For
a breastfeeding mom, there's nothing quite as frustrating as feeling like
you're not producing enough milk. You've got a hungry baby here, what the heck
do you do!? Give up?
Remember the three
B’s of breastfeeding: the breast, the baby, and the brain. To increase your
milk supply, the breast needs more stimulation from the baby and making that
happen will require some adjustments in your brain. To increase your milk
supply, you have to make breastfeeding a priority.
Eat Healthy Foods
No magic recipes here, but many a new mom has
been known to set aside her own needs because she's so focused on the baby.
This is counterproductive! The body needs fuel in order to produce milk.
Increase feeding
frequency
Breastfeed your baby at least every two hours
during the day. If your baby has been napping for more than two hours, wake her
up for a feeding. (See Waking the Sleepy Baby.) Consider waking your baby for
at least one extra night feeding, too, especially if you have a baby who sleeps
for more than a four or five hour stretch at night.
Nurse longer
Don’t limit the
length of your baby’s feedings to a predetermined number of minutes on each
side. Allow your baby to finish the first breast before switching to the other
side. This gives baby an opportunity to fill up on the high-fat hind milk
brought down by the milk-ejection reflex. If you switch your baby to the second
side too soon, he’ll fill up on the watery foremilk, which will make his tummy
feel full but may not give him enough calories to grow.
Pump
The experts suggest
adding a few pumping sessions in between feedings, keeping the pump running for
as much as 5 minutes after the last drop of milk is expressed. Putting more
demand on your breasts tells the body to make more milk.
Fenugreek Seeds
Ingesting the seeds
of the plant used back in the day for inducing childbirth can help boost milk
production. It is known to cause gas and bloating, so beware!
Lactation Cookies
There are various
brands you can purchase pre-made or you can make your own. Most feature oats
which -- on their own -- are touted for helping moms bump up their production.
Think baby, think
milk
While you are
feeding, stroke and calm your baby using a lot of skin-to-skin contact – a
practice called grooming. Enjoy his sweet face and the feel of his skin. This
will help your milk ejection reflex. The milk ejection reflex squeezes the milk
you make out of the milk glands and down into the ducts and milk sinuses where
it’s available to the baby. Between breastfeeding and immediately before a
feeding, imagine your infant nursing at your breast and your breasts pouring
out milk to satisfy your baby.
Carom seeds
(ajwain)
Carom seeds are
believed to help in cleansing the stomach and aiding digestion.Carom seeds can
be used while cooking vegetables, in raitas, stuffed pooris and paranthas or
making ajwain ka pani. A drink made of carom and fennel seeds (saunf aur ajwain
ka pani) is believed to increase lactation and improve digestion.
Reduce Stress
Easier said than
done, especially when you're having trouble with breastfeeding, I know, but the
stress inhibits the production of oxytocin. That's the hormone that stimulates
the milk letdown.
No pacifiers, no
bottles
When there are
concerns about weight gain, all your baby’s sucking should be done at the
breast. Bottles of formula will interfere with the balance between your milk
supply and baby’s need, so will satisfying baby’s sucking need with a pacifier.
If it is medically necessary to give your baby supplementary feedings, try
alternatives to bottles that don’t involve artificial nipples.
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