What to do if your milk supply is low?
If you suspect your baby is not getting enough milk, consult a lactation consultant or lactation specialist. They will assess whether you are deprived of milk and monitor breastfeeding to see if your baby is feeding well and getting enough milk. You may suggest that you adjust your feeding position or your baby’s latch so that they can suckle more effectively. You can try Lact M Granules, which is a great breast milk enhancer by Furious Nutritions, The top Manufacturer of infant formula in India.
You can also try making more skin-to-skin contact with your baby before and during feedings to stimulate the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates milk flow. Or use relaxation techniques, such as listening to your favorite soothing music, to reduce the anxiety that can interfere with your treatment. With support, most low-lying mothers are able to partially breastfeed their babies, and some will be able to develop full milk production.
Misconceptions about low milk production
New-borns usually drink very often — about 10 to 12 times a day, or every two hours — and that’s not a sign you’re not getting enough milk. Keep in mind that your baby is also breastfeeding for comfort, and it can be difficult to know how much milk your baby is getting at each feeding – the amount can vary.
All of the following symptoms are perfectly normal and are not a sign of poor milk production:
- Your baby wants to drink often
- Your baby doesn’t want to be humiliated
- your baby wakes up at night
- short show
- long power supply
- Your baby drinks a bottle after feeding
- You will feel your breasts are softer than in the first few weeks
- Your breasts don’t produce milk or leak and stop
- You can’t excrete a lot of milk
- You have small breasts
If your baby is not getting enough milk directly from the breast, perhaps because he is premature or has special needs, you may need to pump to protect your milk production, and your doctor may prescribe galactagogues (drugs to increase milk production).
If you are still not expressing enough milk for your baby, you will need to supplement donor milk or formula with the guidance of a healthcare professional. The supplementary breastfeeding system (SNS) can be a satisfying way for her to get all the milk she needs to her breasts.
How to increase milk supply with a breast pump?
If you need to stimulate milk production in the first five days after delivery, you can use a dual electric breast pump with initiation technology such as the Medela Symphony. This type of pump is designed to mimic the way a baby stimulates the breast during breastfeeding and has been shown to increase milk production in the long term.9
Once your milk has flowed, double pumping means you can express more milk in less time.10 This method also compresses the breasts better, which also aids in milk delivery. Although every mother is different, it is often a good idea to express breast milk immediately after or an hour after feeding. This may seem counterintuitive as it is usually easier to pump from a full breast. However, you should think of pumping as “backup milk” for the next day.
You may only collect a small amount at first, but don’t be discouraged – with regular pumping it will only increase. Aim to express milk (both breastfeeding and pumping) eight to 12 times a day, including one session in the evening when levels of the milk-producing hormone prolactin are highest. The more often breast milk is pumped, the better. After two or three days of regular pumping, you should see a significant increase in your intake.
Lact M granules bring back the joy of breastfeeding to those mothers who face low milk production. It is one of the most amazing human milk fortifiers available on the market.
