How to Increase Breast Milk

First, it's important to assess if you're truly dealing with a low milk supply. Sometimes mothers can perceive normal breastfeeding patterns and/or baby behavior as an inadequate milk supply. If you determine that you really do have a low supply, consult with a lactation consultant to determine the "why" behind it so that you can get to work fixing the problem and prevent it from occuring again. In the meantime...

There are several positive steps you can take if you decide that your milk supply is low. If possible, plan to set aside a few days, perhaps a weekend, to spend doing little else but working to increase your milk production. Following the steps listed below, most moms notice an increase in supply within 24-72 hours. If you're pumping and just finding it harder to keep up with your baby's milk needs, although your baby seems fine when he nurses, the following will also apply.

Nurse or pump frequently. Plan to nurse at least every 1 1/2 to 2 hours during the day and at least every 3 hours at night even if you must awaken your baby. Time your feedings from the beginning of one to the beginning of another. If your baby is available to nurse, this is preferable to pumping as he will better stimulate your breasts to produce more milk. Allow the baby to nurse on each side until he pulls off himself or goes to sleep. Offer both breasts at each feeding. Although nursing is preferable, if the baby cannot nurse directly at the breast, use a hospital-grade electric pump for double pumping instead (such as the Lactina or Pump In Style). Double pumping has been shown to increase Prolactin levels. Prolactin is the hormone which stimulates milk production. Pump for 10-15 minutes per session. Longer sessions have not been proven to be any more beneficial at increasing supply. Along with nursing, you may want to add another pumping session or two sometime during your day. You also may want to add a few extra minutes (5-10) of pumping after the baby has finished nursing. Allow the baby to meet all of his sucking needs at the breast. Avoid any bottles or pacifiers during this time. Your baby's need to suck ensures that he spends adequate time at the breast to stimulate your supply. Avoid supplements including solid food, water, juice, and formula. Adding these will result in your baby nursing less often and you getting less stimulation. You can be sure that your baby is getting enough by counting his wet diapers and bowel movements. If your baby requires a supplement for medical reasons, consider using a nursing supplementer at your breast so that you can continue to receive crucial BABY stimulation. Snack often on foods rich in protein and calcium. Drink enough to satisfy your thirst. Forcing fluids is not necessary and may have the opposite effect. Any type of fluid is satisfactory. Rest as much as you can. Consider taking the baby to bed with you for the time period. The rest will benefit you and the close skin-to-skin contact may encourage him to nurse more often. Some mothers have found that the herb, Fenugreek, is helpful for increasing milk supply. It works best when combined with increased frequency of nursing and/or pumping. You can find it at your local health food store or nutrition store. The dosage is 2-4 capsules 3 times a day. Most moms notice an increase in supply after using it 1-3 days. It is safe for your baby. While taking it you may notice that your perspiration and urine smell like maple syrup as Fenugreek is used to give artificial Maple syrup its odor. Some moms report diarrhea while taking it that quickly resolves once they stop taking it. If you suffer from asthma, your symptoms may become worse with the Fenugreek. Dosages higher than the recommended one given above may result in hypoglycemia in some mothers. If pregnant, you should NOT useFenugreek as it may cause uterine contractions. Many moms use it for a quick boost to their supplies. Others have used it long-term with no problems. Other herbs often recommended for increasing milk supply are Blessed Thistle andAlfalfa. For some mothers a combination of herbs seems to work better than one herb alone. You may use the Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, and Alfalfa in combination if you choose

Breast Feeding Positions - Lying down position

Lying down This position is especially good for night feeding. Lie on your side and place the baby on his side facing you, with his head at your breast. You may place a couple of pillows at your back for some extra support. Ensure that the baby can breathe through his nose.

This position is relaxing for you. Often both you and the baby will drift off to

Breast Feeding Positions - Football hold

Football hold

The baby is placed with his legs under your arm. Hold your baby like a football along your forearm, with the baby`s body on your arm and with his face toward your breast. Use your other hand to support your breast. This position is good if you have engorged breasts or sore nipples. A mother who has undergone cesarean section and cannot lay the baby on her stomach will find this position useful.. If you often have plugged milk ducts, the football hold can help because it helps your baby empty the ducts at the bottom of the breast. It is also a good position for nursing twins!

Breast Feeding Positions - Cross Cradle Hold

Cross-cradle hold

The cross-cradle hold is similar to the cradle hold except your baby is laying the opposite direction, with his head in your hand, rather than in crook of your arm. This is a good position when first learning to breast-feed because it gives you good control of the baby`s head while you are helping your baby get the nipple in his mouth.

