Lactation is a natural process of the female body. In this process, milk is produced in the glandular tissue of the breast and released through the nipple. This process is also called lactation and is usually without complications.
What is lactation?
Milk formation is a natural process of the female body. In this process, milk is produced in the glandular tissue of the breast and released through the nipple. The glandular tissue of the female breast is designed to secrete breast milk as needed to nourish infants. Already in the course of pregnancy, the mammary glands change and enlarge under the influence of pregnancy hormones. As a rule, milk production begins shortly after the birth of the child. The newborn’s sucking on the nipple stimulates lactation and the milk is released. If there are no diseases, milk production does not stop until the baby is weaned.
Function and task
The natural food of an infant is breast milk. This is formed in the mammary glands in his mother’s breast. During pregnancy, the glandular tissue is prepared for milk production by the constant level of the hormones estrogen and progestin. Sometimes some foremilk already comes out in the last trimester of pregnancy. However, actual lactation does not start until two to eight days after birth. It is triggered by the sudden drop in estrogen and progestin levels. In addition, the pituitary gland produces the milk-forming hormone prolactin from this point on. Sucking the baby in turn stimulates the production of oxytocin. This hormone is known as the bonding hormone. However, it not only promotes the bond between mother and child, but also favors the involution of the uterus. Lactation is maintained as long as the child is breastfed. The duration is irrelevant. If there are no health restrictions, a child can be breastfed for several years. However, the amount and composition of breast milk changes with the age of the child. Immediately after birth, the mammary glands produce a viscous colostrum. This is also called colostrum. It contains less fat than the later breast milk, but a lot of vitamins, trace elements and above all antibodies, which are important for the newborn’s immune defense. The actual milk production begins with the milk let-down, which can sometimes be quite painful. Lactation can be further stimulated by frequent suckling of the baby. This allows the amount of milk delivered to be adjusted to the increased nutritional requirements, even during growth phases. When weaning, the intervals between the individual breastfeeding phases are increased accordingly. This automatically reduces milk production until it stops completely after a few weeks or months.
Diseases and complaints
In general, milk production is a natural process of the maternal body that is completely free of complications. Only the milk let-down at the beginning of lactation can be very unpleasant and painful. However, this discomfort can be alleviated with simple home remedies. Most breastfeeding problems do not have physical causes, but are based on false information. For example, many women think they have no or not enough breast milk because milk production does not start immediately after birth. However, it is completely normal for the onset of milk to take up to a week. Even in the further course of breastfeeding, there are sometimes phases in which milk production does not seem to be sufficient. However, it can easily be adjusted to the growing needs of the child if it is latched on more frequently. The correct latch-on technique must be taken into account. For all problems related to milk production, the midwife is the right person to contact. This also applies if pain occurs independently of the milk supply. Strong lactation can occasionally lead to milk retention. This manifests itself as sensitivity to touch in the breast, palpable lumps and a general feeling of illness. If left untreated, milk stasis can lead to mastitis. However, it is usually possible to resolve a milk congestion by simple means. Heat can stimulate the flow of milk so that the breast milk can be expressed by hand. After breastfeeding, it is advisable to cool the breast, as this reduces milk production.If these measures do not help or the symptoms even worsen, drug treatment is necessary. During this time, breastfeeding should be continued so that unwanted weaning does not occur. In most cases, continued breastfeeding is also possible in the case of other illnesses of mother and child. In this case, however, the attending physician should always be consulted. This is especially true if the mother has to take medication. Most substances that a breastfeeding mother ingests can also be passed on to breast milk. Therefore, in the case of some illnesses, it is advisable to refrain from breastfeeding completely or temporarily. If, after successful treatment of an illness, the infant is to be breastfed again, lactation must be maintained during the break in breastfeeding. For this purpose, breast milk can be pumped. Pumping can also stimulate milk production if the amount of milk is actually insufficient. Although lactation is a bodily function closely related to the birth of a child, occasionally milk may leak from the nipples even in the absence of pregnancy. In rare cases, this is even possible in men. This is usually an indication of the need for medical treatment.
