal motility and has an antiemetic effect. A side effect of its use is an increase in the production of prolactin by the pituitary gland and the suppression of dopamine, the biochemical precursor of adrenaline (its effect on lactation was described above).

Important! Domperidone should not be used as the first choice for increasing lactation. Its use is justified only in the case of an integrated approach to solving the problem of milk shortage during breastfeeding.

When can domperidone be used to increase lactation

The inability to latch on to the baby's breast while maintaining lactation by expressing.
Decreased milk production due to the use of birth control pills containing estrogen or progesterone only. Before taking domperidone in this case, you should stop taking oral contraceptives.
To resume lactation after a break. In this case, one should not expect significant effectiveness from the drug, the absence of attachments to the breast and the wasted time cannot be replaced by anything.
The transition from mixed feeding to breastfeeding.

Side effects

Side effects of domperidone are rare and most often include headaches, abdominal cramps, dry mouth and changes in the menstrual cycle. The amount of the drug entering breast milk is very small and cannot affect the baby.

Method of administration and dosage

The most optimal dosage is 10 mg 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. An increase in the dosage of the drug, according to research, does not significantly affect milk production.

An increase in lactation as a result of taking domperidone can be noticed already 3-4 days after the start of admission, but this indicator is very individual. Sometimes it takes an admission for 4-6 weeks in order to finally conclude that the medication is useless.

Cancellation of the drug

If you have achieved the desired goal, and you have established the expected lactation, the drug is canceled according to the scheme:

Start taking one less domperidone tablet per day.
If the amount of milk does not decrease within 4-5 days, remove another tablet.
Continue this until you stop taking the drug altogether.
In case of a decrease in the amount of milk, return to the previous dosage and adhere to it for another two weeks.
If you cannot completely abandon the drug, following the above scheme, you will at least stop at the minimum dosage for yourself.

Another drug, metoclopramide (Maxeran), has a similar effect on increasing prolactin synthesis. But its use is limited by a large number of side effects, while domperidone has practically no side effects.

Supplements and homeopathic remedies

Ingredients: carrots, ginger, nettle leaf, royal jelly, dill fruits, oregano herb, ascorbic acid, potassium iodide.
Shirafza. Contains introductory alcohol extracts of medicinal plants (fennel, caraway, fenugreek, dill) in the form of capsules.
. Active ingredients: meadow lumbago, sacred vitex (Abraham's tree), stinging nettle.

Products that increase lactation

Adjusting the diet is less effective than taking domperidone, but, nevertheless, it also makes sense in the struggle to maintain and increase lactation.

Eating foods rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan is known to improve our mood and help suppress dopamine, which inhibits prolactin secretion. Accordingly, milk production will increase due to the increased production of prolactin. In addition, dopamine is a precursor to adrenaline, which inhibits the production of oxytocin, the hormone responsible for breast milk flow.

Product	mg / 100 g	Product	mg / 100 g
Red caviar	960	Beef	220
Dutch cheese	790	Salmon	220
Peanut	750	Fat cottage cheese	210
Almond	630	Chicken eggs	200
Soya beans	600	Buckwheat	180
Processed cheeses	500	Carp	180
Turkey, rabbit	330	Oat groats	160
Squid	320	Pasta	130
Sunflower seeds	300	Wheat bread	100
Horse mackerel	300	Rice	80
Pistachios	300	Milk, kefir	40
Peas, beans	260	Potato	30
Atlantic herring	250	Beet	10
Veal	250	White cabbage	10
Beef liver	240	Carrot	10

Foods rich in polysaccharides, in particular beta-glucan, can increase the secretion of prolactin. There are especially many polysaccharides in cereals (barley, oats, rice), yeast, and potatoes.

Important! Foods rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan and polysaccharides, in particular beta-glucan, can increase the production of breast milk.

Balanced industrial dairy drinks

This refers to dry mixes for the preparation of drinks produced by the industry to enrich the diet of pregnant and lactating women. Since manufacturers are trying to include in their composition all the most important substances, including proteins rich in essential amino acids, in particular tryptophan, the effect of which on prolactin synthesis is described above, to some extent these mixtures will also contribute to an increase. But still their main function is to balance the diet.

