Tips for Increasing Breast Milk Supply: Not producing as much milk for your baby as you were hoping? Or maybe you want to prepare for when your baby arrives? Check out my best seven tips for increasing breast milk supply!
Increasing Breast Milk Supply
After struggling to produce enough milk for my baby, I was able to double my supply within several days! See these awesome tips for amping up your milk supply from a mom of four (who has exclusively nursed each baby until 14 months!)
Whether you are looking to breastfeed for 6 weeks, 6 months, or simply supplement formula these tips for increasing your milk supply are genius!
As a mom to a handful of kiddos, I have my share fair of tips and tricks I have learned along the way, that you might be able to benefit from. The one thing is to remember sometimes we just struggle producing milk. It doesn’t mean you are failing at being a mom, it just means your body is not producing as much as you would have hoped.
Sometimes you can use these tips to effectively help boost your milk supply. Hopefully, you will find one or more of these tips below to help you get the milk coming in more.
Tips for Increasing Your Milk Supply
Pumping
Consider starting to pump more often. When you signal your body to produce more milk by pumping it can begin to increase your milk supply. I would say to try and pump or nurse around 8 – 10 times a day. Then if you feel you are beginning to produce and want to wean down how often you pump you can try. Get a free breast pump through insurance.
Hydrate
Make sure you are staying hydrated. If you are not drinking enough that can trigger you to not produce much milk. Depending on your body and weight will depend on how much water you need. I suggest talking to your doctor to ensure you get an accurate amount of water to drink each day.
Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet is key. Your body requires a lot once you have a baby. You are healing and then needing to produce milk for your newborn. Make sure to get enough protein, vegetables, fresh fruit, and even starches. Create a rounded diet that you work towards following each day.
Lactation Supplements
Consider doing a lactation cookie or even smoothie that you sip or nibble on. These items are loaded with the proper ingredients that help to naturally boost your milk supply. You can make cookies and smoothies easily, or shop online for what you need. You can even find lactation teas you can buy and brew to sip on.
Let Baby Feed Fully
One thing new moms don’t do is let a baby fully feed on one side of the breast. When your breast is drained of milk it will send a signal that it needs to produce more milk. You will also find your baby will get all the milk nutrients from the different levels of milk you produce (foremilk and fatty hindmilk).
Power Pump
This is something some moms find great success with. You power pump for an hour. What that means is say 20 minutes you pump, then take a 10-minute break. After the short break starts to pump again for another 20 minutes and then rest. Sometimes that can help to stimulate more milk supply.
Rest
One other thing that gets overlooked is an overly tired mom can be all you need for your body to not supply enough milk. You have to take care of yourself. Let the laundry sit or dishes stay dirty. Sit, rest, and nap when the baby naps. Not getting enough sleep and rest can lower your milk supply.
What Causes Low Milk Supply
There could be a simple reason behind your milk supply dropping down. It is natural to panic and worry. But let me share some things that could be the simple cause.
- Fewer feedings during the day
- Not latching properly
- Supplementing with formula
- Age
- Health Issue
If you can’t seem to boost your supply reaches out to a lactation specialist and see if they have any guidance for you. Sometimes no matter how hard you try or steps you take, your body can’t keep up. And if that ends up the case it is okay.
But, most of the time it can be an easy fix to get your body producing the amount of milk you need for your little one.
What are some tips you find helpful for boosting milk supply?
