Welcome back to The Fruitful Life Blog! Breastfeeding Awareness Week is August 1-7, so with that in mind, we asked Motherlove about a common question they get from expecting mothers and what sets their line apart from the rest. If you're expecting, congratulations, and we hope you enjoy this read!
When preparing for a baby, there is a lot of planning going on. There's the nursery, the hospital bag, and often, mothers who are choosing to breastfeed want to prepare for that as well. At Motherlove, we frequently get phone calls from mothers who are in their final weeks of pregnancy, and want to know when they should start one of our herbal supplements to boost their supply.
It is a common misconception that a nursing or pumping mother should start a lactation supplement immediately after giving birth. For the vast majority of women, there is no need to start a supplement right after delivery. Typically, in the first days of breastfeeding, the baby is only consuming colostrum, the nutrient-dense and antibody-packed early milk. After about 2-5 days, the colostrum changes to mature milk and comes in more fully.
Even after their mature milk comes in, mothers are often concerned that they are not producing enough to satisfy their babies. However, babies have tiny tummies and can only take in what their stomachs can hold. We often tell moms that the size of a baby's fist is about the amount of liquid that it takes to fill their stomach. After approximately 3-5 days, if your milk supply isn’t meeting your growing baby’s needs, it is a good idea to meet with a Lactation Consultant.
Ask about using a supplement to boost your supply, such as one from Motherlove. Fruitful Yield carries quite a few Motherlove products, including our 2 best-selling herbal supplements to support your milk supply: More Milk Plus, and More Milk Special Blend. There are a lot of wonderful ways out there to boost your milk supply, including adding some more oatmeal to your diet. However, a liquid herbal supplement like Motherlove’s is more potent and easily absorbed than other formats such as teas, cookies, lactation drinks, or dried herb tablets. It doesn’t matter if you choose to take one of Motherlove’s liquid capsules, or one of our tinctures, the potency and efficacy is the same.
Breastfeeding is an amazing way to bond with your little one but if you are experiencing any difficulties with it, IBCLCs (International Board Certified Lactation Consultants) can be a great resource and we strongly encourage working with one and discussing Motherlove.
