Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk? 2 of 4

Tags:
Breastfeeding Jack Latch Milk Newman Positions Transfer
BreastfeedingBabies
  • Affiliate Submitter:
    Breastfeedi...
  • International International
  • Comments: 0
  • Views: 1,976
  • Added: 22-Dec-07

Quite Good Feeding.

In the second clip, a good swallowing motion (active jaw and muscles) is clearly shown by the baby, and nice pauses where milk is flowing into the mouth. This baby is getting a great deal of milk from the mother. It's not quite the express pump of baby 1, but baby 2 is clearly getting a lot of milk!

This is the second in a sequence of understanding how to spot your baby is getting enough milk out of your breast. The written info starts on Number 1 on:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yeqnas3Uf2A

But it has been split up to fit! So it now continues here: :-)

I Know My Baby Is Getting Enough But He's Latched On For Hours!:

Babies need to breastfeed for more than just food. The act of breastfeeding, which they've practised in the womb by swallowing amiotic fluid, comforts and sustains a breastfeeding baby. It is a primal urge, that fills them with a sense of well being and security.

Babies come out of the womb as individuals. Some will have very high sucking needs - they need to be on the breast, comfort sucking, for long periods of time. Deprived of this, they can become fussy and anxious and cry a lot. They often crave lots of skin to skin with the mother, and wearing them in a sling or wrap can help calm them.

Others come out with low comfort sucking needs, and will only attach to the breast for as long as it takes for them to fill up.

Both these scenarios are perfectly normal.

Your baby will have its own sense of how much time it needs at the breast. Mothers who have had several breastfeeding babies, report how different the sucking needs of each of them were. :-)

Therefore, you can have a baby that's very efficient at removing breastmilk, and who fills up quickly, but who stays on the breast comfort nibbling, for some time.

It's important to recognise the difference between a baby getting enough milk, but who needs to breastfeed for longer, and a baby who is not getting enough and is on for hours just to get enough. The info on video 1 of this sequence will help:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yeqnas3Uf2A

as can the support organisations detailed on 'First Latch':

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ox8ht-EVnQA

Our video 'Breast Compressions' can help if you have a baby that isn't getting enough out:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HJrBRYxDNSE

It is also important to recognise that you cannot overfeed a breastfeeding baby. Your milk adjusts to the baby's demands and no matter how long your baby breastfeeds, the milk has the right balance.

For more help and tips on babies with high sucking needs (often called fussy babies, or high needs babies):

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussybaby.html

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/T050100.asp

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/T051200.asp

Many fusssy babies have a very fussy time in the late evening, and a good tip sheet on dealing with this by a technique called cluster feeding, can be found here:

http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

Growth Spurts:

Finally, no breastfeeding baby nurses at a constant rate, all the way through. Babies have growth spurts, where their bodies are literally growing quicker, and they need to feed more to get the raw materials to build their bodies. Growth spurts are not a sign that your milk supply is suddenly dropping, and they are not the same as comfort sucking. Baby is on the breast longer, as it needs more milk.

Growth spurts can be tricky for the mother, as the sudden increase in breastfeeding can upset her own routine and sense of 'getting on'. It's important to recognise that this can cause an emotional reaction in the mother who is not prepared for this sudden increase in demand.

Crucially, the mother needs supported in knowing that it's a totally normal and expected event, and is not the result of her doing something 'wrong' and the baby is responding by being clingy! The baby just needs more milk. :-)

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth-spurt.html

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/frequent-nursing.html

http://www.llli.org/FAQ/spurt.html

  1. Categories: People & Stories
Comments on

Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk? 2 of 4

25 Comments | Add Comment
  • aaw! adorable!

    aaw! adorable!

    By dulcenadya [Affiliate User] 1218802601 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I seriously think ...

    I seriously think that this is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Watching a baby nurse is incredibly emotional for me. Absoultely beautiful. Not in a perverted way, of course.

    By seaportchild [Affiliate User] 1218321790 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Baby and Milk

    Baby and Milk

    By presidentaghahassan [Affiliate User] 1218075020 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • ahhhh soooooooo ...

    ahhhh soooooooo cuuuuuuuuute!

    By annoyingryan1220419 [Affiliate User] 1217918146 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Cute baby!

    Cute baby!

    By lovexrage [Affiliate User] 1216020712 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • What a beautiful, ...

    What a beautiful, beautiful baby! And a loevly video.

    By jeninmaine [Affiliate User] 1215977963 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Good Luck! May you ...

