Breastfeeding Tips & Breast Pump Guide | Lactation Connection

Moms often ask, how much water should I be drinking while breastfeeding?  What they are really asking is how much water do I need to make more milk.  The answer:  water does not make milk .  Breastmilk is made from blood and while your body does not function well at any task if dehydrated, drinking too much water can have several negative effects on breastfeeding. The first was over-hydration can negatively effect breastfeeding is actually reducing milk supply.  Not only is there no data to support the assumption that increasing water intake significantly increases milk supply, there are actually studies showing the opposite. One significant study by Illingworth and Kilpatrick tested 210 postpartum mothers.  Half of which drank an average of 69 oz daily and the other half exceeded 100 oz daily.  The mothers forced to drink beyond normal amounts produced less milk and their babies gained less weight.   Another disadvantage to too...