Brief Answer:
Some measures listed below, mainly increase fluid intake.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
Generally babies require only exclusive breastfeeding till 6 months.
Mostly , all mothers feel at some time , that they are not producing enough breast milk.
However, most of the times it is just your illusion and not true.
As long as your baby is passing motion well, sleeping well, and gaining weight , you are getting enough milk.
We can measure formula milk, but cannot measure breast milk, so it is a common myth that you are not getting enough milk. Children cry due to various reasons, and we assume that milk is insufficient.
ONly 5 % of mothers fail to have enough breast milk, the rest have sufficient amounts.
The following tips will help you though to increase milk production -
1. Milk is after all - water. During summer you tend to get dehydrated, and thus milk supply might diminish.
Drink atleast 5 litres of fluids daily ( including water, nimbu pani, buttermilk , juice, soup etc ).
Directly before breastfeeding, have a full meal, or a glass of water / milk - you will see that the supply increases.
2. Feed your child every 2 hours, if she is sleeping, then pump your breasts and store the milk.
Dont let milk collect in the breasts for more than 2 hours.
3. Get lots of sleep . It is sometimes difficult with a newborn child, but try and sleep when the child sleeps. Rest and relaxation / meditation are important to reduce stress and increase milk supply.
4. WHile feeding, you can massage your breasts gently to induce more milk, or ask some other person to do it gently.
5. If you are working, pump the breasts every 2 hours atleast.
6. Empty both breasts, offer both breasts at each feed, or each breast at alternate feeds. Ensure that the baby feeds for atleast 20 minutes each time, but not more than 30 minutes, since babies like to keep sucking, but then the child is getting only air, making her more gassy.
7. Avoid giving bottles, pacifiers and formula milk right now, the formula milk will lead to less demand for breastmilk, thus further decreasing supply.
It is like a factory with demand and supply in proportion.
8. A few natural foods help to increase milk flow - try taking these -
Saunf ( fennel seeds )
Methi ( fenugreek seeds )
Cumin ( jeera )
Til ( sesame seeds )
Tulsi ( XXXXXXX )
Oats
Spinach
Beetroot
Lentils and pulses ( Dal )
Increase the intake of these items in your diet
9. Eat regularly every 2 - 3 hours, instead of heavy meals, you can take small , light snacks with fluid every 2 -3 hours.
10. Some preparations like Satavarex granules are ayurvedic preparations to increase breast milk supply.
11. If you try all these measures, but still you feel that the milk is not enough, and the baby is not growing well, then you can ask your gynecologist to prescribe tablets such as metoclopramide and domperidone.
This should be a last resort only when your pediatrician says that you need drugs to increase breastmilk.

HOpe this answer helped you.
Please feel free to discuss further.
You can reach me directly at any time, by clicking the following link -
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-aarti-abraham/64623
Take care.

---

Brief Answer:
Why are you not able to feed directly ?

Detailed Answer:
Why are you not able to directly feed with the breasts ?
Have you always used the bottle ?

---

Brief Answer:
Why not directly >

Detailed Answer:
Why not directly ?
Have you ever tried ?

---

Brief Answer:
Try the above measures, supply might increase.

Detailed Answer:
Well now it is too late to change that.
Try the above measures, and you should see an improvement in the milk supply.
At times, during summers, due to less fluid intake, the milk supply falls.
You can start giving formula after she is 6 months old.

---