Are you excited to breastfeed, mommy? Find out here when a mother’s first drop of milk comes and what to keep in mind when feeding a baby.
Read here about:
- When will breast milk start producing
- Signs milk is coming in
- How to stimulate breast milk production after delivery
When will breast milk start producing? The first drop of milk? When do a pregnant or soon-to-be mom’s breasts become full of milk?
These are just a few of the common questions first-time moms ask. Like them, this is also the question I ask myself and many other questions when I was a first-time mom.
When will breast milk start producing?
When will breast milk start producing?
According to Dr. Maureen Laranang, an OB-Gynecologist at Makati Medical Center, said that while a mother is still pregnant, she’s also starting to produce milk.
“Milk supply is a natural process. It really happens after giving birth, and also during pregnancy, mothers will start to have a milk supply.”
According to the NCBI, by the second trimester, a pregnant woman begins to have milk. By the third trimester, milk can be released from her breasts. But during pregnancy, the hormones estrogen and progesterone inhibit its release.
When a woman gives birth and her baby begins to urinate, more milk is released because of the baby’s absorption of hormones that increase the amount of milk in her breasts.
According to Dr. Laranang,
“The more you breastfeed, the more milk you can make. When the demand from the baby increases, the supply of breastmilk increases even more. You need to feed regularly because breastfeeding triggers hormones that increase the milk supply, this is what is called the letdown reflex.”
Moreover, Dr. Laranang says that it is rare for mothers to have a condition where there is really no milk coming out of them. This is called hypoplasia of the breast or insufficient glandular tissue.
But if the mother does not have this condition, there may be other reasons why the first drop of milk does not come immediately, and even if it does, it may not increase immediately due to stress, high anxiety or they do not have time to breastfeed.
“When there’s really no time to breastfeed, production will stop as well,” said Dr. Laranang.
Colostrum in the first drop of breast milk
Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels
Experts advise that it is very important to feed the baby immediately after birth so that he can get the first drop of milk that contains colostrum.
This yellowish or golden-colored first milk contains all the nutrients a newborn baby needs for the first few days of his or her life.
Here are some of the good effects of “liquid gold” or colostrum on your newborn:
- It fights infection.
- This helps the baby avoid diarrhea and stomach pain.
- It also helps to prevent jaundice.
- It is full of vitamins that help the baby’s eyesight, skin, and immune system.
Signs milk is coming in
Breast engorgement is a dead giveaway for many women that their transitional milk has arrived. Increased blood flow to the breasts causes them to swell and feel rock hard as your milk volume rises.
Keep in mind that the discomfort you’ll feel as a result of the shift is only temporary. Applying hot packs to the chest region before feedings — and cool packs afterward — can assist to alleviate engorgement.
Your breasts will become softer again over time as mature milk develops. You may be taken aback by this adjustment and believe your supply has decreased, but don’t be concerned. This is very normal behavior.
Another sign that your milk has transitioned from colostrum to a more mature form is a change in the appearance of the milk flowing from your breast.
Low milk supply
Don’t worry if your baby seems to be getting very little during the first few feeds.
Before your milk supply increases (usually on the third or fourth day), your baby will receive only a small amount of colostrum from your breasts — just one tablespoon to one teaspoon per sucking.
But one teaspoon is enough to feed your baby and he will be satisfied with it.
Don’t worry too much. It is important to eat nutritious foods because you are able to pass these nutrients to your baby through your milk.
If you feel that your baby is getting nothing from you, do not immediately despair. You can also be helped by professionals with knowledge of proper feeding to boost or maintain your milk supply.
“They can go to lactation consultants for additional breastfeeding support,” said Dr. Laranang.
READ MORE:
Exclusive breastfeeding: What it is and how it benefits you and your baby
No breast milk after delivery what to do
Don’t worry if there’s no milk coming out of your breasts after giving birth. Here are some things you can do to promote milk production:
1. Massage your breasts while pumping or hand-expressing milk.
Breast stimulation can aid in the development of crucial milk receptor sites and enhance the amount of milk you produce. Spending time engaging and massaging your breasts is essential.
2. Invest in a hospital-grade pump.
Hospital-grade pumps offer greater suction, which can make a major difference in the amount of milk you can extract from your breasts as well as the level of stimulation your breasts receive. This can result in a large rise in the amount of breast milk you can make in the future.
3. Drink plenty of fluids and sleep as much as you can.
Breast milk contains a lot of water, so simply increasing your water consumption may help you create more breast milk.
Many women discover that they produce more milk after resting because it allows their bodies to relax and release the necessary milk-producing hormones.
4. Before expressing milk, warm up with a heating pad or a warm shower.
Heat and massage are effective methods for encouraging your breasts to release more milk.
Listening to relaxing music might also help you relax and release the hormones you need to let down milk.
5. Even if only a small bit of milk comes out, express it frequently to promote more milk production
You should breastfeed, pump, or hand express every 2 to 3 hours. Keep in mind that your milk supply is determined by supply and demand. It’s critical to try to drain milk from your breasts on a regular basis so that your body understands it needs to create more for your kid.
How to stimulate breast milk production after delivery
The key to successful breastfeeding is the proper positioning of your breast and your baby’s mouth.
Proper latching during breastfeeding
Your baby needs to be well-positioned so that he or she can fully suck your breast or what is called proper latching.
When a baby latches incorrectly, it can be difficult for him to breastfeed and it can also be painful for you.
To get the right and comfortable feeding position, a pillow or nursing pillow can be used to help support your baby’s body. There may be several attempts until your baby learns proper latching. If your child does not swallow correctly, start again. Remember, don’t lose hope.
And if the first breastfeeding doesn’t work well, rest first. Both of you are new to breastfeeding, so patience is needed.
Frequent breastfeeding
You should breastfeed often for the first few days, every one to three hours (at the beginning of the session until the beginning of the next session) to:
- Help with having a good milk supply
- Provide nutrients, antibodies, and a variety of other health benefits to your baby
- Help your baby clean his first stool called “meconium”
- Help reduce the chance of developing breast cancer during breastfeeding and prevent what is called “mastitis”
- For you and your baby to get used to breastfeeding
Experts also advise that as much as possible, feed the baby directly and postpone the bottle-feeding, to encourage bonding between the mother and daughter.
“Latching first is important to promote attachment and bonding,” said Dr. Laranang. “Although parents have their own reasons why they provide a feeding bottle, the best advice is latching first to promote the bonding between mommy and baby,” she added.
Once you are used to breastfeeding, the baby is used to latching and both of you are comfortable, you can then try giving a feeding bottle or expressing your milk by pumping. Usually, this happens in the baby’s 6th week.
For working moms back in the office, it can be difficult to latch on to the baby often and their milk supply can drop when the baby is infrequently breastfed. So the advice of Dr. Laranang is to continue pumping milk and storing it for future use.
“Pumping is advised after storing your milk, for anytime the baby needs it, you can provide something. And for there are still means to stimulate your breast.”
It’s really hard to breastfeed in the beginning, and you also don’t know when the first drop of milk will come out. But once you and your baby get used to it, it will be easier. It really takes practice and long patience to get to the position that is easiest for you.
If you are having difficulty feeding your baby, don’t be shy to consult a lactation consultant or breastfeeding counselor.