Pediatrician Says Stress In Breastfeeding Mothers Can Affect Breast Milk Quantity

Illustration of Mother Breastfeeding Child (MART PRODUCTION/Pexels)

JAKARTA - Pediatrician and lactation counselor dr. Jeanne-Roos Tikoalu, Sp.A, IBCLC, CIMI said that the stress condition of breastfeeding mothers can affect the smoothness of breast milk which will decrease, even it cannot flow smoothly.

When the baby sucks breast milk, this activity will provide sensory signals to the mother's brain and stimulate the release of the hormone prolactin and the hormone oxytocin which will then enter the bloodstream. Jeanne-Roos said the hormone oxytocin serves to help muscle contractions, while prolactin to help milk production.

“This condition (not smooth breast milk) can be influenced by stress, in this case especially the hormone oxytocin. That's why we know the hormone oxytocin as the love hormone. There is production, if the contractions don't work, then the milk can't come out," said Jeanne Roos, as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, August 6.

The influence of stressful conditions can occur, for example, when the mother enters the breastfeeding period. At that time, the mother felt that the breast was fully filled with milk but the liquid did not come out for a long time.

Due to ignorance and confusion, Jeanne-Roos said the mother allowed this condition by not doing stimulation so that the breasts swelled up and continued to absorb milk into the surrounding tissues.

“If such absorption occurs, in the first two weeks the breast milk can stop because the stimulation for production does not work, contractions for expulsion do not work. He felt swollen, did not get help either, there was absorption into the surrounding tissue, after a long time his hormones did not produce, “explained Jeanne-Roos.

Therefore, this is where the importance of support from the closest people (support system), namely the husband to help his wife or mother. Jeanne-Roos said husbands can do oxytocin massage as an effort to smooth the release of breast milk from the mother's breast. With oxytocin massage, the mother will feel comfortable and then the muscle contractions of the milk ducts can work smoothly so as to encourage milk production.

"With massage, there is a technique, it's often the flow of breast milk will be heavy again," said Jeanne-Roos.