Being able to stay home and breastfeed my baby since the day she was born is one aspect of my life I’m most grateful for. Baby Clarisse has been feeding on demand for the past 6 months. It makes me feel good, as a mother, for being there whenever she needs me and knowing that I’m giving my baby the best that she deserves. The best nutrition and the love and care she feels.

Things got off to a rough start. I confess I gave formula after breastfeeding sessions to make sure my baby is getting enough milk for the first month and a half. I just didn’t feel confident in myself that I’m providing enough breast milk for her.

When my baby was one and a half month old, she suddenly rejected formula milk and demands only breast milk. And I freaked out big time worried if I’m able to produce enough breast milk for my baby. There was no time for doubts. Breast feeding is the only option from then on as my baby just doesn’t want formula milk anymore.

Nurses, doctors, friends and family gave me the reassurance to breastfeed my baby. After a few days of solely breastfeeding my baby, my confidence gradually grew as the cues and body language I’m getting from my baby seems to indicate satisfaction with the amount of breast milk she’s getting. Some common signs that your baby is getting enough breast milk:

• Feeling that your breast is being emptied after feeding which makes it feels softer. However, my baby Clarisse doesn’t suck long enough to empty my breast most of the time. But she makes up by feeding on a very regular basis.
• Make sure that your baby latches on to your nipple securely to be able to suck comfortably.
• Your baby should pass motion at least once a day. If she skips a day, do not be too worried about it. Should be back to once a day if nothing unusual happens.
• Wet diapers indicates your baby is getting a good amount of liquid from breast milk. A very good sign that your baby is getting the amount of breast milk she needs.
• And most importantly, your baby is starting to regain the weight she lost during the first week after birth and gradually putting on weight on a normal scale.

I’m pretty glad things turned out alright. Now at 6 months, I’m absolutely confident I’m producing enough breast milk to feed my baby. I just had to keep breastfeeding regularly to increase and maintain the level of breast milk I’m producing. The hardest part was to convince myself that my baby is getting enough milk.

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