Let-down reflex

Let-down Reflex
The initial warm rush of milk that you feel, sort of like a tingling sensation, after your baby has latched on to your breast. Your baby's sucking will stimulate the let-down reflex.

Let-down Reflex-This is a physiologic response to an infant sucking at the mother's breast. The pressure from sucking stimulates the release of milk from the milk ducts, through the nipples, and to the baby.
Lightening-See dropping.

let-down reflex, or milk-ejection reflex ~ A conditioned reflex ejecting milk from the alveoli through the ducts to the sinuses of the breast and the nipple.
libido ~ sexual drive.

This is called the let-down reflex. A tingling sensation or pins and needles in your breast, as well as some leaking of milk in the non-feeding breast, sometimes accompany it. You may also feel a sense of calm and relaxation come over you.

Some mothers feel a tingling sensation as the milk begins to eject from the breast due to the let-down reflex. The best way to monitor whether this milk-ejection reflex has begun is by watching the sucking and breathing patterns of your baby.

This should trigger the let-down reflex, allowing some milk to leak out and slightly softening the nipple and areola. Remove excess milk and relieve pressure with pumping or by hand (manual expression).

'Milking the breast', let-down reflex
Suckling at the breast
How long and how often'
Diet alcohol, smoking, drugs, medications ...
The experience of breastfeeding
Breastfeeding twins or more
Australian Breastfeeding Association ...

Oxytocin also stimulates the let-down reflex, which occurs just before or soon after feeding or pumping begins. Let-down is often described as a tingle or an ache. If this is your first baby, you may not notice this sensation for the first few weeks.

Your let-down reflex may be stimulated unintentionally. Be prepared by using absorbent pads that you change frequently.
Low milk supply. Generally, increasing the frequency of breast-feeding will help build your milk supply.

See also: Reflex, Nipple, Pregnancy, Breast Milk, Nutrition