Top 10 Pit Falls That Impact Milk Supply
I get a lot of questions concerning milk supply. Many women are concerned about how much they are making, if they are making enough, or if they can increase their milk supply. Many times this question is generated from results that come from a pump or their baby's behavior. There many factors that impact milk supply. In this article I will be outlining some of the most common reasons milk supply diminishes.
Negative Influences on Milk Supply
1. Long spaces between feedings.
"Excessive pressure in the breast is a negative influence on milk production, the amount of pressure on the milk-making cells, the less milk can be made." (Healthy Children Project)
Excessive pressure comes from long spaces between feedings and can cause engorgement. There is a difference in the breast between normal fullness and engorgement. Failure to effectively resolve prolonged engorgement can cause problems with your milk supply in the following months of your breastfeeding relationship.
2. Lack of Skin to Skin Relationship
Skin to skin is vital in the hormonal exchange between mother and baby. Frequent access to the breast without clothing allows hormones to flow free between mother and baby increasing prolactin and oxytocin production, both play a large role in milk production and boding with baby.
3. Pumping
Pumping in of itself can be useful, but at times pumping can make woman doubt her ability to produce well. When you pump, your body releases whatever milk is at overproduction. Hormonally most women do not respond to their pump as they do to their baby. They do not look at their pump and love on their pump as they do their baby. Therefore the milk exchange is different with a pump than with your baby.
Pumping is never an indication of how much milk you are producing.
Pumping is never an indication of how much baby is receiving.
4. Cigarette Smoking
Smoking mothers make less milk
Smoking mothers may have lower fat in their milk. "Maternal cigarette smoking in early pregnancy is associated with higher plasma lipid levels, lower fat content, and lower levels of DHA in the milk." (Healthy Children Project)
Smoking mothers may have lower prolactin levels
Prolactin is the hormone that regulates breastmilk production. Studies have shown "After 12 hours of not smoking, the prolactin levels rise to the normal level of non-smokers."(Healthy Children Project)
"A meta-analysis confirmed that maternal smoking increases the risk of early weaning" (Healthy Children Project)
5. Pacifiers
"The use of pacifiers was associated with shortened duration of exclusive and of any breastfeeding." (Karabulut, et al.)
Pacifiers increase the risks of diarrhea in the 1st 3 years of life and increase chance of ear infections.
Pacifiers increase time between feedings and reduce the skin to skin time.
With the use of a pacifier, baby's feeding cues are often missed leading to long spaces between feedings. Pacifiers also reduce skin to skin time, allowing the baby to be situated away from the mother. This reduces the normal exchange between mother and baby resulting in a lower prolactin level.
6. Anemia
Anemia has been associated with milk supply problems.
Lack of oxygen to the milk making cells can reduce hormonal levels and milk production. Another symptom of anemia is maternal exhaustion.
Maternal exhaustion plays a roll in lack of skin to skin and can impact feedings.
7. Postpartum Hemorrhage
Women who hemorrhage may be:
anemic
At risk for Sheehan's Syndrome. Sheehan's Syndrome affects the pituitary gland. When a large amount of blood is lost, it impairs the function of the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is responsible for prolactin production.
8. Hormonal Imbalance
Hypothyroidism can cause inadequate milk supply
Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Affects 1 in 10 Women (Healthy Children Project)
9. Tongue Ties
Tongue ties cause an inability for the infant to receive milk properly. This can cause engorgement due to ineffective milk transfer. This may also lead to long spaces between feedings due to maternal discomfort, pain, or exhaustion.
10. Insufficient Grandular Tissue
Insufficient grandular tissue is a condition in which many factors may be present.
It is often difficult to diagnose.
Diagnosis occurs "when a mother’s body does not make an adequate amount of milk for her baby, even when everything else (including but not limited to: latch and positioning, breastfeeding frequency and exclusivity, mother and baby are kept together, baby’s oral anatomy is fine – no tongue tie, cleft palate) is in order" (Kellymom.com)
Very small population of woman are unable to breastfeed due to this condition.
Sometimes women have one or more of these "pitfalls" that occur during their breastfeeding relationship. Prevention and recognition of these is key to preventing long term issues during the breastfeeding relationship. Some of these can be very easily remedied while others may take significant help, support, and counseling. If you or a friend has experienced or are currently challenged with any of these issues, feel free to contact or register on our page. Our community is here to support one another in a loving, non-judgemental environment. Be encouraged mommy, your baby knows exactly what to do and so do you! Be brave and courageous beautiful one!
Cadwell, K., & Turner-Maffei, C., Editors (2012). The Lactation Counselor Certificate Training Program Course Manual, 2012-2013. East Sandwich, MA: Healthy Children Project, Inc.
Karabulut, E., Yalcin, S.S., OZdemir-Geyik, P., & Karaagaoglu, E. (2009). Effect of pacifier use on exclusive and any breastfeeding: a meta-analysis. The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, 51 (1) 35-43.
Kellymom.com