by you. First, check your milk supply. If at any time you question its
adequacy, you observe routine fussiness after feedings, or your baby is
having difficulty going the appropriate duration between feedings, review
the external stresses in your life. Eliminate those stressful areas or
situations that you can do without. This is true whether baby is four
weeks or four months old.
Ask yourself the following: Are you too busy or not getting enough
sleep? Are you drinking enough liquids? Is your calorie intake adequate?
Are you dieting too soon? Are you following your doctor’s
recommendation for supplemental vitamins during lactation? If you find
your baby is still not content after checking all the external factors,
consider the following:
a. Questioning your milk supply in the first two months: For a baby
between three and eight weeks old, consider feeding on a strict 2½
hour routine for five to seven days. If your milk production increases
(as demonstrated by the baby becoming more content and sleeping
better), work your way back to the three-hour minimum. If no
improvement comes, work back to three hours with the aid of a
formula complement for the benefit of your baby and your own
peace of mind.b. Questioning your milk supply in the fourth month: The same basic
principles apply to this age category. If your baby is between four
and six months of age and you question your milk supply, add a
couple of feedings to your daytime routine. One of our mothers, also
a pediatrician, felt she was losing her milk supply at four months.
She did two things. She added a fifth feeding to her day, and she
stopped dieting. In less than one week her milk supply was back to
normal.
Other mothers found success by returning to a fairly tight three-