breast milk?
Hi,
I have been breast feeding my 5 weeks daughter since her birth. For a week I had colostrum and then started having transition milk and since last weeks I was having regular milk and even after baby was fed, I could feel there was lot left. But last two days there is nothing left on the breast after feeding and I really feel that amount of milk from breast gone down. I don’t seem having blocked duct or anything as I don’t have any pain in my breast… Any suggestions ?
Best answer:
Answer by 4Real
pump, in between feedings to get milk production up, and definately still take prenatal vitamins 
What do you think? Answer below!
your body adjusts naturally to what your baby needs. When the baby does not need as much, the production goes down, when the baby needs more the production will go back up
09.28.11 at 11:33 pm
Maybe its your body, just making suffiecienct milk for each feed and your baby is suckling it all then your breasts make more for the next time. If you have no pain, soreness or tendr nipples, and your baby is not hungry after a feed try not to worry. if you are really concerned then speak to your midwife, she will help you.
09.29.11 at 12:33 am
Your daughter is probably hitting her 6 week growth spurt. She will start nursing more frequently to stimulate your milk production. It will take a few days for your body to catch up with her demands and during that time you will feel like you are “drained dry.” This is nature’s way of supply and demand!
If you are concerned, you can always call your OB or your child’s pediatrician. They can reassure you.
09.29.11 at 1:22 am
It is absolutely true that your body will adjust to what your baby needs, often leaving nothing left when he’s done.
If you feel like you’re really not producing enough milk, have your daughter weighed regularly…while ‘they’ say it’s uncommon for a mother not to make enough milk, it does happen and your first clue will be your own instinct. Especially keep an eye out for fussiness. Breastfed babies want to nurse so badly, they will suck nothing and starve, just to be at the breast.
09.29.11 at 2:01 am
sounds like your baby is having a growth spurt! if she is not fussing afterwards you probably have enough milk. there is an herbal supplement you can buy to increase your milk supply (gosh i wish i could remember what its called) but you can call a vitamin/herb shop and they can tell you. the doctor can prescribe you something as well. and another way to stimulate it more is by pumping your milk in between feedings. the more you get out of there the more your body will produce! keep taking a prenatal vitamin and make sure you are drinking plenty of water. don’t drink much caffiene as it can reduce the amount of milk you produce. good luck and congratulations on the healthy choice you have made for yourself and your daughter!
09.29.11 at 2:56 am
its supply and demand…you didn’t need all that extra milk your body realized that and fixed the problem. i wouldn’t bother pumping it only makes you produce more then you need..then at those time when you don’t feel like or can’t pump you’ll end up engorged and that hightens the chances for getting clogged ducts….don’t worry once you baby needs more she will suckle longer and your body will begin to produce more again… the human body is truly an amazing thing
09.29.11 at 3:52 am
Your body seems to be producing as much milk as your child needs. This is normal! There is still milk in your breast, I assure you your baby is probably getting enough milk. We don’t overproduce. If you nurse today at 3 pm and your baby takes 5 oz, your body knows that tomorrow at 3 pm your baby will take another 5 oz so it produces it (that is a nut shell, and the amounts and times are made up numbers) You should feel empty after baby nurses!
Drink a glass of water every time you nurse your baby! This will ensure enough liquid is being taken in, and milk production will stay high enough.
C~O~N~G~R~A~T~U~L~A~T~I~O~N~S on giving your baby such a great start!
09.29.11 at 4:23 am
Your supply is regulating. It is normal for you to not feel full all the time once your supply regulates, which typically happens around 6 weeks or so. Be warned that your daughter will got through a growth spurt (period of frequent nursing) right around 6 weeks too!
http://www.kellymom.com
09.29.11 at 4:26 am
Sounds like your body has finally equaled out with what your baby needs. It takes awhile to your body to adjust with the amount of milk the baby needs. So don’t worry. You are fine. I walked around engorged for what felt like 3 weeks and then finally felt empty after a feeding. Also, babies go through a growth spurt around 6 weeks so they demand more milk. Don’t worry, if the baby is producing the wet and soiled diapers, they are fine.
09.29.11 at 5:23 am
It sounds like your body has figured out how much milk your baby needs and has stopped making more milk than she needs. This is fine and normal. Make sure she is still producing lots of wet and soiled diapers, but it sounds like she is getting just as much milk as she needs. If you follow her cues and allow her to nurse whenever she is hungry, you will continue to make the perfect amount of milk for her. Good luck!!
