PARENTS

How Do I Know If I Have a Low Milk Supply?

Here are four steps to help you find out.

Written by

Dr. Harvey Karp

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Signs Your Milk Supply is Decreasing

How do you know if your baby is getting enough milk? With bottle-fed babies, it is simple: Just count the ounces she eats. With breastfeeders, however, it is trickier, and you will want to determine if you have a decreasing or low milk supply. Here are four steps to help you find out if you have a low milk supply:

Do you have enough breast milk? Your breasts should feel heavy when you awaken. They may occasionally leak and you should be able to hear your baby gulping at least at the beginning of the feedings.

Is your baby serene after a meal? Well-fed babies get blissful and relaxed after nursing. If you notice your baby still exhibits fussiness, this could indicate that you are not producing enough milk and have a low milk supply.

Does your baby pee enough? During the first days, infants do not urinate very often. But once the milk comes in, they pee 5-8 times a day, and the urine is clear or light yellow. If you are just seeing a few wet diapers a day and the colour of the pee is dark yellow, consider it a red alert and call your paediatrician to check for a problem.

Is your baby gaining enough weight? Mums—and grandmums—often worry that their child is too skinny. Babies usually lose 8-12 ounces over the first few days of life, but thereafter gain 4-7 ounces per week. But there is no need to guess if your infant is gaining enough weight, simply put her on a scale…at your healthcare provider. (Most home scales are so inaccurate they will drive you crazy!)

Note: One last clue in checking your breast milk supply is after you are done with a feed, offer a bottle of pumped milk or formula to see if your baby gulps it down. But be careful when giving bottles before breastfeeding is well established. It can alter a child’s sucking and make her suddenly reject the breast. In fact, to avoid nipple confusion it is best to give no more than one bottle a day, even after the nursing is well established to prevent low milk supply.

Causes of a Sudden Drop in Milk Supply

If you suspect your milk supply is decreasing, these are the most common culprits:

Frequency and duration of nursing. Your body signals milk flow each time your baby latches and adjusts milk supply levels based on how much your baby regularly consumes. The less you express milk, the less you will produce.

Health issues. Some newborns are born with physical or developmental challenges that may prevent them from latching and extracting milk from the mum’s breast (such as tongue tie). Mum’s health can also impact milk supply (e.g. thyroid or hormonal issues, medication, smoking, physical restraints, etc.).

Prevent Low Milk Supply

The best way to prevent low milk supply is to allow your baby to drink as much breast milk as possible during feeding sessions; the more milk that is taken, the more your body will produce. Upping your breastfeeding frequency—or adding a pumping session immediately after breastfeeding—can help tell your body that it is time to make more milk!

And even though you are super focused on Baby right now, make sure you are looking after mum, too. Stay hydrated and make sure you are getting enough food to eat.

Be sure to discuss any concerns and signs your milk supply is decreasing with your healthcare provider or an experienced lactation consultant and your child's paediatrician.