Understanding Milk Supply: What Is “Normal”?

There are many new mums, including myself, who are concerned about their milk supply. It’s a commonly asked question amongst breastfeeding mums, “What is a normal milk supply?”. Quickly followed by, “How can I increase my milk supply?”. Often, we needn’t worry!

A mother’s milk supply is always changing and adapting to the needs of her baby and at times when milk production is high, there are ways we can manage this. When milk supply dips, there are methods to increase milk supply to help meet the demand.

We recently received a query about milk supply and what to expect. This post outlines essential notes to learn about milk supply and how you can best maintain it throughout your breastfeeding journey.

What is a Normal Milk Supply?

Unlike bottle feeding, it’s hard to put a number on how much milk your baby is drinking when they are breastfed. Every mum has a different milk supply because it depends on a combination of a mother’s health, well-being, hormonal changes, and the demands of their baby.

There is no “perfect” number for breast milk. Expressing breast milk can help you get a feel for how much your baby is drinking, but it is not essential to know how many ounces they have had.

Babies will go through growth spurts where they will feed more often and for longer (these phases are when babies cluster-feed) and other times where they will feed less. Your milk supply will change based on the needs of your baby. Milk production works on a supply and demand basis, so if they’re not asking for milk, your body will produce less over that time.

What the Numbers Say: Average Milk Supply

A newborn’s tummy is tiny when they’re first born. They can hold up to 5 ml of breast milk (the size of a cherry) on their first day and grow to hold up to 60 ml in their first week (the size of an apricot). When you consider this in terms of expressing breast milk and breastfeeding exclusively, it’s no wonder that your milk supply is changing.

On average, for a 1-6 month-old baby, they will drink approximately 750 ml (25.36 ounces) per day. The older they get, they may start to drink less breast milk as they wean onto solids.

When you exclusively breastfeed, it is normal to express up to 2 ounces of breast milk in one session. Your baby is drinking most of your milk supply at the breast, rather than being expressed and drunk from a bottle. For exclusively pumping mums, up to 7-8 ounces of breastmilk can be expressed in one session.

The average amount of milk pumped in 20 minutes depends on the age of your baby, how often you are expressing breast milk and your pumping technique.

Again, there is no magic number, and each mother’s milk production is unique.

How to Tell if Your Baby Is Getting Enough

Despite the volume of your milk supply, the signs that your baby isn’t getting enough milk are what to look out for so you can diagnose the problem. Your baby is feeding enough when they are producing wet and dirty nappies, measuring at a healthy weight and height in line with their age, and they are satisfied after a feed.

If you need to increase your milk supply to ensure your baby is getting enough breast milk, you can try power pumping. You can even use a breast pump if your breasts feel soft after a feed. Short feeds and pumping sessions can still be effective in increasing milk production.

What are feeding cues?

Newborns communicate with us using cues to let us know what they need. As your child gets older, they learn to communicate in new (and often louder!) ways to show they are hungry or thirsty. Feeding cues help mothers to develop and maintain a milk supply.

As your baby gets older, they will be able to tell you and show you more easily what they want. When they see food, they will be excited and reach out for it when they are hungry. If they are disinterested, they will likely turn away or shut their mouth tightly. When you start to wean your baby onto solids, this is a likely time when you will see a small drop in your milk supply.

Can you overfeed a breastfed baby?

Although overfeeding a breastfed baby is deemed difficult to do, it is still possible. As breastfed babies feed on demand, they can regulate how much milk they need. Your milk production will stem from your baby’s growth and development needs at the time.

However, you may overfeed your baby if you:

• Offer formula milk as well as breastfeeding, and exceed the recommended amount

• If your baby is ill, they may not be able to signal feeding cues to you when they are full

If your baby has consumed too much milk, they may spit up more or their tummy might feel uncomfortable. No different to us as adults! 

How many nappies per day is normal for my baby?

A newborn will produce between 8 - 12 wet and dirty nappies over 24 hours. As they get older, this will start to lessen. If your baby goes longer than 6-12 hours without having a wet nappy, you must seek medical advice in case they are at risk of dehydration. 

It is normal for breastfed babies to go up to a whole week without producing a dirty nappy. However, if they are straining or showing signs of constipation, it is advised to get help from your doctor.

What Affects Milk Supply?

Low milk supply is often caused by inefficient feeding at the breast, and your baby needs more support to learn this skill. Factors such as tongue tie and a poor latch can hinder a baby’s ability to feed from the breast, which in turn hinders milk production and reduces milk supply.

On the other hand, an increase in milk supply can happen because your baby is feeding more often, and the demand for more milk has grown. Milk production can be increased by pumping too, and you can combine this with your current breastfeeding schedule.

It’s important to note here that a mother’s milk supply can also be affected by her health, hormonal changes, mental well-being, and diet.

Oversupply vs. Low Supply

An oversupply of breast milk means that a mother’s milk supply produces more milk than her baby needs. On the flip side, a low milk supply means that the mother’s milk supply is lower than what her baby needs.

When you are faced with the extra challenge of managing an oversupply or low milk supply, there are methods you can try to manage your milk supply. Signs that your milk supply is decreasing or too high for your baby’s needs can be identified by these symptoms.

Symptoms and Solutions for Oversupply

Symptoms and Solutions for Low Milk Supply

Get Comfy with Your Milk Supply

Now we know that there is no magic number and that milk supply can depend on so many factors, it’s time to get comfortable with our milk supply. Your body is a wondrous thing that has brought new life into the world, and it knows exactly what to do to help your baby flourish. 

If you have any concerns related to milk supply or you think you may have a low milk supply, reach out to your doctor, lactation consultant, and other mums for reassurance and advice.