Once they get through the first few two or three months of breastfeeding, many parents think that it will be smooth sailing without any problems.
Unfortunately, breastfeeding moms can still encounter problems, especially with their breast milk supply.
Sometimes breastfeeding mothers misinterpret some things as a sign of a slow down in milk production, when they are actually normal, including:
- breasts that feel less full than they used to, or even empty, which may just mean that your body has gotten used to your baby's feeding schedule and your milk production
- a baby who has begun having infrequent bowel movements, keeping in mind that some breastfed babies only have bowel movements once every week or two, and that can be normal if they are gaining weight and their bowel movements aren't hard when they finally do have them
Many factors can decrease a mother's breast milk supply though. One of the most common of these things is simply not breastfeeding or pumping often enough (about seven or eight times a day at this age) or giving too many formula supplements.
Mothers who notice a decrease in their breast milk supply and who have decreased the number of times that they nurse or pump, may have to increase the frequency again to boost their breast milk supply.
A mother's breast milk supply may also decrease if she is:
- losing weight too quickly (more than one pound each week), which can happen if a mother is not following a healthy diet or is restricting her calories too much
- exercising a lot and is not drinking enough fluids
- taking a medication, such as birth control pills with estrogen
- sick or overly stressed
- allowing her baby to use his pacifier too often, which can sometimes satisfy a baby to the point that they nurse less often
