One of the most common issues breastfeeding mothers face is the milk supply. Many new mothers want to increase their breast milk supply to meet the increasing demands of their growing baby. While the supply can vary from one mother to another, you can still do a few things to increase the supply naturally. If you are looking for tips and ideas to increase breast milk supply, you have come to the right place!
First, let's understand the factors that affect breast milk supply:
1. Excessive loss of blood during delivery
2. Complicated surgery during or soon after delivery
3. Medical conditions or surgeries to the breast
4. Anxiety, stress, or depression can interfere with breast milk supply
5. Alcohol or nicotine consumption
6. Undernourishment or dehydration
Here are nine effective yet natural ways to increase breast milk supply without affecting the mother's health or the quality of milk:
Hydration is key to good breast milk production. Your body will dehydrate faster when breastfeeding, and a lack of hydration will affect the supply. Drink more water than usual. Keep a bottle next to you and hydrate before breastfeeding. You can even have natural juices without added sugar. Limit your caffeine intake, as it can contribute to dehydration.
The more you breastfeed, the more milk your body will produce. Breast milk production depends on demand. When you nurse frequently, the breasts empty more often and fill up with milk before the next feeding session. Let your baby nurse for as long as they want and whenever they want in the initial few weeks. This will help establish a good demand-supply ratio and stimulate your body to produce milk to meet the demand.
You can pump the breast milk if your baby takes too much time between feeding sessions. If your baby does not empty the breasts, pump the excess after every feeding session. This will tell your body to secrete more milk. You can feed the expressed milk via a feeding bottle, spoon, or filler.
Nurse your baby from both breasts every time. Many mothers may nurse on just one side for one breastfeeding session. When you do this, the time taken to drain each breast is many hours. When you nurse from both breasts, both breasts will empty every session and refill. As a result, you will be producing more milk.
Join a support group. Meeting other new mothers who are navigating issues just like you will not only make you feel seen and heard but will also help you find answers to some tricky complications. Such groups will also help you overcome self-doubt, harsh judgments, and criticism from others around you.
A lactation specialist will know what issues to look for and how to manage them. Getting professional help is nothing to feel ashamed about. Most hospitals will have a lactation consultant who will visit you soon after the delivery and help you with your initial breastfeeding sessions. You can see them when you return for your postnatal check ups or fix a separate appointment.
Finding the time to cook and eat nutritious meals can be nearly impossible for many new moms. Many new mothers make the mistake of going on a diet or trying to cut back on consumption to drop pregnancy weight. When breastfeeding, a mother will need more calories, and not giving enough to the body will directly impact breast milk production.
Opt for small meals throughout the day rather than three big meals. Keep healthy snack options handy for between meals.
Including garlic, fenugreek, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fruits, and legumes can increase breast milk supply. Lactation cookies using oats, flaxseeds, brewer yeast, and wheat germ extracts may help. They are galactagogues in nature and can promote greater milk production and supply. However, little research supports this claim, but women have been using these ingredients for many generations.
Gentle massage of the breasts can help relieve engorgement and open up clogged ducts, thus increasing milk supply. Use the tips of your fingers to massage your breasts in a circular motion gently. Start from the top and move towards your nipples. You can do this before you sit down to breastfeed your baby or even when they are just feeding comfort. Avoid massaging during active feeding, as it can increase the letdown and make it difficult for your baby to swallow.
For many new mothers, producing breast milk can still be a challenge despite trying all the above tips and more. It's important to remember this does not reflect upon her as a mother. Breastfeeding is a natural process, and it varies from person to person. Just like your baby is perfect despite being different from other babies, you are perfect as a mom, even if you don't breastfeed as much as many other mothers.
If breastfeeding were so easy and free of complications, there would be no need for formulas and different types of bottles to feed a newborn baby. Just like how there are many mothers around the world breastfeeding their babies for many years, there are many mothers around the world who hardly breastfeed their babies. All these babies have also grown up to be healthy children free of health complications.
If you cannot produce sufficient or even any breast milk for your baby, you can always opt for formula or donor milk. Talk to your lactation consultant and choose what is best for you and your baby, not what will satisfy society!
Breastfeeding more often or pumping the milk to empty the breasts frequently can help increase breast milk production. Following a healthy diet and hydrating well are also essential for breast milk production.
Breastfeed your baby directly more often and pump between feedings. Eat galactagogues and drink plenty of water to increase your breast milk supply.
Drinking plain water is enough to increase breast milk supply. If you are not lactose intolerant, you can drink a few glasses of milk, which can also help increase your calorie intake.
Clogged, ducted, and engorged breasts can make it hard for the baby to suck the milk. Sometimes, the baby's position can also make it hard for the milk to come out.
