Breastfeeding is one of the best experiences of a new mom’s life. It nourishes the beautiful bonding between the mom and her child. Breastfeeding is the only source of nutrition for your baby for the first six months of its age. Hence having a sufficient breast milk supply becomes essential when you don’t really want to opt for formula feeding. After all Mother’s Milk Is The Wholesome Food For Your Baby.
Your Lifestyle, Food & Diet play a vital part in the procedure of making milk for your baby. If you are stressed over your milk supply and are doubtful if it’s sufficient for your baby or not, kindly look into the signs of low milk supply.
Common Signs Of Low Milk Supply
You very well need to observe your baby’s feeding schedule and physical changes. Here are some of the common signs of low milk supply
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If Your Baby Not Gaining Weight –
If you don’t see a good change in baby’s weight regularly or if your baby is dropping its weight rather than gaining, it can be due to your low milk supply.
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Is Your Baby Passing Urine Frequently? –
Ideally, a breastfed baby should pass urine at least six to eight times a day. They even can pee 20 times in a day’s time which is absolutely normal for a breastfed baby. But if your baby is passing it less than six times in 24 hours, then it’s a sign of dehydration and that your baby is not getting enough milk supply.
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If The Frequency Of Feeding Is Low
A newborn tends to have 8-12 sessions of breastfeeding in a day. It can be more than that along with the growth spurts.
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If Baby’s Mouth Remains Dry While Breastfeeding
When the baby is taking feed happily, her mouth becomes wet around the nipple area and you even can notice some milk around her lips. If a baby’s mouth remains dry, it can be a strong sign of a low milk supply.
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If Your Baby Is Not Happy During The Breastfeeding Sessions
If your baby doesn’t seem to be happy during the feeding time, it might happen due to insufficient milk supply. When a baby is breastfed well, she seems to be happy and healthy. If your baby is always cranky, you definitely need to work on boosting your milk supply.
The above mentioned are some of the common signs of low milk supply. If you notice them, you surely need to learn that how to increase milk supply quickly.
How to Produce More Breast Milk
There are several ways that help you increase your breast milk supply quickly and effectively. Your breastfeeding techniques and schedules themselves are the major part. Here are some important remedies you should consider following.
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Breastfeeding Your Baby Immediately After Birth
Yes, you should breastfeed your baby immediately after birth. The first milk or colostrum has many benefits for your newborn and these benefits are long-term. It builds the baby’s immunity and increases white blood cells that help the baby have a shield against common ailments.
Breastfeeding Your Baby Immediately After Birth also makes sure that your baby starts getting milk as per her demand. The demand and supply rule works over here. Your body will produce milk whenever your baby needs it or demands it.
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Breastfeeding Frequently
When you breastfeed your baby frequently, your body gets the signals that it needs to produce more milk for the baby’s needs. As I said earlier, it completely depends upon the demand and supply rule. So whenever your baby demands the milk, your body will start producing milk for the baby.
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Ensure The Right Latching
Make sure your baby is latching the nipples properly that helps her suck properly and that provides an abundant amount of milk to your baby. Improper latching is always the major reason for the low milk supply. If you are not able to make your baby latch properly, take the help of a lactation consultant and help your baby swallow the milk properly.
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Always Feed On Both Breasts
Remember to change between two breasts. Both of them need to be sucked to yield more milk. You may also use a breast pump to express built-up milk. If not expressed well milk build-up can cause conditions like mastitis which is a kind of breast infection. Try practicing different breastfeeding positions so that the breasts won’t store the milk and are fully drained out during the breastfeeding session.
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Don’t Skip Feeding Your Baby
Doctors advise you to breastfeed your baby frequently and even during the night. Frequent breastfeeding ensures that your body makes more milk for your baby’s needs. If you are a working mother, you can try to express milk with a breast pump so that your breasts won’t store milk and keep creating more milk for the baby.
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Take Help Of Lactation Consultant
A lactation consultant will help your baby with the right latching positions. That will help the baby to suck breasts properly ensuring the baby gets enough milk supply.
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Take Help Of Your Doctor
If you don’t see a change even after trying various methods mentioned here, you should take the help of your doctor and get the medicines prescribed that will help you to lactate properly and sufficiently.
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Add Lactating Foods To Your Diet
Yes, your food plays a major role in this journey of breastfeeding. Make sure you add the foods like Fenugreek leaves and seeds, Garlic, Milk, Coconut, lentils, Asparagus, Green Leafy Vegetables, etc to your diet which are known to be the best foods that increase milk supply quickly.
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Mama Bear Finance says
These are great advice for breastfeeding moms. I had a difficult time with mine at first so all these tips are so helpful.
Zaneta The Work At Home Mama says
This was so timely for me! I’m due with my 3rd child in April and it’s been awhile since I breastfed, so thank you for these tips!
Ariana Dagan says
Great tips, I would add a caveat that not all bodies can produce and/or produce breast milk with full nutrients so not to guilt yourself if you can’t produce. That guilt will absolutely make it even harder to try and produce and helps no one!
April Kitchens says
Such helpful advice. Nursing more often actually does help to increase supply! I tried it and it worked, we breast fed for 18 months!
Mikaela says
I love the tips on how to know if your supply is low! Great information!
Beth says
Great tips for new moms! Thanks for sharing!
Sonja - Too Much Character says
My lactation consultant was a lifesaver. After nursing my little one I pumped and supplemented with pumped milk for the first month. I spent waaaay to much time with that machine, but overall we made it through.