As we noted a few days ago, that mothers or their environment indicate that they do not have enough milk is more common than would be desirable, but above all it is almost always false. There are a number of signs that could indicate that the baby does not get enough milk.
We saw that there were a couple of reliable signs that indicated the unlikely event that the mother did not have enough milk. Now we see a series of possible signs, that is, that could indicate that the baby does not get enough milk although they could also indicate other facts, without being related to breastfeeding.
Therefore, when a mother points to these signs as indicators of insufficient milk, it is necessary to start from the premise that they are not unequivocally linked signs, so that the two reliable signs (insufficient growth and condensation and shortage of baby urine).
This is because the most normal thing would be that these signs do not indicate insufficient milk, but in case of doubt and the stress that such situations generate, the effect of the reduction in breastfeeding production could be produced, so you should always encourage to the mother, to help and encourage her in her purpose of breastfeeding.
Why The best way to establish proper breastfeeding is to breastfeed on demand, without schedules, without haste and without pressure, with peace of mind, something that is not always achieved if we begin to "suspect" that we do not have enough milk.
Possible signs that I don't have enough milk (related to the baby)
There are some possible signs that may indicate that the baby does not suck properly, that the depositions are not normal or that there is a problem that bothers you.
- Not satisfied after the shot, look for more chest.
- Cry often (obviously, the baby's crying may be related to a thousand different factors and not just hunger). Colic, need for arms and contact, discomfort from some taste derived from food that the mother has taken
- He wants frequent shots (in these cases, obviously, you always have to offer the chest on demand). It may simply be a temporary "crisis or acceleration of growth."
- It takes very long shots. But remember that a baby not only performs nutritive suction to be satisfied and calm, and it is not something we should avoid.
- Reject the chest. If a baby rejects the breast it may be due to various causes, and indicates that it is going through some difficulty that interferes with breastfeeding, a difficulty that is sometimes obvious but sometimes difficult to interpret.
- Makes hard, dry or green bowel movements. (The normal bowel movements of a breastfed child are semi-liquid).
- It makes scanty and infrequent bowel movements. However, the frequency with which healthy children adequately breastfed make bowel movements is variable. Some children do not make bowel movements in several days, while others make eight or more in one day. If the child poops infrequently, bowel movements should be abundant.
A child who seems not to be satisfied after the shots, or who wants to eat very often or for a long time in each shot, I may be sucking inefficiently and I'm not getting milk easily.
Possible signs that I don't have enough milk (related to the mother)
Possible signs related to the mother are less, and as always we remember that, apart from the fact that they are of strange appearance, signs often indicate other factors and not that the child receives little milk. They are the following.
- Her breasts did not increase in size during pregnancy.
- The milk did not "rise" after delivery.
- No milk comes out when squeezed.
Occasionally a mother may not see changes in the breasts during pregnancy or in the weeks after birth and may be unable to express milk in the first four or five days. It may be one of the few mothers who are not able to produce enough milk.
When a mother comments on one of the possible signs, it is necessary to rule out reliable signs to be sure if the child is getting enough milk or not.
In short, if we look at these Possible signs that we don't have enough milk to breastfeed the baby we must think that it is only that, a possibility, that the safest thing is that we do have enough milk. Seeking the help of a professional and with sufficient support will be easier to solve the problem we have faced.
