A woman with low milk supply visits her physician. She believes that she needs to switch from breastfeeding to feeding her infant with human milk supplement. What should the doctor explain to her about the causes of low milk supply, and what should be recommended to increase the woman's milk supply?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Low milk supply is usually caused by the mother not breastfeeding or pumping often enough or inefficient emptying of the breast caused by a poor latch or incorrect flange size while pumping. Stress may also contribute to low milk supply. The mother should be advised to nurse or pump using a hospital-grade electric breast pump every 2–3 hours during the day and once at night. If the baby is not nursing effectively, the mother may need to pump after breastfeeding to improve her supply. She should also make sure her diet is adequate and her fluid intake is appropriate. Additionally, she should be encouraged to adopt resting and relaxation techniques.