A short while after she completed nursing, your baby is still hungry. You start to wonder…
Am I Producing enough milk? Why does it feel like my baby didn’t eat enough?
If this worry sounds at all familiar—we’re here to tell you you’re not alone.
Getting into a nursing routine as a new mother can be challenging. Breastfeeding moms may experience things such as nursing pain, engorgement, clogged ducts, and mastitis. However, the two most frequent breastfeeding issues are low milk supply and failure to completely empty each breast.
Low milk supply is something that impacts many nursing mothers and as many as 35% of new moms have perceived insufficient milk supply. Luckily breast massage can be the answer to many of these problems. Breast massage boosts milk production, unclogs ducts, lessens nursing discomfort and breast engorgement, and can even enhance the quality of milk.
The issue is that no one really instructs you on how to adequately massage the breast. It can also be very taxing on your hands.
A breastfeeding massage bra, such as the Lilu Massage Bra, helps take the guesswork out of breast massage. It can help ensure your baby is getting the best nutrition possible, and It completely changes the game for busy moms who need to pump milk.
Here are some ways breast massage helps breastfeeding moms:
1. Stimulates breastfeeding let-down
Breast massage has been proven to stimulate milk let-down. When let-down takes too long, babies can grow frustrated. By performing breast massage, you’re helping stimulate your milk ducts, which can in turn help speed up the let-down process.
On the other hand, if your let-down is too fast, a breast massager can still help you. The massager can help you alleviate pressure by stimulating your breast so you can let some breastmilk out before your baby latches. This makes it so the baby isn’t overwhelmed with a large amount of milk, and lets her get to the hindmilk (or milk with higher fat content) quickly.
2. Improves a low milk supply
Meeting your baby's nutritional needs means everything to you as a nursing mom. If you have an insufficient milk supply, it can be upsetting for both you and your baby.
Before you turn to a supplement or give up, try breast massage. Breast massage assists you in successfully emptying your breast, which not only provides adequate milk for your baby's immediate needs—but also boosts overall milk supply. This is done by compressing the milk ducts and forcing the milk forward.
The Lilu Massager + Bra is designed to help nursing moms empty their breasts and establish their milk supply. Moms who use the massage bra can pump up to 50% more milk per session—and the best part is it's hands-free.
By simply wearing the Lilu Massager + Bra while pumping you can dramatically improve your milk supply. And the best part is, you can do whatever you need to get done, or simply relax because the massager is completely hands-free.
3. Prevent mastitis and blocked ducts
As the name implies, a blocked milk duct is a bottleneck in a portion of the breast, either at the nipple or further back in the breast. When a tiny, sensitive lump develops in one of the breasts, moms can painfully become aware of it.
If left untreated, the lump can cause mastitis—an infection of the breast tissue. This may require the use of antibiotics to treat it. Mastitis is also a common reason for moms toto stop nursing earlier than they would like.
Inadequate breast emptying at each feeding is one of the underlying causes of clogged milk ducts. Breast massage is a great way to prevent blocked milk ducts because it has been demonstrated to help empty breasts more effectively.
Next time you perform a breast massage—make it part of your self care ritual. Try using an oil, such as the Deep Reservoir Breast Oil, to supplement your breast massage. Not only will this help blood circulation and flush toxins from your system, but it will also help romanticize your experience. Establishing a self care ritual as a new mom is crucial! Take some time out of your day to treat yourself to a relaxing massage and enjoy the experience of motherhood.
4. Promotes oxytocin production
Oxytocin is what experts often refer to as the “feel good” hormone. When oxytocin is released, the glands in your breast contract and fill your milk ducts so your baby can nurse.
Oxytocin also helps build the connection between a mother and her baby and return the body to its pre-pregnancy shape.
By performing a breast massage, you’re helping promote oxytocin production in the body. Applying heat is also a great way to help promote oxytocin production.
Try complimenting your breast massage with heat application to help produce oxytocin. Products such as Brilliantly Warm are a great way to apply heat to breasts in between massage and nursing sessions. Breast massage and heat application can be an effective technique to use before, during, or after a nursing/pumping session to maximize your results.
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Here at Brilliantly, we know breastfeeding can be a beautiful, challenging, and life-changing experience. We want to help make the process as pain-free as possible for you, so you can spend more time enjoying motherhood.
If you’re interested in learning more tips for breastfeeding, be sure to check out our blog post, "Tips for Breastfeeding Pain Relief". We take a deep dive into how you can alleviate any pain associated with breastfeeding.
Please be sure to let us know in the comments below your tips for new mothers who are navigating the breastfeeding process.