09.29.11 at 5:50 am
If you want to increase your milk supply try pumping in between feedings, get a warm shower and let the water run over your chest, eat some oatmeal, and nurse the baby on demand. Don’t force the baby on a schedule, if she is hungry let her eat. Your supply will increase if you prove to your mind that there is a higher demand.
Stress and tiredness can cause a decrease in milk so try to avoid both. Don’t give up and stay positive. That will help too I promise!
09.29.11 at 6:16 am
You could pump but it sounds like your body has adjusted to your baby’s schedule. Your body and your baby are in tune now meaning your body makes enough milk to meet your baby’s demands. If you think you need more milk, then you either need to nurse her more or pump in between.
It’s perfectly normal. I went through it too. My daughter is 4 months old today and I’m breastfeeding her.
09.29.11 at 7:06 am
Fenugreek will boost your milk supply and make your sweat and urine smell like maple syrup. that’s how you know its working!
09.29.11 at 7:39 am
It sounds like your body is finally beginning to regulate your milk supply according to what your daughter needs. You’re not supposed to have “leftover milk” in the breast after she is finished, because your body knows exactly how much she needs and makes just that much. If your daughter is hungrier than usual, such as during a growth spurt, she will simply nurse for a little bit longer (the breast is never truly empty) and more often. In the beginning, your body simply makes more than your daughter needs just to be safe, and that is why you had extra milk in the beginning. The feeling of fullness in your breasts (or lack thereof) is not an accurate indication of adequate milk supply. Also, your daughter is heading into a growth spurt (around 6-8 weeks) and will likely begin to nurse a lot more often very soon. This is not an indication of low supply! Just keep putting your daughter to the breast on demand and let her nurse when she wants to for as long as she wants to, and your supply should be just fine. I put a couple of links at the bottom for you.
09.29.11 at 7:52 am
Breast milk is made on a supply and demand basis. Your body is just responding to how much milk your infant is taking in. If you feel the need to increase your milk supply, may I suggest the following:
1. Drink plenty of water. Not only should you get 8 glasses a day but water will also help increase your supply and will also keep you hydrated.
2. Take Alfalfa supplements. Farmers use this in their hay that they feed their dairy cows to keep their milk supply up, same thing works in humans. Also note that alfalfa will make you fart/belch alot.
3. Fenugreek is another supplement known to help in milk production. It has pretty much the same result as taking the alfalfa supplements. The only difference is that Fenugreek will not make you as gassy as the alfalfa.
4. Drink a dark beer. The darker the better. The hops in dark beers also help in milk production. If you choose this option, the best thing to do after you have consumed the beer is to pump afterwards and dump it. This takes the alcohol out of your breast so that you will not transfer it to your infant. After you dump the first expression, when it comes for your infant to nurse again, the milk will not have hardly any alcohol in it whatsoever.
5. Another idea is after you have nursed your infant and have laid her down for a nap, pump immediatley afterwards. The more you pump, the more milk you will produce. You can store expressed milk in a deep freezer for up to one year. If you do store the expressed milk, make sure you label the date and time to make sure that the milk is still good.
If you find that you have expressed maybe more milk than your infant can handle, local milk banks are always accepting donated milk. And they always pay for the shipping and supplies. When you donate your milk to a milk bank, it is pastuerized and sold to hospitals for premature babies usually in the N.I.C.U. This is liquid gold for any preemie. Breastmilk has all of the nourishments they need to thrive and get a head start in life.
Just always keep in mind that your baby will only take as much milk as they feel adequate. They will let you know when they are hungry.
These options that I have listed have worked for me with excellent results. I breastfed my daughter for 15 months and she has been a really healthy child. I have done extensive research on this topic in particular and hope one day to become a lactation consultant. If you have any other questions, another suggestion would be to consult with a lactation consultant or La Leche League. Their website is http://www.lalecheleague.org. I hope I have been helpful in answering your question and wish you lots of luck with your new infant! Congratulations!
09.29.11 at 8:12 am
Do your breasts feel “empty”? Don’t be fooled! As long as you are a nursing mother, they will never be empty. And waiting for your breasts to “fill up” before feeding your little one will actually reduce your milk supply. After a month or so, your production will match your nursling’s demand and you won’t feel full. But the milk will still be there, as long as you’ve been nursing whenever your baby is interested.
09.29.11 at 8:30 am