Milk Supply Basics

If you're stuggling with low milk supply, your lactation team will likely discuss all of the following:

1. Frequent Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a "supply and demand" operation. Frequently removing milk from the breast will tell your body to make more! In the early days, breastfeeding 8 times in 24 hours is a minimum, and many babies feed 12 times per day. (That's where the the age old feed every 2-3 hours comes from.) Dr. Stephanie recommends taking no more than a 4 hour break between feeds in the early days.

2. Effective Latching and Positioning

Babies removed milk most efficiently when they are appropriately latched and positioned at the breast. Sometimes the football hold is best. Sometimes cross-cradle is easiest. Side-lying breastfeeding can give mom a chance to rest while feeding. An experienced breastfeeding counselor should evaluate your baby's latch.

3. Pumping

Sometimes pumping is needed to maintain a milk supply. This is most common in the NICU where babies are too little and immature to feed at the breast. In other cases, no pumping is needed. Certainly, around-the-clock pumping is never recommended!

4. Nutrition & Hydration

Mom needs a healthy diet. Lactation consumes an extra 500 kcal per day. It's hard to remember to eat when there is so much going on with the baby! This is where friends and family can be helpful - let them refill that water bottle and cook up some goodies. Note: the focus here is NEVER weight loss.

5. Galactagogues

Galactagogues: a hard-to-spell word that mean substances that may improve milk supply. Between herbs, supplements and medications, there are a few things that might help improve milk supply. But galactagogues are not always necessary!

6. Stress Reduction

Ever get "stage fright" when trying to use a public bathroom?!? Breastfeeding under any kind of stress is sorta the same: nothing comes out! Stress reduction is not easy. Newborn are stressful! The stakes seem so high, and the babies seem so vulnerable. Feeling stressed about breastfeeding itself is common (if not universal). Support is key here! Options, information, hands-on teaching, partner involvment, evidenced-based recommendations are all ways that Dr. Stephanie at Woven Pediatrics can help reduce stress.