Q: I am a 31 years old postnatal mother of one month. Even though I breastfed my baby for the first 3 weeks but he kept crying. Is it due to no milk production? I have to start feeding him with bottle as a trial. Since then he is sleeping well and seems satisfied. I had been admitted in the hospital on my 38th week of gestation due to severe gastritis and received injection Rantac and Stemetil. Have these injections affected the milk production? How can I increase my milk production?

A:The medicines you have indicated are not the cause for any decrease in milk production. Please burp the baby after each feed, that is, ensure that the wind is removed from the stomach. This can be done by holding the baby against your shoulder after each feed and gently tapping on his lower back till the baby burps. This is to be done after each feed. Please take in a lot of milk (1-2 litres) every day yourself, your daily calorie intake should be about 3000 cals. Breast milk is the best gift you can give your baby. Exclusively breastfeed till your baby is six months old. Then introduce soft, sweet/spiceless easily digestible foods. Your baby should weigh double his birth weight by six months of age.