LACTATION CONSULTANT TALKS: How to increase milk supply in 3 days

We finally made it getting the most valuable advice on how to increase milk supply from the lactation consultant. Plus, I believe you will find this article very useful because it is filled with short VIDEO TUTORIALS. And! bear with me till the end, as you will see the list to the most famous official information sources on breastfeeding baby, such as WHO, NHS and many more. I am sure that you will be able to find some useful information for you and your baby.

Being a first-time breastfeeding mom is challenging, especially when it comes to breastfeeding newborn. To be honest, being a second-time mom doesn’t change the fact that the breastfeeding experience still might be pretty challenging. It seems to be quite of a myth that a newborn knows exactly how to latch on properly after having such a journey to this world. In fact, I can’t even imagine how stressed babies are trying to fight and survive by learning how to breathe first, then eat and overall exist in an absolutely strange environment.

For every woman to understand that you are not the only one: “Three days after giving birth, 92 percent of the new mothers said they were having problems breastfeeding”. The biggest reason that women struggle, researchers think, is that “once they leave the hospital they lack access to lactation counselors in that critical first week”.

Though, not to worry! Our major task is to help, support and watch out for our babies. That is why a little bit of preparation won’t do a harm. Here are super practical tips and video tutorials from our lactation consultants on a topic: How to increase breast milk production.

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How to increase breast milk. What if your breast milk is not enough, and the baby seems to be hungry?

1. Feed him as much as you can

IT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO FACILITATE MILK SUPPLIES! We need the baby to try really hard and really frequent to breastfeed – ideally, he shall “hang on your breasts” for the next two days. You may try to breastfeed lying on the bed, which will be more comfortable for you both. Check on tips for breastfeeding with flat nipples here.

2. Try to get the most stimulation from the baby as possible to boost milk supply

be relieved during the breastfeeding and think about your baby;
use skin to skin contact while breastfeeding (once or twice a day for example);
stay close to the baby, you can rest together in your bed;
reduce pacifier during the day time (it may result in more frequent breastfeeding, which is important to increase milk supply.

3. Consider supplemental milk

If the baby is really too hungry and is crying, it is better to give some formula milk (remember, your breast milk supply is still low, it takes about three days of very active stimulation to increase these supplies; your baby must have energy for doing a good job on the nipple, therefore he needs to be fed);

you may try to exclusively breastfeed during the daytime and to give infant formula in the evening and night so that you all can have some rest;
do not force your baby to breastfeed, if he is hysteric and does not want to take your breast, try the other nipple, another position or soothe him by walking or singing.

4. Set yourself a goal

A HEALTHY, HAPPY AND FULLY BREASTFED BABY + HAPPY AND RELAXED PARENTS. It might sound like a utopia and some women have to fight for this goal, but I believe, it is totally possible. The most important is not to worry too much about negative feelings and events that you are going through, the current situation will definitely get better! Think positively, write down every progress that you made.

5. Spare the “energy” of your baby

Keep him warm, and (except for breastfeeding) handle in a wrapper or a blanket – it will ensure his comfort and help him to be relaxed and ready for the next feeding.

6. Try alternative methods of formula feeding.

Alternative methods of formula feeding shall not interfere with breast milk feeding. The baby uses similar drinking habits as by the breastfeeding and will not get used to the bottle. Here are the most common alternative methods:

The finger feeding might be also performed with finger and syringe (cca 20 ml syringe that you can buy in every pharmacy).

7. Avoiding herbs while breastfeeding.

Check here about herbs that you would better avoid while breastfeeding.

How to produce more breast milk

When the breast milk supply gets better, go on breastfeeding frequently during the daytime for one or two more days to maintain milk flow. Then either slowly make the intervals longer between feeding (max three hours), or introduce one longer sleeping period (three to four hours) during the day to let your baby rest. He shall breastfeed more milk after this longer rest (definitely more than 50ml). If not, it will be better to continue with the frequent feeding until he gets a little bit stronger.

Bottle feeding must be only for special situations, otherwise, the bottle feeding counteracts your efforts for increasing amount of breast milk and confuses the baby.

How much breast milk does a newborn consume?

Doctors follow some guidelines to check the baby’s overall growth. The daily milk intake for newborns and infants is calculated as the total intake divided by the baby’s weight. Newborns after the seventh day of life have an average daily need of 150 ml milk per 1 kg of their own weight. For example, a newborn weighing 4 kg will drink roughly 600 ml, while 2 kg newborn will take 300 ml only. It is important to understand that this is only an “average intake”. The daily needs usually range between 120 – 180 ml per kg per day. Besides, these numbers do not show the real weight gain. Every baby is unique and deserves individual care.

Where can I get more information?

At last, there are many official and expert information sources on breastfeeding that you are more than welcome to study:

Office on Women’s Health. Printables and shareables. They have got a guide to breastfeeding infographics, infocards, videos, and factsheets.
American Pregnancy Association. Lots of categories regarding breastfeeding topic. Personally, I’d prefer more pictures and videos on breastfeeding positions and latching on.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They have got special recommendations and guidelines for breastfeeding.
World Health Organization (WHO). I am absolutely in love with their infographics and all public support. This is where I found guidelines to start on solids too. Here is the statement on exclusively breastfeeding for six months.
National Health Service (NHS). Love their categories, and very simple straightforward explanations. Also, they have got visual content which is important to understand how exactly accommodate the baby on your breasts. You can read here about things that may affect your milk supply.

And that’s all for now. Check more information below!
Wish you to have the best breastfeeding experience!

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