A baby’s demand for breast milk and a mother’s ability to produce an equal amount of breast milk is said to be one of the most perfect examples of the laws of supply and demand at work in nature. Before the advent of mass-produced artificial formula, human beings were able to reproduce mainly because of the ability of mothers to produce sufficient amounts of breast milk to provide adequate nutrition for their babies. Having and maintaining an adequate amount of milk is easy if you understand how the supply of breast milk varies and what factors may disrupt the balance between the baby’s needs and the mother’s lactation. The more milk the baby eats, the more milk the mother lactates, which is the key to having enough milk and the baby being satisfied as a result. The production of breast milk is almost constant. The more often the baby eats, the more breast milk is produced. The mother’s body gets signals from her baby’s frequent feeding and effective sucking to produce the same amount of breast milk that her baby needs. Early and frequent feeding is one of the most important factors for a good start of breastfeeding. Mothers who are allowed to breastfeed their babies frequently and without time constraints after birth may have sufficient milk sooner compared to mothers who have to follow a strict schedule. Typically, newborns are fed milk once every two hours, or at least eight to 12 times a day. Frequent breastfeeding doesn’t just give the newborn nutrition; it’s also wonderfully soothing. It also helps the mother to have plenty of milk as early as possible. Respect your baby’s interest from the beginning and let him/her eat as often as he/she likes. Sometimes mothers are told that for their nipples to be painless, their newborn must be kept to five minutes for the first week. However, it may take two or three minutes to express milk (or for the breast milk to start spilling), especially at the beginning of breastfeeding. If you limit feeding time to five minutes, it means that the feeding will end before it really starts. Babies should breastfeed long enough to get the hind milk, which is the fat-rich, calorie-rich, beige breast milk that is produced at a certain stage of breastfeeding. Both breasts should be fed at each feeding, especially in the first few weeks. Until the milk is sufficient, the newborn should be fed on both breasts alternately every two to three hours (with a longer interval at night). Let your newborn eat at one breast until he is satisfied (at least ten to fifteen minutes) and then switch to the other breast. At the next feeding, switch the order and start with the breast after the last feeding. Pay attention to the fact that your baby should suck effectively while breastfeeding. In order to suck out the milk and stimulate the breast to produce more milk, the baby should open his mouth wide and take the breast into his mouth fully. The baby should be held in a comfortable position, at the same height as the nipple, with the baby’s whole body facing you, without turning his head or straining when he holds the nipple. When your baby opens his/her mouth wide, pull his/her body closer to the breast so that the nipple is fully extended into the baby’s mouth. If the baby does not squeeze the breast with his/her mouth, but holds the nipple, he/she will only get a small amount of milk and the breast will produce less milk for the next feeding. Sore nipples can also be caused by improper breastfeeding positions. Stick to the frequency of breastfeeding that your baby needs. Remember that breast milk is the ideal food for your baby and it is digested faster and more completely than formula, so a breastfed baby is hungry faster than a formula-fed baby. Note that the law of supply and demand is that the more often your baby eats, the more milk your mother will lactate. If your baby usually sleeps more than three hours between meals, then you should wake him/her up at least every two hours during the day to feed him/her until your milk becomes sufficient. If your baby does not nurse as often, the mother’s lactation will decrease accordingly. When the baby does not breastfeed as often as usual, the mother may feel bloated. When this happens, squeezing out the excess milk by hand will ease your discomfort. If the intervals between feedings become longer, or if your baby does not feed as vigorously or for a shorter period of time, then the supply of breast milk will decrease accordingly. Similarly, the law of supply and demand is that the less milk your baby eats, the less milk your mother will lactate. How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk? Mothers sometimes wonder if they are getting enough milk when they find that their baby seems to be breastfeeding all day long. If your baby is exclusively breastfed, you can be sure he/she is getting enough nutrition if he/she wets six to eight diapers (or five to six diapers) and has two to five bowel movements a day, starting from the third day of life. Older babies should have fewer bowel movements, but the amount should be adequate. A baby’s entry into the rapid growth phase is often accompanied by fierce growth or frequent feedings. By allowing your baby to nurse more frequently for two or three days, your milk supply will increase to accommodate his/her needs. Remember that hunger is not the only reason your newborn eats milk. Your baby may need to nurse more frequently for the following reasons: he/she likes to feel secure by being skin-to-skin with you while breastfeeding; it may be to satisfy the need to suck; or it may be that listening to your heartbeat and receiving your gentle touch can go a long way to soothe him/her as he/she adjusts to the outside world.