The good news is, it is very rare that a woman’s body doesn’t make enough milk for her baby. Even though you can’t see the milk, your baby is probably getting enough.

Sometime between your baby’s first and third week of life, he will suddenly want to nurse more often. This often occurs at the same time your breasts naturally soften and feel less full. This does not mean you don’t have enough milk—it means baby is having his first growth spurt.

When your baby goes through a growth spurt, he will eat almost constantly for one to three days, sometimes for up to a week. Many moms think their baby is nursing more because he isn’t getting enough, but really, he’s just extra hungry during this time. Your body will naturally respond to the frequent nursing by making more milk. Avoid giving bottles during this time—you will make more milk if you nurse more often.

• Talk to a lactation consultant or your baby’s pediatrician. They can check baby’s weight and give you extra help.
• Feed your baby more often, and/or increase pumping to encourage your body to produce more milk.
• Check your latch. Is baby positioned correctly? Your baby’s mouth should be over much of your areola to squeeze milk out of your milk ducts.
• Think about your medicines. Are you using hormonal birth control or taking an antihistamine (cold medicine) that might be affecting your milk production?
• When your baby slows on one side, switch back to the other. Repeat sides if necessary to drain your breasts and encourage additional milk production.