How to Increase Milk Supply - From Galactagogues to Good Latch and Pumping to Pacifiers plus More!

How to increase milk supply is something most moms want to know at one time or another during their breastfeeding journey and with good cause.  Whether a growth spurt or just life circumstances in general have you feeling like you are behind in production, it can happen.  Today, I want to outline not only how to increase breast milk supply, but also how to protect your milk supply so you don't have to play catch up.

Feed on demand and don't delay feedings.

Breast milk is produced by supply and demand or should I say, demand and then supply.  Feeding frequently and in full (fully emptying breasts) protects your milk supply from sudden dips. Growth spurts are waves that should be ridden.  In other words an infant who is 10 days to 3 weeks of age will begin his first growth spurt and instead of nursing 8 time per day will nurse 11-12 times per day.  If you are exclusively pumping, you should increase your pumping sessions to match this for 5 days in a row every time a growth spurt would naturally occur in your baby.  The normal times for growth spurts are 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.

A good latch or a good fitting breast flange is essential to your milk supply.

When feeding your baby, you need to consider not only how often, but how well your baby is feeding. Your baby should have flanged lips and at least an inch of the areola drawn into his mouth in order to effective drain the breasts.  Breasts that are not drained fully, do not produce as much breast milk because your body thinks you have left milk there because it is not needed.  The same goes with your breast pump flange.  If you do not have a breast flange that is fitted well enough to draw in the nipple, but also a portion of the areola, your milk supply will suffer.  

Offer both breasts at a feeding.

The same is true of how you manage your feedings.  Many moms will start out with an overabundant milk supply and because the baby is satisfied with only one breast, just leave it at that.  Milk supply ebbs and flows so it is very important to offer both breasts at a feeding for the sake of your future milk supply.  Babies may become snack nursers and cease to drain the breast properly if you don't offer the second breast.  It is fine for them to feed for a shorter period of time on the second breast, but offering it keeps them in the habit for when your milk supply regulates (after 6-8 weeks) and both breasts are needed to fully accomplish a feed.  For moms who are pumping, make sure you are double pumping with a good breast pump from a reputable company like Spectra or Ameda and that you pump for a full 10-15 minutes of double pumping to fully empty the breasts.

Don't overuse pacifiers.

While pacifiers have their time and place, using them too often can actually hinder your baby from non-nutritive sucking at the breast.  This non-nutritive sucking which usually occurs when they are falling asleep is essential for milk supply because of the oxytocin hormone that is produces during this time.

Nourish your body.

While drinking water does not make breastmilk, a dehydrated mother won't produce as much breastmilk.  Drinking to thirst and eating healthy helps your body perform optimally which includes producing more milk. While there are foods that are know galactagogues, it is hard to measure the intake needed of these milk increasing foods like oatmeal, etc.  They should be a part of your diet and snacks  and drinks that are formulated with them for nursing mothers like lactation cookies and lactation tea, are a great go to for a snack or fluid intake.  For increasing milk supply with galactagogues, however an encapsulated herb with appropriate dosage is easily measured and moms see an effective increase in milk production when using them.  One brand we recommend often is Legendairy Milk.  Legendairy offers herbal combinations tailored to specific needs and once that combination is identified, these capsules work quickly for most mothers.

Protect your milk supply.

Especially when a holiday or change occurs in your normal day to day or when your baby starts solid foods, it is important to protect your milk supply. Don't allow a change in schedule, to keep you from nursing or pumping. Infants under 6 months of age need to be fed at least eight times per day and over 6 months if they have started solid foods, at least five times per day.  Life happens, so if your regular timing (I hesitate to say schedule because if the baby want to eat early, you should nurse.) is disrupted, make up for it.  For example, a normal feeding or pumping session that would have occurred was missed or delayed so the next two feeding should be closer together so that at the end of the day, the same number of times the breasts were stimulated for milk products was achieved.  

Also, protect your milk supply by not offering solids before your baby is sitting up unassisted.  This usually occurs at about six months.  Not only will it help your milk supply long term to nurse exclusively for longer, but your baby will have the benefit of lower incidence of allergies.  You will also have an easier time feeding solids as infant loose their tongue thrust reflex at the same time as they learn to sit up.  Once solids have been introduced, it is also important to nurse first.  Always nurse before giving solids as breastmilk is the main source of nutrition for an infant under one year and the solids are a complement.  This also keeps green beans off your breast:)

Simulate a Growth Spurt

Babies naturally go through growth spurts to help mom increase her supply for their growing needs, but if you missed a growth spurt due to work or scheduling, you can still simulate one.  To do this, add 10-15 minutes of double pumping three times a day for five days in a row.  This extra stimulation has to be an hour apart from other feeding and pumping times and a day of these three extra pumping sessions must not be missed in order for your body to recognize it as a growth spurt and increase your supply.

Don't forget!

Enjoy your baby at the breast and the satisfaction of pumping when you are providing the precious gift of liquid gold to your baby.  It is also one of the few times, you get to sit down as a mom:)

Wishing you a healthy milk supply!

Tanya 

Mother of 3, Grandmother of 2, Retired IBCLC, Owner of Lactation Connection since 1993

www.lactationconnection.com

Comprehensive Guide to Increasing Breast Milk Supply

Your body makes milk on a supply and demand basis. Although we don't need ounce markers on the side of our breasts to know the baby is getting enough, we tend to fret over milk supply.   Here is a comprehensive guide to ease your worries and address your concerns.

