Breast Milk and Supply

Breast Milk and Supply



Breast Milk



Give it a swirl. Milk that has been stored in the refrigerator tends to separate and that is normal. So before you give it to your baby, give it a swirl. You'll see that it will come back together.



Don't worry about the consistency. If your milk is watery, you're extracting the foremilk. If it is thicker and whiter, it is the hind milk. You may also find that after your baby drinks your breast milk, the bottle has a residue. Don't worry -- it's the fat of the hind milk left in there.



Milk Supply



Moist heat encourages let down. I was stressed and worried I wouldn't let down. The worst thing for me was hearing everyone tell me to just relax. What helped was moist heat. I put a wet towel in the microwave for a short time. A shower worked as well.



Reading may help you relax. I found that reading or doing a crossword puzzle while pumping would really help. I guess it took my mind off getting enough milk, or pumping for a certain time. It sort of distracted me. Find something you like to do and if possible do it while pumping.

Pump while you nurse to boost output. One way to quickly pump is to pump the boob baby's not nursing on while she nurses on the other. That way, your let-down happens faster. I always had trouble alone, but got a great stash by nursing and pumping together.

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