Breastfeeding is a precious and rewarding time, a wonderful way to connect and bond with your baby. In this time of incredible transition and change it’s truly amazing how a woman’s body naturally creates all that her baby needs.
Breastfeeding is these first days can be filled with many new experiences and it can be hard to find time to rest. Getting restorative sleep is important and encouraging your body to relax will help your milk production and flow. In the days after giving birth your body starts the production of colostrum (a thick yellow sweet substance extremely high in nutrients and fat for the baby), followed by the milk, which usually comes in around day three.
Many factors influence the production of milk, sleep, stress, anxiety and tension all effect the body’s own ability to regulate hormones. Specific hormones are central to the way our bodies make milk. Getting enough rest and sleep are both important and working to reduce tension through the neck and shoulders in particular, can help to balance these hormones, creating healthy milk production.
Creating a safe and comfortable space for the mother to rest and recuperate, we focus on the neck, shoulder and pectoral area releasing tension with specific techniques including the use of some acupressure points.
Diet and food can also play a role with herbs such as Fenugreek, Fennel, Caraway and Lemon Verbena all traditionally used to support lactation, milk flow and help to increase supply.