    Good Luck! May you have an easy labour, a joyful birth and plentiful milk. :-)

    By BreastfeedingBabies [Affiliate User] 1215103757 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I'm watching this w ...

    I'm watching this w/ my 2 year old daughter in hopes to prepare her for her brother coming in 90 days!!!

    By ladybaillio [Affiliate User] 1214940359 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • i nursed my ...

    i nursed my daughter for almost 8 weeks...but I too had lack of support, and wasn't as knowledged as I thought I was (nursing was much harder than I thought it would be), but I vow to successfully nurse my next child...i'm definitely signing up for those nursing classes...

    By cassadia22 [Affiliate User] 1214421785 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • That is such a cute ...

    That is such a cute baby! I hope I am that successful with breastfeeding.

    By Sandi0472 [Affiliate User] 1213355563 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I love seeing ...

    I love seeing newborns nurse. They are so precious. I'm still nursing my 15 month old and I love the bond that we have. My son nursed until 20 months when he weaned himself.

    By lemondropsforever [Affiliate User] 1213215889 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Omg so cute! I want ...

    Omg so cute! I want to breastfeed. My baby boy is due in 3 weeks...woohoo!

    By Winter077 [Affiliate User] 1212761716 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Glad you got the ...

    Glad you got the help you needed!

    By BreastfeedingBabies [Affiliate User] 1209715396 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I was unsuccessful ...

    I was unsuccessful with my first two children due to plain lack of support and know-how from anyone around me. When I had my last child, I was determined to successfully nurse, and finally got the help I needed with La Leche League. It was /invaluable/ and I nursed him for two and a half years. It was the best experience and SO much easier than bottle feeding.

    By lizzieb5 [Affiliate User] 1209532242 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Oh my god that baby ...

    Oh my god that baby is so amasingly cute.
    Im jealous of that baby's mother.
    :D

    By TheLittleMerAMY [Affiliate User] 1207853128 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Breast pumps are ...

    Breast pumps are vital in countries like the USA where proper maternity pay isn't a right for all mothers. I have USAn friends who pump for their babies, and I have nothing but awe and respect for them. I'd rather they didn't have to 'tho. Breastfeeding is better than pumped milk, and a lot less work for the Mama! But's it's a wonder that women can now do this, to protect their babies. And I applaud that. I just wish that mothering had a higher status in society.

    By BreastfeedingBabies [Affiliate User] 1207453945 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • I was breastfed for ...

    I was breastfed for the first year of my life. I almost never get sick and have an above average IQ. I can't believe how many parents don't do it. Then they wonder why so many kids get cancer, autism, allergies, asthma and so much more. Not that it will prevent all complications, but the benefits are there. The only thing I disagree with you on is breast feeding past the age of two. I will not debate you on it, but I have my reasons.

    What are your thoughts on breast pumps?

    By billybassman21 [Affiliate User] 1207437193 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Suckling causes ...

    Suckling causes oxytocin to be released from the posterior pituitary which causes your uterus to contract which helps in shrinking your uterus and diminishes postpartum hemorrhage. It's nature's way of healing your body after the trauma of birth and another benefit of breastfeeding.

    By plm3d [Affiliate User] 1206505578 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Yes, very good. It ...

    Yes, very good. It can take a few weeks to get to it, but when you let the baby breasfteed, you feel relaxed and calm and peaceful inside. Part of it is a hormone that floods your brain, when the baby starts to suckle. The hormone makes you feel good. As does seeing your baby so happy and fulfilled. Thre isn't much physical feeling 'tho, it's in your head, the good feeling. :-)

    By BreastfeedingBabies [Affiliate User] 1203168134 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Is it feel good? i ...

    Is it feel good? i mean the feeding

    By nordocska1 [Affiliate User] 1203166237 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Oh wow.

    Oh wow.

    By samdahabib [Affiliate User] 1200224232 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • AHHHHH SO CUTE

    AHHHHH SO CUTE

    By oklahoma10123 [Affiliate User] 1200167561 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • Every baby has a ...

    Every baby has a father! :-)

    By BreastfeedingBabies [Affiliate User] 1199707494 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • This is fascinating ...

    This is fascinating. I never thought I'd be interested in this, but i guess it is natural for even men to be concerned with proper feeding. Great baby, I agree.

    By trialsdork [Affiliate User] 1199705487 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
  • that is the cutest ...

    that is the cutest baby i have ever see in my life!!!!!!
    :D adoreable baby!

    By kaylaz101 [Affiliate User] 1199478045 Reply Spam Moderate Up Moderate Down
25 Comments | Add Comment