Mothering Corner

Most mothers around me who failed breastfeeding will tell me that they don’t have enough milk for their babies, and they have to feed them with formula milk. But have you ever thought why the cows, cats, dogs, mice, apes and all the other mammal species don’t have NOT ENOUGH MILK problem, but just human, the Homo Sapiens are having it?

Before formula milk was introduced, we human breastfeeding our young too. That’s how we survive throughout these millions of years. That’s what I embedded in my mind when I started breastfeeding, and told myself not to give up, no matter how hard it may be. If our ancestors can do it without all these info on the internet, and poor medical environment, why I can a modern human being do it? I was very fanatic, I compared myself with animals. LOL! If other mammals can do it, why can’t I? See, I’m soooooo crazy!

The truth is, once the baby’s out from a mother, she has to latch on the within the first hour to stimulate the mother’s milk production. Those who can’t breastfeeding their babies will have to express the milk. Anyway, it’s only COLOSTRUM in the first few days, and real milk will only come in few days later. Colostrum is filled with antibodies, which help babies to fight off infections. It’s more on quality than quantity. If you express, it’s really not much. Unless baby is too weak to suckle, like premature babies, it’s better to just nurse baby directly.

If no bottle or pacifier is being introduced to baby, baby should be feeding on demand by mommy’s breasts. Just alternate the breast for each feeding, or it baby is feeding well, try to offer the other side after she finishes nursing on the first breast. On subsequent feeding, start with the second breasts. Don’t detach baby before she finishes, unless she’s fallen asleep and not sucking. Breast milk comes in two contain, the foremilk which is more on water and sugar, and hindmilk, the one which is full in fat and more fulfilling. As long as baby is taking in both foremilk and hindmilk, she’s feeding well. So, you have to make sure that baby’s nursing long enough on one breast to get both foremilk and hindmilk, before offering the second breast. So, let’s get back the problem of not having enough milk for baby.

You see, our milk production is based on supply and demand. The more baby nurses, the more milk you’ll be having. The thing is, not every mother has the determination and will to breastfeed her baby. Some just gave up when the baby becomes very attached and nurses frequently at night. They feel like breastfeeding is too demanding, and would like to take more rest than being a milk bank to the baby. I’ve been through the process twice, so I know how it feels. But remember, we’re not going to breastfeed our babies forever. It’s only tough for the first few months, and things will get better once baby’s feeding pattern develops, and learns how to sleep for longer hours.

Another thing is, hormone prolactin which produces milk only works at night. Thus, night feedings are very important to ensure sufficient milk supply to baby. When baby suckles at the breast, the nerves system at the nipple will send messages to mother’s pituatary gland and release hormone oxytocin which delivers milk from the breast to baby. You may feel a stingy sensation where milk will be gushing out into baby’s mouth too. This is called let down, where milk will come out automatically.

Our breasts will never be out of milk. The more baby suckles, the more milk our bodies will produce. That’s why it’s called supply and demand. So, forget those sayings of NOT Enough Milk, ok.