The Comprehensive Guide to a Holistic Approach to Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a beautiful yet stressful job.
It takes a lot of work physically, mentally and emotionally, not just for you, but also for this human you have created. With all of the societal pressures and struggles within ourselves to do what is best for our babies, it can get very overwhelming.
Never did I imagine that breastfeeding…
1) was so time consuming
2) was so much work
3) would take such a physical toll on my body.
Even though I was very blessed to have a great supply for more than a year, it was A LOT OF WORK. Read on to see what I did to keep the flow going!
I really enjoyed breastfeeding my son because he preferred breast milk over everything else. I was a good producer and just loved bonding during our time together. Seeing the joy and satisfaction he got from drinking his delicious breast milk was hilarious and gratifying – from the milk coma to seeing his body relax as I held him and he hugged me in elation. But it was also living on a demanding schedule of when he wanted to eat with my mom sometimes texting me saying the baby is hungry and waiting for you to eat. I had to plan for when I would be home and was able to sit for 30 minutes or more or be able to pump. I had to keep him awake so he could keep eating because as soon as I held him he would pass out and mom had limited time. I had to go to school or work or use the bathroom, eat, so many things other than being tied to the couch for minimum 30 minutes which what seemed like a million times a day.
Night time was awesome, we coslept and I just popped out a boobie and we would cuddle and we could easily go back to sleep. I would switch sides throughout the night to keep him full and me from engorging. I was in a lot of pain so getting in/out of bed was just too much for me physically. Cosleeping worked for us.
How did I make it all work? Well, let me tell you….
Again, I was lucky. My flow was good and I had an arsenal of tools at my hands to not let us down. I did a lot of research, was on Pinterest a lot and was always looking for ways to not let my milk dry up and to make sure my tatas were healthy.
I will explain how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you with….
- Low milk supply
- Food
- Stress
- Acupressure
- Mastitis
Acupuncture
While this time can be incredible for bonding, it can also be stressful and painful. How can Chinese medicine help?
According to traditional Chinese medicine breast milk comes from “qi” or the life force AND blood. So we need adequate blood and qi to produce enough milk; this can be difficult after childbirth and even more so if you are weak. So, stress, food, and water can play a huge role in making enough breast milk to feed your baby as much as they need. Getting regular acupuncture can help so many issues. Not just physical but mental woes as well. Are you stressed? Are you sleeping? Are you having trouble connecting to your little one? Read more below on how acupuncture can help if you have low milk supply, are stressed, or have mastitis.
Low Milk Supply
If you have LOW supply then you could be deficient. Meaning you were either weak before or during your pregnancy or that perhaps during childbirth you lost a lot of blood or were unable to fully recover. It is important to rest as much as possible and eat good quality, wholesome food to nourish your body and give it the fuel it needs to keep you and baby going.
Acupuncture can increase your milk flow by unblocking a stagnation caused by muscle tension or a blocked meridian. Meaning you have a traffic jam inside of you and the needles will help everything flow better and in the correct direction.
Food
Food is medicine. Make sure to buy good quality, organic and NON GMO foods. You are not only nourishing yourself but this newborn through your milk.
Foods that can help generate more blood are RED. So that includes red meat, red apples, cherries, beets, quinoa and grapes.
Foods that can help generate more qi or life force would be hearty like proteins, such as stews or soups, fish, eggs, bone broth, lentils, beans etc.
One of the best things to eat to produce more milk is oatmeal. Luckily for me it was one of my biggest cravings during and after pregnancy. I ate a huge bowl of it in the morning as I was ravenous and mixed what I added in. I used Red Mill’s Steel Cut Oats and added whatever I had – hemp seeds, agave, chia seeds, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries (fresh or dried), pecans, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and goji berries.
If you aren’t producing milk it can be from being weak or deficient or a stagnation or blockage preventing the milk from coming down. This can all be from emotions – stress, depression, anxiety, sadness, anger, resentment, agitation or being discouraged.
Acupuncture either nourishes you if you are deficient or smooths out the flow if there is a stagnation or blockage. This can be done by acupuncture point selection that is done for each individual, accomplished by their practitioners diagnosis and by prescribed herbs. A lot of our herbs are actual foods, roots, different parts of the plant. So they are easy to recognize – for example ginger, pear or yams. If you are feeling unusually cold then we may prescribe a ginger tea.
