Do you struggle with milk pumping? One mum has shared a simple but effective hack to make it easier.
Milk and Motherhood’s lactation consultant Johanna Sargeant shared her trick on Facebook, with a photo showing users what she does.
The post began with something many mothers can relate to: ‘Are you someone who sits and watches the trickle of milk, if any, that comes when pumping? Do you get stressed or sad about your output?’
Because Johanna got so stressed about how much she was producing, she actually produced less as a result. By using a sock to take her mind off the quantity, she was able to relax and produce more.
There’s science behind the hack too, as Johanna spoke about oxytocin, a hormone produced in the hypothalamus. It plays an essential role in social bonding, reproduction, childbirth and the period after childbirth. It’s affectionately known as the ‘love hormone’.
https://www.facebook.com/milkandmotherhoodblog/posts/2205618653084762
As it plays a role in breastfeeding, stress can affect the hormone and results in a mother producing less, as Johanna explains in her post: ‘Some women are reporting often 2-3 times more milk when they remove themselves mentally from the result of their pumping session!
‘We know that oxytocin release is inhibited by stress, and oxytocin release is required for letdowns, so if you find you are getting stressed while watching, try it!’
Mums soon took to Facebook to share their own experiences trying Johanna’s method, and the results are very positive.
‘I never thought to use a sock, but as soon as I started watching Netflix instead of scrolling thru Facebook at work while I pumped, my output increased’ said one user.
‘Great idea. As an exclusive pumper I found that not looking at my baby and distracting myself with emails and messages helped a lot. If I thought about my baby I would stress’ another agreed.
Distractions are definitely helping mums to relax, and produce more milk in turn. If watching TV or checking emails isn’t enough, then the sock helps you forget how much is in there.
All you need is something to occupy your mind, and a sock for the bottle. We’re sure your little one has plenty of those, so why not give it a go?
