Establishing Breastfeeding to Maintain Milk Supply
Establishing Breastfeeding to Maintain Milk Supply
Many new mothers worry about breastfeeding their babies. Wondering if you’ll produce enough milk, if your baby will latch on, or if you’ll be able to keep up with your growing bundle of joy’s demands can be a struggle.
Establishing breastfeeding to maintain adequate milk supply can be crucial in making sure you're able to produce enough milk over the course of this journey. It is also beneficial for your baby, who will get all of the nutritious colostrum and have improved digestion and bowel function. Starting early can lead to success down the road and make breastfeeding a beautiful experience for both you and your baby.
Our shop is full of the supplies you need for breastfeeding and pumping success. Items like storage milk pouches, breast milk pump machines, and little milk bottles are made with you and baby in mind, at a great affordable price.
Today, we’re going to give you some helpful tips on how to establish breastfeeding, as well as how to increase milk production through pumping with the help of some of our own products!
How to establish a good supply:
The Cleveland Clinic provides a few helpful tips on how to establish a good milk supply from the beginning.
Nurse your baby.
For the first two to four weeks, try to focus solely on nursing your baby. Not only does this stimulate your breasts to produce more milk, but it also provides your baby with colostrum, or the highly nutritious first milk.
Now, of course, if it is recommended by your healthcare provider to pump, do so! We recommend our breast milk pump machine and milk pouches for moms who are pumping early on.
Try to feed every three hours or on-demand.
The more you feed and empty out your breasts, the more milk you will produce! While every two to three hours is an excellent goal to aim for, look for signs from your baby that they're ready to eat. These could include lip-smacking, searching for your breast, crying, etc.
The average number of feedings per day for newborns is between eight and 12! As long as your baby is happy and healthy, and you’re within the guidelines of your healthcare provider, you’re doing a good job!
Practice skin-to-skin often.
Especially during the first few weeks, skin-to-skin is a vital way of bonding with your baby. Not only does it make breastfeeding better, but it also stimulates brain development for your little one!
Babies who get ample skin-to-skin contact are often calmer than those kept in a swaddle, making the entire nursing process easier.
Even if you have to pump, skin-to-skin is still essential while feeding. Our little milk bottles are an excellent and affordable way to give your baby all of the nutrients they need.
Alternate breasts.
You don't have to stop your baby from nursing and alternate in the middle of a feeding. However, alternating breasts every other feeding (or if they're still hungry after draining the first) is an excellent way to keep both breasts stimulated and producing enough milk.
How to increase your milk production while pumping.
Little Martin’s Drawer has an extensive line of breastfeeding and pumping products to make the experience more comfortable for you and your baby! Here are a few tips to help increase your milk production while pumping.
Pump as often as you can.
Cluster pumping, or pumping every five minutes, is great for repeated stimulation. As we said earlier, the more you feed, the more you will hopefully produce! Your breasts will stop producing milk when they’re full, so pumping often allows for greater milk production.
If you can’t pump more often, extend each pumping session by ten or so minutes.
Pumping after nursing if your breasts still feel full is also a good idea! You can use our milk extractor and store this extra milk in our milk pouches for sale. Our pumps are comfortable, quiet, and discreet and come with a rechargeable battery for easy pumping on the go!
Set daily reminders to pump.
Pack our breast milk pump machine in your bag and set daily reminders to pump throughout the day! Our milk extractors are small and travel-friendly, making them perfect for carrying with you on the go. Use our storage milk pouches to keep your milk safe in the freezer until time for feeding.
It can be easy to forget to pump when you get busy, so setting reminders on your phone will help keep you in your routine.
Make sure your equipment is clean.
Your equipment, especially the tubing, can become full of condensation and get clogged. To make sure your milk extractor is working at its fullest, regularly inspect and clean the pump and all of its parts. Clean and disinfect often to get the most out of each session!
We hope you find these tips and tricks useful for your breastfeeding and pumpkin journey! No matter what, follow your instincts. No one knows yourself and your baby like you do. And make sure to always follow the advice of your health care provider!
Check out our shop at Little Martin’s Drawer for all of your little milk bottles, breast milk pump machine, and milk storage pouch needs.
Remember, you’re doing a great job.
Sources:
https://empiricalmama.com/how-to-establish-breastfeeding-to-maintain-milk-supply/
https://www.healthline.com/health/parenting/how-to-increase-milk-supply-when-pumping#check-your-pump