My baby girl turns 3 months soon and i am breastfeeding her. i spend all day with her being latched on to me. I don't mind it but by main concern is that she is not finding enough milk cause she when she is drinking she throws her head back while she still has the nipple in her mouth and she gets really angry, it's like she is not finding enough milk. she has put on 2 kgs over her birth weight which is good but i am worried that my milk is finishing. do you have any tips on how to increase my flow? I express once every day in the morning after she would have had her feed. I freeze whatever i express in case of an emergency.
2007-02-08 18:34:35 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Viv is absolutely right. Three months of age is the first of many growth spurts, and it take a day or so for your milk to adjust to your baby's increased sucking demands (rest assured, though, your baby actually begins sucking more BEFORE she needs the increased milk, so that it will be ready for her when she needs it).
If you want to increase your supply, let your baby nurse as often as she needs it. Also, keep up your fluids (and your prenatal vitamin), and remember to get enough rest. Fenugreek is great for increased milk production, as is Mother's Milk tea or Milk Thistle (another herbal supplement). If this is a growth spurt and you allow your baby to nurse when she wants to, then you might not need any supplements to increase your supply. Be careful about bottle use, though. The more your baby uses a bottle, the less she sucks at the breast, decreasing your supply. While pumping will help keep your supply up, your baby can express milk more efficiently than a pump, so that when you pump your body thinks your baby doesn't need as much milk.
As mentioned before, you can try weighing your baby before and after a feeding if you have the means to do so, and also count wet diapers and watch your baby to see if she appears to be content and active (well, as active as a three-month old can be, anyway!)
And remember, breastmilk is so gentle on a baby's stomach and easy to digest that breastfed babies do eat a lot more often than formula-fed babies. Try not to compare your baby against formula-fed babies, since they will be very different!
Good luck!
2007-02-09 05:35:43 · answer #1 · answered by calliope_13731 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is a very common feeling! As long as
- the weight gain is good
- baby wets many diapers a day
- baby is not dehydrated or has no jaundice
then do not worry everything is OK. Keep on breastfeeding. Your girl may be going trough a growth spurt. Her sucking will make you produce more milk so your milk production will adjust.
If you really want to increase your milk flow try fenugreek, available in natural foods stores. I capsule 3 times a day will increase your milk flow and your sweat will smell like maple syrup!
2007-02-09 02:59:19 · answer #2 · answered by Viv 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are afraid that your child is not getting enough milk from you, you should do a simple test to see how much she really is eating. Weigh your daughter before you feed her, then weigh her again and see how much weight she has gained. Good luck and keep up the breastfeeding as long as you can.
Also if you find that you are not producing enough milk talk to your Doctor about getting a shot that will increase your milk flow.
2007-02-08 20:20:32 · answer #3 · answered by LuvnLife 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep breastfeeding! That is the best way to keep having a good milk supply. I had a preemie who did the same thing. Some kids just need to suck. If you're not tired out and you feel strong, it's fine. Be sure to get enough milk though. Baby is taking calcium away from your bones and teeth and you need to replace that.
If she hurts you while nursing, let her know that it's inappropriate. She might have an "attitude"!
2007-02-08 18:42:20 · answer #4 · answered by Fotomama 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not your fault, many women do not produce enough milk - this is normal. You may consider not giving up breast feeding, but rather 2 options:
1. a 3 month old is big enough to give very thin rice cereal feeding to 2x daily
2. try adding formula to her diet, particularly at feeding in the night
I believe rice cereal is the best - my son was 8 lbs, at 6 weeks milk wasn't enough, i started giving him 2 bottles a day with formula and a little cereal and that did the trick. Especially babies born over 7 1/2 lbs eat a lot!
2007-02-09 00:55:37 · answer #5 · answered by sherman supporter 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
usually the more you nurse, the more you will produce. If she is throwing her head back it's probably b/c she is getting impatient b/f your milk lets down. My youngest daughter wanted to nurse all day. I realized that she just wanted to be sucking on something. She was full and gaining weight. She ended up using a pacifier and this gave me a much needed break. During the first 2 weeks she nursed so much I was raw. I ended up renting a breast pump (not the ones that you pump yourself) but the ones you get from a medical supply store and it was so much better and I did like you with freezing it. This worked since the more I pumped and the more she nursed, the more I produced. Best wishes to you.
2007-02-08 18:41:14 · answer #6 · answered by jellybean 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I totally agree with Jellybean, I had to substitute a bottle because my babies would nurse all day if I let them. It will not hurt them to give them a bottle of breast milk so you won't be so raw.
2007-02-08 18:46:02 · answer #7 · answered by greylady 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