Is My Breast Milk Production Sufficient?

Breastfeeding is normal and healthy for both babies and mothers. It is of great importance in a person’s life. Therefore, it is normal to worry about whether our breast milk production is sufficient.

How do we know if our breast milk production is adequate or normal? Is our provision for the baby normal?

Breastfeeding is associated with a lower risk of health problems for babies. Breast milk contains cells called antibodies that fight disease to protect babies from germs and diseases.

Many mothers wonder at some point whether their breast milk production is sufficient for their child. That fear is common and is believed to affect all mothers without exception.

Time and again , mothers feel that their breasts are not full because they are not leaking, leading them to think that their milk supply is low. However, there are indications that the body adapts to the nutritional needs of the baby.

Babies develop in different stages and so  their nutritional needs change. Sometimes negative pressure can definitely influence these fears. It’s not something serious to worry about, though: it’s just a normal feeling of insecurity.

Often this fear is accompanied by a lack of knowledge about the physiology of breastfeeding and the natural development of this process.

In the milk supply, higher demand means higher production

We must not forget that milk production is directly related to demand. Increased demand means increased production. This is normal as milk production increases when stocks are low. Therefore it is nothing to worry about.

However, in some cases, medical attention may be required. Sometimes a milk supply can decrease, jeopardizing the baby’s nutrition. The phenomenon where the milk supply decreases is known as hypogalactia.

Hypogalactia refers to the low production of breast milk, which cannot provide enough nutrients for the baby. This condition interferes with the baby’s nutrition.

What are the causes of low breast milk production?

There are several reasons why this issue occurs. The most common are:

• Nipple pain.  Cracks can even form in the areola.
• The baby can be very slow when breastfed. Sometimes a baby who sleeps a lot fails to stimulate the gland. As a result, he extracts very little milk, so that production is not sufficiently stimulated.

• The way the baby takes in the breast milk does not allow him to do so in a good way. It could be a matter of posture or a short tongue tie.
• Insufficient emptying of the breasts, which is rare. In this case, it is recommended to empty one breast before using the other.
• The use of a birth control pill, because of the estrogen content.
• Some breast surgeries.

Is my breast milk production sufficient and how do I increase this?

There is a powerful technique designed with the goal of helping mothers increase their breast milk production quickly. It was created by the International Breastfeeding Consultant, Catherine Watson. It consists of over-stimulation of the breast with a flask.

The specialist recommends using a double pump flask. And express each breast for 5 minutes every 45 to 60 minutes . At night you can rest for 4 hours. At the beginning when you start expressing the milk you will see very little but that is why you are stimulating it.

With this technique, you can double the amount overnight. This effectively helps increase breast milk production. Therefore, it is preferable to express milk regularly than to worry about a low supply at a specific time.

We know that this technique can be complicated in addition to breastfeeding and caring for your baby. However, it is important to know that the effort will allow you to achieve the desired results.