Why breast milk supply issues are mostly total BS in my eyes.

Ok.. this is copy/pasted from a comment I left on my cousin's FB wall today in response to something mentioned about supply issues. I feel most women's supply issues are a product of todays American society and the push of pacifiers and bottles (even bottles filled with breastmilk). I think if women would search for answers, do their research they would see if they would stick with what nature gave them (their baby and their boobs) they would figure out a way of making it work.

supply issues? none of us would be here if there were REAL supply issues.. it's all in modern bs... new borns by nature should suck I think it's 20 hours per day (I'll have to look this up again) this doesn't mean EATING 20 hours per day, ...this also means pacifying themselves at the breast.. this in itself helps boost milk supply from the get go.. in the US we call this "cluster feeding" however if one would do some research, they would learn that a normal baby feeding should take between 60-90 minutes and would repeat itself every 2 hours.. meaning if you nursed for 90 minutes (that includes the baby just pacifying maybe even sleeping during that time) it would start all over 30 minutes later. So not giving pacifiers (called dummies in other countries I feel for a reason) as a #1 rule would cut back on women having issues with their milk supply.

Not giving bottles for any reason the first weeks of life would also help the situation considering babies aren't stupid. They realize it's much easier to get milk out of a bottle, why would they want the breast after that?

New moms need to realize that bf babies don't get the same oz of liquid as formula fed babies so when you PUMP and see that you are only getting 1oz-2oz out of each breast THAT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL!! Ask yourself, is your baby wetting/dirtying at least 6-8 diapers per day? Then you are fine.

Also my milk did not come in for 4 full days. My baby LIVED, amazing huh? She wasn't hungry.. I've even heard of babies going 7 days waiting for the milk supply.. so mama's who are told or feel they aren't making enough for the baby the first couple days of life ~ colostrum has wayyyy more calories than milk, things are fine.. this is how it works!

Olivia was a slow gainer, so even though she was bfed and didn't gain back her weight until almost 4 weeks of age, she was bfing like a champ and is now gaining 6-8oz per week.. again.. every baby is different.

Sighhhh I'm so sick of hearing women say they didn't have enough supply.. either they did something to eff up their supply or they don't know the facts. Olivia and I had many hurdles including:

1. her short tongue. she had to have her tongue clipped at 48 hours. Most peds will not do this, I had to find an old school ped that would even do it. it took all of 2 seconds, there was no pain, she cried only because people were holding her head and a second later she was at the breast eating and cooing.

2. My short nipples ~ nothing I can do for those other than wearing nipple shields to help draw them out some. BUT the baby has no idea how long a nipple should be so this stopping women from bfing is BIG BS.

3. Her high roof mouth ~ again nothing I can do for this, she eventually learned on her own to work around this. I feel that the reason she wasn't gaining the first 4 weeks of life was because of her inability to transfer milk. As I said, babies/nature are/is smart.

4. How you bf ~ not ONE person told me that I had to be comfortable. I tried the boppy and the baby would roll into the hole between me and the pillow.. totally impossible for me. sitting up in bed, really uncomfortable. Then I was lent a "My breast friend" pillow which is sturdier and that helped tremendously but it was still hard to bf in bed. One day I decided to try bfing sitting on my comfy sofa.. what do you know IT WORKED! Funny how me kicking back relaxing was the ticket to my baby latching easily and my back not hurting. I find to this day trying to bf in a straight chair is impossilble for me. I can do it, she needs to eat, but then I suffer later. If you contiuously are uncomfortable bfing, why would anyone continue. GET COMFY!! Find the pillow(s) that work for you. Boppy didn't work for me SO EFFING WHAT, they might work for you!