Is My Breast Milk Supply Low?

In our world today we want to put a number to everything. Instead of "Do I feel rested?" we ask "How many hours of sleep did I get?". We want to know how many calories a workout burned or how many steps we took that day. For breastfeeding mamas, this can be frustrating because you can't put a number on how much your little one is getting. For many of us, this leads to the question of are they getting enough?

I think every breastfeeding mom has been worried about or thought they had a low milk supply. While it can be a legitimate concern, there is a lot of false information out there about milk supply and how to determine if you are underproducing. Your supply is probably fine and if you are experiencing a low supply don't worry there are so many tips and tricks to raise your supply.



First of all, let's talk about what DOES NOT indicate a low supply.

Only getting a few ounces when you pump
Pumping output is not an indicator of your supply! A breast pump is a machine that was made to mimic a baby nursing. Even if your pump is in perfect condition with all brand new parts and flanges that fit correctly, it is still not going to get as much milk as a baby can.

Baby eats often
Babies, especially younger ones, have a very small stomach. They can't eat very much at one time. Because of this, they must eat often. Yes, this means through the night too. Your baby could be going through a growth spurt where they need more calories to continue to grow. If your baby has just learned to roll, sit up, crawl, or walk, they are now burning more calories so they have to take more in. Babies also nurse for more than just hunger. They might nurse when they are thirsty, upset, tired, hurt, teething, or wanting some special mommy and baby time. Any or all of these could be reasons you baby is eating more often. Eating often might make it harder on you, but it does not mean you have a low supply.


Baby eats for long periods of time
Some babies are fast eaters some are slow eaters. Neither one is good or bad and it doesn't indicate a problem. It could mean that you have a slower flow but that has nothing to do with supply. If you want to try and speed things up you can try putting a warm compress on a few minutes before feeding time or doing breast compressions before or during a feeding to help get the milk flowing faster. Like I said above, babies nurse for more than just eating. Your baby could be done eating but continue to nurse for comfort or to help put themselves to sleep. If you don't want them to do this you can introduce a pacifier.

Baby wakes at night to eat
Breastfed babies will wake up more frequently and won't sleep through the night as quickly as their formula fed counterparts. This is completely normal. Breast milk is so easily digested because it is the perfect food that it is digested faster than formula. Because it is digested faster, they will need to eat again sooner.

Your breasts stop leaking
As you baby gets older your body gets used to the production needs and your supply will even out. This will cause you to stop leaking as much. This is totally normal.

Your breasts don't feel as full
Again, as your body is regulating the supply you need, you will no longer be engorged and might feel less full.


What MIGHT indicate a low supply

Baby starts to lose weight
It is normal for babies to lose weight right after they are born. For some, it will take them a couple weeks to get back to birth weight and then they can start gaining. Again, this is normal. What is not normal and could indicate a problem is after that time, baby starts to lose weight. This could be sudden or gradual. Weight loss can mean many things so ask baby's doctor if you are worried. Also, keep in mind that the percentiles the doctor gives you are taken from a study done about 40 years ago on a small group of white, formula fed babies. Just because baby is in a low percentile, which most breastfed babies are, does not mean their is a problem. As long as they are gaining and staying around the same weight percentile, there is no problem at all.

Baby is not having enough wet diapers
Before starting solids, baby gets their food and drinks from either formula or in this case breast milk. If baby is not wetting enough diapers in a 24 hour period this could indicate low supply. Ask baby's doctor how many diapers they should be wetting per day if you are concerned.


If baby is developing normally, hitting their milestones, and gaining sufficient weight, you more than likely have no supply issues.

If you want to know how much baby is eating you can weigh them directly before a feeding and then as soon as they are done. Subtract the last one from the first and that is how many ounces they ate.

For example, let's say you weigh baby before a feeding and they are 10 lbs 3 oz. After you feed them they weigh 10 lbs 8 oz. Subtract the second from the first and you get 5 oz so baby ate 5 oz of milk.

This is not a perfect science by any stretch, but it is the best way to see about how much baby ate. Remember that babies can eat different amounts depending on the time of day. In the morning, for example, baby might eat more because their last feeding was so long ago. To get a more accurate measurement, do this multiple times a day for several days and take the average. This should also be done on an infant scale that can measure weight in ounces and starts at a low weight. I have this one and love it. It has a removable tray to lay a smaller baby on that easily comes off so an older baby or toddler can sit or stand on it.

Have you had a low supply or thought you might? How did you know? Let me know in the comments down below.