Successfully inducing lactation is almost entirely about having the right internal chemistry and much less about having an anr partner.

The hormonal setup is what preps the breast to have milk before a mouth ever reaches it during pregnancy. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO REPLICATE.

An anr partner can be great during the process and just in general dry nursing, and they do help promote more milk production once it's established but here is what you need to know about why an anr partner is not essential or inducing lactation. Inducing lactation does not require a partner, nor should you depend on them for it!

Lactogenic hormones control the growth and secretion of mammary tissues in the breast. Prolactin, human placental lactogen (hPl), and oxytocin are the main lactogenic hormones. Cortisol and insulin-insensitivity are anti-lactogenic (more on that later).

Without a pregnancy, you won't get the hPl, an important hormone that regulates gland secretion (lactation).

So we need more prolactin and oxytocin to make up the difference. Prolactin promotes the growth of mammary alveoli, which are the components of the mammary gland, where the actual production of milk occurs. Oxytocin widens the milk ducts to allow for milk secretion.

Initially, prolactin levels are closely linked to nipple stimulation, but after a few weeks, the two aren't as closely related. However, milk production stops when a mother stops breastfeeding because a feedback inhibitor of lactation (FIL) destroys the cells that secrete milk. FIL can be removed by expressing breast milk during feeding, which can help milk production resume.

READ: Hand expressing and breast massage are FAR MORE important for milk production than suction from a pump or mouth because it stimulates prolactin production and FIL. Suction from a pump or mouth is more important when milk flow has been established because it produces oxytocin, which widens the ducts to release milk. If there's no milk to release, the oxytocin isn't doing much for PRODUCTION.

Insulin plays a direct role in lactation, including secretory differentiation, secretory activation, and mature milk production. Insulin upregulates genes associated with mammary epithelial cell (MEC) proliferation. When consuming sugar and it causes insulin resistance (which eventually leads to diabetes). Sugar consumption, therefore, inhibits mammary development and milk production. Cutting out sugar increases insulin sensitivity and promotes milk production.

READ: sugar kills breast development and milk production.

We need a lot of lactogenic hormones to reach the mammary glands for a long time (3-6 hrs a day for 6-8 weeks). This is the hormonal checklist for inducing. It's best broken up into a little bit a lot of times. E.g. 10-20 minutes of hand stimulation every hour for 8-10 hours a day. If you can't do 10-20 minutes, do whatever you can, 10-20 seconds a few times an hour was WAY better than none. The goal is to constantly prep the breasts for milk production. The technique of touch used is oriented to the hormonal needs to induce lactation. Remember: in pregnancy, milk comes in completely from the hormonal set up before a mouth ever reaches be breast.

Without a natural course of pregnancy dictating hormonal release, we create it manually with touch.

Breasts respond to touch in many ways. They release prolactin and oxytocin, the latter of which is why they are capable of deep, lasting pleasure, which can grow to breatgasm, which releases even more prolactin in a large surge.

Combined, they have a symbiotic, exponential effect on breast development and milk production. IF they can reach the tissues.

Most of the prolactin is produced in the pituitary gland and makes it to the breast via the blood. Prolactin can be produced locally by the mammary glands, but much less than the pituitary.

Normally, with resting heart rate, our veins and arteries flow well, but the capillaries account for just 5% of our blood volume, but they are responsible for delivering the blood nutrients and hormones to tissues! They don't flow very much unless there is an increase in blood flow. So without an increase in capillary circulation, the glands and ducts in your breast will just receive a small portion of the available hormones.

Increasing their circulation increases hormone delivery (and greatly improves general breast health), which is where you see results.

If our goal is lactation, the technique for breast massage / manipulation must focus on: - stimulating the glands - and delivering blood - relaxation

A thick layer of adipose encompases the milk ducts and glands. It's a 3d web of connected glands and ducts that can only be stimulated fully by a diverse range of motion, as well as deep stimulation.

There is so much to say about how to do this, and it does vary breast to breast because each is very unique, and even two identical looking breasts on adifferenr women will feel completely different inside.

Realistically, your partner needs to get to know your breasts really well. Passionately well. How their ducts are laid out, where the clusters of milk glands are, how your breasts move and respond. There will need to be a lot of exploration there for yourself or someone who is helping you induce to know your breasts well enough to stimulate them in the way they need to produce milk.

It's so rewarding to induce, and it's truly a legendary experience that few get the blessing of.

In terms of technique, how your breasts are engaged for your growth and development is essential. If there's mutual enjoyment there, that's a huge bonus. Personally, I am really excited to get to know my partners breasts well and attune to them.

The hand and mouth techniques are better shown or experienced on the unique anatomy of that breast. But I may make another post detailing those specifically.

Techniques are as much physical skill as they are pacing, tone of your touch, the story your touch tells the body receiving it. Some things I do are simple and feel great. Others are more skilled but give OMG moments and deep pleasure. Others are more focused on circulation and effectively engaging the deep 3d web of milk glands. There's a lot I could spend hours going through them all. It's better demonstrated. I've learned a lot of skills both from experiences with partners and directly from numerous in-person multidisciplinary courses I attended where experienced teachers/practitioners demonstrated touch, anatomy, massage, pleasure dynamics, kink, and partner dynamics.

When massaging your breasts you want to spend healthy amounts of time on all aspects: deeply stimulating the milk ducts, hand expression strokes, increasing circulation with rhythmic pumping/fluttering/circular motions, deep (yet gentle) sweeps to press out stagnant blood and refill with fresh, and even moving them to the edges of their range of motion on all sides to help promote connective tissue. Go braless as much as possible to promote blood flow. Yes, they will hang lower the first few times, but without supporting their own weight, they will never develop their elastic supportive tissues to firm themselves up and support their own weight! This is why the bra industry has been lying to you that wearing a bra prevents breast sagging. The body and mind both weaken under comfort and strengthen under demand.

At the end of the day, it all takes time. Be patient, slow down, and drop in deep with yourself or your partner.