Not getting enough sleep can affect breast milk production, experts warn

Maternal care experts have urged new mums to try to get enough sleep after childbirth, noting that not getting enough sleep daily can affect a mother's ability to function properly and also interfere with breast milk production.< /p>

Speaking to PUNCH HealthWise, experts noted that despite the burden and stress of caring for a newborn, getting the required six to eight hours of sleep a day is necessary to both for the health of mother and child.

Midwives who spoke with PUNCH HealthWise also noted that lack of sleep has some effect on a woman's mental health as it can be either a risk factor for post depression -partum, or even postpartum psychosis in rare cases.

Speaking to our correspondent, a midwife, Ms Taiwo Olugbade said: "Breastfeeding mothers are supposed to sleep at least eight hours like any other person, but we know that the requirements of a newborn are huge. .

"So during this period some of them will start having sleepless nights, headaches and many other things. This is the time when they need the help from in-laws, neighbours, family members, sisters who can help them a few days after birth so they can rest.”

She noted that the rigors new mums have endured during both pregnancy and childbirth are quite enormous, hence the need for adequate rest so they can recover completely.

Olugbade, who is also the Head of Reproductive Unit Support at the Lagos State Department of Health, also pointed out that a woman's inability to Proper rest can also affect its ability to produce breast milk as a body system. would be overworked.

To further substantiate this, Mrs. Amaka Okafor, a senior nurse at Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, said, "A breastfeeding mother should get enough sleep daily because during the period puerperal, like two weeks after giving birth, there is a kind of stress in the brain that a woman who does not get enough sleep can have problems with the release of the hormone responsible for the fall of breast milk.

"So adequate sleep is a necessity while breastfeeding, as it will help increase the flow of breast milk.

"Getting enough sleep also helps a woman's mental health because during the puerperal period, - (the time after birth when pregnancy-related physiological changes return to the non-pregnant state), the woman may not have enough help. At some point, some people suffer from what we call puerperal psychosis."

Okafor clarified that getting the required number of hours of sleep per day as a new mom doesn't have to be done all at once, noting that once the baby is sleeping, no matter how bad the mother is, she should try to take a nap.

"A few minutes, hours, try to sleep at the same time that the baby is fine. It may not be long, they need it, no matter how small," said the midwife.

Experts have also pointed out that family support is necessary to protect the new mother from postpartum health problems, especially during the first six weeks after childbirth. .

“Family support is very important. In most cases, if the family is not supportive and neither is the husband, depending on the number of children in the family, you will see that the stress will increase for the new mom while she tries to take care of the other family members and the new one.

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