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One of the most common reasons for a mother weaning her baby is that she feels that she does not have enough milk to satisfy her baby's needs. Here are some ideas to help you work out if your supply really is low and some suggestions that will help you make more milk, if it is! More information is available in our booklet 'Increasing your supply' available from Mothers Direct.
Your baby's needs are simple and few: to be nourished and to be comforted and reassured. Breastfeeding provides all these at once.
In these early months you are getting to know your baby. Enjoy this new experience! It is important to remember that every baby is different. Yours won't be the same as your sister's or your neighbour's.
You have already nurtured your baby in your womb for nine months and your body is designed to continue to provide nourishment. Everything your baby needs to grow strong and healthy is in your milk. It is the perfect food for your baby. You and your baby work together to establish your milk supply and increase it as your baby grows.
How Breastfeeding Works
During pregnancy your breasts will have changed and developed to be ready to provide milk for your baby. That milk is available even when your baby is born prematurely. It usually comes in (that is, the amount increases greatly) a few days after birth. The first milk in the breasts following delivery and often before it, is called colostrum. It is thicker, yellowish milk which is more concentrated than mature milk. It is also rich in protein and in antibodies that help to protect your baby from disease. The amount of colostrum in your breasts is particularly suited to your baby's small needs in the first few days after birth. Mature breastmilk, which is thin and bluish-white in appearance, gradually replaces colostrum over about ten days, although this changeover can take several weeks.
By sucking at the breast, your baby stimulates tiny nerves in the nipple. These nerves cause hormones to be released into your bloodstream. One of the hormones (prolactin) activates the milk-making tissues. The other hormone (oxytocin) causes the breast to push out or let down the milk.
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How Do I Know if my Baby is Getting Enough Breastmilk?
If your baby shows two or more of the signs below then it is probable that you do have enough milk.
- At least 6 to 8 very wet cloth nappies in 24 hours provided no other fluids or solids are being given. A very young baby will usually have 2 or more soft bowel movements a day for several weeks. An older baby is likely to have fewer than this. Small quantities of strong, dark urine or formed bowel motions do suggest that the baby is in need of more breastmilk.
- Good skin colour and muscle tone.
- Your baby is alert and reasonably contented and is not constantly wanting to feed. Your baby may still wake for night feeds - some babies sleep through the night at an early age while others wake during the night for some time.
- Some weight gain and growth in length and head circumference.
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How to Make More Milk: Demand = Supply
To build your supply, the following suggestions may help.
- Provided that your baby is correctly positioned you will find that the quickest and most successful way to boost your supply is to breastfeed more frequently. You may want to offer a breastfeed every two or three hours during the day, for a few days, or at least increase the number of feeds by offering the breast in between your baby's usual breastfeeds.
- Here is an easy way of doing this. If your baby does not settle after a feed, wait 20 or 30 minutes and then offer another quick little topping up breastfeed. Those few minutes of extra nursing and cuddling may be all that is needed to soothe and satisfy.
- Whenever practicable, let your baby finish the first breast before switching to the second breast. Let your baby decide the length of the breastfeed. Some babies may take up to 20 minutes or longer to drain a breast and obtain all the kilojoule-rich milk.
- Alternatively you may find it helps to change sides several times during a feed whenever your baby's sucking seems to become less vigorous. Some people find that this encourages the baby to suck more strongly and stimulates a good let-down reflex.
- If your baby is awake you can offer little snack feeds without waiting for baby to cry for them.
- You can try offering the breast as a comforter for a few days instead of dummy or thumb.
- You can also try massaging your breast by stroking it towards the nipple on all sides as baby feeds. Take care not to disturb the nipple in your baby's mouth.
- You will find that throughout lactation baby will have days when more breastfeeds are needed. This is Nature's way of producing more milk for your baby's growing needs.
- Most mothers find that they need to feed at least 6 times in 24 hours just to maintain their supply. Many new babies need 8 - 12 or more feeds in 24 hours. However the frequency of feeds generally declines as baby gets older.
- To increase your supply, you will need to fit in more feeds than is usual for YOUR BABY. Feeds do not need to be very long, just more often. Though in each 24 hours some feeds will be only 5 to 10 minutes long, others may be 30 minutes or longer, particularly when baby feeds to sleep slowly and contentedly.
- Help your milk to let-down quickly. Relax and enjoy feed times. Try to remove distractions (take the phone off the hook, put a do not disturb sign on your door), then settle with baby into a comfortable chair and breathe deeply, relaxing each part of your body separately as you may have learned to do at ante-natal classes. Have a drink on hand, a book or a magazine, listen to the radio or watch TV.
- Babies vary greatly in the amount of sucking they seem to need. There is no need to worry if your baby is contented with a fairly short feed. Some babies, however love to continue sucking long after the flow of milk has dwindled to a trickle. This is fine too. Your baby will let you know how long feeds need to be.
- A baby who is well positioned is more able to empty the breast. Hold your baby close to your chest, body facing yours, and lower arm around your waist. (baby's mouth should be directly opposite your nipple.) This makes it easier for your baby to take the breast. When offering the breast, just touch your baby's lips with your nipple and wait for the mouth to open wide. Centre baby's mouth over your nipple, guiding it over the tongue and pull the baby close against you so that a good mouthful of your nipple and areola (the darker area around the nipple) is in your baby's mouth.
MORE FREQUENT FEEDING MEANS MORE MILK
How to make more milk:
- Feed your baby more frequently than usual.
- Check that baby is well positioned at the breast.
- Whenever possible, allow the baby to decide on the length of a feed.
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