In the first weeks and months after birth, moms can focus all of their time and attention on satisfying their new addition. But as time goes on, and as life starts to return to normal, many women worry about their ability to maintain their milk supply. When you can no longer breastfeed at the snap of tiny fingers, what do you do? One lady, a lactation expert called Nancy Morbacher, suggests you figure out your magic number! The Breast Express.
What is the ‘magic number’?
The magic number is basically the number of times per day that a feeding mother needs to drain her breasts to keep her milk production stable. This number will vary between women depending on storage space.
Does size matter? Yeah, some may think that bigger bosoms need draining less frequently than their more compact cousins, but milk production actually has more to do with the milk-making glandular tissue - not the fatty tissue that determines the size of our breasts.
In the first 6 months, the average baby drinks 25oz to 30oz (750-900ml) of milk per day; some women will have a ‘magic number’ of only 4 or 5 to hit this target, others as many as 9 or 10. It’s the luck of the draw mamas.
Your magic number includes both breastfeeds and expressed feeds. If your magic number is 6 and you are breastfeeding 3 times per day, you will need to express an additional 3 times to keep your milk production steady.
When you return to work, or when your little one starts sleeping for longer stretches at night, it may become harder to hit your number. But respect your magic number or exceed it, and you will likely steady or even stimulate your milk production. Drop below it, and your supply may dip. The real magic is the maintenance.
We know you can sometimes feel like a human dairy farm, but keep it up; all of your fantastic efforts are giving your baby a great start!