Female Speaker: How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk?
Sandra Cole: Once your baby is latched on well, you want to make sure that he is actually getting some milk. Some babies will just fall asleep and not breastfeed. You want to make sure your baby is actively breastfeeding.
When you baby first latches on he will suck really vigorously for about a minute. Then once your milk lets down he will fall into a more rhythmic flow. Once your milk lets down every one to three sucks the baby will stop and swallow. You should be listening for the swallow.
If your milk is letting down you're actually hearing the swallow. Somethings you'll be able to see the milk around he babies lips. Some moms feel the let down and others don't. Kind of feels like a tingly or prickly sensation in your nipple. You can also watch how your baby handles the milk. When there is strong let down, the baby will start sucking much faster and will be swallowing much more.
You're going to feed your baby on one side for as long as the baby will stay on that side sucking effectively and that's the key idea. Babies will fall asleep, you don't want them falling asleep at the breast. You'll only want them on that breast as long as he is sucking effectively.
As long as you can hear that suck and swallow, you're doing well. Once the suck and swallow starts slowing down and the baby is falling asleep you know that the baby has probably emptied that breast. Some moms are able to feel their breast before a feeding and feel that they are hard, and when the baby is finished that side then feel that they are soft. If the baby doesn't unlatch themselves, you need to unlatch the baby. How? We showed you in the last part. Two fingers in, coming with your nipple. Babies don't often need to burp when they are breastfeeding because there is no air in the breast. However, you want to try and burp them just in case they do have air. One reason for getting air as if they are crying when they are latching on.
So burp your baby between breast, or try to anyway for a couple of minutes. If the baby doesn't burp that's fine. You want to always your baby the second breast. If the baby is asleep and doesn't want to eat then your job is done. However, some babies will breastfeed from each breast, each feeding. Offer the first side and then the second side. The second side the baby may not stay latched as long, because the baby maybe full. If this is the case then you can either pump your breast after feeding or wait till the next feeding.
You'll also want to start with the breast that you left off on or that you didn't feed from. That ensures that the milk is drained from that side as well. So I started this baby on the right side, breastfed for a couple of seconds on this side, so next feeding I'll start on the left.
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