According to health experts and organizations such as the WHO and UNICEF, exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life is extremely recommended in order to reap the countless benefits of breast milk. But despite the encouragement, the CDC reports that only a quarter of American women get to practice this recommendation.
One of the most common excuses to switch from breast milk to formula is low milk supply. For some, this may happen due to a myriad of medical conditions that can affect the baby’s ability to breastfeed. However, more often than not, the reason a mother’s milk supply is running low may just be the fact that she is not breastfeeding and pumping enough!
The Law of Breast Milk Supply and Demand
Milk production can begin as early as pregnancy. Hormones produced by your body and in your placenta drive the mechanisms of your body to produce milk. But, once you’ve given birth to your baby, these lactation hormones drop. This then stimulates your milk to start flowing.
Postpartum, the amount of breast milk you have will depend on the law of supply and demand. Milk production continues and flourishes when milk is regularly pumped and expressed out of the breasts. This means that the process of lactation will fall under the mother’s control and would only continue as long as the mother actively breastfeeds.
How To Know Your Baby Is Feeding Well:
- Healthy weight gain. Your baby should gain, on average, about one ounce per day. You
don’t need to go out and purchase a medical grade baby scale; you’ll have frequent
appointments with the pediatrician in this early stage, where your baby will be weighed
and measured. - Wet and dirty diapers. A general guideline is one wet diaper for each day of life. So: one
wet diaper on the first day, two on the second, and so on, until your milk has come in
(usually around day 3 or 4), at which point your baby should have five or more wet
diapers within a 24-hour period. - Frequent feedings. Some moms may think that this is a sign their babies are not eating
enough, but the opposite is actually true. Remember, a newborn’s stomach is very
small and therefore cannot hold that much at a time. - Relaxed after nursing. After feeding, your baby will be relaxed, satisfied, and probably
ready to fall asleep. - Your breasts will feel empty. You may only nurse on one side per feeding, but when
your baby is finished, the side you fed on will feel soft and no longer full.
What To Do To Increase Milk Supply?
If your milk supply remains low, you can try out the following tips and techniques:
- Increase the frequency of your feeding. Since the only way to increase supply is by emptying out the breast, you can add an extra feeding in the morning or the night to up your milk production.
- Breastfeed and then pump. Sometimes, your baby may not get to completely empty out your breast. If so, you can pump out the rest and store it for later use.
- Lower your stress levels. Stress can also dry up your milk supply. Try to find some time for yourself to relax.
- Reach out to a lactation expert. An IBCLC (lactation consultant) can help you find out the causes and solutions to your breast milk supply problems.
- Try out natural lactation enhancements. Galactagogues have been shown to help increase breast milk supply. Find foods that include oats, apricots, flax seeds, brewers yeasts or through herbs like Fenugreek, Alfalfa, or Moringa Oleifera.
