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How to increase breast milk after delivery


Low Milk Supply | WIC Breastfeeding Support

Many moms worry about low milk supply, but most of the time your body makes exactly what your baby needs, even if you don't realize it. There are also ways to tell if your baby is getting enough milk. If you aren't making enough, there are ways you can build your supply. And your WIC breastfeeding staff is always there to help!

Am I Making Enough Milk?

First, look for these signs that your baby is getting enough milk. For example, pay attention to the number of wet and dirty diapers and your baby's weight gain.

Things you should NOT worry about:

  • How your breasts feel. Your breasts will feel softer and less full as your milk supply adjusts to your baby's needs. This does not mean you have low supply.
  • If your baby nurses for shorter periods of time, such as only 5 minutes on each breast.
  • If your baby's feeds are bunched together. This is called cluster feeding and happens when your baby starts nursing more often and for longer. This can happen in the evenings or because of growth spurts.
  • Not getting much milk when you express. Your baby is much more effective than a pump or hand expression at getting out milk. Find tips to help you pump.

If you are still concerned, talk to your baby's doctor about their growth.

Causes of Low Milk Supply

While most moms make plenty of milk, some do have low milk supply. This might happen if you:

  • Limit your baby's breastfeeding sessions. Remember, the more you feed on demand, the more milk you make.
  • Give your baby infant formula instead of breastfeeding.
  • Introduce solid foods before baby is 4-6 months old.
  • Take certain birth control pills or other medicine.
  • Don't get enough sleep.
  • Drink alcohol or smoke.
  • Have had breast surgery.

Talk to your doctor if you have hepatitis B or C, herpes, or diabetes. These conditions may also affect milk supply.

Increasing Your Milk Supply

Breastfeeding frequently—especially in the first hours, days, and weeks—is the main way to increase your milk supply. Your body will make milk to meet your baby's demand.

Try these tips to help you make more milk:

  • Breastfeed every time your baby is hungry. In the early weeks, your baby will eat 8-12 times every 24 hours. It's best not to put your baby on a strict feeding schedule. Follow your baby's cues, and let your baby tell you when it's time to eat.
  • Make sure your baby is latching well.
  • Offer both breasts at each feeding. Let your baby finish the first side, then offer the other side.
  • Empty your breasts at each feeding. Hand express or pump after a feeding to draw out all the milk and signal your body to make more.
  • Avoid bottles and pacifiers in the early weeks. Feed your baby from your breast whenever you can.
  • Get plenty of sleep, and eat a healthy diet.
  • Pump or express your milk. Pumping or expressing milk frequently between nursing sessions, and consistently when you're away from your baby, can help build your milk supply.
  • Relax and massage. Relax, hold your baby skin-to-skin, and massage your breasts before feeding to encourage your milk to let down.
  • Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest, eat well, drink enough fluids, and let others help you.

Consider Charting Your Progress

Record how often your baby is breastfeeding, for how long, and on which sides. If you are supplementing with infant formula, record how much your baby is getting and decrease the infant formula as your milk supply increases. WIC breastfeeding staff can help you determine how much infant formula your baby needs.

Still Have Questions?

Contact your WIC breastfeeding expert. They can talk to you about supply concerns and give you tips to increase your supply to meet your baby's needs.

How to Increase Breast Milk: Home Remedies, Diet, Supplements

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Can you increase breast milk production?

If you’re worried that you’re not producing enough breast milk for your baby, you’re not alone.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that approximately 75 percent of new mothers start off breastfeeding their babies, but many stop either partially or completely within the first few months. One of the most common reasons for this is worry about insufficient milk production.

For many women, your milk supply is just fine. However, if you do need to increase your breast milk production, there are ways to do it.

Read on to learn how to increase your breast milk production using several evidence-based methods and some practices mothers have sworn by for centuries.

How to increase breast milk production

The following are things that you can do to increase breast milk production. How long it’ll take to boost your milk supply depends on how low your supply is to begin with and what’s contributing to your low breast milk production. Most of these methods, if they’re going to work for you, should begin working within a few days.

1. Breastfeed more often

Breastfeed often and let your baby decide when to stop feeding.

