Most mothers I work with produce enough breast milk to meet their baby’s needs, but during their breastfeeding journey they have the feeling that their milk is not enough. Most of the time this is just a feeling because the babies are going through a growth spurt or a breastfeeding crisis, however, there are occasions where this low milk supply is real and work needs to be done to increase it.
My TOP 5 tips for increasing your milk supply
1. Skin-to-skin contact: Snuggling with your baby promotes the release of hormones in you, which help stimulate and promote breastfeeding.
2. Increase the number of feeds: The most common thing that a baby will want to do if they’re hungry is feed more. Your breasts have built in responses to this and will produce more milk on demand, so continue to breastfeed and this stimulation will increase the production of your supply. It’s better to breastfeed more often, but for shorter periods of time, than for longer periods and less often.
3. Ensure a proper latch: If your baby is not latching correctly, this can negatively impact your milk supply. Poor milk removal due to an ineffective latch sends the incorrect signal to the body and your milk production may decrease. So, if you’re not able to achieve a comfortable latch or baby, be sure to seek help from a qualified IBCLC lactation consultant. In the meantime, use your breast pump to ensure breasts are emptied and milk production is stimulated.
4. Embrace night feeding: Night feeds are exhausting for the mothers but are very useful for the supply. The more that you night feed, the more milk will be produced for the following day. Feeding during the night is normal and important to establish and maintain a good milk supply, especially in the beginning.
5. Feed on both sides at each feeding: When we stimulate both breasts on each feed, the body receives this double boost increasing the amount of milk. Likewise, if you’re breastfeeding from one side and pumping the other side, you’ll have more milk.
