Low Supply
Moms sometimes worry that they won’t be able to make enough milk for their baby. But most moms make plenty of milk! True under-supply issues are actually very rare.
Some things to know:
You will make colostrum (not milk) for the first couple days of your baby’s life. That’s right, no milk until about day 3! This is normal and necessary for baby’s lifelong digestive health. Do NOT take any herbs or other measures to increase supply until after day 3 postpartum to allow the colostrum’s full time period.
Milk supply is a demand-supply system. The more milk you take out, the more milk your body will learn to make. Your body learns how much milk to make based on how much milk your baby drinks, so it’s important to let your baby teach your body that right amount. It can take a while for both the baby and your boobs to get the hang of it! Some moms are told to supplement with formula which compounds the issue, because this causes their baby to take even less milk from their breast (which then reduces how much milk their body thinks it needs to make).
What to do?
Eat milk inducing foods (these are called galactagogue foods): Oatmeal, root veggies, leafy greens
Use milk inducing (galactagogue) herbs:
Nursing Tincture Moringa Blend - this is a good one to start with when baby is young or has gas/tummy issues. (included with the kit)
Many other options and information is available at https://herblore.com/overviews/how-to-increase-your-breastmilk-supply-the-summarized-version People’s bodies can be very different and respond to different things!
When to get help
Contact a lactation consultant or health care provider if:
Your baby seems hungry despite constant feeding
Your baby cries inconsolably often
Your baby is not gaining weight
Your baby is not pooping or peeing regularly. Note that it can be normal for a baby to go several days between bowel movements, but ask a professional about it if you’re concerned. We typically expect 3-6 poops per day for the first 6 weeks, and then that will usually drop to 1 poop or so per day after that.
Want to talk with a lactation consultant?