According to astudy in Pediatrics, 60% of women give up breastfeeding earlier than they want to.
The most common reason named by the moms in that study: I didnt have enough milk.
This is part of a normal pattern known ascluster feeding, and typically occurs in the evening.
Frequent nursing at any time of dayis normal.
Its a self-fixing problem.
You dont pump enough.Almost everyonegets less from pumping than their baby gets from nursing.
But theyre not necessarily signs of low milk supply.
This is how a perceived low supply can turn into an actual low supply.
Just because something is traditional, of course, doesnt mean that it works.
But thereasoning behind their ingredientsis based on a combination of anecdotes and scientific hypotheses that never panned.
Does it hurt to try a few cookies or a cup of tea?
Not literally, but there are costs to attempting a solution to a problem when its unlikely to help.
Under the Affordable Care Act, your health insurance shouldprovide coverage for lactation help.
Some, but not all, of these women can still manage to breastfeed if they get help.
The challenge, then, is making sure it gets enough of the signals to make more.
This may include upgrading to a stronger pump, and pumping more often.
They might suggest galactagoguesdrugs or foods to increase your supply, but only as a last resort.
Image byABC Vector Illustration(Shutterstock).
