In the course of breastfeeding your baby, there will inevitably be times when it seems there just isn’t enough milk to keep him satisfied. It happens to everyone, but knowing this doesn’t make it any easier. When faced with constant demands to breastfeed, mothers may doubt their body’s ability to nourish their child. Usually the supply is just fine, but there are several ways to increase it.
Why Is My Baby Always Hungry?
Growth spurts are usually responsible for these back-to-back feeding frenzies. At several points in an infant’s development, he will have periods of rapid growth and his nutritional requirements will increase. He’ll nurse more often, which will in turn build up the supply. When the supply increases to the level he needs, the nursing frequency should subside. Do not supplement the baby with formula or offer cereal during these growth spurts. Supplementation will reduce the nursing frequency, but it will also reduce the milk supply.
Take Care Of Yourself
You can help your body do its job in producing milk by taking care of yourself. Get adequate rest (not always easy!), eat healthy meals, and drink lots of water. Water and rest are essential for milk production! Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Take a day off from your regular routines; spend time in bed snuggling with your baby and nursing on demand.
Express Yourself
Expressing your breast milk either manually or with a breast pump may also help increase your supply. This is essential for mothers who work away from the home or have to spend time away from the baby for any reason. If you and baby are separated, try to use the breast pump at least every four hours, emptying both breasts. If you can’t store the breast milk in a cooler or refrigerator, don’t despair about dumping it. The act of expressing the milk ensures that there will be more where that came from.
Herbal Remedies
If you feel that a little extra help is needed, there are various herbs that are useful in building the milk supply. Fenugreek is probably the best known. It comes in capsules, or in a tea. Follow the directions on the package. Don’t use more than the suggested amount or you may find that your cups runneth over! Other herbs that may increase milk supply include blessed thistle, raspberry leaf, fennel, and brewer’s yeast. Mother’s Milk Tea, available at health food stores, combines various herbs for a pleasant-tasting beverage.
Things To Avoid
If you’re trying to build up your milk supply, the last thing you’ll want to do is something that may actually work against your efforts. The most important thing to avoid is supplementation of any kind, for at least the first six months. No formula, water, juice, cereal, or other foods should be given to the baby no matter how difficult it may seem or how tired you are at 3:00 a.m. Avoid birth control pills that contain estrogen (mini-pills are safe, since they only contain progesterone), implants, or injectables. (Injectable birth control is generally considered safe, but it’s not foolproof and once injected there’s no way to stop the process.) Antihistimines can reduce the milk supply, as can various herbs such as mint, aloe, ginseng, golden seal, green tea, guarana, and ma huang.
After following these guidelines to increase milk supply, if you’re still having trouble and fear that the baby isn’t receiving enough nutrition, please consult with a lactation consultant or contact a La Leche League leader. Visit http://www.lalecheleague.org to find a group in your area.
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