Postnatal Massage and Breast Massage Increase Production Of Breast Milk According To Study

Do Postnatal Massage and Breast Massage Increase Production Of Breast Milk?

Postnatal Massage and Breast Massage definitely work to increase breast milk production, and various health studies performed around the world  support this assertion.

I can say that the answer is affirmative based on both my experience as an LMT focusing on postnatal women, as well as the scientific literature out there that backs up my firsthand experience.

One Study, Two Indonesian Universities

In this article, I shall focus on one single study, entitled, “The effect of oxytocin massage and breast care on the increased production of breast milk of breastfeeding mothers in the working area of the public health center of Lawanga of Poso District.”

A health study performed in Indonesia that was a collaboration of various departments in two different Indonesian universities.

Of course, anecdotal evidence is worthwhile, but a health study performed at a world-class university is worth more.

While there are certainly other studies out there, here we will only deal with the conclusions drawn from this study, alone.

My Experience Shows That Postnatal Massage and Breast Massage Helps Every Woman

As an LMT focusing on the prenatal and postnatal population, I can say that the answer, derived from my experience alone, is a definitive YES, postnatal massage and  breast massage, specifically, helps to increase milk production in postpartum women.

Are there exceptions? Not really; some women who’ve suffering from severe PCOS for decades don’t improve as much, but I’ve never seen a woman not improve to some degree.

So, What Did The Study All About?

The designers of this health study set out to find out the effects of “oxytocin massage” and “Breast care,” on increased breast milk production.

“Breast Care” is a euphemistic term; Indonesia is a Conservative Muslim culture and this probably affects the verbiage chosen.

The data was analyzed, after a questionnaire was employed to get responses from the postnatal moms participating in the study.

The results were that these practices such as Breast Care and Oxytocin Massage increase milk production in many women.

WHO Calls For Exclusive Breastfeeding

At this point, the World Health Organization suggests that families rely solely on breast milk, when possible.

There is ample evidence at this point demonstrating that breast milk is best, and is incomparable to any synthetic substitutes that are manufactured at this time, in terms of its biochemistry.

This study aims to help with one of the serious impediments to success with breastfeeding: not being able to produce ample milk to not have to supplement with formula.

Some women give up on breastfeeding, altogether. Many keep going, but don’t produce a lot.

The goal of this study was to actually affect infant survival rates by finding noninvasive and effective means to help Moms, worldwide, to be able to produce more milk.

What Were The Conclusions Of The Study?

“The recent research found that oxytocin massage and breast care causes breast milk production to increase based on the frequency and duration of breastfeeding and babies’ weight ”

The criteria used focus both on the amount of time spent on the activity of breastfeeding as well as the babies’ weight, which are two vert different sorts of variables.

We can therefore trust that the results are accurate.

Breast Massage helps roughly ~40% of the women who had experienced insufficient supply for their infant.

The remaining women still suffered from insufficient milk supply.

How Do Postnatal Massage and Breast Massage Increase The Milk Supply?

The theory that is behind this increase is that Postnatal Massage, especially upon the back,  and breast massage and nipple stimulation, specifically,   help to increase milk production.

The study also states that the results are consistent with a different health study conducted elsewhere in Indonesia in 2016, which also showed, without a doubt, that these postnatal women’s care practices positively affected milk production..

” If there are anxiety, stress, and doubt, then the release of breast milk can be inhibited. So that one of the efforts to maintain the oxytocin hormone by giving back massage that can make the mother feels comfortable and relax.”

Apparently, being able to relax, as well as receiving the proper stimulation to the breasts and nipples, helps to make milk based on the body’s biochemistry and responses to touch.

Why Were Only 40% Of Women Helped To Make More Breast Milk?

This is a good question, as we want to help every woman to be able to exclusively breastfeed.

Without more information, we don’t know what else was happening with the, roughly, 60% of women that these techniques did not help.

We can ask questions like…

Were they involved in a domestic abuse and/or violence situation?

Were they feeling fearful about not making enough milk?

Did they drink enough water? Eat enough food?

And so on..

We just won’t know.

The Main Impediments To Women Producing Sufficient Milk

However, I can say that, as both a Postnatal Massage Therapist who performs Breast Massage, as well as being a Lactation Counselor, that two main issues seem to be the most significant to deal with:

1. Emotional issues, and it can be about anything. it can range from worrying to getting angry. To breastfeed successfully, you need to stay calm and feel at peace. You need to be comfortable with yourself, with breastfeeding, and holding the baby.

2. Improper latch and/or breastfeeding technique is the second big issue. This can often easily be resolved by a competent Lactation Professional.

3. Not giving the infant enough time to experience letdown also happens. Some women experience letdown at the cry of their baby, others need the baby to suckle first for a bit.

4. A history of PCOS. This is difficult, but not unsolvable. Change your diet, change your attitude, develop your calm center, and see if you don’t produce more milk.

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CITATION:

Ade Triansyah, Stang, Indar, Apik Indarty, Muh. Tahir, Muh Sabir, Rosmala Nur, Muhammad Basir-Cyio, Mahfudz, Alam Anshary, Muhammad Rusydi,
The effect of oxytocin massage and breast care on the increased production of breast milk of breastfeeding mothers in the working area of the public health center of Lawanga of Poso District,
Gaceta Sanitaria,
Volume 35, Supplement 2,
2021,
Pages S168-S170,
ISSN 0213-9111,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2021.10.017.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0213911121001989)
Abstract: Objective
The objective of this research is to know the effect of oxytocin massage and breast care on the increase of breast milk production.
Method
This pre-experimental research was performed through the One Group Pretest–Posttest design. The sampling was done through non-probability sampling and purposive sampling, obtaining 30 samples. The data were collected in the form of a questionnaire, which was then analyzed using the Mc Nemar test.
Result
It was known that the production of breast milk during pre-intervention was poor on 18 respondents and adequately a lot on the other 12 respondents. Meanwhile, during the post-intervention, the production of breast milk on the 18 respondents whose previously breast milk production was poor then become adequate on the seven respondents, while the remaining 11 respondents still produced less breast milk. The statistical test result showed a P value of 0.016, which means that the P is less than 0.05.
Conclusion
Oxytocin massage and breast care affected the increase of breast milk production considered based on the frequency and duration of breastfeeding as well as the infants’ weight in Lawanga Public Health Center, Poso District.
Keywords: Exclusive breast milk; Oxytocin massage; Breast care

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0213911121001989#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20oxytocin%20massage%20is,of%20myoepithelial%20cells%20and%20increases%20the%20prolactin.