Breast Feeding Positons

How to hold the baby when feeding

There are 4 main breast-feeding positions: the cradle hold, the cross-cradle hold, the football hold, and lying down.

Cradle hold

This is the most common position. This requires you to sit down with your baby in your lap and the baby`s head supported in the bend of your elbow. The baby`s chest should be against your chest so that he doesn`t have to turn his head to reach your nipple. Ensure that the arm of the chair is at the right height to support your arm. Use pillows to support your back, your arm, and the baby`s head. A footstool may be helpful to raise your feet.

Breast Feeding Diets.. to avoid and to take

Diet has always been and will always be an important part of a person's life. During pregnancy a proper diet was crucial and continues on to be even during breastfeeding. Similar to how the mother's diet affects the fetus in her womb, her diet during breastfeeding still affects the child's development. Since every mother and child is different, there is no specific diet that you must follow. However, there are certain things that you must be aware of.

Diets to avoid

During breastfeeding, you should try to avoid excessive fats, caffeine and alcoholic beverages. Even though excessive fats are discouraged, it is important that you eat some fat. Fat is a necessity that your infant needs in order to grow. A lack of fat could hinder your child's development. Caffeine is dangerous for your infant because a baby's body will not be able to get rid of the caffeine. Thus, if you are used to drinking tea or coffee in the morning, try drinking some juice or milk instead. Alcohol has detrimental effects on you and your child and should not be drunk at any cost while you are breastfeeding.

Diets to take

During breastfeeding, you must drink ten glasses of liquid, water preferably. Fruits and vegetables must be eaten and protein should also be part of your diet.

A varied diet is important for you as a mother. You should try to eat a mixture of different foods because the milk you give your infant will retain the flavor of the food you consume. Thus, by eating different types of foods, you will give your infant an opportunity to taste a variety of food. Each type of food will help give your infant the necessary vitamins, minerals, proteins and calcium he needs in order to grow. By introducing your child to a mixture of food from the beginning will help him get used to the types of food he will eat later on in his life.

After pregnancy every mother wants to try to lose weight. However, dieting during breastfeeding can be very detrimental to your child's development. After breastfeeding, you may start to diet sensibly, but before then be patient for your child's health. In fact, experts say that after a woman stops breastfeeding, she automatically begins to lose weight.

Diet during Breast feeding

Breastfeeding is a very special time when you experience a wonderful bonding with your baby. Nutrition is an important aspect of breastfeeding.

There are many reasons:

• The quality of your milk influences the growth of your baby.
• Mother’s milk is the only source of nutrients and energy for the first 6 months of life for your baby.
• Calories are needed for milk production and breastfeeding
• There is an increased demand for nutrients and calories during breastfeeding. Inadequate calorie intake can make one weak and tired.

The section below discusses some of the important nutrients and how they help a mother and her baby.

Proteins

The average daily protein requirement of breastfeeding mothers is 75 g. This is to improve the protein content in your milk as well as meeting your body’s requirement for protein.

Some protein rich foods are:

• Eggs, meat, fish and chicken.
• Milk, curd and Indian cottage cheese (paneer).
• Nuts and seeds like almond, cashew nuts, peanuts, etc.
• Pulses and legumes (green gram, soyabean, red gram, Bengal gram, etc).

Fats

Composition of fats in breastmilk is determined by the mother’s diet. The daily requirement of fat during breastfeeding is 45 g ofVisible Fat and it is essential to eat the right fat.

Breast milk contains a fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is essential for your baby's vision and brain development. One important source of DHA is fish. The content ofDHA is very low in vegetarian sources of diet. The DHA content in Indian food is low as it is mainly vegetarian.

Calcium

Calcium is a major ingredient in breastmilk. You need calcium for teeth and also protect your bone strength. Breastfeeding mothers require high amounts of calcium, amounting to 1000 mg/day. If your diet does not contain enough of calcium, your body will use calcium from your bones to meet your increased needs. This may weaken your bones and increase the risk of developing osteoporosis or fractures later in life.

Good sources of calcium are:

• Dairy products such as milk, paneer and curd.
• Sesame seeds and ragi.
• Green leafy vegetables like palak, gongura, drumstick leaves, etc.

Iron

There is an increased requirement in pregnancy. The iron requirement during breastfeeding is 30 mg/day. During breastfeeding, you need to rebuild your iron stores with iron-rich foods. Lack of iron can lead to anemia where you will feel weak, light-headed, tired and get frequent cold and fever.

Good sources of iron are:

• Green leafy vegetables
• Raagi and other cereals
• Meat, chicken and fish
• Legumes (beans)
• Nuts and dried fruit

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and mineral levels in breastmilk can be affected by maternal intake as well as length of Lactation. So it is essential to include foods that are rich in all vitamins and minerals. Breastfeeding also increases the need for folic acid, vitamins B12, B6, B2 and C, which also help in preventing anemia.

