Almost all women can produce enough milk to breastfeed. The best way to ensure that your baby is getting enough milk is to make sure that he is well positioned and attached at the breast and to feed your baby as often as he seems hungry (baby led feeding).
Unfortunately some breastfeeding mothers stop breastfeeding before they want to because they think they don’t have enough breastmilk.
Things that might lead you to think your baby is not getting enough:
- your baby is unsettled and seems hungry after a breastfeed
- your baby wants to feed often with short spaces between feeds
- your breasts are softer than they were before
These signs do not mean your baby isn’t getting enough milk.
The two most reliable signs that your baby is not getting enough milk are:
- your baby has slow or poor weight gain
- your baby is passing small amounts of concentrated urine
Usual patterns of weight gain in breastfed babies
All babies lose weight in the early days after birth. They are born with supplies of fat and fluids which keep them going for the first few days. They then usually take a few weeks to get back to their birth weight.
After your baby regains his birth weight, he should start to put on between 125g-200g a week for the first four months. Then this slows down after four months to 50g-150g a week and slows again after 6 months to 25g-75g a week.
If your baby’s weight gain seems slow, ask your midwife or health visitor to watch you breastfeeding. They can make sure your baby is well positioned and attached, and check if they think he’s feeding often enough.
A breastfeeding counsellor will also be able to support you and to provide important information on how to increase your milk supply. Visit our support groups section for contact numbers.
Increasing your milk supply
- Make sure your baby is correctly positioned and attached – click here to go to our positioning and attachment section.
- Let your baby feed as often and as long as he wants.
- If you think your baby is not feeding enough, offer more breastfeeds.
- Feed from both breasts at each breastfeed.
- Stop your baby using a dummy if he has been.
- Express breastmilk after feeding (if your baby is sleepy and not feeding well).
- Some babies can be quite sleepy and reluctant to feed, and this may be what has caused a problem with milk supply.
Encouraging a sleepy baby to breastfeed
- Keep your baby close by you at all times.
- Place your baby in skin contact with you.
- Feed your baby with just a nappy on to maximise skin contact.
- Offer breastfeeds as soon as your baby starts to waken – don’t wait until he cries.
- Tempt him to feed by hand expressing a little breastmilk and offering it.
- If your baby stops feeding after a short time switch to the other breast and then back again to the first breast.