I ADORE breastfeeding! Probably my one of my very favorite things to do. I am consistently surprised by the amount of people who claim to have a lack in milk supply. When I delivered my first baby, 16 1/2 years ago, I had many friends who were breastfeeding. I honestly do not remember having regular discussion with friends who struggled with milk supply. Nor did I ever feel even concerned that I wouldn’t have enough breast milk. Quite the opposite! All I knew is that’s what breasts were for after you deliver……To feed your baby and produce milk. But NOW…….I have clients who quite often complain of lack of milk production OR even better have a HUGE fear that they won’t have enough.
I have 2 theories on why breast milk production can be low. Of course, you have the usual issues of poor latch on or weak suck or all of the other many reasons for low milk supply. But…..I have my own opinions and beliefs as to why women struggle with milk supply. Not that the other reasons aren’t valid as well but I think just considering my opinions might help a women who can’t seem to get produce enough milk.
First theory……That the nutrition of the mother inherently effects milk supply. We currently live in a world where we are undernourished and over fed. Obesity is at an all time high. Even though we may look at a women who is overweight and believe that she should be able to build volumes of breast milk, studies have shown that obesity can be a factor for low milk supply. Read more about it below.
I believe this is a perfect example of where a women is undernourished but over fed. It’s the actual NUTRITION that the mother is ingesting that can help build breast milk. The proper diet and nutrition can stimulate the needed hormones for milk supply. Without the building blocks of a healthy body, I do think it can greatly effect the hormonal balance which then proceeds to effect milk production.
Though I’ve searched the web on any info about a link between nutrition and milk production, I only have to use logical reasoning to conclude that what we put into our mouths will decide whether we produce enough breast milk or don’t. You need an extra 300 to 500 calories while breastfeeding and the healthier and nutrient rich those calories are…..the healthier for you and the healthier for baby.
Second theory……We pass a belief through the energy of fear from one women to the next stimulating the idea that their bodies cannot produce enough breast milk. I know that sounds weird but I can’t be bothered by that. I think potentially ALL women have a mild to extreme fear of not creating good amounts of breast milk. As I see it, all that has happened in the last 20 years is the fear of one women growing and growing and then discussing her fear with her friend, who already has a fear herself about it, and then she goes on to worry and become fearful that she herself will not produce enough milk either.
I believe that the more fear we create and stimulate over one particular thing……the more likely we are to create that VERY thing we are afraid of. This is actually what is taking place with low milk supply. We are merely passing a fear that creates a thought pattern that stimulates a physical response. I know this is hard to believe but go ahead and read what
Bruce Lipton has to say on the matter or even read the book….
“Molecules of Emotion”.…..Both excellent resources to understand more of what I’m talking about.
Below is an interesting article on fear and how we feed it and make it bigger than it actually is. It discusses the exact idea I’m talking about.
I feel it’s important that we really consider the power of thought when it comes to milk supply. I think it’s even MORE important that we take responsibility for our own health by only consuming foods that are ideal nutrition for you and your baby. I think it’s of the utmost importance that we STOP telling our fearful, awful stories about milk supply or even breast feeding in general and strive to stay positive and open to whatever could be causing the issues of low milk supply.
Lastly, because I do believe that low breast milk supply does happen……below is an great article about how you still provide what you need for baby while still breast feeding. And…..a chart to give you an idea what could be potentially going on.
In peace,
Rachel
This is awesome Rachel! I wish I had known you when I was trying to breast feed my little ones. The leche league and I were joined at the hip through the whole process. I was drinking lots of water, eating clean, and taking milk producing herbs. After breastfeeding every hour and a half for 30 days my first child ended up in the ER failure to thrive. Heidi actually helped feed my second. Same problem with my third and fourth. Now I look back and know that I was in a constant state of fear in my marriage. No one bothered to ask me about that relating it to my milk supply.
And…. I wanted it sooo bad. Not only did I want the best nutrition for my little ones but I wanted that experience for myself and I’m sad that I missed out.
Shauna, It’s always fascinating to me to take a holistic approach when it comes to the problems we face. I think things are REALLY changing when it comes to looking at emotional and spiritual components to problems or issues in our lives but we still focus so much on the physical, that I think we are missing a WHOLE WORLD of help that is out there. Thanks for your comments. Hope your doing AWESOME! I think about your regularly. Let’s get together soon!! 🙂
This is a great article! And you are so right that this did not used to be an issue. My youngest is 19 now and I don’t ever recall this being such an issue awhile back. I think the mothers that decide to stop for their own reasons will sometimes use the excuse that they didn’t make enough milk when in fact, they just didn’t want to breastfeed. But then as you point out, if this mother says this to another mother-to-be, is starts to create that fear that it might happen to her also. We need to make mothers aware that most mothers and babies will be more than fine with breastfeeding and we need to remind everyone that there is plenty of breastfeeding support out there is you should have an issue. LLL, IBCLC, CLC, etc. So many women ready to help if needed!
Your points are very well taken. I definitely think there is something to them. The other thing that has occurred over the last 2 decades is the increase in cesarean section births and more births with epidurals. Both of these interventions can and do interfere with breastfeeding. So mothers actually do get a low milk supply and/or think (read: FEAR) that they have a low supply. They share their experience (potentially as fear) with other mothers and the cycle continues. There is a fear of birth!! So then, there are scheduled, non-medically indicated cesarean births. Same with narcotics, like epidurals, in labor because mother’s don’t trust their bodies to birth; they fear that the pain will be overwhelming and that they won’t be able to do it.
I am optimistic that that the tide is changing for women and babies, however. A birth revolution is afoot where women will reclaim our power as pregnant and birthing mothers, where we will know how truly powerful we are without the aid of interventions (unless they are truly needed, which sometimes they are).
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this important topic!