Breastfeed frequently, two to three hourly – a total of at least eight feeds in 24 hours. Your baby may need to be woken for some feeds, or may wake to feed even more often. Make sure that attachment is good and that your baby is both sucking and swallowing (you may need to seek help with this).
If you think your baby isn't getting enough breastmilk, get breastfeeding support from your baby's doctor or a lactation consultant. They can help you and your baby work through latching problems, low milk supply and feeding positions, and identify any underlying problems like tongue-tie.
The most common cause of low milk production is that your breasts are not being emptied or stimulated enough through breastfeeding or pumping. If you're using a breast pump, you may not be pumping frequently enough or your pump flanges may not be a good fit for your breasts.
Despite views to the contrary, breasts are never truly empty. Milk is actually produced nonstop—before, during, and after feedings—so there's no need to wait between feedings for your breasts to refill.
Adequate hydration also is important for breast milk production. The amount of liquid you put into your body affects how much breast milk you can produce. I encourage women to carry a bottle of water for themselves in their diaper bag.
Generally, moms should be pumping every 3 hours. Pumping more often can help stimulate breasts to produce more milk. Moms can try pumping both breasts for 15 minutes every two hours for 48-72 hours. Then moms can return to their normal pumping routine. Pumping for longer than 30 minutes may not be beneficial.
Increasing your milk supply will take time, so don't give up. Even dry pumps (when you pump but nothing comes out) sends a signal to your body that more milk is needed on tap, so it's getting the work done even if there's no output to show for it right away. Stick with it and you'll see the results after a few days.
If your baby is unsettled at the breast and doesn't seem satisfied by feeds, it may be that they are sucking on the nipple alone. This may mean they are not getting enough milk. Ask for help to get your baby into a better feeding position.
Healthy infants who breastfeed effectively are often thought to be more efficient than the expression of milk either by hand or with an electric breast pump. Breastfed infants have been shown to remove 50% of the total volume of milk removed at a breastfeed in the first 2 min and 80% in 4 min [31].
The first hour after birth when a mother has uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with her newborn is referred to as the “golden hour.” This period of time is critical for a newborn baby who spent the past nine months in a controlled environment.
Ultimately, if your baby has reached its birth weight and you're pumping enough milk during the day, it's okay to sleep eight hours without pumping at night. Keep in mind there is an adjustment period for your body as it begins to acclimate to the decrease in overnight milk removal.
Something I recommend to moms is the 5-5-5 rule. Try and use milk within five hours at room temperature, five days in the fridge, and by five months in the freezer.
You're not getting let down. If your breasts feel like they're full but you're not able to get the milk flowing out when you pump, it could be that you're not achieving let down. The let down reflex releases your milk from the milk ducts. This only occurs when you're either breastfeeding or pumping.
Once your milk supply begins to increase from drops to ounces, you may want to pump longer than 10 minutes. Many women find that pumping for about two minutes after the last drop of milk is an effective way to stimulate more milk, however, avoid pumping for longer than 20 - 30 minutes at a time.
Heat can help to stimulate milk production, which is why many nursing parents find that just coming out of a hot shower is a great time to pump.
Water, semi-skimmed milk or unsweetened fruit juices are good choices. Healthy snacks will help you to keep up your energy levels while you're breastfeeding and adjusting to life with a new baby.
Milk supply usually reaches its peak around four weeks after birth, with most of the increase happening in the first two weeks. If not enough milk is removed during this time, your breasts may end up making less milk than your baby needs.
Many moms assume that having a pump with a higher suction strength will automatically mean that they will be able to pump more milk, but in fact, pumping at too high of a setting can actually inhibit your milk production.
Your Baby Seems Lethargic
One of the most apparent signs that your baby is underfed is that they always seemed tired. This may be due to the fact that your little darling is not getting enough nutrition to stay energised and support their growth.