If the mother’s milk is deficient in any way, the child becomes fretful and loses weight, or the weight remains stationary. In such cases the physician usually examines the milk to determine its quality and advises some means of improving it, or in some way adding to the baby’s food the element in which the mother’s milk is lacking.
The physical condition of the mother often affects the baby’s nourishment, and besides resorting, temporarily, to means for improving the quality of the milk, she should build up her general vitality through regular exercise for the spine and the vital organs, deep breathing of fresh air, and regular rest.
While a scanty food supply will diminish the flow of milk, overloading the stomach at meal time and taking quantities of rich food between meals, as so many nursing mothers, think is necessary, usually does little to increase the quantity or improve the quality of the milk, but often results in an accumulation of superfluous flesh and disturbed digestion, which quickly affects the child.
Sometimes a more restricted diet together with specially directed exercises to relieve any digestive disturbance and correct constipation, and relaxing exercises for the nerves, will do more than anything else to improve the quality of the milk.
Mothers should particularly avoid becoming overtired.
When the milk is good, but the quantity deficient, massage of the breasts three or four times a day for five or ten minutes will increase the supply. One effective means of increasing the secretion of the mammary glands is the mechanical stimulus of suction. If a robust baby can be put to the breast for a time it may develop an ample flow of milk for a puny infant whose powers of suction are feeble.
A good malt extract with meals sometimes tends to increase the flow of milk. When the quality and quantity of the milk are deficient, the physician usually advises a very nourishing diet and a tonic. This nourishment does not of necessity require an excessive amount of liquid.
When the quantity is sufficient, but the quality poor, it is usually necessary to wean the baby, if it is several months old, although mother’s milk, even if below standard in quality, is better for the infant than cow’s milk, at least during the first few months.
Nervousness, sleeplessness, worry, and grief have a decided effect on the milk supply and on the baby. Nervous mothers are apt to have an abundance of milk one day and little the next day; frequently the milk will disappear suddenly.