POOR WEIGHT GAIN

Many mothers worry whether their baby is getting enough milk or gaining weight correctly. Very few women however are unable to breastfeed for this reason and just need the right advice to succeed.

Getting enough milk is helped by:

• making sure your baby is well positioned and attached at the breast
• feeding your baby responsively – this means responding to feeding cues and feeding baby as long as they wish to

The easiest way to tell if your baby is getting enough milk is by checking the number of wet and dirty nappies per day. Please speak to your Midwife or Health Visitor if you are concerned.

Your baby will be weighed by your Midwife and then by the Health Visitor to check on their progress. Poor weight gain could suggest your milk supply is low and they will discuss with you how to increase your supply.

These things can help!

• Feed your baby at least 8-12 times in 24 hours and make sure one of those feeds is between 12pm-6am
• Have lots of skin to skin with your baby or wear your baby in a wrap/sling. Keeping your baby close helps hormones to boost your supply.
• Avoid using dummies
• Use breast compression