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Home › Articles › Breastfeeding Basics › Is Baby Getting Enough Breast Milk?

Is Baby Getting Enough Breast Milk?

A Lesson in Supply and Demand

By Melissa Clark Vickers, IBCLC

Pages:  1  2  

The breast is an amazing milk factory. It bases how much milk to make on how much milk your baby removes. If he takes a lot, your breast makes a lot. If he takes only a little, your breast responds by making less milk. And your breast continues to make milk, even during a feeding. Unlike a bottle, it is never truly empty, so there's no reason to wait a set time period for your breast to "refill."

Signs of Good Breastfeeding

  • Breastfeeding doesn't hurt! When your baby is properly positioned at the breast, it makes it easy for him to get that milk out. A poor position often causes pain while breastfeeding. Sometimes a minor change in positioning makes a major change in comfort – and in the amount of milk your baby can take from the breast. If it hurts, get help.
  • You can hear your baby swallowing while he nurses. Listen for a soft "cah, cah" sound as he nurses. Try placing a finger under his chin to feel him swallow. A typical swallowing pattern starts out with a few quick sucks to get your milk to let down. Then the sucking slows down with a swallow after every suck or two. Your baby may rest for a bit, and then do the quick sucks again, followed by the slow sucking pattern. This means that he has triggered another letdown – and that your body is doing exactly what it is supposed to be doing! Those later letdowns help get the fattier milk out that will help satisfy your baby.

    • Pages:  1  2  

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