Page 46 - What to Expect

Going home

By now you will have realised that it is expressing six to eight times a day
that keeps your milk there. For some mothers, keeping up breast-feeding
at home is often harder than when baby was in hospital. At home there
isn’t the same amount of people offering encouragement, your work load
has increased, and you will probably have discovered that you have to get
up in the middle of the night several times to feed or just check on your
baby.

Remember that one of the keys to fully breast-feeding is frequent sucking
at the breast by the baby. This stimulates the production of more milk. In
other words, the more the baby is put on the breast to feed, the more your
milk supply will build up.
Don’t be worried if you don’t have the feeling of let-down or the sensation
is not as strong as it may have been in the past. This doesn’t mean there is
not enough milk for your baby. You may not experience leaking, but this is
not essential to successfully breast-feed your baby.
Babies who were born early are usually successfully feeding by two to six
weeks after the time they were supposed to have been born. As your baby
gets older and grows larger, the demand for milk will increase. Remember
that as your baby sucks longer and more often your milk supply will
increase.

How do I increase my breast milk with a breast-fed

baby?

When your baby is having growing spurts, you will probably notice an
increase in demand for milk (both breast and bottle-fed). These occur some
six weeks after the baby’s due date and every three months from then on!
Eat for your appetite. Eat healthy foods. Rest.

Try not to over exert yourself, especially in the first few weeks after your
baby comes home. Some jobs around the house can be ignored for a time.
It is more important to spend time with your baby than to be too house-
proud.

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