Is my milk drying up???

[merlottes]

Hi
I'm wondering if anyone can help me i've had 3 really bad days feeding DD it seems like she always wants more. She is 11 weeks so what i guess i'm trying to ask is How much milk should she be getting? i've got a pump but i only get 75-90 ml out of one side. Is my milk drying up??:gloomy:

Thank you

[Pinky McKay]

Hi Melly+1,

It sounds as though your baby could be having a growth spurt - this can happen at any time but is common around 6 and twelve weeks.

This just means she will need to step up her feeding for a few days as she goes through this period - it gives your breasts the signal to make more milk as she needs it.Then, when she is through her growth spurt, she will space her feeds out again.

Expressing 70 - 90 mls on one side is fabulous!!! Consider that an average bub from 1 - 6 months will drink about 750 - 800 mls in a 24 hr period. If you divide this by the number of feeds per day, you will be able to "guestimate' the amount for a feed. eg if say, she is having, 8 feeds - thats 100 mls per feed - so you have plenty of millk. Besides, your baby will strip your breasts much more effectively than any pump - you dont get the 'hormonal response' to a cold hard pump that you get cuddling your delicious baby and gazing into her eyes.

Meanwhile, lots of skin to skin contact will help your milk production hormones - lie down with baby and rest and feed or lie back and watch a DVD and cuddle baby against your bare chest - and feed as often as she seems to want, and in a few days or perhaps week, things should settle > Even 48 hours of frequent feeding will boost your milk supply significantly.

For more info - read the Australian Breastfeeding Association booklet - increasing your supply. Membership includes a copy of the book Breastfeeding Naturally.

Pinky

[merlottes]

Thank you so much :hugs: