Nursing mothers who become pregnant might notice that their milk begins to change, typically around the third or fourth month. The quantity often will decrease, and many toddlers comment that it has changed in taste.

Later in your pregnancy, your breasts will begin to produce colostrum for the new baby, whether or not you have an older baby already at your breast.

Mature breastmilk actually does not "come in" on a certain day. The milk you produce increases gradually over the first 36 hours following your baby's birth, and then dramatically increases over the next two to five days -- if your baby is put to your breast frequently. Over the next two weeks, it will slowly change to mature breastmilk.

Possibly, your milk was a bit slow in increasing in supply due to a cesarean birth, or a difficult start with breastfeeding. The key to increasing your milk supply is to put your baby to breast as soon as possible following the birth, and to encourage very frequent feeds in the early days.

To help get breastfeeding off to a good start, ask to be seen by the hospital's IBCLC, or a Lactation Consultant in private practice. Ask her to observe a complete feed and help you and your little one with positioning and attachment, if necessary.

To help increase your milk supply:

• Carefully consider the use of medication during your labor and birth. Medications used during labor (including the epidural) have been found to have an effect on your baby's behavior at the breast. This may last for the first two weeks because these medications can take quite a while to clear from your baby's system. A mom who has had a medicated labor/birth has more chance of having a baby who is sleepy or exhibits sucking difficulties following the birth. Studies have shown that using a labor assistant/doula for your birth may help you to avoid or reduce the amount of medication you use. If you do use medication, the less medication you receive, and the later in labor, the less you will pass on to your baby.
• Nurse early and often. When a baby is put to the breast for frequent feeds, she is less likely to be jaundiced. When a baby is jaundiced, it is common for her to be very sleepy and difficult to feed. Encourage your new baby to get in lots of practice time at your breast in the early days. Newborns need to nurse at least 10 to 12 times each day, and both of you will enjoy the skin-to-skin contact that breastfeeding provides.
• Use no artificial nipples (including pacifiers) nor routine supplementation with water or artificial baby milk (ABM). These practices can compromise the breastfeeding relationship. Use of water or ABM will reduce the amount of time that your baby spends at the breast. Frequent nursings are very important, especially in the first six weeks of your baby's life, as your milk supply is increasing. If supplementation becomes necessary, you can express your milk using a hospital-grade electric breastpump and feed it to your baby (using a syringe to finger-feed, a cup or a nursing supplementer at your breast).

Milk may indeed change more quickly for mothers who have a child at their breast, especially if the baby is still nursing frequently. I would not expect your milk to come in more quickly than any other mom who has already given birth, since you weaned quite a few months ago.

Don't allow yourself to become concerned about your milk supply. Babies do not require large quantities of mother's milk in their first days of life. An early feed may be only about two teaspoons of your milk. Receiving a small amount will encourage your baby to feed often, and frequent nursing will help establish your milk supply. Just remember the mantra "breastfeed early and often" and seek help early if you are having any breastfeeding difficulties. Best wishes in mothering!