Has my baby had enough? a contribution from Simone,
childbirth educator and our guest author from Maternal
Journey
Women will often say "wouldn't it be great if there was a gauge
on breasts, so like a bottle, women would be able to see how much
milk their baby is getting."
The amazing thing about breasts, breast milk production and
breastfeeding is that it is absolutely a unique experience for
every woman.
Not only are all breasts biologically different (what they
produce, store, how they let down, and how many holes each nipple
has), but each baby is different too in how they feed.
Some babies are 'foodies' and some live on 'fresh air and
sunshine', (you may know some adults like that!), so taking all
these factors into consideration is really important when
establishing whether in fact your baby is getting enough or
not.
Some baby's will take a really long time to feed, some will be
quick, some will feed every 2 hours, some every four, whatever the
scenario, it's about what's 'normal' for your baby.
Weight gain is something that gives us all an idea that baby's
are growing and thriving, however there are other factors to
consider, like enough wet nappies, fat rolls appearing on the inner
thighs, the belly looking rounded and in general 'bright eyed and
busy tailed'!
It's a wonderful thing that we are all different - life would
certainly be boring if we were all the same!
If you are ever concerned about your milk supply consult a
Lactation consultant.