One of the biggest concerns that new mothers have is wondering if they will have enough milk for their babies. This concern is the most common reason for starting formula supplementation, and also for early weaning.  We live in a society that puts a lot of emphasis on measuring everything, and many of us (and especially our mothers) were bottle-fed, so you knew exactly to the ounce how much milk the baby took in at each feeding.

You can be assured that nearly all mothers can produce an adequate milk supply for their infant.  The human race would not have survived for millions of years if this was not the case. 

There is a very small percentage of women who just “don’t have enough milk”, but this is highly unusual, and is most often connected to some sort of medical problem, (for example, breast reduction surgery, maternal medications such as birth control pills, or maternal hypothyroidism).  Many of these medical problems can be corrected.

Women have two breasts instead of one so that they can nurse twins.  It stands to reason that the average mother with two breasts will be able to produce enough milk for one baby (at least).

Since breastmilk intake can’t be measured without using sophisticated scientific equipment, it is important to know how to tell if your baby is getting enough.