Why isn't my breast milk coming in?

Question

My new born is 3 1/2 weeks old and I'm only getting about 100 cc a day. Why? Is this normal?

Answer 1

You may be thirstier and have a bigger appetite while you are breastfeeding. Drink enough non-caffeinated beverages to keep from being thirsty. Making milk will use about 500 extra calories a day. Women often try to improve their diets while they are pregnant. Continuing with an improved diet after your baby is born will help you stay healthy. But, even if you don't always eat well, the quality of your milk won't change much. Your body adjusts to make sure your baby's milk supply is protected. Get as much rest as you can. This will help prevent breast infections, which are worsened by fatigue.

If you are on a strict vegetarian diet, you may need to increase your vitamin B12 intake and should talk with your health care provider. Infants breastfed by women on this type of diet can show signs of not getting enough vitamin B12.
Overall, you can feel confident that your baby is getting enough to eat because your breasts will regulate the amount of milk your baby needs. If your baby needs to eat more or more often, your breasts will increase the amount of milk they produce. To keep up your milk supply when you give bottles of expressed breast milk for feedings, pump your milk when your baby gets a bottle of breast milk.

Other signs that your baby is getting enough milk are:

* Steady weight gain, after the first week of age. From birth to three months, typical weight gain is four to eight ounces per week.
* Pale yellow urine, not deep yellow or orange.
* Sleeping well, yet baby is alert and looks healthy when awake.

Remember that the more often and effectively a baby nurses, the more milk there will be. Breasts produce and supply milk directly in response to the baby's need or demand.

Answer 2

How do you know that you're getting 100 cc a day? Are you pumping and feeding from a bottle exclusively? If you are actually feeding from the breast, it's very hard to know exactly how much milk the baby is getting. Pumping is an unreliable way to find out how much milk the baby is getting, because the baby is more efficient at getting the milk out of your breast.

Also, are you supplementing the feedings with formula? Your breasts will create milk based on supply and demand - the more your baby takes out, the more your breasts will produce. If you are feeding formula, you should be stimulating your breasts using an SNS feeding system or by using a the pump *every* 3 hours.

If your baby is having regular wet diapers that are light or clear in color, is gaining weight, and is meeting her milestones, then she is probably getting plenty of milk.

Find a lactation consultant, post partum doula (dona.org), or La Leche League (llli.org) in your area! They can help you tremendously.

Be proud that you're breastfeeding, and stick with it. The first few weeks can be rough, but once you get all the kinks worked out its quite easy (much easier than bottle feeding!) and enjoyable.

Answer 3

I'm curious to know how you know exactly how much you are producing? Are you exclusively pumping? If so a pump will never extract nearly as much milk as a baby's suckling can. Also, depending on what pump you use and what pumping method you use you milk supply may be more or less. Take it from someone who pumped 3 times a day for 12 months at work pumping is an acquired skill that takes some practice and a lot of trial and error. Moreover, the longer you pump the more your supply will drop because of the fact that the pump is less efficient than the baby, and your milk supply works on supply and demand. Good luck!

Answer 4

How do you know haw much you are producing? The baby is much more efficient at getting milk out than a pump.

The number of wet and poopy diapers is the best way to judge if your baby is getting enough. A newborn should have 6-10 wet and 1-10 poopy diapers a day. Is your baby gaining weight?

I could never pump more than an ounce on each side, but have fed my babies with no fake milk EVER.

Be sure you allopw unresrticted access to the breast. You body will supply as much as your baby demands. Do not try to follow a schedule and do not limit how long you let her nurse on each side at each session.

Answer 5

What's the weight of the baby?
you multiply weight of the baby in kilograms X 20 calories = total calories your baby needed
30 ml = 20 cal
Just convert it to know.
From a 100 ml milk, you only give 66 total calories. Your baby should be around 3.3 kg for him to say he got enough milk. Because your milk is good for a 3.3 kg baby, and increase weight in baby with your milk still 100 cc/day is not enough. If weight is slightly lower, then it is okay.
And btw, average milk baby needed at birth is just 60-90 ml, and you said yours is 3 and half weeks old, I think its enough milk. Hope I didnt make it complicated.

Answer 6

100 cc a day 3 ounces and 2 teaspoons.
You need 1 ounce every 3 hours at least for the baby.

That is not a lot of milk for your little one. I would talk to you Dr. or go see a lactating nurse. WIC has nurses that help women with nursing.

There could be many reasons why your cant breastfeed. They baby might not me latching on right, you may need to drink more water and eat different.

Answer 7

Is pretty normal.
What you have to do now is help your body create some more by staying away from the cold weather (Make sure you cover yourself very good before going out).
Also drink plenty of warm water and hot drinks (hot cocoa is really good and helps you a lot).

Something else, Do not pull your baby away from your breast, cause even is he(she) is not drinking a lot, but is stimulating your body to keep making more. Have your baby drink your milk even if is only a little bit; the more he(she) stimulates your body, the more milk you will be getting.

Do not give up!!
Breastfeeding is the best you can do for your baby!!!! =D

Answer 8

are you nursing freguently? usually your supose to nurse every 2 hrs on both sides. the more your baby nurses the more milk your body will produce if your not nursing much then your body wont make much.. are you pumping instead of nursing? if you nurse your baby most of the time and only pump sometimes it could just be your not pumping when your breasts are at there fullest. or as long as your baby is having at least 2 bowle movements aday and 6 wet diapers then your body is probly making just the right amount of milk your baby needs. with my baby who is now 2 i made enough milk for her but i couldnt pump any i would only get small amounts. so instead of pumping milk for her to have when i wasnt able to nurse i had to use soy formula. but i think your supose to wait 6 wks so that your baby has developed good nursing skills before substatuting because bottle nipples are easier to get milk from than the breast so it could make your baby a lazy eater and not want to nurse. hope this helped

Answer 9

In some Mothers yes this is normal. I also had the same problem you are having, my body just did not want to produce enough milk to even feed the baby. Unfortunately I had to switch to Formula, but as long as you are getting any Milk from you, try alternating your milk and the Formula. Doctors will tell you, Nothing beats a Mothers Milk..

Answer 10

you might try pumping between feedings. The more you pump or nurse the more milk you will naturally produce. It still may not end up being enough but it should help. good luck!