“When a baby is hungry, he tends to clench his fists tightly and bring them toward his face. If he falls asleep hungry, his fists usually stay clenched. But when he gets milk, he relaxes starting with his face. Then his shoulders relax, and finally those fists unclench. Eventually they’re as limp as the rest of him. Thing of his hands as a built-in fuel gauge.” p.120 Womanly Art of Breastfeeding
When my son was first born, we had a difficult time figuring out breastfeeding. It was challenging and stressful for both of us. In the very beginning, he lost weight instead of gaining and was extremely fussy. I contacted my acupuncturist and told her I thought my milk supply had decreased significantly. I didn’t think that I was making the amount that my baby needed and didn’t know what to do because my goal was to breastfeed until he was 12 months old. She had me come right in and she worked her magic with her needles to help get the milk flowing again, if it was true that I was having issues with my milk supply.
The amount of milk that a baby consumes while breastfeeding can be such a mystery, especially if they are exclusively breastfed like both of my children who refused bottles. It can be nerve-wracking wondering if an extra fussy baby means that they are actually starving because they are not getting enough milk. Since it was my first experience with breastfeeding, I was always seeking proof that my body was making the correct amount of milk that my baby needed. These are some ways that eventually helped me feel confident that body was doing the job that it was supposed to, so I could get over my fear that I was not producing enough milk:
- At breastfeeding support groups, lactation consultants weighed my baby right before I breastfed him and then immediately after. The number of ounces that he gained was proof that he was consuming a good amount.
- Regular wet diapers proved to me that the process was working.
- Appropriate weight gaining was on track and was proven at regular doctor check-ups.
- Pumping milk into baby bottles to maintain a back-up supply showed me the number of ounces that my body was producing.
With my second baby, I learned to trust the process and reminded myself regularly that my body knew how to do it and would get the job done.
Sarah Cole is a stay at home mommy to two busy toddlers. She nursed both of her babies until they were almost 2 years-old. Now, she wonders if her picky eaters are getting enough food at each meal.