Some good sources of Vitamins:

• Folate: Green leafy vegetables such as palak, broccoli, cabbage, amaranth, liver, etc.
• Vitamin C: Citrus fruits (amla, orange, musambi, lime), tomatoes, capsicum, cauliflower, cabbage, etc. • Vitamin B12: Found in animal products such as milk, meat, paneer and curd.
• Vitamin B6: Palak, drumstick leaves, other keeras, watermelon, tomatoes, carrots, brinjal, etc.
• Vitamin B2: Cereals, legumes, oil seeds, roots, vegetables, milk eggs, fish meat, skim milk powder, etc.
• Vitamin A: Dark green and yellow vegetables and fruits such as palak, capsicum, papaya, pumpkin, curry leaves, etc.

Minerals like copper, selenium, zinc act as antioxidants and are essential for the mother and the growing baby. Other minerals like magnesium helps in the tissue growth and bone formation and iodine is important for the production of hormones.

Some good sources of minerals are:

• Copper: Shell fish, whole grains, beans, nuts, potatoes and meat.
• Zinc: Meat, chicken, fish, peanuts, legumes.
• Selenium: Vegetables, grains, fish, shellfish, eggs, meat, etc.
• Iodine: Fish, iodized salt.

Most of the time, the food you take will not meet the increased nutrient requirement for a breastfeeding mother. Moreover, Indian diets are mainly vegetarian in nature. As many of the vital nutrients are found mainly in animal foods, you need to take nutritional supplements. A supplement containing the DHA along with the other essential nutrients will provide you with adequate nutrition and energy.

Breast Feeding FAQs

Breast feeding is an art and a skill. It requires maternal confidence and consistent information. Human milk is the most appropriate of all available milks for the human infant because it is uniquely adapted to his or her needs.

Exclusive Breast Feeding

Exclusive breast feeding means that except breast milk no other food or fluid including water should be given to child from birth to four months. It lowers the risk of diarrhoea and pneumonia.

Advantages of Breast Feeding

Benefits to Baby

Breast milk is the natural food specific for human babies. It is always readily available at the proper temperature and needs no time for preparation.

The milk is fresh and free of bacteria.

Breast milk contains anti infective factors which help baby to fight against infections.

It protects against allergies, eczema and asthma.

Human milk iron is well absorbed by the infant.

Benefits to Mother

Breast feeding is beneficial for mother also as it has contraceptive effect in first 6 months, it help in early involution of uterus and protective effect against ovarian and breast cancer.

Breast feeding offers increased opportunity for close sensual contact between the mother and infant. It creates a strong bond between mother and the baby and helps in emotional, intellectual and social development of child.

Preparation of Prospective Mother

Most women are physically capable of breast feeding, provided they receive sufficient encouragement and are protected from discouraging experiences and comments while the secretion of breast milk is becoming established.

Nipple assessment should be made to determine nipple protractility and nipple preparation should begin in the 28th week of pregnancy. Physical factors conducive to a good breast feeding experience include establishing and maintaining a state of good health, proper balance of rest and exercise, freedom from worry early and sufficient treatment of any intercurrent disease and adequate nutrition.

Initiation of Breast Feeding

Breast feeding should be started as soon as possible after birth preferably within half an hour of birth. Early breast feeding stimulates breast milk production. It serves as newborns first immunization and food. It reduces maternal post delivery bleeding, initial milk (Colostrum) contains high level of antibodies which prevent infection in babies.

The baby should be nursed every 2-3 hours or on demand, whichever comes first, during the day and on demand during night.

Both breasts should be used at each feeding, starting on the breast that was used to end the previous feeding.

Nursing on each breast is recommended from 7-10 minutes with additional time added to each feeding if it is comfortable for mother. Most of the milk is obtained early in the feeding in 2 minutes and 80-90% in 4 minutes.

Position for nursing a baby

Several position are possible for nursing a baby comfortably. These position include traditional "Madonna Position" and "Football hold" both allow mother to sit, as well as lying down positions. The baby's head should be in straight line with his body. The body of baby should be against mother's stomach. Body should be supported at bottom, head should be free to move. Baby should be facing the mother. Mother should offer not only nipple to baby but also areola (the brown area).

One or Both Breast per feeding

Baby should empty at least one breast at each feeding otherwise it will not be stimulated to refill. Both breasts should be used at each feeding in early weeks to encourage maximal milk production. After the milk supply her been established the breast may be alternated at successive feedings and infant will be satisfied from the amount received from one.

