Marisa’s mother heard that milk production is directly related to the
number of feedings offered. The more feedings she gave, the greater
would be her milk production. While there is some truth here, the
statement is greatly misleading. Certainly a mother who takes her baby to
breast eight times a day will produce more milk than the one who offers
only two feedings. However, there are limits. A mother who takes her
baby to her breast twelve, fifteen, or twenty times a day will not
necessarily produce any more milk than the mom who takes her baby to
breast eight or nine times a day.
The problem isn’t the amount of milk overall, but the quality of the
milk taken in by baby. First, babies on a routine of fewer feedings will
take in more calories at each of those set feedings than babies who feed
ad lib.^5 The difference here is qualitative feeding, as with a baby on a
routine; versus quantitative feeding, meaning more feedings at lesser
quality.
With qualitative feeding, you eliminate the need for continual
snacking. Many snack feedings become exactly that. Baby feels like a
little something to tide her over. No meal is desired. Such snack feeding
provides baby only a partial meal consisting of the lower-calorie foremilk
and not the higher-calorie hindmilk essential for growth. Mom thinks
she’s doing more for baby through endless breast availability. In
actuality, she’s delivering less than her best. Baby often quits suckling
before optimum nourishment is offered. How disheartening for both.
Part of a mother’s ability to produce milk is tied to the demand placed
on her system. Several factors are associated with the demand side of
breast-milk production, with two being specific to this discussion. First,
there is the need for appropriate stimulation at each feeding. That means
the strength of the infant’s suck must be sufficient.^6 A second factor for
the PDF baby is the correct amount of time between feedings. Without
proper stimulation, no matter how many times an infant goes to the
breast, milk production will be limited. Too many snack feedings, with
too little time in between, may reduce proper stimulation. Thus, baby gets
only foremilk, much lower in calories than the most desirable hindmilk.