A special relaxation therapy for breastfeeding could help breastfeeding moms produce more milk

Breastfeeding, in addition to being the best food you can give your baby during its first months of life, is a precious moment between mother and child, which helps strengthen the love bond between them.

But nevertheless, for some mothers it can become a frustrating experience, in case the mother feels discouraged by not producing as much milk as she expects.

Fortunately, there are certain measures that can be done to improve this experience, as found in a new study, in which it was discovered to use a special relaxation therapy for breastfeeding, could help breastfeeding mothers produce more milk.

Some time ago we shared a simple trick for nursing mothers: place a baby sock to cover the bottle of the breast pump and thus not feel frustrated to see that it does not get as much as expected. Apparently, this trick helps to pump more milk since mothers don't feel stress, something that could block milk leakage.

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Now, this new study published in the magazine The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition I could see that feeling less stressed would help in milk production by analyze the effects of relaxation in nursing mothers.

During this investigation, the impact of this relaxation treatment was measured in the psychological maternal state, the amount of milk consumed by babies, cortisol levels in breast milk and the behavior and growth of babies.

The study was conducted with new mothers whose babies were born healthy at normal term and who had exclusive breastfeeding, divided into two groups: an experimental one, which would receive relaxation therapy, and a control one, to compare the differences at the end of the study.

The relaxation therapy included an audio recording that encouraged relaxation, through deep breathing and positive messages about breastfeeding and the link between mom and baby.

Mothers were asked who would listen to the recording every day while breastfeeding their babies or pumping milk, for a period of at least two weeks, and they were encouraged to continue listening beyond that initial period provided they felt it might be useful.

On top of that, mothers in both groups received support for their lactations through informative brochures, breastfeeding consultant directories and breastfeeding support groups.

At the end of the study, the experimental group showed a significantly lower stress score than the control group. In addition, in the group that led the relaxation therapy, a 59% increase in milk intake in infants was shown, compared to the 39% increase in the control group. In addition, it was found that babies in the experimental group slept 82 more minutes a day, compared to the control group.

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The researchers conclude that These results highlight the importance of reducing maternal stress, since relaxation therapy influenced the behavior of babies, cortisol levels in breast milk and the amount of breast milk, generally benefiting the growth of babies.

It is proven that meditation or relaxation is something that can help in the emotional state of people, and it could undoubtedly be very useful to improve the experience of new mothers, in this case, increasing the percentage and duration of breastfeeding.

Video: Breastfeeding Tips: Common Breastfeeding Positions (March 2024).