When is milk supply established

Breastfeeding every time your baby is hungry is the key to making enough milk. Since each mother and baby is different, breastfeeding can be different for each mother and baby pair. The first hours, days, and weeks of breastfeeding determine how much milk your body will make. Following these guidelines will help your body make enough milk for your baby. Sometimes moms produce too much milk in the days after delivery, or have too much milk all the time.

Content begins here Setting Your Supply Breastmilk supply is based on a supply and demand cycle—the more your baby breastfeeds, the more milk you will make. To build a big milk supply, make sure you: Breastfeed or hand express your colostrum in the first hour, if possible. A little colostrum goes a long way. Babies usually drink half an ounce of it, on average, in the first 24 hours. First, the change from colostrum to transitional milk occurs 2—5 days after giving birth.

Transitional milk is creamier in texture, higher in protein, and looks more like whole milk. Then, around 10—14 days after birth, your milk will change again into what is known as mature milk.

Mature milk is divided into foremilk which comes out first and hindmilk. As the feeding continues, mature milk will become thicker and creamier in texture as the hindmilk is extracted. Hindmilk has a higher fat content than foremilk or transitional milk. For many women, engorgement of the breasts is a dead giveaway that their transitional milk has come in. When your milk volume increases, the increased blood flow to the breasts will make them swell and feel rock hard.

Keep in mind that the discomfort associated with this change is temporary. Applying hot packs to the chest region before feeds — and cool packs after them — can help make engorgement a little more comfortable.

Over time, as mature milk develops, your breasts will become softer again. This is completely normal. A change in the appearance of the milk coming from the breast is another indicator that your milk has changed from colostrum to a more mature form. Colostrum is called liquid gold for a reason! It tends to be more yellow in color. Transitional milk will appear white.

Research and education. Back to fact sheets. Increasing your breast milk supply fact sheet. Increasing your breast milk supply.

Why your milk supply may be low Supplementing feeds — this interferes with the demand and supply process. As your baby removes milk from the breast, your body works to replace it.

If formula, juice or water is given your body does not get the signal to make more milk. Nipple shields — a nipple shield that is not being applied correctly may reduce the amount of milk your baby is able to drink. Timing or scheduling feeds — offer a breastfeed whenever your baby is hungry.

Sometimes when babies are premature, small or jaundice they may need to be woken for a feed. See Got Milk? Note: Premature infants are certainly not the only breastfed babies who have problems nursing at the breast, but much of the writing and research in this area involves premature babies and their mothers.

Talk to your lactation consultant about adapting these guidelines for older babies. Wight NE. Correlates of lactation in mothers of very low birth weight infants.