How Meditation Can Help Boost Your Milk Supply
Tags: Breastfeeding, Meditation, Mindfulness, Health, Moms

How Your Mood Affects Your Milk Supply

The most effective way to increase your supply is by nursing more frequently. Breastmilk supply is a “supply and demand” system, where the more milk you take out, the more you produce. Additionally, some moms do have medical reasons why they are unable to produce a full supply. Talk to a lactation consultant or your healthcare provider if you think this may be an issue for you.

That said, there is evidence that your mood can have an effect on your milk supply — most notably, your “milk ejection reflex,” or letdown. Milk supply is orchestrated by two hormones: prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin stimulates your milk production overall, and oxytocin causes your breasts to release milk, or let down. Oxytocin is released by your body in response to your baby suckling, but it’s also triggered by your emotional state. That’s why you might have a letdown reflex when you hear your baby cry from the other room. There is also evidence that oxytocin is released in greater amounts the happier and more relaxed you are.

How Mediation (And Relaxing In General) Can Help With Milk Flow

Many mothers find that their milk flows more readily after meditation or guided relaxation sessions. A small, but fascinating experiment reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition backs up this idea. The researchers studied a group of breastfeeding mothers who participated in relaxation therapy for two weeks. They found that these moms had lower levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) in their milk, and their babies gained more weight than the moms who didn’t partake in relaxation therapy.

Pretty amazing, huh?

Other Relaxation Techniques That Can Help

Another study, published in Advances In Neonatal Care, found that moms of premature infants who listened to music while pumping produced “significantly more milk” than moms who didn’t; they were also able to increase the fat content of their milk. Mediation and listening to soothing music are both great ways to enhance your oxytocin and get your milk flowing.

But if those techniques don’t work for you, there are many other ideas to try, including:

Mindfulness breathing exercises

Yoga

Guided visualization

Aerobic exercise (walking, running, swimming)

Drawing, singing, dancing

If you are finding it hard to stimulate your letdown during pumping, adopting some relaxation techniques can help:

Distract yourself while pumping (watch funny videos on your phone, scroll social media)

Cover up the bottle you are pumping into so you don’t have to scrutinize each ounce that comes in

Look at cute pictures of your baby

Bring something that smells like your baby

Listen to video/audio of your baby

What To Do If You Still Have Milk Supply Concerns

Adding some relaxation techniques into the mix when you are dealing with milk supply issues or fluctuations can be really helpful. But if you continue to experience issues with your milk supply, these methods alone may not be enough. Reach out to a local lactation consultant or breastfeeding counselor: they can help you assess the problem and come up with possible remedies. There is almost always a way to boost your supply, so don’t give up.

References at levaapp.com