Breast milk is the most important contributor to neonatal, infant and child health, growth and development. The benefits are very high if breast feeding:
- starts within one hour after birth,
2. with demand feeding and
3. no pre lacteal feeds like water, honey etc.
Physiology of Breastfeeding
Suckling is most important in breastfeeding to activate the prolactin reflex.
Prolactin Reflex
During nursing as the nipple is first stimulated, there is a spinal reflex created, which releases prolactin stimulating hormones from the hypothalamus. Thus more prolactin secreted after feed to produce next feed.
Oxytocin Reflex
Oxytocin reflex works before or during the feed. It causes contraction of the myoepithelial cells of the mammary alveoli causing movement of the milk to the ducts.
Signs of an active oxytocin reflex:
- Squeezing or tingling in the mother’s breast just before or during a feed.
- Milk flowing from breast when she thinks of her baby or hears it crying.
- Milk dripping from other breast when her baby is suckling.
- Milk flowing from the breast in fine streams if her baby comes off the breast during a feed.
Factors Increasing Breastmilk
- Relaxed mother: Breast milk flow depends partly on the mother’s thoughts, emotions and sensations.
- Rooming In : It is important to keep mothers and babies together day and night, and to help mothers feel good about breast feeding.
- Sucking by baby and emptying of breast: The amount of milk that the breast produces depends partly on how well the baby suckles, and how much milk she removes. More suckling makes more milk.
Signs that indicate that the breastmilk is adequate
Foremilk is thin & bluish and quenches the thirst (water ,proteins, lactose etc), and hind milk is whiter (higher fat) and satisfies the babies hunger.
- If the baby wets herself at least 6 to 8 times a day and her urine is colourless one can be rest assured that she is having enough milk.
- Frequent loose, even watery motions in an exclusively breast fed child who is active & passes urine adequately is normal.
Do not interpret Crying as always inadequacy of breast feeding.
Read this article to know about the Do’s and Don’t’s of breastfeeding.