Is my baby getting enough?
When your baby is first born, his wet diapers should increase daily. On day one, he should have at least one, day two, he should have two, up until day six. After six days of age, they have six to eight pale wet diapers daily and three to four "cottage cheese and mustard" stools. Other ways we can tell the baby is getting enough milk is that he makes quiet swallowing sounds at the breast. The breast feel full before the feeding and softer afterward. The baby seems satisfied after twenty minutes of swallowing. Babies may loose 7-10% of their birth weight, but begin regaining at day 6 and gain 5-7 ounces per week on the average until 6 months of age. The stools can change at 4-6 weeks of age. Only if your baby is not gaining well, invest in a baby scale that you can use to monitor breast milk intake and growth. You will want a scale that shows 1/2 oz increments or greater.

Do I need to drink more water?
Water does not make milk, but make sure you are drinking to thirst. If you are dehydrated your body does not function optimally.  
Can I increase my milk supply with supplements?
If you want a boost increasing milk supply, there are several galactagogues on the market. Fenugreek is safe and effective and can be found in most areas. Make sure you are talking a quality brand like Nature's Herbs or Natures way in an appropriate quantity.  You should take 600-626 mg capsules that only contain Fenugreek.  This normally increases milk supply in about 48 hours.  If you are an average size mom, you should take three capsules, three times daily so 9 per day.  Plus size moms can take up to 5  600-626 mg capsules per dosage for a total of 15 per day.  Make sure you are not getting loose stools and check milk supply after 3 days by nursing the first session in the morning and then double pumping with a good quality double pump like the Hygeia EnJoye LBI, Spectra S2, or the Ameda Finesse Breast Pump for 15 minutes. 

How much is enough?
You should be yielding 2.5 oz per lb of baby's body weight per day.  To calculate if you are making the appropriate amount take your baby's weight for example 8 lb multiply by 2.5 which in this case would equal 20 oz per day.  Then divide by 8 times per day for a baby under 6 months.  This means from both breasts you should be making 2.5 oz for an 8 lb baby.  Here is a link to a page where you will find to an easy to read milk intake feeding supply chart.

Can my baby help increase my milk supply?
Yes!  If your infant will suckle at the breast, this is a highly effective way of increasing milk supply.  Offer the breast every 2 hours with a longer stretch at night for a minimum of 12 feedings per day.  If the infant will suckle for at least 20 minutes each time, your milk supply should increase by day 6.  Remember, breast milk adheres to the supply and demand rule, so the more you demand, the better the supply.

Can I increase my milk supply with a breast pump?
Yes!  If your baby will nurse frequently even if milk supply is low, use the baby; but if your baby will not latch or will not stay latched long enough for you to get adequate stimulation, by all means use a quality pump like the Hygeia EnJoye Cordless, Spectra S2, Ameda Finesse or the Ameda Platinum Breast Pump.  If your baby is under six months old, you should be pumping or nursing at least 8 times per day for 10-15 minutes of double pumping.
If you are already nursing eight times per day, use your breast pump to simulate a growth spurt.  Studies show that you need one hour of additional stimulation per day to increase milk supply.  Pump an additional 10-15 minutes three times per day for five days in a row to simulate a growth spurt and increase milk supply.  If you miss a day, start the process over. You can accomplish this by moving feedings and or pumping to every 2 hours instead of every three or pump.  Frequency is better than duration for increasing milk supply so don't cheat by making pumping times longer.  They need to be more often.

Are there other supplements that help with maintaining milk supply?
Motherlove More Milk Plus comes in a liquid filled capsule with just the right combination of galactagogues to increase milk supply in most mothers.  In addition, products from Motherlove offer specific instructions for dosage in relation to lactation.
There are several other supplements that I would recommend substituting for snacks. Instead of a cookie, grab a Milkmakers Lactation Cookie.  Moms do need an additional 500 calories per day to make milk.  Most of us get them instinctively, but if you are already over your calorie limit, a good mothers milk tea is a good option.  

Are there other tips for maintaining a healthy milk supply?
Busy moms can sometimes miss feeding and or pumping.  Don't just forget them, make up for missed pumping times at work when at home or put later in the day pumping closer together if you have a meeting.  If you are out for a short time and someone else is fed the baby before you could make it back, make sure to pump immediately upon return.  This helps milk supply as well as restocking your freezer.

Is my body capable of making enough milk?  
Insufficient milk supply syndrome is actually very rare.  A mother with a complete mastectomy on one breast can still nourish a baby just as a mother of twins can nourish two. Most milks supply issues are about mismanagement of stimulation of the breast and insufficient extraction of the milk, making your body think it doesn't need to make more.  
What other tips do you have for managing milk supply?

• Nurse within the first 30 min to 1 hour after birth, delaying the bath for skin to skin contact.
• Try to minimize engorgement and don't leave engorgement unresolved.  Nurse often, waking the baby every 2-3 hours.  Use warm compresses and a breast pump if the breasts are too hard for the baby to latch on.  The first day, the baby tends to sleep longer after the initial hour after birth, but continue to try and after that 6-10 hour period increase your efforts.
• Don't miss feeding unless you are pumping.
• Don't forget about growth spurts when you are working.  If you are away from your baby at the 3 week, 6 week, 3 month or 6 month time period, pump every 2 hours instead of every 3 for a total of 11-12 nursing or pumping sessions per day.
• Delay solid foods until the baby had not only double his birth weight but is sitting alone unassisted.  Sitting without help (even from a Boppy) coincides with the loss of a tongue thrust reflex that indicates readiness for solids.
• Feed solids only after breastmilk.  Breastmilk is still the main source of nutrition for at least the first year so do not fill the baby up on inferior food.  Nurse or give breastmilk first.  Besides, who wants green beans on your breast?

Here's to a healthy milk supply!
Tanya

References:
Fenugreek: One Remedy for Milk Production by Kathleen Huggins, RN, MS
Fenugreek: Overlooked but not Forgotten by Rima Jensen, MD

Updated:  2/19/19