Symptoms of dry milk from the breast

Many mothers may notice some signs that raise their concerns about breast milk, including the following:

Milk does not leak from the breast, or it stops leaking suddenly.
A small amount of milk comes out when extracting milk from the breast using breast pumps.
Breasts feel softer than usual.
The baby needs to breastfeed more.
Suffering from a child who complains a lot and is difficult to please.
A sudden and frequent increase in the baby’s need to breastfeed.

Causes of dry milk from the breast

Causes of dry breast milk include:

The baby not attaching to the breast properly: The baby not attaching to the breast properly causes the baby to be unable to extract milk from the breast well, as withdrawing milk from the breast stimulates the body to produce more breast milk, and in fact it is considered a failure of the baby to attach to the breast properly. True, it is the most common cause of dry milk from the breast.
Not breastfeeding frequently and sufficiently: Breastfeeding frequently helps provide the breasts with healthy milk, especially during the first weeks of the child’s life, as newborns need to be breastfed at least every 2-3 hours during the day and night, and it should be noted that it is better to breastfeed the child. When he needs it, that is, when signs of hunger appear.
Not breastfeeding the baby for enough time: Breastfeeding the baby for less than 5 minutes most of the time leads to not getting enough milk to grow at a healthy rate, and that time is not enough to withdraw a quantity of milk, as withdrawing milk from the breast is considered necessary to help increase Milk supply: It is worth noting that the baby must breastfeed for approximately 10 minutes on each side.
Other reasons: such as premature birth, suffering from obesity during pregnancy, pregnancy-related high blood pressure, and poor control of insulin-dependent diabetes.

In fact, most women produce a larger amount of milk than children usually need, and milk production can be increased through the following:

Start breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth, as waiting for a long time to start breastfeeding contributes to reducing milk supply.
Ensure that the baby attaches to the breast in the correct shape and position.
Breastfeed the baby frequently in the first weeks, approximately 8-12 times a day.
Avoid alcohol and smoking.
Use medications with caution, as some medications reduce milk supply, such as medications that contain pseudoephedrine, and some hormonal contraceptives.
Eat some foods and herbs that may help increase milk production, such as: fenugreek, oats, sesame seeds, and green leafy vegetables, but it is necessary to consult a doctor about the safety of using any herbal supplement and to determine its dosage.