Many mothers find they can appreciate their babies breastfeeding patterns or the need for frequent feedings when they understand how breast milk is produced. Initially, hormones play a greater role.
Prolactin tells the breasts it is time to begin producing large amounts of milk.
A mother feels the result of prolactin when her milk comes in at around three to five days postpartum. Increased milk production usually occurs at this time even if a baby has not been breastfeeding well or often. However, frequent breastfeeding sometimes speeds up the process of establishing increased milk production. Occasionally, a mother experiences a delay in the production of large amounts of milk. Ongoing, long-term milk production depends mostly on milk removal.