Page 31 - What to Expect

During your stay

You will need to express your breasts at least six to eight times a day to
build up your milk supply. Colostrum, a yellowish first milk, is produced
before regular breast milk. At first you may only get a few drops, and that’s
ok. A full term baby may only be getting a few drops at this stage too.

This colostrum is very important for your baby as it contains antibodies
and is very protein rich. This can be thought of as your baby’s first
immunisation, it also lines the baby’s gut to protect it from infection.
Research has shown that when women have their babies early, their breast
milk has higher protein content than if the baby was born at term. This
means that your milk is perfect for your baby in helping him grow. Ask
your midwife or your baby’s nurse for expressing advice. A hand-out on
expressing is available in the postnatal pods and the Unit for mothers.
If you have a medical condition for which you are taking medication,
discuss this with one of the midwives, nurses or doctors as they will be able
to tell you if the drugs pass through to breast milk.
Remember to eat lots and drink plenty. As long as you are expressing at
least six to eight times a day you should keep up an adequate supply of
milk. Expressing once every two days is not going to keep your milk up
in any abundant quantity. Expressing at night time is vital to maintaining
supply. The maximum time between expressing should be up to six hours.
Should your milk supply decrease, do not despair and give up hope. With
perseverance, determination and by expressing a couple of times during
the night, your milk supply will increase. Hand expressing as a change from
using a pump may provide your body with the tactile stimulation needed
to stimulate the production of breast milk. There are hand-outs available
with suggestions to help.

You also don’t have to experience the sensation of let down or leaking
breast milk to successfully breast-feed your baby.

There are breast-feeding DVDs available to watch in the expressing room
and information pamphlets around the Unit. You can talk to a lactation
consultant if you are worried about anything or need more information
about breast-feeding.

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