Breastfeeding and Music

Breastfeeding can be a sensitive subject for many women. Everyone has their own opinion, but the truth is, every mother’s situation is different. I struggled with not producing enough milk. We didn’t know there was a problem until Vince (my 2nd son) started losing weight around 3 months. He was crying 8 hours day and only sleeping 1.5 hour stretches at night. It took about 2 months to figure out that he was hungry 🤦🏽‍♀️ and needless to say, I was a little stressed!

I personally wanted to breastfeed so badly that I was putting unnecessary pressure on myself every time I nursed him. I was building up the feeding process in my head and becoming extremely anxious, which in turn inhibited the flow of my milk. Add the fact that I knew Vince wasn’t getting what he needed from me, and I was a mess! (We didn’t wait long before supplementing with formula).

Music can help ease your anxiety. A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research showed that after 4 music therapy sessions, new mothers in the hospital reported less psychological stress and showed a decrease in salivary cortisol levels.

They were also able to express more breast milk than those women who were not receiving music therapy.

If you don’t have access to a music therapist postpartum (which I think all hospitals should offer, but who am I?) try listening to relaxing music while nursing. Creating a calming environment will not only help you to loosen up, but your baby will be able to sense the shift in your mood as well, which may lead to an overall more pleasant (and productive!) nursing experience.