Is mears or any b/f counsellors around?

[jennifersofia]

Last time I was pg (my 2nd) I was on the thin and tired side, and didn't produce as much milk as for my first. Also, when I stopped b/f, my breasts basically 'deflated' to much smaller than my previous size and have never changed back.
Someone did tell me it was because I didn't have enough body fat when I was b/f. My question is: as I am now pg again, what can I do to prevent this happening again? Do I need to eat lots of fatty foods?

Hi Jennifer
I'm not a breast counselor, but...
As far as I am aware the amount of fat in your body does not effect the volume of milk you produce, though the amount of fat in your diet does effect the fat content of your milk.
I have less body fat than your average woman and yet I have no problem producing plenty of milk.

As for your breasts shrinking to a size smaller than they were originally. That's pretty common and I'm afraid there's not much you can do about it. There's no way of knowing how they'll end up. Maybe they'll get bigger again after your next baby!!

not a b/f councellor, but I've always found this site great for b/f info & advice

Thanks so much for writing in - I was thinking that that was the way it happened RuthChan, was kind of hoping for a magic answer.
I will check out that website, BetsyBoop, thanks.
Any other suggestions?

Hi jennifersophia, i am not an expert but as far as I know, the best way to have more milk is to feed the baby more often. As long as your baby is latched on properly and is feeding and not just sucking.

i also thought that as long as you were eating and drinking normally, it made no difference to your milk supply

do you think that perhaps you were feeding you second baby less often as you also ahd another child to care for? i knwo whats its like as I am still feeding my third baby and every time i sit down to feed him, the others get jealous

Well, I don't think I was feeding less, just more worn out. Hard to say exactly though. I also was 'drier' on one side than on the other with no.2, which didn't happen with no.1.

Certainly, despite having one baby being tiring enough, having a baby plus an older child must be more tiring.
I guess you just need to look after yourself as well as you can; eat well and healthily and be sure to get as much rest and sleep as possible.
I hope it goes well for you this time!!

jennifersofia - your body size does not influence how much milk you make, not does what you eat really. As long as you have a healthy diet (doesn't need to be high in fat) and you ensure that the baby is latched on properly and feeding frequently, your body will make milk.

Breasts settle down more quickly when you breastfeed second and subsequent times around because they are more efficient. Mothers can worry that they have less milk because they do not feel so full as first time. Also different babies have different growth patterns. Second baby may not gain weight as quickly and the mum wrongly assumes she has less milk. If she then supplements with formula she will make less milk because the baby will go longer between feeds therefore stimulating milk production less frequently.

So basically the way to make milk is to feed on demand initially so the baby programmes the breasts to make milk. The more the baby feeds, the more milk your body makes. You do not need to alter your diet at all. Try and feed your baby as soon as possible after birth. HTH.

Ahh, thanks for that Mears. I was still hoping you could tell me that if I ate a lot of avocados my breasts would suddenly become a charming 32C. That is helpful. Will b/f asap, and as often as baby needs. By the way, how long do you think it is good to feed on demand for in order to establish milk? I was planning on eventually getting into a routine, but prob. not until 3 months-ish. Does that sound right?

My milk established itself within the first few days after the birth.
My DD is now 9 months old and I still feed on demand. Have never had a set routine and have never felt the need for one.

JS - I found it much easier not to have a routine . He does have to fit around school and nursery runs etc& he always gets fed before and after a nap but apart from that i just feed him when he wants.He seems to be doing ok on it

Never ever did get into a rourine as such so can't advise on that jennifersofia. I alsways think it is best to be relaxed and go with the flow.

Some women need to feed often to keep their milk supply up. Others would have a huge supply feeding 4 hourly. Depends on your body chemistry really. You just have to do what suits you really.

Thanks for that.

You could stick the avocados in your bra in order to become a 32C?