Delayed milk rise during lactation

Since pregnancy we have started to produce colostrum, some women are aware of it and others are not. Between the 2nd and 5th day postpartum, that colostrum is transformed into milk transition, is not yet the final. That is when women perceive what we call the rise of milk. But, can there be a delay

Since pregnancy we have started to produce colostrum, some women are aware of it and others are not. Between the 2nd and 5th day postpartum, that colostrum is transformed into milk transition, is not yet the final. That is when women perceive what we call the rise of milk. But, can there be a delay in the rise of milk during lactation ?, why?

What is noticed during the rise of the milk

Local inflammation, heat, breast tenderness, some pain and an increase in the size of the breast, can even give a little fever. This tells us that the milk rise is occurring, logically it can be accelerated if we put a lot of breast to our baby, because the more you nurse, the more milk production will increase. Not all women should notice it with such intensity, but it is quite evident.

What happens when there is a delay in the rise of the milk?

The delay in the rise of milk can reach cause a poor weight gain of our baby, and this can become dehydrated and even suffer from hypoglycemia. That is why we recommend that if you give birth in the hospital, you can be sure that breastfeeding is established.

We can suspect this delay in the rise a weight loss on discharge of more than 10% with respect to what weighed at birth. The most common is that in the first 3 days lose between 5-7%, and recover it around the 10th postpartum day.

What can be the causes of delayed milk rise?

- A moderate rise, if breastfeeding is well established from the beginning we do not have to feel the breast engorgement described above. That is why it may go unnoticed.

- Breast surgery or reduction that affects the mammary gland, are cases in which the amount of milk that is produced may be affected.

- That the mother has been given inhibitory drugs of lactation such as cabergoline (Dostinex) or ergot derivatives (Methergyn); they are administered to inhibit lactation in cases in which the mother does not want to breastfeed.

- Fragments of placenta retained.

- Maternal illness that interferes with milk production if it is not well treated. This may be the case of hypothyroidism or "polycystic ovarian syndrome". Both diseases well diagnosed and treated allow standard breastfeeding.

The most usual case is the first one, in which the mother does not notice changes that make her perceive the milk rise. But if the mother underestimates the value of colostrum, she thinks that her breast is not producing anything yet and administers other fluids, her hypothalamus stops receiving the information that it must produce prolactin and oxytocin, the milk hormones ... and it will quickly decrease its production milk.

That is why dairy supplements are dangerous at the beginning of breastfeeding; just as we discourage the use of pacifiers or baby bottles, even if it is from breast milk, as they can cause confusion in the suction of the baby, and really alter the milk production.