The true causes for alarm regarding milk supply
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Are you worried that you don't have enough breastmilk? Let Corky Harvey, lactation expert, reassure you that you will have enough breastmilk to help your child grow and develop healthily.
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So many mother's are worried about having enough milk, when in fact most of them do. But what would be the real alarm here, if a mom didn't have enough breast milk? It would mean that the baby wouldn't grow well, so that's the bottom line. You have to have your baby weighed frequently in the first days, weeks of life. So you probably know that most babies lose up to 10% in the first 4 days of their life. But by that point, they should stop losing and begin to gain. And once they begin to gain, they should gain at least an ounce a day in the first 3 months of life. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly suggests that every breastfeed baby be weighed within 2 to 3 days of hospital discharge to make sure. If that is happening to you, it would be really a good idea, before you jump right on to formula, to go ahead and make appointment to see a lactation professional, so she can help sort out why it would be. Because in many cases, we can find the cause and help you to get that good milk supply. So how you know a baby is getting enough milk would be weight gain of course, also urine output and stool output so by day 6, at least 6 urines, at least 3 stools in 24 hours, it felt like your milk came in, you've got some engorgement, that you hear your baby swallowing, that your baby is usually satisfied. Although babies have a 3 hours phased in each day where they'll really marathon with their nursing. And then of course, get the definitive answer which is: is your baby gaining weight?
Are you worried that you don't have enough breastmilk? Let Corky Harvey, lactation expert, reassure you that you will have enough breastmilk to help your child grow and develop healthily.
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Corky Harvey, MS, RN, IBCLCCertified Lactation Consultant
Corky Harvey is a co-founder of the Pump Station & Nurtury™ - the first new parent resource center of its kind. She is a registered nurse with a master's degree in maternal/newborn Nursing, and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She teaches breastfeeding and baby care classes, facilitates the New Mother Breastfeeding Support Groups, and is a frequent guest lecturer. Corky has three grown children who were breastfed and she loves to claim that their intelligence is linked to this. Corky has two grandsons, Diego who nursed over two years, and 18-month-old Axel who is still breastfeeding.
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