What do you do if you don't have enough of milk?

Question

My baby is three weeks old. I breastfeed and he usually get enough, although after I feed him, there is nothing left {I have a hospital grade medela pump, so I tried to pump after feeding and there was only a few drops}, but sometimes he is still hungry and there is just nothing left. Does it happen to you and what do you do when it does? I don't want to give him formula unless I really HAVE TO. Are you supposed to have more milk then the baby drinks or exactly the amount he drinks?

I tried to pump before and I get between 3 and half and 4 oz. Is it enough for three weeks?

Answer 1

You should make sure you are getting 5 servings of calcium/dairy and 8 glasses of water. Your output should increase (supply vs demand) soon.

Answer 2

Breastfeeding is not easy, but you CAN DO IT!!! When a baby is only 3 weeks old its OK to let them suck or feed even when there's not a lot coming out (Drops) the baby might get a little mad but just keep at it. The more you have the baby sucking or the more you pump (even when little is coming out) the more you will produce. It won't happen over night and as the baby grows and needs more you will have to keep at it. Keep trying to pump about an hour after the baby eats and then feed the baby about every 2 hours and your body will start to produce more. Also My doctor told me that you always have something in the breast its never empty even when you pump and nothings coming out you just have to keep doing it because it's in there. Also contact dr office and ask if they have a breastfeeding teacher or nurse that can help you further. YOU CAN DO IT!!!! Don't give up it is the best for you and your baby.

Answer 3

I'm breastfeeding twins and trust me there is always enough, i went through the same problem thinking i'm not getting enough milk but you are, the more milk your baby drinks or the more you pump and empty out your breasts the more your body produces. and try not to let too much time go by before nursing or pumping, i would say about every 2-3 hours. After your baby nurses pump the rest of the milk. There is also an herbal tea called mother's milk from Traditional Medicinals, it has herbs known to help stimulate milk production. I also don't believe in formula, babies need to drink human milk not cow milk. Good Luck.

Answer 4

I would give it a little longer and stick with the breastfeeding. Your milk production is based on supply and demand, so your body might need some time to adjust to your baby's demand, especially if he's going through a growth spurt and requiring more milk than before. I have breastfed two children (actually, I'm still feeding my 10 month old) and I was never able to pump any extra milk after a feeding. Sometimes I wondered if my daughter was getting enough, too, but she was always in the 95th percentile for growth, and is very strong and healthy. Stick with it!

Answer 5

Speak to the lactation consultant at your doctors office or at the hospital where you gave birth or the one at your pediatricians office first off.

And yes it is normal...don't go to formula if you don't absolutily have to.

As effective as pumps are...No pump on the planet is as efficient at getting milk out of you as your baby is.

If he's still hungry, put him back on the breast (you shouldn't be pumping this soon anyway). Putting him back on the breast first of all will allow him to get some milk (even if you couldn't get it with the pump) and secondly it will tell your body that it has to produce more milk.

It's still very early in the breastfeeding process for you too...so just nurse nurse nurse every two hours like baby wants and before you know it, you'll be a dairy cow.

If you are still worried about it remember to get as much rest as possible (sleep when he sleeps), try to relax, get plenty of fluids and proper nutrition.

You can also drink "Mothers Milk Tea" available to you from any local healthfood store or online.

You can have brewers yeast, it has been known to boost milk production

And if you aren't opposed, you can drink a half a beer once or twice a week to help boost milk supply.

Infants also just like to suck, are you sure he's "still hungry"? He may just be wanting to nurse for comfort and it's fine to let him because it will help trigger milk production.

Good luck mamma.

Answer 6

When he's still hungry, just let him try to breastfeed. This will tell your body to start making more milk, and then you will have enough. I would keep a small thing of formula on hand and one bottle, just in case he nurses for 10 minutes after you thought you were empty and he gives up still hungry. But that should only happen for a few days, if at all. Don't let yourself get into the habit of using the formula. It may hurt, but the more you let him breastfeed, the more milk you will have. Good luck!

Answer 7

Since you have only been nursing for three weeks, your milk supply is still trying to adjust to how much the baby needs. If the baby is still hungry, allow them to nurse. Don't forget to switch sides about 10-15 minutes through on each side. Also, it is deceiving when you try to pump and get nothing, but the baby is much more efficient at drawing the milk out. If you still worry about the baby getting enough, contact your local lactation office or your doctor. Usually, the doctor isn't concerned about the baby getting enough to eat, unless they are not gaining weight. Good luck!

Answer 8

You may need to supplement with formula while you work on increasing your milk supply. One way to check your supply is to pump before feeding to see how much mile you are producing. Increase your supply by keeping taking your prenatal vitamins, drink lots and lots of water, and eat a healthy diet. If you are taking any medications, talk to your pharmacist to see if they could have a negative impact on your milk supply.

Edit: yes 3-4 oz is enough for a 3 week old (my 3 MONTH old is only eating 5 oz at a time)

Answer 9

Here are a few hints

The more you nurse (and the more the baby needs) the more you will produce IF you are giving yourself the proper nutrition & drinking enough water.

After nursing, make sure you are burping him, as gas can cause a newborn to continue nursing even though not really hungry.

If you are dieting and restricting your calories, stop now. I made that mistake with my first baby, with this one I made sure I ate more and even upped my fat intake a little. Breastfeeding burns lots of calories and the first 6 months I ate whatever I wanted and did not gain a pound.

Drink more water, lots and lots of water. Drinking the proper amount of water will help with after baby weight loss, keep your kidneys healthy and help your body produce more milk.

Don't be afraid to substitute formula. The hospital suggested I use a small medicine cup and give my daughter little sips. This method removes the "nipple confusion" they warn you about.

Good luck, breastfeeding is not easy, but is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your child.

Answer 10

When I breast fed my boys, I had to drink a lot of water and feed more often to get enough of milk. The more you feed and stimulate, the more milk comes in. You may need to pump in between feedings if your baby goes longer to keep the flow going. You are suppose to have more milk then the baby drinks. It is very important to keep your water intake up.

Answer 11

The more you pump and feed the more you will produce. Breast feeding unfortunately is an ongoing battle that youhave 2 keep up in order for your baby to get his nutrients. just keep it up you will have more than enough milk. nothing is wrong with using formula 2 give yourself a break. Will help emotionally in long run if you do. Helps avoid PP depression