Adequacy of Milk Supply

If baby is satisfied after each nursing period, he sleeps for 2-4 hrs and gains weight adequately ,it means milk supply is sufficient. Infants who are light sleepers requires lot of body contact with the mother.

Sleepy Baby

This is a common complaint during first 1-2 days after birth. Sucking urge is at its peak for first 2-3 hours after birth and then declines. Most babies start nursing well again after 2-3 days. Other babies must be awakened for every feeding by scratching on soles or ticking behind the ears.

Not enough milk

This is the most common reason given by mothers for starting other milks. But most of the time mothers have adequate milk supply.

Mother should be reassured. Position of feeding should be correct. Mother should breast feed atleast 8 times a day. Night feeds should be given. Frequent suckling by baby should be done in good position. If supplementary feeds are given they should be reduced.

Early Problems with Breast feeding

Different shapes and size of the Breast.

Milk secreting glands are almost equal in all mothers therefore size and shape of breast does not effect production of milk.

Flat or small nipples

Protractility rather than size of nipple are more important (If one touches the nipple between two fingres it erects and this is called probability). A Protractile nipple is normal. Length of nipple is not important so long as it is protractile Nipple merely acts as a pointer to show the baby where to take the breast.

Engorged Breast

If breasts are not emptied adequately, they will become engorged. Such breasts are painful, look tight and milk may stop flowing. The baby is unable to suck because of tightness of breast. Engorgement may be prevented if mother is encouraged and supported to breast feed her baby in good sucking position on demand from soon after birth. Treatment of engorgement requires manually expressing the milk if baby is unable to suck.

Cracked Nipple

If baby continues to suckle in poor position it may damage the nipple skin and a fissure or crack appears. Treatment includes helping mother to improve sucking position.

Multiple Birth

Woman can nurse multiple babies, since the supply of breast milk will increase to meet the additional demands. In case of twin babies both breast should be used at each feeding , each baby can have his or her own breast, the babies can be fed simultaneously or the hungriest baby can be fed first.

Breast Feeding Basics

Basic Facts:

1. The ability of the breasts to produce milk diminishes soon after childbirth, without the stimulation of breast-feeding.
2. The immunity factors in breast milk can help the body fight off infections.
3. Breast milk contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes, which aid the baby’s digestion.
4. Breast and formula feeding can be used together.

Advantages of breast-feeding.

1. It is the simplest way to feed the baby.
2. It increases the period of lactation amenonhoes after childbirth.
3. Breast milk also contains infection-fighting anti-bodies from the mother.
4. Breast feeding in the initial 4- months of the baby’s life reduces the chances of infection and increases the immunity of the baby.
5. The amino acids in breast milk, the building blocks of proteins, are well balanced for the baby. These proteins best aid the baby’s intestinal tract.
6. The emotional bonding between the baby and mother is strengthened & gives a feeling of satisfaction and achievement to the mother.
7. It is much cheaper than artificial feeding.

The baby should be put to the breast as soon as possible after birth. The initial yellowish and thick fluid (colostrum) is rich in proteins and protective antibodies. The practice of giving ghutti should be discouraged, because the nourishment of the baby is delayed, increasing chances of infection and delaying the stimulation for milk production.

Some important points:

1. The mother should sit in a comfortable position, hold the baby in her arms and offer the baby her whole breast & not just the nipple.
   
   
2. The baby should be fed from a different breast each time so that both breasts produce the maximum amount of milk.
   
   
3. The baby should be fed, whenever she is hungry. Before offering the second breast to the baby, it should be ensured that the baby sucks the fat rich hind milk from the first breast.
   
   
4. A daily bath is sufficient to keep the breasts clean.
   
   
5. Frequent cleaning with soap removes the natural oils from the breasts, predisposing the nipples to develop fissures.
   
   
6. Burping the baby after every feed by holding her against the shoulder is advisable.
   
   
7. A mother who is feeding her baby should eat healthy food to keep up her strength & feed the baby letter.
   
   
8. At times the breasts may feel hot, heavy and hard, due to accumulation of milk.
   
   
9. The mother should be encouraged to let the baby continue to suck for as long as possible.
   
   
10. If still enough milk is not removed, the milk should be squeezed out in a clear (preferably) boiled cup using the thumb and the finger.
    
    
11. A warm compress on the breast or a warm bath is also helpful.
    
    
12. It the baby is fed frequently both during the day and night this condition (engoryememt of breast) is uncommon.
    
    
13. If nipples are cracked and painful, the mother is advised to leave a drop of hind milk on, the nipple after feeding as this helps in healing. Malai can also be can applied.

Breast Feeding FAQs