When it comes to breastfeeding, one of the biggest fears that a mother can have is whether or not she will make enough milk to nourish her baby. Sometimes it is hard to know whether or not we are making enough, especially if there is no pumping involved in the breastfeeding relationship. Chances are, you’re making just what your little one needs. However, there are some instances and scenarios where you may feel the need to increase breast milk supply.
Aside from low milk production in general, mothers can run into unforeseen problems that can cause a dip in milk supply. Anything from catching a bad cold or the flu to taking certain medications or even just stress (and menstrual cycles), can sometimes lower the supply. There are numerous ways to try and increase breast milk supply and most have been proven to be very effective.
Ways to Increase Breast Milk Supply
- Bringing Baby to Breast: I know it seems like common sense, but many mothers may still not be bringing their baby to breast enough. In cases where supply seems low, bring baby to breast every two hours.
- Ignoring Schedules: Don’t worry about schedules or even over-feeding for that sake. If you can bring baby to your breast and they begin to nurse, let them. This can help to increase breast milk supply.
- Fenugreek: Women have been using this spice since ancient times to stimulate milk flow. Some research has shown that it can boost supply by as much as 900 percent. Capsules of Fenugreek are available and should be taken several times a day and there is also a Fenugreek tea available.
- Mother’s Milk Tea: European herbs (and Fenugreek) come together to create a tea that can increase breast milk supply. It’s a sweet and slightly bitter tea with a hint of a licorice taste (find it here).
- Motherlove Products: All natural blends that can be taken as drops or capsules that vary from herbal recipes including Fenugreek and some without.
- Lactation Cookies: Lactation cookies are great for increasing supply. They also serve as a wonderful excuse to indulge in some tasty treats. Try this chocolate chunk oatmeal cookie recipe for some yummy cookies. Aim to eat around 4-6 a day.
- Brewers Yeast: Brewers yeast is effective at increasing milk supply and can be found in lactation cookies as well as simply added to drinks and smoothies. Brewers yeast is full of iron, protein, B vitamins, selenium and chormium which can help aid with blood sugar levels and even cholesterol levels. Not only is brewers yeast helpful at boosting milk supply, but it can also help fight that early mom fatigue.
- Drink Fluids/Water: Here’s the trick with this. Lots of women push and push water when the supply is running low. It turns out that TOO much water can actually have a negative impact on the milk supply. When breastfeeding, you should aim for drinking the typical amount of water a day (perhaps a tad more) and avoid ever feeling “thirsty.” If your supply is low, perhaps you should increase your fluids by a glass or a Gatorade a day, but try not to over do it. Unless you can tell you are dehydrated, don’t over do the water.
- Eat Certain Foods: The first six to seven months of breastfeeding, I ate steel cut oatmeal for breakfast like nobody’s business. I added strawberries and brown sugar to sweeten it up and make it yummy. Surprisingly, I actually never got burnt out on it. There are numerous foods out there that can help boost supply. The biggest one is oats, but there’s all sorts of things to try: spinach (dark, leafy veggies), carrots, hummus, papaya, asparagus, brown rice, apricots, figs and dates, salmon, garlic, turmeric, ginger, nuts and certain seeds (ex, fennel, cumin, dill).
If by chance you are worried about your supply, make sure to try out some of the tips mentioned above. If you are expecting and/or new to nursing, don’t fret over whether or not you’ll have enough milk. There’s a very small percentage (less than 10%) of women who are medically unable to make milk due to reasons involving their milk glands, ducts, etc…
Chances are, you are making more than enough for your baby or just the amount they need.
Try what you can to increase breast milk supply and most of all, try not to become stressed or discouraged. Stressed can lead to lower supply levels as well as too many negative emotions. Breastfeeding is a truly beautiful relationship and you should be proud of everything you contribute!
[…] supply. She tried breastfeeding tea, and tripled her water consumption. She rested more and added brewer’s yeast to her oatmeal. She also tried something I’d never heard of as a mama of five: she tried […]