Milk supply is the amount of milk a mother’s breasts produce. Breast milk is not stored in the breasts so this is not to say that milk supply is how much milk a mother has, rather how much she produces at any given time. This informative page will help you learn how to increase breast milk.

Milk supply is based off of supply and demand. This means that the more your baby stimulates the glands of the breast to make milk or the more he or she nurses, the more milk you will produce. This amount will fluctuate with the baby's needs. Low milk supply is often in the mother's imagination.http://www.llli.org/FAQ/increase.html More often in women with smaller breasts, there is the feeling that size matters and that if breasts are not large, they will not produce the same amount of milk, or an insufficient amount for the baby. This is false. A woman with larger breasts may have more fatty tissue, but this does not indicate more milk glands.http://www.aolhealth.com/medical-myths/does-breast-size-matterhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/breastfeed_supply.html

True cases of low milk supply are generally caused by latch or suckling issues with the baby. If the baby is not latched or suckling properly, the baby stimulates less milk to be produced than is needed. Low milk supply can also occur when breast feeding is interrupted by supplementation with bottles, long periods of time without nursing or anything that prevents the baby from emptying the breasts on a regular basis. On occasion there are a few other causes of low milk supply in mothers. These include;

• Breast reduction, breast augmentation or chest surgery that affects the number of glands in the breast.
• Use of hormonal supplements or medications such as birth control.
• Certain hormonal disorders.
• Excessive loss of blood during delivery and/or anemia.
• Excessive stress or fatigue.
• Improper diet.
• Remnants of the placenta in uterus after birth.
• Certain medical conditions such as diabetes.
• Infections or sickness as well as the use of some over-the-counter cold medicine.http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/tips-and-solutions/9/inadequate-milk-supply

This easy step-by-step guide on how to increase breast milk will walk you through how to determine if you are producing enough milk, as well as what you can do about it if you are not.

The first step in increasing breast milk is to be sure you need to do so in the first place. This means determining if your baby is getting enough milk.

If your baby is getting enough milk, he/she will show the following signs:

• -Proper weight gain for age

A healthy newborn will gain one ounce of weight per day in the first three months and one half an ounce each day from three to six months. The exception is the first fourteen days of life. During this time, a newborn baby will lose five to ten percent of its body weight. Your baby should be back to its birth weight by two weeks old.

• -Has regular and healthy diapers.

A baby that is getting enough breast milk will produce at least three diapers with bowel movements a day in the first month and one to two thereafter as well as seven to eight wet diapers. Bowel movements should appear sort of mustard colored and have a curdled appearance.

• -Is nursing within a normal range.

Most babies nurse every two hours or so equating to around eight to twelve feedings a day. If your baby is nursing significantly less, this could be an indication of a problem.

• -Baby shows signs of good nursing and appears healthy and active.

If you can see a steady drinking motion while your baby nurses, and/or milk at the corners of the mouth on occasion, this is a good sign the baby is getting milk when it nurses. A properly fed baby will appear healthy not sluggish, weak, or inactive.

The two best indicators your baby is not getting enough breast milk are weight gain and diaper frequency. Though the steps in this how to guide will help you increase your breast milk, be sure to let your doctor know immediately if you suspect your baby is not getting enough milk. The problem may be a health condition on the infant’s side and not a matter of low milk production.http://www.babycenter.com/0_low-milk-supply_8487.bc

Once you’ve determined that your baby is not getting enough breast milk, ruling out the most common reason for low breast milk supply is a great second step. This means ensuring that your baby is getting a proper breast feeding latch. This term refers to the way in which the baby's mouth is properly attached to the breast to ensure adequate suckling.

If your baby is not properly latching onto the breast, it will get less milk even if it is nursing for an adequate amount of time. This will also cause less stimulation of the glands and therefore less milk.

Another good indication of an improper latch is excessively sore, cracked nipples extended beyond the first week or so. Though almost all mothers experience some soreness when beginning breast feeding and some babies have an excessively powerful suck which can lengthen the issues, nipple damage is often caused by improper latch. http://www.babycenter.com/0_sore-nipples_263.bc

A baby that has latched on properly will:

• -Have at least ½ inch around the base of your nipple in his/her mouth.
• -The nose and chin will both touch the breast.
• -Lips are flanged.
• -When nursing you can visibly see your baby swallowing.

With an improper latch, you may notice a lip stick tube shape to your nipple or a line running down the middle after feeding.

If your baby is latching on improperly, correct your breasting position, latch again, and then wait to see if the baby’s signs of not getting enough milk disappear. You can read more about correcting positioning and latch at the source upon which this step is based. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/positioning.html

If your baby is latched on and positioned properly and still appears to not be getting enough milk you can begin using some of these other techniques to increase breast milk. Once again, it is very important you let your pediatrician or health care provider know that you suspect your baby may not be getting enough milk as this could be due to reasons beyond your control that require medical attention.

Nurse frequently on both breasts but do not switch sides too quickly. While it’s important your baby nurses on both breasts, be sure he/she nurses long enough to drain the breast completely. Milk that is produced at the beginning of a feeding is not the same as that which is produced at the end. Hind milk or the milk that your baby gets when the breast is nearly empty is much higher in fat content. Switching breasts before the baby has finished on the first can be another reason weight gain is insufficient. A good rule of thumb is to switch sides about every 15 minutes.

Never stop a baby from feeding. He/she will let go when finished. The only time you should manually remove a baby from the breast is if he/she has fallen asleep and is no longer nursing, or the latch is improper and you need to reposition.

If you have a sleepy baby, try to keep him/her awake during feedings. Sleeping on the breast will result in sore nipples but not much milk stimulation. Some mothers tickle their infants feet or talk to them while feeding. You can try switching positions often or even stripping your infant as well. Skin to skin contact is a great bonding experience for both mother and child.

Consider using a breast pump. Though you run the risk of creating a milk supply greater than that of your infant’s needs, you can use a breast pump to express breast milk and stimulate more milk production.

If all else fails, see a lactation specialist or breast feeding counselor. They will also be able to rule out other reasons on the list covered in the beginning of this how to guide. http://www.babycenter.com/0_low-milk-supply_8487.bc