Quality of Breast Milk

I was mostly going to say what Heather said, but I wanted to add that at some point, and I don't remember exactly when this happens, your breasts do stop feeling full even when they have milk in them. That's because your body gets better at regulating how much milk it needs, so you may never feel full again except when you wait too long to nurse, but there will always be milk in there as long as you keep breastfeeding.

Also, just to second what Heather said about the milk. The first milk that always comes out is really thin and watery, and after the baby nurses for awhile it gets thicker and fattier. Both kinds of milk are perfectly normal and serve their purposes. I also want to add that milk is always evolving and adjusting. The milk you made for your newborn is different from the milk you're making now, which is different from the milk you would make 6 months from now. Not only that, but the milk you make at 7am is different from the milk you make at 7pm. Our milk is perfectly calibrated to our babies needs. So if it looks different from one time to another, that's why.

Keep it up! You're doing great. You do still have milk, and if you want to up your supply, all you have to do is nurse, nurse, nurse!

Drink plenty of liquids each day and eat regular nutritious meals, plus healthy snacks. Try to get additional rest by doing only the bare necessities for at least 2 weeks. Try not to get discouraged. Keep thinking positively. Get help and support from your close friends and family Try to pump right after you nurse your baby. Making milk will use about 500 extra calories a day. Women often try to improve their diets while they are pregnant. Continuing with an improved diet after your baby is born will help you stay healthy. But, even if you don't always eat well, the quality of your milk won't change much. Your body adjusts to make sure your baby's milk supply is protected. Get as much rest as you can. That is a BIG KEY element. Mother's milk is the perfect food however it is low in C,D, & iron. So you would need to supplement that. Vitamin B complex is needed for milk supply and multi vitamin is needed for both of you. Now for great vitamins go to www.shaklee.net/healthydesire

I hear almond milk and rice milk is simuliar to breast milk with a small amount of papaya and run it threw a blender but check with your Dr first I never tried that. But this is only if you need to supplement your milk

Hope this helps
Take Care and Be blessed

It's fine. If it was really clear, you were incredibly full and she was just getting the foremilk. This is the thinner, more watery milk that helps to quench thirst. You should always nurse longer to ensure that baby empties your breast and gets the fatty, high protein hind milk. IT's creamier and contains all the good fat she needs. Plus nursing till you empty your breasts ensures that you make more for next time. Nursing is supply and demand. When you feed on demand you shouldn't have to supplement. There are very few women who truly don't make enough milk for their little ones. You just have to nurse when they ask for it and not worry about feeding on a schedule. It can be exhausting, but that's what ensures a good milk supply.

Also, the pump is not a good indicator of your milk production. If you don't pump very often, you aren't going to respond the pump well. ALso, babies are much more efficient at getting the milk than any pump.

6 month olds also go through a growth spurt, so you may not feel full as she's trying to nurse more. You may feel like you're drying up. If you just try to nurse her instead of giving all the bottles of formula, you will find that, when you stick with it, you will have enough milk.

Also, eating oatmeal every day and drinking LOTS of water can help your milk tremendously. The water is key.

Good luck!

The milk is fine. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, milk or juice. Eat chick peas (garbonzo beans) in your meals, add them to your salad, your rice, add them to everything! Chick peas are great for promoting lactation...dont' know why, but worked for me. You might want to try pumping a little just after you feed your daughter and that could also stimulate more milk... but most importantly, drink plenty of milk and eat lots of calcium enriched foods like ice cream, cheese, yogurt etc. Good luck.

Breast milk I would think is always better than formula. It is a supply and demand thing. The reason you have never had enough milk is because you supplement. If you drink alot and let them nurse alot then your supply increases. When you supplement or take away the demand your body decreases and produces less. If you pump rather than letting them nurse you will also have less. Around six months they have a growth spurt, but if you drink more and let them nurse more frequently your body catches up.

As far as I know, breastmilk direct from the breast is always good ... perfect temperature, etc. You might get plugged ducts waiting too long, though.

Hi BH! You've already received some great advice. I have been nursing for 1 year now & my breasts don't feel ANYWHERE near as full as they used to, but they're still producing! Lots & lots of water, & you might try taking Fenugreek. Good luck & God bless.

Your milk is good. At this point your body should be adjusting to the fact that you are both nursing and supplementing. If I were you, I would not overpump just because you're not getting anything immediately. The pumping is like the "go" button on a machine; just signaling you body produce more milk. It takes time. You sound like you're doing great to me. I nursed four kids with varying degrees of success. Expect the unexpected, and good luck.

You didn't say in your post, but since it's allergy season, I thought I'd throw this out there: are you taking allergy meds? My OBGYN and my ped. both approved them for me w/ my first child, but beware: though your allergy meds don't pass in significant quantities into breastmilk, they DO suppress your supply somewhat.

Also, the herbal supplement fenugreek will boost your supply a little bit, 24 to 72 hours or so after first taking it, and if you maintain feeding/pumping once established, you shouldn't have to take much. But I'm not sure what sort of drug interactions it has, so if you are taking anything at all, you might want to ask your OB about that. (I do know it can aggravate asthma or diabetes, so if either of those is an issue for you, you might want to skip it.)

Third, I second everyone's previous statement about your milk being okay: it doesn't just sit stagnant, but sort of filters itself every three hours or so. So it might just help you to have a glass of red wine. You'll relax a bit, and in three hours, your milk will be just fine, and maybe more plentiful for you being more relaxed! (Just don't get wasted...general rule is, if you are still tipsy, baby will be, too.)

I successfully nursed my first baby for 17 months. I never attended a meeting, but the LaLeche League website and books were a godsend. Browse the breastfeeding section at your local bookstore, and find a good reference that works for you. Sometimes, it helps to turn to a comforting book in the middle of the night.