What a Lactation Crisis Is and How to Cope With It

More than 80% of moms breastfeed babies. And most of them face a lactation crisis. This is a hard and stressful period when they have to deal with their kid’s continuous crying, exasperation, and even disappointment in their own parenting abilities.

And though we at Bright Side can’t keep babies from crying, we can try to help moms understand the reasons and symptoms of a breastfeeding crisis. We also have few tips that can ease the process.

What is it?

This is a period of time when a baby seems to be unhappy with mom’s milk. They don’t eat long and feel hungry more often. They also gain less weight and cry a lot. Mom feels she has a lack of milk and also that there is a lot of pressure and stress on her. Some can even think that they are failing at motherhood.

Why it happens?

The reason is that kids need more milk. Their ability to suck develops while growing and they need less time to eat. Mom’s body receives these signals and stores less milk — which eventually turns out to not be enough for their baby.

When it happens?

It can happen approximately 5 times during a kid’s first year of life. It’s all because the lactation crisis is connected with their growth periods.

• Between 1 and 3 weeks of their life
• 6 weeks
• 3 months
• 6 months
• 9 months

How to deal with it?

The first thing that comes to mind is to feed the baby with formula. But you should avoid this since it can cause a decrease in milk production. You can try these tips instead:

• Take a rest from household chores if possible to spend more time with your child, get more rest, and stay calm.
• Don’t force them to eat, only feed them on demand.
• You can be aware of the signs of a baby being hungry and try to feed them before they start crying.
• Try new breastfeeding positions and let your child find the most comfortable one for them.
• Understand that this is a temporary thing and don’t lose trust in yourself thinking that you are not able to feed your baby.

Have you experienced a lactation crisis? How did you cope with it?