Breast milk is the best food for infants. Its constitution makes it sufficient to cover infants’ daily needs and to ensure they grow and develop. Breast milk is not just the best food for infants, it is also beneficial for another important reason. As well as the nutrients it also contains antibodies and other active substances. Antibodies protect babies from infection during this very sensitive period of their lives. The other active substances help babies’ bodies to function normally.

Over the last few decades, more and more mothers have chosen to breastfeed their children. Despite this, every new mother will have some doubts about breastfeeding. She will wonder if she will have enough milk. She is not sure if her baby is getting enough milk and she might become anxious. All mothers should know that:

A) They might not produce enough milk during the first few days, and even the first week, after giving birth. This is completely normal.

B) The suckling movements the infant makes on the nipple during breastfeeding are mainly designed to stimulate the production and flow of milk.

C) The rate of producing and letting down milk does not always remain the same. They do not remain the same during the day or from one day to another. Rather they fluctuate. A new mother may see her milk reduce for a few days, between the third and fourth day after giving birth. If the baby continues to breastfeed, more milk will come in.

It is the baby itself which will answer the question “How much milk is he/she getting?” His/her mother needs to be patient to understand this answer. If she sees that her baby is sleeping quietly for two hours after breastfeeding, and is not looking to feed any more, then she can be sure that the baby has eaten its fill.

This information can prevent breastfeeding being stopped early and without any reason. The longer a baby breastfeeds, the greater the benefit of the breast milk. Even if the mother works outside the house, there is no reason to substitute breast milk with formula. Nowadays mothers are able to express breast milk and to keep it in the fridge. In this way, the infant can be nourished by his/her mother even when she is not in the house.