According to manufacturers' information, balanced milk drinks for pregnant and lactating women, enriched with vitamins and minerals, help to improve the quality of breast milk, establish stable lactation and have a positive effect on the recovery of a woman's body after childbirth.

MD Mil Mom Premium.
Dumil Mama plus.

Balanced milk drinks for lactating women, enriched with vitamins and minerals with herbal extracts that stimulate lactation:

Selected herbs

Fenugreek seeds. A spice used in India and the Middle East. Increases the amount of milk by stimulating the sweat glands (the mammary gland is a modified sweat gland). 1 tsp seeds pour 1 tbsp. water and cook at low boil for no more than 5 minutes, cool, drain. You need to drink it in two doses during the day.
Dandelion roots. Finely chop fresh dandelion roots, take 1 tsp. raw materials, put in a thermos and pour 1 tbsp. boiling water, leave for about 1 hour, drain. Drink 1 tbsp. infusion in three doses during the day.
Verbena officinalis herb. 1 tsp dry herb pour 1 tbsp. boiling water and leave in a sealed container for 30 minutes. Strain. Drink one sip every hour. Additionally, the verbena infusion has a calming effect and promotes the early contraction of the uterus in the postpartum period.
Stinging nettle leaves. 1 tsp dry herb pour 1 tbsp. boiling water and insist in a sealed container for 15 minutes, drain. Drink ¼ glass 3-4 times a day. Additionally, the infusion of nettle leaves is a source of vitamins A, C and group B and a source of iron.
Galegi herb (goat's rue). Belongs to the same family as fenugreek. For the preparation of infusion 1 tbsp. l. herbs are poured in 1 tbsp. boiling water and insist for two hours, filter. Drink 2 tablespoons. three times per day.

Herbal preparations

Fleur Alpine (Fleur Alpin) Оrganic "For nursing mothers". Ingredients: fennel fruits, lemon balm leaves, galega herb, nettle and peppermint leaves.
Fleur Alpine (Fleur Alpin) Оrganic "Berry collection with prebiotics". Ingredients: rose hips, blueberries, galega herb, caraway seeds, lemon balm leaves, inulin (prebiotic).
Bebivita herbal tea for nursing mothers... Ingredients: lemon balm leaves, fennel fruit, caraway fruit, anise fruit.
Lactafitol. Ingredients: fruits of fennel (dill), fruits of caraway and anise, as well as stinging nettle leaves.
Lactavite. Ingredients: fruits of anise, nettle leaves, fruits of pharmaceutical dill (fennel), fruits of caraway.
Grandma's basket. Anise-fennel tea. Ingredients: fruits of anise, fennel, caraway seeds, nettle leaves, lemon balm, clover herb.
HiPP organic tea for nursing mothers. Ingredients: fruits of anise, fennel, caraway seeds, lemon verbena leaves, lemon balm leaves.

Instant teas

The industry of such products has become widespread in our time. Indeed, compared to conventional herbal teas, they are more pleasant to the taste and easier to prepare. Sucrose, glucose (dextrose), maltodextrin, related to sugars, are used to apply herbal extracts, natural flavors and to give a sweet taste in such teas, so if for some reason you avoid consuming large amounts of sugars, this should be taken into account.

Important! The effect of lactogonous teas is enhanced when consumed in a warm form, thus increasing the production of oxytocin, which stimulates the release of milk from the breast.

Humana Still-Tee to increase lactation... Contains extracts of hibiscus, fennel, blackberry, verbena herb, raspberry leaf extract, hay fenugreek extract, galega herb extract. Helps to restore the body after childbirth, has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract of a nursing mother, helps to meet the increased need for fluid during breastfeeding, contains vitamin C.
TYOMA TIP-TOP tea for nursing mothers. Contains extracts of anise, Italian dill, thyme, caraway seeds, lemon balm, nettle, galega.
HiPP with anise, fennel and cumin to stimulate milk production. Contains extract of lemon balm, nettle, cumin, anise, fennel.
Bebivita tea for nursing mothers. Contains extracts of fennel, cumin, anise.

In contact with