If a breast pump can't express milk, it means there's no milk. A mother's breast is like a warehouse; milk is transported through the mammary glands to the lactiferous sinuses, where it is then expressed or pumped out. When Ms. Zhao used the breast pump, she only expressed milk from the lactiferous sinuses. Doing this frequently caused blockages in the milk ducts, gradually forming milk lumps. A baby's sucking is the best way to stimulate the nipples and increase milk supply. Newborns have weak sucking power, so mothers shouldn't worry. Gently use your hand to assist by pushing from the base of the breast to facilitate milk flow. If a breast pump must be used, use this method to assist; otherwise, over time, there are only two possibilities: either the milk will gradually dry up completely, or milk lumps will accumulate, the breasts will become increasingly engorged, but milk won't come out, eventually leading to cracked and infected nipples, causing mastitis.
It's okay not to breastfeed at night. Prolactin, also known as lactogenic hormone, is a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland. In late pregnancy and during lactation, prolactin secretion is high to promote mammary gland development and lactation. Prolactin levels fluctuate significantly throughout the day, generally remaining at a higher level during sleep. Around 3 or 4 AM, serum prolactin concentration is approximately double that at midday.
If you have too much milk, use a breast pump to empty it. The correct method is to express some milk when your breasts are full, ideally by hand. If you're unsure how to do this, use a breast pump. Gradually increase the intervals between expressions while slowly reducing the amount of milk expressed each time. After a period of adjustment, you will gradually achieve a balance between supply and demand.
