How Can Mind Affect Breast Milk Production?

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Have you ever heard that your mother's thoughts on breast milk affect milk production?

Many mothers worry about their milk production in the early days of breastfeeding. Mother is afraid that her milk production cannot meet the baby's needs. Usually, the things that underlie the mother's thinking that her milk is not enough are:

Babies often suckle. Babies usually suckle 8-12 times a day, but in the early days after birth the baby is usually not calm or fussy. Mother thought this was caused because the baby was not satisfied to suckle, even though it did not mean because the mother's milk production was small.
Mother's breasts feel soft. When your milk supply adjusts to your baby's needs, your breasts may not feel full or tight, usually this occurs between 3-12 weeks after birth. However, while your baby is still breastfeeding, your breast will produce enough milk for the baby.
Babies suddenly suckle more often. Your baby may suckle more often when the growth is running faster. However, because babies suckle more often, you become worried that your milk is lacking, even though your body can adjust your baby's needs by increasing milk production.
Babies only suckle in a short time. However, this does not mean that it is caused by little milk production. After two or three months, your baby may suckle shorter.

However, be careful with your mind, ma'am, because your thoughts can indirectly affect your milk production.

What is the connection between the mind and milk production?

In producing breast milk, the mother's body involves the brain. When the brain signals that the milk supply is low, the mother's breast will produce milk again to meet the mother's breast milk.

When the baby sucks your breast, it is also a stimulus for the pituitary gland in the brain to release the hormone oxytocin and also prolactin into the bloodstream. Both of these hormones are responsible for producing milk. However, when you are stressed, stress can slow the release of the hormone oxytocin into the bloodstream, which can interfere with the production of breast milk. All you need to do first when stress is to calm yourself first.

Actually, you don't need to worry. Why? Because the release of oxytocin into the bloodstream can actually have a calming effect and reduce your stress level. If you keep trying to give milk to your baby, your stress will decrease and your milk production will not stop. In essence, you should not despair when giving breast milk to your baby.

However, most mothers actually think their milk is not enough, when in fact it is enough. This condition is usually called perceived insufficient milk or perception of insufficient breastfeeding. Because it is "consumed" by the perception or mind of the mother herself, the mother rarely gives milk to her child and over time the production of mother's milk is also less and finally stops. This is the most common reason why mothers stop breastfeeding more quickly.

How do you launch breast milk production?

The more often you breastfeed your baby, the smoother your milk production. Baby sucking on your breast is a stimulus for your body to continue producing milk.

Therefore, keep your mind away from your little milk production. Babies do sometimes suckle more often. This can occur because usually at the age of around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, or at any time, babies experience faster growth, so they need more intake. All you have to do at this time is to follow the baby's desire to suckle or commonly called ASI on demand.

You can also do this to facilitate milk production:

Make sure your baby is sticking to your breasts properly or the position of the baby is feeding properly, so that the baby is comfortable while breastfeeding.
Feed your baby as often as possible and follow the baby's wishes whenever he needs ASI and when he feels he is full.
Follow the baby with the right and left breast every time he suckles. Feed the baby with the first breast as long as he is still sucking strongly, then offer the baby with a second breast when the baby's suction has begun to weaken.
It is best not to give formula or pacifiers to the baby because this can make him no longer interested in breast milk, so it can also cause your milk production to weaken. Teach your baby to start eating at 6 months of age.

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