A customer recently wrote us this
email...
"My son is 4 months old and exclusively
breastfed. As I suffered from low milk supply and slow weight gain
with my first baby and ended up topping him up with formula from 3
months onwards only to have him weaning himself at 8 months old, so
I don't to make the same mistakes this time."
Well she already made the first
decision, that she wanted to breastfeed rather than starting on
formula, so now we just have to figure out a way to help.
This is actually quite a common question.
Maybe milk supply has decreased - see your doctor or midwife for
a prescription of Domperidone, and there are milk teas available
also.
Try express a little with a breast pump after each feed so that
your breasts think that baby is drinking more and so will produce
more. This will take a few days for it to build up
slowly.
Do some breast compressions on your
boob while baby is feeding, as this helps the milk to flow and can
get baby to feed longer.
Drink a glass of water after every
feed, and also every time that you express too.
Get plenty of rest - though we know
this is nearly impossible when you have a toddler and a newborn
baby to look after.
The last thing you want to give the baby at this point is
bottles, that will put an end to the breastfeeding if your supply
is already low. You could try to offer a few solids like some
very runny baby rice "farex" with a spoon. If you do this, give
baby as much as he will take without forcing and as frequently as
he seems hungry.