My baby is 2 to 3 days old already. I still don't have breast fullness, am I producing enough milk? Is formula milk supplement needed?
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My baby is 2 to 3 days old already. I still don't have breast fullness, am I producing enough milk? Is formula milk supplement needed?
Colostrum or the first milk is produced and stored in your breasts since your third trimester of pregnancy. It is prepared for the baby to use upon birth. A healthy full term baby is born with sufficient reserve of water and nutrients. His stomach capacity is also small; therefore, his intake is small in the first few days. You may not notice when he suckles. Therefore, it is normal if you don't have breast fullness in the first few days. Just continue to breastfeed your baby according to his needs and observe closely on the frequency and colour of the urine and stool. If all are normal, you don't need to supplement with formula milk, water or glucose water. Supplements will reduce the chance of suckling and thus affect your milk production. In fact, most mothers experience breast fullness in the third to fourth day. After the breastmilk comes-in, more milk will be produced in response to frequent suckling from the baby. With patience and practice, the skills of both you and your baby will improve, the feeding pattern becomes more regular, and you will again experience breast fullness less.
Want to know if your baby is getting enough, you can go to the section “Breastfeeding concern from fourth day onwards after birth of your baby” under the topic, "How do I know if my milk supply is enough?" If you still have questions about your milk supply, please consult the Maternal and Child Health Centres or other healthcare professionals."