How Stress Affects Your Milk Let-down (And What You Can Do About It)

It’s common for nursing and pumping moms to hold on to tension. Unfortunately, stress can be a big supply buster. When you’re stressed, cortisol levels rise, the hormone responsible for telling us it’s time to run for the hills and not time to sit back, relax, and feed the baby.

When we’re relaxed, oxytocin, the love hormone, is released. Oxytocin tells the milk to flow. Oxytocin is responsible for the let-down reflex. Often, a let-down can become a conditioned response. Many moms find that just hearing or seeing their baby (or even thinking about them) can trigger a let-down, as oxytocin kicks in from emotional cues. That’s why you might leak a little when your baby cries or when it’s about time for a feeding. This is a natural reflex to help ensure milk is ready for your baby when they need it.

However, stress, pain, or even being rushed can interfere with oxytocin’s effects – in fact, stress hormones can slow down or delay your let-down (1).

Let’s break down how stress affects your milk let-down and what you can do to get things flowing again.

• Feeling rushed or watched while feeding/pumping
  
  

• Painful latch or cracked nipples
  
  

• Worrying about supply
  
  

• Loud environments or too much stimulation
  
  

• Sleep deprivation or emotional overwhelm

Breast massage: Gently massage your breasts before and during feeding or pumping to stimulate milk flow.

Deep breathing exercises: Practice deep breathing and visualization techniques to help you relax and release tension.

The Feher Guide:  Consider using the Feher Guide, a proven method for achieving successful let-downs by incorporating relaxation and visualization.

Create a comfortable environment:  It may be helpful to listen to soothing music or watch your favorite show, gaze at photos of your cute little one, or do anything else that helps you de-stress and calm your mind.

Simultaneous nursing and pumping: Nurse your baby on one breast while pumping on the other to help stimulate milk production.

Sock hack:  Cover the bottles you’re pumping into with your baby’s socks. By not focusing on every milk drop being removed, you’ll be able to be more relaxed, and milk will flow more easily.

Nipple stimulation:  Gently rub or roll your nipples between your fingers to encourage the let-down reflex.

Shoulder massages and back rubs:  Enlist the help of a partner or use a massaging tool to relieve tension in your shoulders and back.

Epsom salt baths:  Take an Epsom salt bath to relieve sore muscles. Epsom salt baths give you a dose of magnesium, which helps the body relax, reduce stress, and may help you get better sleep.

Acupuncture:  Acupuncture is another modality that has benefits for milk production as well as reducing stress and anxiety. (2) When we hold on to stress, we tense our bodies and end up with tighter shoulders, necks, and backs.

Optimal pump settings:  When your milk flow slows, switch back to stimulation mode on your breast pump to see if you can stimulate another let-down. You can also pause pumping and massage each breast for 1-2 minutes before resuming your pump session.

Skin-to-skin contact with your baby helps them to feed better and reduces stress levels. Babies unwilling to latch are often more relaxed when they are skin-to-skin with you in a warm bath and may latch while in the tub co-bathing. Your baby picks up on your cues of stress or relaxation. During feeding challenges, the more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your baby will become. When you are calm, oxytocin is released, and tension fades.

Both moist heat and dry heat work to bring warmth to a targeted area of your body. When heat is applied, it stimulates the nerves and causes a rapid rise in your skin’s temperature. This rise increases the amount of blood flowing to that area. Increased blood flow causes the blood vessels to widen to transport more nutrients and white blood cells to the area. It can help kick the body into action to:

• Relax muscles

• Promote healing

• Promote oxytocin release and milk ejection or let-down

• Increase circulation

The milk ejection reflex is triggered when your baby begins to suck, stimulating the hormone oxytocin to be released. Oxytocin is the feel-good hormone. Oxytocin release depends on the nerves in your skin being activated. They are activated when you hold your baby skin-to-skin and from warmth. (3) Applying heat can trigger the release of oxytocin sooner and your milk to let down faster than without heat.

Using heat before pumping, nursing, or hand expression helps dilate milk ducts in preparation for removing milk. Keep that heat pack on while you pump to increase milk flow during pumping or nursing. The nice thing about using a heat pack is you can take it on the go, allowing you to use it while at work or away from your baby. The degree of fullness in your breasts tells the body to make more or less milk. Well-drained and less full breasts fill with more milk than more full breasts. (4) Maximizing milk removal while away from your baby at work or for mothers who exclusively pump helps maintain a full milk supply for your baby.

When stress starts stealing your let-down, Miss Bliss™ steps in with a science-backed, mama-friendly blend to help bring the calm. This “bliss in a bottle” supports your body and mind with key ingredients that work together to help you relax and let the oxytocin flow:

•  affron® Saffron  – Clinically studied to help support a positive mood and alleviate occasional stress*
  
  

•  Magnesium  – Helps promote relaxation and feelings of calm*
  
  

•  L-Theanine  – Commonly used to help support a balanced cortisol response*
  
  

By helping balance cortisol and encouraging a more relaxed state, Miss Bliss helps create the ideal conditions for your milk to flow more freely. Whether you’re dealing with supply stress, workday pumping pressure, or the everyday chaos of new motherhood, Miss Bliss has your back (and your let-down).*

Stress doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong—it means you’re human. But when it starts to interfere with your ability to nurse or pump effectively, it's worth taking steps to restore calm. Relaxation allows oxytocin to be released. If you feel stressed out, the body gets the signal that it may be time to run from a threat, and oxytocin is inhibited, meaning your milk may not flow. Put on some soothing music, watch a funny TV show, or try the Feher method to see what a difference it makes.

You’re not broken. You’re not failing. Your body just needs a little support—and so do you.

1. https://kellymom.com/ages/newborn/nb-challenges/maintainsupply-pump/

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501890/  

3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4290532/#:~:text=The%20maternal%20release%20of%20oxytocin,movements%20performed%20by%20the%20baby  .

4. https://www.jognn.org/article/S0884-2175(15)31026-1/fulltext