How to increase breast milk

Nursing mothers are sometimes faced with moments when cannot produce enough milk to feed a hungry suckling baby. Most mothers breastfeed for six months and keep their babies entirely dependent on breast milk as their sole source of food. Every woman would love to have a healthy baby. They do everything within their reach to have enough breast milk for their babies. Agatha Mutamba, a mother of three and midwife at Kanombe Military Hospital, Kigali says mothers should feed their babies frequently over a long period of time. To increase breast milk supply, breastfeeding must be a priority. “When a baby is breast fed many times a day and for a long time, then the hormones get stimulated. This, therefore increase milk supply and a woman’s breasts will have enough milk,” Mutamba explained. She advises mothers to offer both breasts at each feeding and allow the baby to stay long at the first breast as long as there is active suckling and swallowing.The second breast should be given when the baby slows down or stops suckling. “Finishing the first breast gives the baby hind milk which is fatty and good for its health,” she said. Adella Gatsinzi, a mother of six and resident of Remera says that the quantity of breast milk largely depends on the mother’s diet. “If a mother is eating a healthy nutritious diet, then they should be able to have enough breast milk. A mother should eat foods containing the different food nutrients such as vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and all the others because both mother and baby need them,” Gatsinzi adds. She says mothers too, need to drink a lot of porridge and milk to increase milk supply. “Mothers who have just delivered need to eat soft foods such as Irish potatoes, bananas, vegetables and lots of soup so as to avoid constipation and increase breast milk,” she advised. Phionah Kabatesi, a nurse under training and mother of two says that increased feeding frequency improves milk supply. “Breast feed your baby at least every two hours during the day. If your baby has been sleeping for more than two hours, wake him/her up for a feeding. Wake up your baby for at least one extra night feeding. The more the baby feeds, the more the breast milk is produced,” Kabatesi says. Nurturing mothers need to eat healthy, eat a lot of porridge, and drink milk, soup and eat more vegetables. Additionally, talking to the women that have been there and done it is always helpful but having a Pediatrician or child specialist is even better. m.kaitesi@yahoo.com