Stress
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself or listen to others’ opinions. Give yourself a break. You just went through one of the hardest things you will ever go through! Focus on yourself and baby and getting enough rest and nourishment. Those are your immediate goals, nothing else! Your baby needs his mama and you won’t be able to give if you aren’t in the right state of mind or health.
Start not only by sleeping enough, but also by eating well. Eat the right foods. Have healthy snacks by you. Drink water and lots of it.
Take some deep breaths and look at your bundle of joy and watch in amazement at the gift of life you just received and just had inside of your belly.
Acupuncture and Eastern medicine is incredibly relaxing. It can take you from being in flight or fight mode into rest and digest. Your nap will be recharging and release built up tension. It will help balance emotions and reduce stress.
Acupressure
Have your partner, friend, or doula massage the tops of your shoulders where the red dot is located here. This is where acupuncture point Gallbladder 21 is located (GB21). This can help if you have tension or knots. Search for the most tender point and you may have a knot or sensitivity there. This is a great point for pain in the neck and shoulders and benefits the breasts – reducing pain, abscess, increasing milk production.
Also another point is Ren 17 in between the breasts (see red dot), usually pretty sensitive or tender. Search for the most tender point and press and apply pressure for a few seconds or minutes throughout the day. This point is also called the Sea of Qi so it can be amazing for the entire body. It helps unbind the chest, alleviate pain, benefits the breasts and promotes lactation.
The most important point which is best done by using a needle can be nibbled on or pressed on. This point is Small Intestine 1 (SI1) on the dorsal aspect of the pinky finger (see red dot). If you draw a line from each side of the cuticle it’s where they both meet. This is the best point for promoting lactation.
Mastitis
According to the Mayo Clinic – the definition of mastitis is inflammation of the breast tissue which can be an infection. The inflammation results in breast pain, swelling, warmth, and redness. You may also experience fever and chills. It can cause you to feel run down, it can cause thickening of the breast tissue or breast lumps, or pain or a burning sensation while breastfeeding. Be cautious if you have sore or cracked nipples. Don’t wear tight fitting bras or clothes or put your seat belt directly on your breasts. Make sure you are breastfeeding correctly with proper latch techniques and make sure to switch sides so you can empty each breast. Don’t smoke or eat junk food or become too tired or stressed out as this will cause more complications.
As soon as you think you may have mastitis call our clinic for an appointment as the sooner you get treatment the sooner this issue can be resolved without antibiotics or complications. There are many points and herbs for draining and clearing inflammation. Our treatment experience is quite similar to others you have had in our clinic, location points will vary per patient.
I hope my tips help and give you more insight as to how I made it all work.
Some things may be obvious and others may not. Feel free to contact me should you have any questions or concerns. Also listen to your body! It will tell you what is lacking and what it needs. Stay tuned for the next blog post where I dive deeper into what products and treatments I carry in my breastfeeding arsenal.
At Natural Point Acupuncture we will listen to all of your health concerns and evaluate the best customized treatment plan for you. A treatment plan may include herbs, lifestyle recommendations, and nutritional advice. We will walk you through several options and make sure that you are comfortable with our plan so that you can easily incorporate changes into your life. The last thing we want is for our patients to feel overwhelmed. So, we will be with you every step of the way to make sure we take the necessary steps to get to the root of the problem. Eastern medicine can decrease inflammation and relieve pain associated with breastfeeding as well as promote lactation and help keep the flow for longer periods of time. It can also help with balancing mood and emotions as well as helping mastitis.
Acupuncture is a safe, effective, natural and holistic way to treat breastfeeding issues.
Eastern medicine looks at the whole person – body, mind and soul and not just a set of symptoms. Traditional Chinese medicine gets to the root of the problem by healing the imbalances in the body thus creating a harmony. With this internal harmony the body is then able to heal itself and once again work through today’s stressful lifestyle.
At Natural Point Acupuncture and Wellness Clinic we specialize in helping nursing mothers with lactation issues. Our 100% natural process of relieving pain, reducing inflammation and improving lactation has given thousands of patients relief by finally having regular milk flow without stress and panic.
