Milk production, also known as lactation, is triggered by hormonal changes after childbirth and maintained by the baby's suckling.
Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Hormonal Shift After Delivery: Following childbirth, the levels of progesterone and estrogen in the mother's body decrease rapidly. This drop removes the inhibition on prolactin, a hormone crucial for milk production.
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Prolactin's Role: Prolactin, now uninhibited, begins to stimulate the alveoli in the mammary glands (breasts) to produce milk. Alveoli are small, sac-like structures where milk is synthesized and stored.
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Suckling Stimulates Production: When the baby suckles at the breast, nerve endings in the nipple are stimulated. This stimulation sends a signal to the mother's brain.
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Brain Signals Increase Prolactin: The brain responds to the suckling stimulus by releasing more prolactin into the bloodstream. The more the baby suckles, the higher the prolactin levels, and the more milk is produced. This is a demand-and-supply system.
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Milk Ejection Reflex (Let-Down): Suckling also triggers the release of another hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the muscles around the alveoli to contract, squeezing the milk through the milk ducts and out of the nipple. This is known as the milk ejection reflex or "let-down."
In summary, milk production is a complex hormonal process initiated after childbirth and sustained by the baby's suckling, which stimulates the release of prolactin and oxytocin, leading to milk synthesis and ejection.
