Coming to Terms with Low Milk Supply

Not giving enough breast milk for one’s baby is among the worst nightmares of a new mom!  For a mom who has early on decided to nurse, not producing enough milk is major cause of stress!   My previous guest post is about a mom’s struggle with her milk supply and how she was able to move on.

If you’re among those moms who struggle with very low milk supply, read on for some points to keep in mind.

For moms who just gave birth, these are some ways to start producing breast milk:

Directly breastfeed your newborn as frequently as possible.

During his first weeks, he may need to nurse every three to four hours. If for some reason,  baby can't directly nurse, pump pump pump! This is what happened to us. Baby got held up in the NICU for almost a week so i pumped like there's no tomorrow during the time he spent there.

Consume lots of malunggay products.

They come in the form of capsules, powder, tea, cookies or chips. Malunggay or moringa is a well known milk supply booster.

Eat a lot! I really noticed that when I eat more, I get more milk when pumping at the office. Dieting right away after giving birth may not be advisable for moms who want to breastfeed.

Think twice about supplementing.

Supplement may come in the form of  breast milk donations or formula.  I dare say that supplementing should be a last resort, especially for those with newborns. Direct breast feeding triggers milk production. So if you feed baby through the bottle (with breast milk or formula), you decrease baby’s time at your breast.  During the first weeks, direct nursing prompts your brain to produce more milk.  Also avoid giving pacifiers. All his sucking should be on the breast.

When you feel your supply is not enough

Seek medical advice to check if your milk supply is genuinely not enough. We can’t measure the amount milk your baby drinks when he’s directly breastfed.  So you must look for other telling  signs that he’s getting enough. Among the tell tale signs that your baby is getting enough is he's not gaining enough weight and if he's not regularly passing stools and urine. Consult a breastfeeding-friendly pediatrician for the correct diagnosis. Read here for signs to watch out for when choosing a nursing-friendly doctor.

Be informed!

Do your homework even before D-day. In the Philippines, where formula feeding is the norm, getting sound advice from other moms, or peers or even doctors can be a challenge. In the US, they even have La Leche Leauge hotlines for moms  having trouble with breastfeeding.  Try to get in touch with breastfeeding advocates like Latch and Breastfeeding Philippines.  I've tried emailing Latch once about my nursing issue and they responded so kudos to them! The internet offers a wide variety of breastfeeding sites that are a gold mine of good information about nursing, among the best is Chronicles of a Nursing Mom.

[caption id="attachment_1934" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Even nursing mother dogs need some prodding from caretakers during the first days post partum!                   Source of Photo: austintexas.gov[/caption]

Below are some good suggestions for moms having problems with low milk supply:

Have a nursing goal.

Set your nursing goal early on and assess this goal regularly. Decide until when you want to nurse, until baby’s 6^th month? Or do you have plan to nurse until his toddler years? For moms will ultra low milk supply, being able to nurse until the 6^th month can be quite a feat.  While those with rich supply might not think of weaning until baby’s first year! Really ask yourself if long-term breastfeeding is  for you.  By setting that target, you can manage your expectations.  Most moms will be happy knowing that they've achieve the nursing goal she set.

Avoid comparison.

Never compare your own situation with other nursing moms. Keep in mind that every body is wired differently. Some moms have abundant milk supply, even able to donate milk by the liters. And for some lucky ones, nursing comes naturally. Don't ever dare to pity yourself for not doing so.

Learn to accept

Come to terms your own nursing situation! When you’ve tried virtually everything and that supply still won’t come up, acceptance is the next best step. Be at peace, knowing that you tried your best to breastfeed your child!

Breastfeeding isn't the end-all and be all of being a mom. Nursing is just one of the million or more skills we must master to raise the little one! But it would not hurt if you try to nurse for as long as you possibly can!

Also worth reading:

• How you could be wasting breast milk

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