When you start breastfeeding, you’ve probably wondered “am I producing enough? Is my baby getting enough to eat?”
These concerns are common, especially in new moms.
Before you start second-guessing your milk supply, there are ways to check whether or not you are producing enough.
Signs Baby Isn’t Getting Enough Breastmilk
Having a low milk supply isn’t as common as you may think. The human body is very smart and knows to produce sufficient milk for your baby.
However, it’s best to be on the safe side and check for the signs of low breastmilk production.
Number of Wet Diaper
The number of times your baby poops and pees in a day
Anywhere between 5 and 8 wet
If you see your baby is wetting their diaper fewer times than often, you might want to contact a medical professional to ensure everything is okay, along with following the tips below for increasing breastmilk.
Dehydrated
A baby that is hydrated will have either clear or pale yellow urine. Other signs of dehydration are dry mouth, yellowing of the skin and eyes, or signs of lethargy such as your baby not wanting to feed.
Lack of Weight Gain
Newborns lose a little bit of weight, and then (around day 10) start to gain weight. After day 10 to 14, a newborn should be gaining 20 to 30 grams a day.
If your baby is older than 2 weeks old and isn’t gaining weight you’ll want to see a medical professional immediately.
Baby Seems Unsatisfied After Feeding
After a satisfying feeding, most babies act calm and peaceful. They’re likely to nap right after.
if your baby doesn’t seem satisfied or gets upset after being fed, it’s likely they’re still hungry and need more food.
Ways To Increase Your Breastmilk Production
If you want to increase your breastmilk, there are a couple of tried and true methods for increasing your supply.
Drink Lots of Water
It’s important to stay hydrated in order to encourage your body to make enough breastmilk.
Some moms even find that drinking water while breastfeeding helps keep their milk flowing longer!
Whether or not its real isn’t proven, however, there is no harm in drinking a couple of extra glasses of h20.
Understand Basic Supply and Demand
Every time you feed your baby or pump, you body receives a message to produce more breastmilk.
If you supplement with formula or find your baby isn’t hungry one time, you body isn’t getting its regular signals to produce more.
Even if you supplement with formula, keep a regular breastfeeding/pumping schedule so your body is constantly producing more milk. The more you pump, typically, the more milk you produce.
However, do remember that a pump isn’t as efficient as your baby when sending the correct signals to your body.
Try to breastfeed as much as possible
You May Also Like: How To Fix Saggy Breasts After Breastfeeding
Massage Your Breasts
Massaging your breast when you are feeding is a must! This is one of the best tricks to get more milk while pumping.
Massaging helps get all the
Whether your pumping or breastfeeding, massage your breasts during the whole process until you’re done.
Offer Both Sides During a Feeding
It’s likely you and your baby both have a side you prefer, but you should be feeding both sides during a session.
Allow your baby to start on one side (Boob A), and after 10 minutes have them finish on the other (Boob B). During the next session, have them start on the breast they finished (Boob B).
This again helps the supply and demand signals we send to our bodies.
Eat Lactogenic Foods To Increase Supply
Can certain foods increase milk supply? Yes!
There are certain foods to eat while breastfeeding that can benefit both you and your babies wellbeing.
You want to eat a nutrient-dense diet and incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, garlic, and tomatoes.
Take Care Of Yourself
It’s easy to get caught up in being a ‘mom.’ However, you need to take some time for yourself, ask your hubby to help you out, and get some sleep, eat well, and take care of yourself.
Even if it’s just an hour a day where you can focus on yourself, while the baby naps or your husband looks after him/her, try and get some ‘down’ time and genuinely relax.
Your body can’t thrive in constant stress. Do something kind for yourself such as yoga or meditation during this ‘me’ time.
Patience is key in all things in life, especially throughout motherhood. Cut yourself a break if you’re not producing enough.
Simply be proactive by following these tips, and if the problem persists, talk to a healthcare professional.
What have you found helps increase your breastmilk? Leave your best tips and tricks in the comments below!
Don’t forget to check out these posts next as well:
Breastfeeding And Pumping At The Same Time: Can It Be Done?!