The nonmedical reasons for low milk supply far exceed the medical reasons I discussed in the last chapter in scope and prevalence. And the good news is that, for the grand majority of women, they’re entirely fixable. Although the medical conditions are much rarer than the nonmedical causes of low, it’s important to treat them before you move on to other ways you can increase your breast milk.
Unfortunately, when it comes to breastfeeding, Western culture is full of more misinformation than a good education and more myth than fact. More often than not, low milk supply is a man-made issue born of a century of falsehoods circulated about breastfeeding and breast milk and societal birthing and parenting norms. Since the 1930s, the majority of infants in the United States have been formula fed. Multiple generations of Western men and women have never seen breastfeeding and know very little about it beyond the adage “breast is best.” We rely on our village of other parents to be our guides along our journey, and they don’t always steer us in the right direction. But what does this ultimately mean for you and your own breastfeeding journey?
It means that, for the grand majority of women, milk supply issues are preventable and fixable.
As you start to read through you might find yourself tempted to blame yourself for your low milk supply. As parents, and as people, we do the very best we can for our children and ourselves with the information we have. You aren’t expected to be perfect or to know it all. Use this chapter to prevent breastfeeding issues before they begin, but if you’re already having trouble breastfeeding or think you have a
low milk supply, don’t panic. Instead, reach out to an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, or another parent you trust. Seeking support at the first sign of breastfeeding troubles is key to helping you uncover the reason(s) behind low milk supply and fixing it.
0 Comments