What is lactation? What is a Lactation Consultant? How Lactation Consultants overcome the difficulties of breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding is not something that comes naturally. Many Hong Kong mothers face problems such as milk supply, milk plugs or painful breasts during the month of pregnancy. At this time, if you find the right professional lactation consultant, not only can help to open the milk smoothly, but also to avoid mastitis and other painful conditions. What is lactation? Is a lactation consultant useful? How does a professional lactation consultant help you to get milk? Below is a summary of what a professional lactation consultant can do for you.

What is lactation? When is lactation needed?

Prolactation is the physiological process of stimulating the mammary glands to produce and discharge milk. Prolactin, secreted by the pituitary gland, is responsible for producing milk, while oxytocin is responsible for expressing and discharging milk. When the baby sucks on the nipple, the body receives a signal and secretes hormones to produce a steady flow of milk. On the contrary, if the stimulation is insufficient or the mammary glands are clogged, the amount of milk will drop easily and even cause mastitis.

Signs of lactation

• Insufficient breastmilk production, baby is hungry or not enough milk when sucking
• Painful swelling, hard lumps or blockages in the breasts, hard lumps that are not tender to the touch (stone breasts)
• Sore nipples or improper breastfeeding positions that make breastfeeding difficult
• Delayed secretion of prolactin after cesarean section, milk is not yet produced normally
• Breasts not significantly enlarged after delivery or difficulty in milk flow
• Inability to stimulate mammary glands properly during separation of mother and baby

If any of the above situations occurs, it is recommended to seek the help of a professional lactation consultant as soon as possible. By using scientific techniques to unblock the mammary glands, correct breastfeeding and posture adjustment, it can effectively promote lactation, reduce the risk of pain and obstruction, and make the breastfeeding process smoother and more enjoyable for both the mother and the baby.

Does a doula help?

A qualified lactation consultant is worth every penny. Professional lactation support is not just a simple massage, but requires an understanding of the mother's body and lactation status, assessment of mammary gland health, and then tailor-made lactation programs to cope with conditions such as bloating, clogging, and insufficient milk supply. At the same time, the doula will adjust the feeding position and baby's breastfeeding style to help mothers deal with the most common challenges of breastfeeding.

Emotional management is also an important part of successful lactation. A professional lactation consultant knows how to provide emotional support to relieve anxiety and stress, so that the body can activate the lactation reflexes more easily and the milk supply will naturally be smoother. Mothers should be reminded that breastfeeding is a sensitive procedure, so they must choose a lactation consultant with professional qualifications and clinical experience. Don't let the untrained person try the gestures for the sake of peace and quiet, otherwise, it may cause mastitis, nipple injury, or even delay the time of breastfeeding.

The two best times to promote lactation

Postpartum golden milking period

Breastfeeding is all about timing. Generally speaking, 2-3 days after the birth of a baby, the mammary glands will start to produce colostrum (yellow-colored and thicker), and a large amount of milk will be produced on the fourth to fifth day. Ideally, lactation should start on the third day after delivery, and the first 2 hours is the golden period for breastfeeding. A professional lactation consultant will conduct breastfeeding and breastmilk coaching in hospitals or on-site to help mothers wake up the sleeping mammary glands, so as to make breastfeeding smoother in the following days.

Prepare for lactation 30 days prior to delivery

In fact, breastfeeding does not necessarily have to wait until the end of labor. Breast examination, gentle massage and professional guidance during the 30 days before delivery, when lactogen is at its peak, will help to unclog the milk ducts and improve their elasticity, thus laying the foundation for the smooth discharge of golden colostrum after delivery.

Services provided by professional doulas

The professional services of a lactation consultant are very wide-ranging and cover many aspects of breastfeeding, mainly including:

• Postpartum breast examination and evaluation:Professional assessment of mammary function, breast tenderness and milk volume.
• Personalized lactation programming:According to the physical condition of the mother and her milk secretion, the lactation program will be tailored to her needs.
• Breast massage and breast sparing:Scientific massage techniques are used to unblock the mammary glands, eliminate blockages, prevent and treat stone milk and mastitis.
• Breastfeeding guidance:Teach proper breastfeeding positions and techniques to correct sore nipples or insufficient milk due to incorrect positions.
• Lactation diet and lifestyle advice:Provide Chinese medicine dietary therapy and nutritional guidance to assist mothers to promote breast milk production through dietary modification.
• Emotional counseling and support:Helps to reduce post-partum anxiety and stress, promotes the secretion of prolactin, and improves breastfeeding success.
• Regular follow-ups and follow-up appointments:Adjust the massage and lactation program according to the results of the treatment to ensure continuous effectiveness.

Professional breastfeeding treatment is more than just manipulation, some doulas will combine Chinese medicine, anatomy, nutrition and psychology to provide a full range of breastfeeding promotion services to solve the mother's postpartum milklessness, insufficient breast milk, mammary gland blockage and other common problems.

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Special Attention for Breastfeeding Treatment

Mothers who have had a cesarean section have a slower milk supply and are prone to missing out on the golden colostrum. It is recommended to activate the mammary glands in advance before delivery, and to carry out deeper dredging as soon as possible after delivery, and to pay more attention to the cultivation of breastfeeding function to minimize the risk of blockage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I be aware of when hiring a doula?

At present, there is no standardized regulation on the licensing of doulas in Hong Kong. Therefore, when choosing a doula, you should take the initiative to enquire about their experience and certificates, such as the "UK TQUK Certificate in Antenatal and Postnatal Breast Massage" or the "Certificate of Vocational Competence of the China Adult Education Association", etc. Doulas with relevant qualifications are relatively more assured in terms of their professional knowledge and techniques.

How to achieve fast and effective lactation results?

Breastfeeding is the most natural way to promote lactation. Combined with the right massage techniques (gently kneading in a spiral pattern), warm relaxing compresses and skin-to-skin contact, it can stimulate the ejaculation reflex and speed up the flow of milk.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding after lactation?

Breastmilk is rich in antibodies and nutrients, which can strengthen the baby's immunity and reduce the risk of infection and enteritis. At the same time, breastfeeding can help mothers to contract the uterus, minimize bleeding, and restore their body shape, as well as reduce the risk of postpartum depression.

How are the fees for lactation consultant services calculated?

Generally speaking, the cost of a single service ranges from HK$$450-800, depending on the difficulty of the lactation and the number of treatments. Some professional lactation therapists also provide package plans to facilitate mothers to adjust according to the stage of treatment.

Is the breastfeeding process painful?

Proper lactation should not be painful. Professional techniques should be gentle and soft. If there is obvious pain or lumps, it may be a blockage of the mammary glands and the doula should stop immediately and adjust the technique.

How long does each lactation session take?

The treatment takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. Slight clogging can be seen in a single treatment, while more serious cases (e.g. stone milk) may require more than 3 consecutive treatments to improve the situation.