The times are changing and so are our bodies. Compared to the last three generations, the current generation has become evidently weaker and more susceptible to environmental changes. There are higher chances of a cardiovascular disease and lesser protection against common seasonal illnesses like cold and cough. The biggest change that the current generation is seeing, however, is that the babies being born in today's age are appearing to be smaller and weaker than they used to be just 5 years ago. While the most common reason for it might be that processed foods and pollutants in air and water have drastically changed the genetic code of the current generation. The babies are thus getting weaker and have smaller bodies that might not grow exponentially as we expect them to.
Another reason why these babies seem to grow slowly is the result of mothers now having to work jobs that don’t allow her to be with the baby to breastfeed. The babies today need breast milk more than ever because of the bad nutritional value of foods. Most kids today are exposed to junk food as soon as 4 years of age. To protect them from being affected by it, it is important for the mother to feed breastmilk to the child for at least the first one and half years. But the trouble is different on different levels. Some mothers are actually unable to produce enough breast milk to feed their child. It is a sad reality we live in where the stress and poor quality of life is hindering the mother’s capacity to make milk.That’s the reason why most women are turning to good for nothing baby formulas which just appear to be like milk. However, there is one hope of reviving your mammary glands to produce milk for your baby- lactation supplements.
What are lactation supplements?In some cases of suppressed lactation, the lack of proper nutrition and dependence on fast food is the reason. But in most of the lactation issues, the reason comes out as hormonal imbalances and underdeveloped mammary glands. In any condition where lactation cannot be supported with just a balanced diet, the mother requires a lactation supplement to increase or restart lactation.
There are a lot of substances available, which act as galactagogues. Galacta means milk and gogue means leading in Greek, together it means leading to milk production. Galactagogues are anything that improves the milk supply in nursing mothers. Most galactagogues are naturally available substances that can either be found in your kitchen or can be bought from the grocery store. Lactation supplements or galactagogues are nutrition that can’t be found in regular food. They have the ability to restore the balance of hormones in a woman’s body and even heal breast tissues and glands that are important for delivering milk to the baby.
What do lactation supplements do?Lactation supplements are substances that are made to act on the milk producing organs and enzymes of the female body. Most galactagogues target the hormonal side of making milk by increasing or balancing hormones that are responsible for lactation. There are also galactagogues that focus on enhancing the glands and tissues present in the breasts. Here are the glands and tissues that a galactagogue strengthens-
- Alveoli- Alveoli are grape-like structures present right in between the breasts and rib cage. They are connected to the lungs and derive nutrition from the blood capillaries surrounding them to make milk. They are the bulbs inside which milk is made and stored. If there is not enough active alveoli, milk production is suppressed. Galactagogues may activate dormant alveoli to increase lactation.
- Lobules- Lobules are connected to the alveoli and have the important function of extracting milk from alveoli and sending it over to the milk ducts. Sometimes these lobules, which are muscular bulbs, are unable to contract and release due to muscle dysfunction. Lactation supplements help with the contraction of these bulbs to improve the delivery system of milk.
- Milk ducts- Milk ducts are fine vein like structures present between the alveoli and the pores of the nipples. They are the structures which squeeze out the milk from the lobules around alveoli and send it over to the nipples. Milk ducts increase and decrease in number and strength according to the maternal status of the woman. Not being pregnant for a long time can lessen the number and strength. Galactagogues help the brain to send signs of pregnancy to the breasts so that the milk ducts can be restored to ample size and numbers.
Apart from the glands and tissues, there are also certain hormones that don’t act properly in new mothers, causing a lack of lactation. All that the body needs is a kick of these hormones to start the lactation process.
How do lactation supplements help me as a new mother?Lactation supplements also target the hormonal imbalance in women’s bodies to increase milk supply. When a woman is going through a hormonal imbalance the brain doesn’t recognise when the pregnancy has ended or when it is time to make milk. Hormonal imbalances can be a result of thyroid dysfunction or simply stress. While stress may come and go, the damage it does to the hormones is irreversible without supplementation.
Lactation supplements have substances that are made to reinstate the natural sync of hormones. The balance between the hormones oestrogen, progesterone, prolactin, and oxytocin is necessary for an unimpeded milk supply. Oestrogen and progesterone send signals to the breasts to produce milk for the coming baby. As the delivery happens, prolactin takes over and signals the alveoli to start making sufficient milk to keep the breasts full. When the first milk is sucked out, the continuous production of milk is aided by prolactin. In this process, oxytocin helps with the contraction of lobules and milk ducts to bring the milk out to the nipples.
All of the above factors are necessary for a healthy lactation. Lactation supplements made from natural substances target issues with functioning of the glandular tissues and hormones. Namyaa’s Amritbaras Lactation Supplement has granules made of natural galactagogues like shatavari root, mulethi root, vidarikand tuber, jeera fruit extract, singhara (water chestnut) fruit extract, and more. It provides nutrition for a balanced hormonal function for healthy lactation in mothers.