Q: I am a 24 years old female into my 22nd week of pregnancy. I weigh 72 kg and am 5.7 feet tall. I am worried if or not I would get good breast milk after my delivery. I had seen many cases where mothers don't have sufficient breast milk and have to opt for formula milk or buffalo milk. Are there any symptoms during pregnancy to know if I have adequate milk? Should I take extra nutrition to get good amount of breast milk?

A:Extra calories are required during pregnancy for maternal changes as well as the fetus and placental development. Additional extra calories - about 500 per day and protein 15-10 gm per day will be needed after delivery to take care of milk formation and breast feeding. The tips to have more milk are that baby should be put to the breast as soon as possible, with no bottle feeds. Taking plenty of fluids before the breastfeeding also helps; staying calm and relaxed improves the amount of milk available.