Many new mums worry that their milk supply is low and that their babies are not getting enough breast milk. 

So how to boost your body into producing enough breast milk for your baby?

Breastfeeding is a supply and demand process. 

In other words, the more you breastfeed, the more milk your body produces. 

So, if you seem to be producing less milk than usual, try to feed your baby more often.

Some factors that affect milk production and breastfeeding management include:

• Health conditions, sucking problems, or anatomical problems with the baby, which can prevent the baby from removing milk adequately from the breast. 

• Health problems or anatomical problems with the mother such as diabetes, ovarian cysts, hormonal problems, previous breast injury, previous breast enhancement where the implant is inserted at the edge of the areola.

• Sore nipples and painful breastfeeding 

• Smoking

• Taking any form of hormonal birth control (the pill, patch or injections) 

• Having small milk storage capacity. A mother with a smaller storage capacity will need to nurse the baby more often to maintain milk supply since her breasts will become full more quickly, slowing down milk production. 

To speed milk production and increase overall milk supply, the key is to remove more milk from the breast and to do this frequently: 

Nurse your baby regularly whenever he needs to

Feed your baby on demand rather than by the clock. When babies are breastfed in response to their appetite, they tend to remove plenty of milk from your breasts. As a rule of thumb, the more milk your baby removes from your breasts, the more milk your body will produce. When you put your baby on scheduled feedings, you are stretching out the time between feedings, making the rate at which milk is made slower, which can result in less milk. If your baby is difficult to wake or doesn’t feed well, wake him up and feed him at least every 2-3 hours.

Check to see if your baby is latching on to your breast properly

If milk is not effectively removed from the breast, then mom’s milk supply decreases. Certain health conditions or anatomical problems with the baby, such as  jaundice or tongue-tie can prevent the baby from removing milk adequately from the breast, thus decreasing milk supply. Your baby may feel sleepier than usual, and doesn’t wake up to nurse frequently. In this case, you may need to pump your milk to build up a good supply.

Avoid bottles when possible

In the first couple of weeks, avoid giving a bottle of milk to your baby. The bottle can cause the baby to have problems sucking properly at the breast because he/she may prefer the constant faster flow of the bottle, which will trick your breasts into producing less milk.   

Avoid pacifiers when possible

Pacifiers can affect a baby’s latch. They can also significantly reduce the amount of time your baby spends at the breast, which may cause your milk supply to drop.

Avoid nipple shields

Nipple shields can reduce the stimulation to your nipple, which can interfere with the supply-demand cycle. Your baby may not get enough milk and your body will not get the signal to make enough milk.

Pump your breasts regularly

If the baby is not transferring milk well, then it is important for mom to pump milk after and/or between nursings to maintain milk supply. Removing leftover milk in your breasts will help you to produce more milk.

Offer both sides at each feeding

Let the baby finish the first side, then offer the second side. Wait until your baby comes off the first breast before offering him the second. Keep your baby close to you and hold him skin-to-skin to promote hormones that boost your milk supply such as oxytocin.

Stay Hydrated

Water is an important component of breastmilk. Have at least one glass of water every time you feed your baby as well as in between when you feel thirsty. Aim to have between 8 to 12 glasses of water daily. 

You should continue to breastfeed as often as you can even when your milk supply is low. Frequent and effective feeding is the key to boosting your milk supply!

Giving your baby his or her first taste of solid food is a major milestone. 

But how to know when the time is right?

Breast milk or formula is the only food your newborn needs for the first six months after birth.

But by ages 4 months to 6 months, most babies are ready for their first taste of solid food. 

If you try to feed your baby solids before this age, you may notice that he/she pushes food out of his mouth as quickly as you put it in.

Besides, babies who start solid foods before 4 months are at a higher risk for obesity and other problems later on. 

They also aren’t coordinated enough to safely swallow solid foods and may choke on the food or inhale it into their lungs.

Signs that babies are ready to eat solid foods include:

• They lose their natural tongue-thrusting reflex, which makes it easier for them to move food to the throat and swallow it.

• They weigh approximately twice their birth weight

• They can hold their neck and head in a steady upright position

• They can sit with support

• They are mouthing their hands and toys

• They show a desire for food by leaning forward and opening their mouths when food approaches. 

How To Start Introducing Solid Foods To Your Baby?

Always start by feeding the baby breast milk or formula because this should be your baby’s main source of nutrition until the age of one. 

After nursing the baby, use a small baby spoon to offer single-ingredient foods, which contain no salt or sugar. 

Good first options for babies are single-grain cereals such as rice, oatmeal or barley or an iron-rich puréed meat.  

Wait three to five days between each new food to see if your baby has an allergic reaction, such as diarrhea, a rash or vomiting.

You can start with 1 or 2 tablespoons of cereal mixed with breast milk, formula, or water.

Babies often reject their first servings of pureed foods because the taste and texture is new.

If your baby refuses the feeding, try again in a week.

Once your baby realizes how to swallow runny cereal, mix it with less liquid and gradually increase the serving sizes.

Gradually introduce other foods such as puréed fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, yogurt, or soft scrambled eggs. 

Give your baby allergenic foods when they’re 4–6 months old, such as eggs, peanuts, and fish.

This will help make your baby less likely to develop food allergies. 

By ages 8 months to 10 months, most babies can handle small portions of finely chopped finger foods, such as soft fruits, vegetables, pasta, cheese, well-cooked meat, baby crackers and dry cereal.

