I had previously written a post with a few recipes for foods that may help you increase your supply. But I thought I would go more in depth with what steps you can take to actively increase your milk supply.
First and foremost I recommend seeing your local lactation consultant or La Leche League Leader.
1. Nurse, Nurse Nurse
It's the basic principle that you will hear me and other birth professionals repeat like a broken record: Supply and Demand. The more your baby nurses the more milk your body produces. Simple as that. If you are not nursing then pump, pump, pump. The first few weeks are the most demanding but DON'T give up! All the frustrations and sleepless nights and hours at the pump will pay off. Try pumping between nursings as well to signal your body to produce more milk. Don't get discouraged if you don't actually pump a whole lot. Keep pumping for at least 15 minutes on each breast. Another bit of advice along the lines of pumping: the amount you pump is not the amount you produce. Having your baby nurse is the most efficient way to empty your breasts. Pumps do not remove anything near what your baby does. So please don't measure your success on what your pump removes.
2. Avoid artificial nipples and formula
As mentioned earlier, the first few weeks are the hardest and most crucial weeks to establish a good milk supply. A key to success is to remove anything that may stumble your efforts in trying to provide milk for your baby. A baby has a strong need to suck even when they are not nursing. Allow baby to suck on the breast even when they are not nursing. That sends messages to produce milk as well. Consider avoiding using artificial nipples to satisfy that need at least for the first month or so. Also consider removing formula from your home. I personally know how tempting it is to just mix a bottle of formula that is sitting on the counter while you have been struggling to feed the baby for hours, frustrated to no end and has left both you and the baby crying. My biggest word of advice: DON'T GIVE IN TO THE TEMPTATION! Sadly most mothers that go on to "just supplement with formula for a couple feedings" are never really able to establish a good milk supply and eventually give in to formula feeding full time. {please not that there are exceptions and that some are able to get back to breast feeding. However of the women I have encountered 9 out of 10 women will not be able to nurse exclusively or at the level they were hoping to have nursed} If you must supplement then do so with very small amounts, 2-3 oz at a time and consider feeding your baby by not using artificial nipples (example: needle less syringe or SNS).
3. Don't wait for your breasts to "fill up" to determine when it's time for another feeding. There is always milk in your breasts for your baby, and more milk is made while you feed. Studies have shown that fat levels in milk are higher when the time between feedings is shorter. This means when you offer the breast again minutes after the last feeding (when your breasts may still feel "empty"), your baby is getting high-fat milk that will help him gain weight. Letting your breast fill up or get engorged actually signal you body to produce less milk, so the trick is to keep your breasts drained by having your baby nurse or by pumping frequently.
4. Consider a galactagogue
A galactagouge is a substance that increases milk supply. Here is a list of some of the most commonly used herbal galactagogues:
Fenugreek
Blessed thistle
Alfalfa
Brewer’s Yeast
I personally had a great experience increasing my supply with the products from MotherLove. I have to tell you, the drops taste terrible. And they make baby's gas smell wretched. BUT it totally works and increased my milk a ton. So for me personally it was well worth it. If you are not sure if its for you, my suggestion is to buy a small bottle and go from there.
I also found much success in drinking Mothers Milk Tea. Clicking on the link to the right will take you to their site to print out a coupon. You can buy this tea at various places including ebay and amazon.com.
5. Your diet
You must make sure that you are well hydrated. Drink to thirst. Drowning yourself in water isn't going to make you produce more milk. Try to avoid caffeine and alcohol as those things can actually lower your milk production. You may also want to consider eating these types of foods that have been said to increase milk supply for many women:
Black Beans
Papaya
Oatmeal
6. Talk to your doctor about domperidone
Domperidone is a medication used for stomach problems that has a side effect of increased milk supply. To read more about it click here. I personally took this after the birth of my second child to help with milk production. I did notice a difference but my OB refused to refill the prescription more than once and I found that after the medication wore off my supply would drop and I was back at square one.
7. Nurse longer. Don't limit the length of your baby's feedings to a predetermined number of minutes on each side. Allow your baby to finish the first breast before switching to the other side. This gives baby an opportunity to fill up on the high-fat hindmilk brought down by the milk-ejection reflex. If you switch your baby to the second side too soon, he'll fill up on the watery foremilk, which will make his tummy feel full but may not give him enough calories to grow.
8. Trust that nature's system works. If you're nursing often enough, and baby is sucking effectively, you will make enough milk. It's rare that a mother is unable to produce enough milk for her baby. And while it may seem that your life is stressful, mothers throughout history have breastfed their babies through war, famine, and personal tragedies. Your body nourished this baby through pregnancy. There's no reason to think that you won't succeed at breastfeeding.
9. Relaxation & Sleep
You will be shocked that once you begin to relax while breastfeeding or your pumping sessions, just how much more milk you will begin to have. If pumping, one of the most important thing – do not look at the breast milk while you are pumping. Everyone says to get enough sleep, but what new mother gets enough sleep during those first weeks after the baby is born. The good thing about breast pumping is that dad can feed the baby while you get a few extra hours of sleep.
{please note that this post is for informational purposes only. I am not a medical professional and each person should first consult with their doctor before trying any herbal or medical options. Please do your research on possible side effects}
