How to Increase Your Breast Milk Supply

Many breastfeeding mothers question whether they have low milk supply. Because their baby seems as if she is crying all the time, they make the assumption that it has to do with not making enough milk.
If you find yourself thinking similar thoughts, before you do anything else, seek out a lactation consultant who can help you figure out what the problem really is. If it is low milk supply, rest assured that there are many ways to build your supply and pack some more weight on your little one's wee body.

1. Check Your Latch

One of the most common reasons for a breastfed baby's slow weight gain or an issue with milk supply has to do with improper latch. If a baby is latched improperly, not only is it quite likely to cause discomfort for mom, it will also fail to stimulate greater milk production.

2. Breastfeed Often

Though the old adage "never wake a sleeping baby" seems to be sage advice, not so for the baby and mama dealing with low milk supply. Breastmilk production is all about the law of supply and demand. The more often you are putting baby to the breast and sufficiently "emptying" the breast, the more milk you will produce.

If weight gain or low milk supply is a problem, aim to breastfeed a minimum of every two hours. Once your doctor feels the baby has achieved a solid weight gaining pattern, you can switch to feeding on-demand.

3. Pump Following Feedings

Another way to help build supply is to use a high-quality electric breast pump to express milk immediately after your baby has finished nursing. Pumping for 10 - 20 minutes following a feeding will help build supply. You should continue to pump even if you are not expressing milk.

What this technique does is help to "empty" the breasts sufficiently which will trigger you to produce more milk at subsequent feedings. The term "empty" is a little bit misleading, however, as there will always be trace amounts of milk left in the breast.

4. Nourish Your Own Body

Bottom line - if you aren't feeding your own body adequately, it's going to make it much harder for you satisfy your own baby's nutritional needs. Getting an appropriate amount of calories a day (roughly 1800 - 2200) and drinking water to satisfy your thirst is very important for your health and for the sake of your milk supply.

5. Drain the Breast Before Switching Sides

Switching back and forth between breasts during a feeding can deter your milk production. If your milk supply is low, keep your baby at the first breast long enough to drain it of milk. At that point, switch to the other breast. Start feeding your baby at the opposite breast at the start of the next feeding.

6. Consider Possible Side Effects of Medications

Sometimes the issue has to do with a medication you are taking. Birth control pills and cold or allergy medicines may reduce milk supply. Check with your pharmacist to see if any of the medications you are taking could be reducing your milk production.

7. Consider Taking Medications

When all of the above steps have been taken and milk supply remains low or weight gain is still insufficient, talk to your lactation consultant about medications or herbal supplements that may help boost your supply. You should be sure to research any medications or supplements offered. Some medications do have side effects, and there simply is not a good body of research on the benefits of herbal supplements for increasing supply. Both should be used by informed mothers.

If you do opt for medication or supplements, just keep in mind that these medications work best when you are either breastfeeding or pumping frequently. It all goes back to that law of supply and demand. The more your body is stimulated, the more milk you will produce.