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Not enough milk production?

Jodi - posted on 04/27/2010 ( 4 moms have responded )

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I was reading a magazine article at the doctor's today and stumbled across a very interesting piece of information that I wanted to share. This is for women who are pregnant and will be having babies and breastfeeding soon! Don't give up because you think you're not producing enough right off the bat!

The article claimed (it was some back issue of Parent's Magazine I think) that an infants stomach on days 1-3 of life is about the size of the tip of your pinky finger. Around day 3 it increases to the size of a marble!!!! At it's biggest it should be around the size of your babies fist!! I'm not saying there aren't legitimate cases where women don't produce enough milk, but if you're stressing yourself thinking that your baby is starving because your milk hasn't come in yet...that colustrum will fill up that tiny tummy pretty fast!!!



So hang in there ladies!! Your body created a baby, it can by all means make the milk to keep that baby alive and healthy!!!

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Jodi - posted on 04/28/2010

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My child lost 2 pounds after birth, even though my supply was good as it turns out. I worked with a lactation specialist and my midwife to weigh my baby after every feed, weigh her diapers and chart her feeds, diapers and EVERYTHING. My child just lost weight for no real reason!!! With no support and only going by my not so breastfeeding supportive pediatrician I know I would have switchd to formula!!! So glad I didn't!!!

Jennifer - posted on 04/27/2010

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so important to remember that this is part of nature's design. babies are born with stores of fluid and nutrients to get them through to when mom's mature milk appears. This is why babies loose weight after birth.



Up to 10% is considered a normal weight loss and is not a problem. It is those stores being used up. In the meantime, colostrum provides the vital antibodies to kickstart the immune system and lactose to provide energy for the baby.



Once mom's milk appears (usually on day 2-5 postpartum) baby should start to gain back their weight, returning to their birth weight by 2 weeks of age.



As long as baby is allowed to nurse unrestricted and at least every 2-3 hours, mom's supply will be sufficient. With exceptions being in the case of position and latch problems, retained placenta, hormonal imbalances or breast structure problems.



The vast majority of moms are able to produce sufficient amounts of milk for their babies. In fact most women can produce enough milk for twins and tripplets, given the sufficient stimulation. Oversupply (having too much milk) occurs more frequently than insufficient supply.

Jodi - posted on 04/27/2010

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I wish I had known this information when I started breastfeeding!!! I was SOOOO scared my baby was starving because my milk didn't come in right away!!! Having this info would have really calmed me down!!! Thankfully, I pulled through and we are 14 months going strong!!!

Andrea - posted on 04/27/2010

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YES!! Exactly! They only need a teaspoon of colostrum per feeding until the milk comes in - and even then you are only looking at about 1-1.5 oz of milk per feeding until they get a little older.

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