Foods and Drinks to Avoid

Don’t give juice to your baby until after the age of one, as it can contribute to weight problems, diarrhea, and can lead to tooth decay when teeth start coming in.

Foods that aren’t appropriate for babies include:

• Cow’s milk
• Honey
• Hot dogs
• Chunks of meat or cheese
• Hard foods 
• Peanut butter
• Marshmallows
• Raw vegetables

During feedings, talk to your baby and help him or her through the process.

When your baby has had enough to eat, he or she might cry or turn away.

Don’t force extra bites as long as your baby’s growth is on target. 

Botox is generally considered safe for cosmetic and medical purposes. However, a positive pregnancy test might make you reconsider. 

Unfortunately, studies done on the use of botox during pregnancy have not been enough. 

It is understandable since most pregnant women will not risk harming their baby for a study trial.

Additionally, most dermatologists refuse to give pregnant women Botox because they do not know if it can affect the baby.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims that pregnant women should only get Botox when the potential benefit outweighs the potential risk to the fetus [1]. 

As a fertility expert, I would personally recommend putting your Botox injections on hold while you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

However, look at the bright side! 

During pregnancy, there is a combination of factors that create soft tissue swelling and a pregnancy glow.

The hormonal changes make it look like you’ve just had injections:

• Your skin will look flushed due to greater blood volume in the vessels.
• The skin glands on your face will secrete more oil, which results in your skin looking slightly shinier.

However, if you want to use Botox for medical purposes, you should talk to your doctor about the risks versus the benefits of treatment.

Botox injections for medical reasons include migraines, abnormal sweating, and uncontrolled muscle contractions. 

How Soon After Childbirth Can You Get Botox?

So far, we have not heard any bad reports about the use of Botox on the outcomes of pregnancies. 

However, we do not know whether Botox passes into breast milk or harms the newborn during breastfeeding.

Therefore, I suggest that you pump the milk and dump it down for 24 hours following the injections.

Unfortunately, this could be hard to align with your newborn feeding schedule.

So better put your Botox injections on hold until you stop breastfeeding your baby. 

On a side note, if you have concerns regarding the covid-19 vaccine and breastfeeding, read this article. 

To become pregnant, the fertilized egg should travel down the fallopian tubes and burrows into the uterus. 

This process might seem simple but it’s not always the case. 

This article explains some problems associated with implantation, which don’t result in successful pregnancies.  

What Is Implantation?

After conception, the fertilized egg divides over several days while traveling  down the fallopian tube and reaching the lining of the uterus. 

On days 6-8, right at the beginning of week 3 after your last period, the fertilized egg is called a blastocyst.

The blastocyst divides into an inner layer that will eventually become the fetus, and an outer layer that becomes the placenta. 

Once the blastocyst reaches the uterine lining, it begins the process of implantation in the uterus. 

Most women don’t feel any specific symptoms to indicate that implantation has occurred. 

Only a small number of women may experience light bleeding or spotting, which can often be confused for a menstrual period. 

When the blastocyst implants into the endometrium, the placenta starts producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). 

HCG is the substance detected by pregnancy tests.

It is also responsible for nausea and other pregnancy symptoms you may be experiencing. 

The levels of hCG in the body will vary depending on how long after implantation you take a pregnancy test.

If you take a pregnancy test in the very early stages of pregnancy, the test may not pick up enough hCG to turn positive. 

Therefore, I recommend you wait until a missed period to test for a pregnancy to avoid disappointment. 

Read our article on How To Deal With Disappointment After a Negative Pregnancy Test.

What Are the Problems Associated with Implantation?

Implantation can often happen without difficulties, but sometimes problems may occur, resulting in you not becoming pregnant. 

Failure Of The Embryo To Implant

The causes of failure to implant are not always known.

However, it is thought that the embryo can fail to burrow into the uterus because of uterine abnormalities, embryonic abnormalities, or a combination of both. 

Uterine abnormalities include anatomical problems with the uterus that women are born with or a medical condition such as endometriosis, polyps, fibroids, or infections. 

In case of embryonic abnormalities, the issue is chromosomal.

The embryo may implant but not grow, or it may grow but stops developing before the 2 weeks time at which a pregnancy can be detected. 

Other risk factors related to you or your partner include smoking, maternal age, and stress. 

Late Implantation  

Late implantation occurs between day 8 and 10 after ovulation – meaning at the latter end of the 6 to 10-day implantation window.

Although implantation can successfully happen at this stage, there’s an increase in the likelihood of miscarriage the later the implantation occurs. 

If late implantation happens during a typical cycle of trying to get pregnant, you will likely have no way of knowing. 

However, if you experience a miscarriage, make sure you read my article on how to deal with the grief of a miscarriage. 

Ectopic Pregnancy 

Sometimes, implantation occurs outside of the uterus, which is known as ectopic pregnancy. 

Many of these pregnancies occur in the fallopian tube. 

This happens when a fertilized egg gets stuck on its way to the uterus, often because the fallopian tube is damaged by inflammation, scarring, or a medical condition. 

Hormonal imbalances or abnormal development of the fertilized egg also might play a role.

The only way to treat an ectopic pregnancy is to terminate it with medication or surgery.

Otherwise, the tube can rupture, and the pregnant person can hemorrhage and die. 

If you face any of the problems mentioned above, do not feel discouraged and keep trying, your miracle will come!