Why does some women have a shortage of breast milk a few months after the birth of a child?Image Credit Source: RuizluquePaz/E+/Getty Images
Some women feel that the amount of milk in their breast has decreased compared to before three to four months after the birth of the child. Initially, when the breasts look heavy and full, they feel that the milk is being made in good quantity, but as the body starts making milk according to the need of the child, the size of the breast starts to normalize and does not feel heaviness. This confuses many mothers that the amount of milk has decreased. Whereas in reality it is a natural adjustment of the body, which indicates that the supply of milk is now running with better coordination between mother and child.
If the child is feeling hungry again and again, it may indicate that the amount of milk has reduced. Apart from this, if the amount of urination of the child is decreasing then it can also be an indication. Irritating, crying or leaving the breast quickly while breastfeeding the baby can also be a warning. Sometimes the mother does not feel heaviness in the breast, milk stops flowing or a small amount of milk comes out when pumped, all these signs can create confusion. But every situation of these does not mean lack of milk, so it is important to understand them correctly.
Dr. Saloni Chadha in Women's Disease Department at Safdarjung Hospital It is said that there are reasons for which a sudden decline in the amount of breast milk supply can occur. The most common reason is irregularity in breast feeding, that is, if the baby starts reducing breastfeeding or becoming more dependent on the mother bottle feed, then the body indicates that the need of milk has reduced and in such a situation, the formation of milk becomes slow. Apart from this, the mother's excessive stress, tiredness, lack of sleep or not taking adequate water and nutrition can also be a major reasons.
Hormonal changes, such as the restart of periods, or taking any contraceptive pill can also affect. Sometimes the child's illness or not having a right launch also affects the supply. All these reasons affect the automatic system of the body, which reduces the supply of milk. It is very important to identify them at the right time and take measures.
Get the baby breast feeding with repeated and right latch.
After one breast, feed milk from another breast as well.
Drink enough water and take a healthy diet.
Take special care of sleep and rest
Continue to extract milk from pumping if the child is drinking less.
Stay away from stress.
Do not take any hormonal medicine or contraceptive pill without consulting a doctor.