Letdown Reflex
What is Letdown Reflex?
Letdown reflex is the action of releasing the mother's milk from small ducts and alveoli present in the breast. Letdown reflex is a very normal and involuntary action and is an important part of the breastfeeding process. Letdown is usually intense and at its peak in the early months of nursing and is not very noticeable in the later stages as your baby grows older. Letdown can happen in one breast while your baby feeds on the other. This is a sign of that breast getting prepared for nursing. Letdown reflex is also called milk ejection reflex.
As soon as you place your baby to your breast, the baby begins suckling from the breast. The end of the nerves in the mother’s nipples are stimulated and signal the mother’s pituitary glands to produce two hormones, prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin serves as a stimulant for the alveoli in the breasts to produce milk. Oxytocin passes from the mother's bloodstream into her breasts and contracts the alveoli and expands the milk ducts in the breast to provide milk for your baby. Sometimes, the milk is pushed out of the nipples and starts dripping or spraying.
Establishing Letdown Reflex
Remember that establishing letdown reflex can prove to be a trying time for both new mothers and experienced mothers alike. The time taken for letdown reflex to get started varies among women. It may range from a few seconds to many minutes. You must take care to ensure that your mind is free of stress for a successful letdown reflex. Suppressing the letdown reflex or a weak letdown reflex can make your baby a hungry baby. Also, if the letdown reflex is very less, it may cause early weaning. Embarrassment, irritation, stress or anxiety during breastfeeding can prevent letdown reflex due to a hormone called adrenaline. Adrenaline suppresses the action of oxytocin and causes physical problems such as sore nipples and engorgement. Alcohol, caffeine and smoking can also suppress letdown. A secure letdown reflex is unaffected by serious emotional shock or the normal extra efforts in your life.
Once letdown reflex is established, it goes on as long as the baby suckles the mother's nipples causing her to produce milk. After the initial letdown reflex gets started and nursing can be carried out on demand, some mothers experience letdown reflex when they see their babies smile, hear them cry or even get their scent. Letdown reflex occurs many times during a single feed. When your baby suckles your breast, the milk does not get removed. It just keeps the nipple in position. She then uses her tongue and jaws to compress the areola and move the milk into her mouth. When there is no letdown, your baby receives foremilk. Only when the milk is letdown, she starts nursing on hindmilk.
If a mother has a very high letdown reflex, this can sometimes choke the baby and cause her to spurt during each feed. This can also cause gas problems in your baby and result in early self-weaning. You can correct this problem in about a week by alternating breasts for each feed and trying out different breastfeeding positions regularly.
Although, you must feed your baby on demand, some babies usually agree to be fed at a specific time after the initial weeks. In such cases, you may find your milk automatically letdown as the feeding time of your baby draws nearer. Once lactation begins to take place properly, you can identify the letdown reflex by the gulps of the baby swallowing the milk. As lactation progresses, sphincter muscles in the breast stop untimely leaking and spraying. The milk is held back in the nipple until the baby begins suckling. A well-conditioned letdown reflex helps the mother in having an ample and steady milk production to satisfy her growing baby. Her milk supply begins to reduce only during weaning. If the baby is sick and needs to breastfeed more often after she is introduced to weaning, the milk secretion and letdown reflex reappears.
Since each woman's breast is different, the sensation she feels towards letdown reflex will also be different Some mothers feel a tingling sensation causing warming up of the breasts. Some mothers feel as if their breasts are burning. Sometimes the mothers feel no sensation and milk starts dripping from her nipples. The let-down reflex can be as light as a small leak from a tap to a forceful spray from the bath shower.
Setting up a routine to be followed before nursing can set up stimuli for a good letdown reflex. If the routine is followed regularly, letdown reflex becomes very easy and you enjoy breastfeeding your baby.
Stimulating Factors for Letdown Reflex
- Drinking a glass of water
- Washing your breasts with a warm cloth
- Listening to your favourite music
- Unbuttoning your clothes
- Gently stroking your breast
Signs of a Letdown Reflex
Some indicators that assure you that you have experienced letdown reflex in your body are:
- Your baby's suckling action slows down and swallowing increases to match the flow of milk.
- You will see milk in the corners of your baby's mouth.
- You might begin to feel thirsty.
- Milk starts flowing from your unused breast.
- As you pump your milk, milk droplets turn into sprays.
