Is Your Baby Getting Enough To Eat?

Amy Spangler

How can I produce more milk for my son?

How can I produce more milk for my son? He's going through a tremendous growth spurt and I feel I just cannot produce enough milk.  I've started Fenugreek supplements a week ago, but they do not seem to make a significant difference.  Please help!  Thank you very much.





First of all, I would like to know, why you think that you are not producing enough milk?  So often, a mother's perception of inadequate milk supply is a misperception.  While Fenugreek seems to increase milk supply in some mothers, scientific evidence that it really works is limited.

Milk production is directly related to milk removal-the more milk you remove from the breast through breastfeeding or milk expression, the more milk you will make.  You can increase the frequency and length of breastfeedings or you can hand express or pump between feedings. Both will effectively increase your milk supply, however, your baby is the more efficient.

It would be helpful to know your baby's birth weight and growth pattern over the past three months.  A normal growth pattern is generally a good indicator of whether a baby is getting enough to eat.

Baby Emptying me Out, Help!

I have noticed a pattern that Robert seems satisfied during the day, but at the feeding around 7 - 9 p.m., he cannot get enough. He is emptying me out.  I have wanted to stay away from formula, but all of the nurses and lactation people I have spoken to all say to supplement with formula.  They have suggested to start with 1/2 ounce of formula.  However, I have been doing this for two nights and he has taken 2 full ounces after breastfeeding.  Is this normal, or am I not producing enough milk for him?  For your information, he was born at 8 pounds, 10 ounces.





To answer this question appropriately, I would need to know your son's feeding pattern during the day.  Babies need to breastfeed 8-12 times in 24 hours.  Some babies will breastfeed every 3-4 hours during the day and every 1-2 hours at night.  Others will breastfeed every 2-3 hours day and night.  Every baby is different.  If Robert breastfeeds every 4-5 hours during the day, he will need to eat more often in the evening, perhaps every hour.  This is a normal feeding pattern.  In addition, when babies sleep for an extended period at night for example a 4-5 hour stretch, they usually feed more often in the evening to store up calories for use during the night.
 

How Do I Increase Milk Supply?

I was wondering how to increase your milk supply.  I breastfeed and bottle feed.  Can the increase of fluids help increase my milk supply?  Thank you.





There are only two reliable ways to increase breastmilk supply.  You must either breastfeed more often, or you must breast pump more often.  Breastfeeding more often is more efficient that pumping the breasts.  Basically, however you can effectively remove milk from the breast, that will enable your body to produce more breastmilk.

Also, while we want to encourage mothers to drink to satisfy thirst, we don't want them to force fluids.  Studies have shown that forcing fluids beyond the point of thirst actually decreases breastmilk supply.




 

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