Hi friends !! to day we are going to talk about lactation briefly!!!
Lactation:
Lactation is the process of producing breast milk. For women who are pregnant or recently gave birth.
- The breasts become fully developed under the influence of estrogen, progesterone and prolactin during pregnancy.
- Prolactin causes the production of milk, and oxytocin release (via the suckling reflex) causes the contraction of smooth-muscle cells in the ducts to eject the milk from the nipple.
- The first secretion of the mammary gland after delivery is colostrum. It contains more protein and less fat than subsequent milk, and contains IgA antibodies which impart some passive immunity to the infant. Most often it takes one to three days after delivery for milk production to reach appreciable levels.
- The expulsion of the placenta at delivery initiates milk production and causes the drop in circulating estrogens and progesterone. Estrogen antagonizes the positive effect of prolactin on milk production.
- The physical stimulation of suckling causes the release of oxytocin and stimulates prolactin secretion, causing more milk production.