It happens. You see a woman share a photo of her first pump of the day, 12oz. You suddenly look at your own bottle filled with a measly 4oz and think “what am I doing wrong?!” A mom shares that her baby is “off the charts chunky” at 3 months all thanks to moms milk while your baby is hovering around the 5% each time. You start to wonder if something is wrong with your milk and how can you help your child catch up.
The first thing you should do is remind yourself that breastfeeding is NOT a competition. There is no prize to the woman who produces the most milk or has the biggest baby. Just like every person is different, every baby is different. Your body will produce the perfect milk for your child in the quantity your child needs. If you had a room filled with 100 women you would discover a huge difference in eating habits and weight. One would swear she was hungry all the time and eating constantly while another could easily only eat 2 meals a day and be happy. One woman may be tall and lean and another short and muscular. Variety is all around us.
So what is important to remember?
When you see a picture of a huge pump output, remember there is a story behind it. Maybe the mom has twins, maybe this is the first time a mom has successfully pumped well, or maybe it’s a working mom who has been struggling to pump enough. The normal pump output when you are pumping in addition to nursing on demand is only .5 – 2oz combined from both breasts. When you pump away from your baby it is 1 – 3oz combined from both breasts. http://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/pumping/what-to-expect-when-pumping/
When you see a picture of a huge freezer stash of milk again remind yourself, there is a story. Most moms do not need a large supply of milk in the freezer. The mom who is sharing may have a preemie or is exclusively pumping. If you are a stay at home mom with no regular need for frozen milk, considering having about 20 – 30oz on hand. This is a good amount in case of an emergency. If you are a working mom concerned about not producing enough at work, aim for closer to 60oz on hand. Working moms especially tend to feel a pressure to have hundreds of oz in the freezer before they even return to work! The reality is that you will be feeding your baby the pumped milk from the previous day, so you don’t need a huge stash from the freezer with 500+ oz before returning to work. For new moms the extra pressure of pumping to build up “the stash” can easily make those newborn days more exhausting. It is hard enough having a newborn!
Lastly, remember all babies come in all shapes and sizes. Even in a family no two siblings are alike. You may have one child who is long and lean while another who is a chunky monkey. Both are fine and normal. The key for infants and weight is that they should continue to gain weight on their growth curve. A growth curve is NOT a competition. It is a way for doctors to make sure your child is gaining weight appropriately. A child in the 5% who stays in the 5% is perfectly healthy. There is no need to fear something is wrong with your milk.
So next time you see a photo of a massive pump output, freezer stash, or chubby baby smile to yourself, say “Awesome job!” and remember that you are also doing an awesome job feeding your baby.