When your baby suckles your breast, hormones that trigger your breasts to produce milk are released. That’s the “let-down” reflex. The let-down reflex is when muscles in your breasts contract and move the milk through the ducts, which happens shortly after your baby begins breastfeeding. The more you breastfeed, the more milk your breasts make.

Breastfeeding your new baby 8 to 12 times a day can help establish and maintain milk production. But this doesn’t mean that more or fewer feedings indicates a problem.

2. Pump between feedings

Pumping between feedings can also help you increase milk production. Warming your breasts before pumping can help make you more comfortable and pump easier, too.

Try pumping whenever:

  • You have milk left over after a feeding.
  • Your baby has missed a feeding.
  • Your baby gets a bottle of breast milk or formula

3. Breastfeed from both sides

Have your baby feed from both breasts at each feeding. Let your baby feed from the first breast until they slow down or stop feeding before offering the second breast. The stimulation of having both breasts breastfed from can help increase milk production. Pumping milk from both breasts simultaneously has also been found to increase milk production and result in a higher fat content in the milk.

4. Lactation cookies

You can find lactation cookies in stores and online on Amazon or you can make your own. While there’s no research available on lactation cookies specifically, some of the ingredients have been linked to an increase in breast milk. These foods and herbs contain galactagogues, which may promote lactation. More research is needed, though.

Some of these include:

  • whole oats
  • wheat germ
  • brewer’s yeast
  • flaxseed meal
Easy lactation cookie recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white flour
  • 2 cups oats
  • 1 tbsp. wheat germ
  • 1/4 cup brewers’ yeast
  • 2 tbsp. flaxseed meal
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Mix the flaxseed meal with water in small bowl and let soak for at least 5 minutes.
  3. Cream the butter and white and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat on low for 30 seconds or until ingredients are combined. Stir in flaxseed meal and water.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, and salt. Add to butter mixture, and stir just until combined. Fold in the oats.
  5. Roll dough into 2-inch balls and place 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges start to golden. Let the cookies stand on the baking sheet for 1 minute. Cool on a wire rack.

You also can add dried fruit, chocolate chips, or nuts for some variety.

5. Other foods, herbs, and supplements

There are other foods and herbs that may increase breast milk production, according to the Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation. Some, such as fenugreek, have been found to take effect in as little as seven days. These foods and herbs include:

  • garlic
  • ginger
  • fenugreek
  • fennel
  • brewer’s yeast
  • blessed thistle
  • alfalfa
  • spirulina

Always talk to your doctor before taking a new supplement, especially when breastfeeding. Even natural remedies can cause side effects.

Potential causes for low milk supply

There are several factors that can interfere with the let-down reflex and cause low milk supply, including:

Emotional factors

Anxiety, stress, and even embarrassment can interfere with the let-down reflex and cause you to produce less milk. Creating a private and relaxing environment for breastfeeding and making the experience enjoyable and free of stress can help increase breast milk production. Try one of these 10 ways to relieve stress.

Medical conditions

Some medical conditions may interfere with milk production. These conditions include:

  • pregnancy-induced high blood pressure
  • diabetes
  • polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Certain medications

Medications that contain pseudoephedrine, such as sinus and allergy medications, and certain types of hormonal birth control may lower breast milk production.

Smoking and alcohol

Smoking and drinking moderate to heavy amounts of alcohol can lower your milk production.

Previous breast surgery

Not having enough glandular tissue because of breast surgery, such as breast reduction, cyst removal, or mastectomy, can interfere with lactation. Breast surgery and nipple piercings can damage the nerves that are connected to breast milk production.

Is your supply low?

You may be worried that your milk supply is low, but low breast milk production is rare. Most women make more than one-third more milk than their babies need, according to the Mayo Clinic.

There are many reasons your baby may cry, fuss, or seem distracted while breastfeeding, but it’s unlikely to be due to your milk supply. Teething, gas pains, or even just being tired can lead to fussiness. Babies are also more easily distracted as they age. This can interfere with feedings and cause them to pull away when you’re trying to breastfeed.

Every baby’s needs are different. Most newborns need 8 to 12 feedings in 24 hours, some even more. As your baby gets older, they’ll feed more efficiently. This means that even though feedings are much shorter, they may be getting more milk in less time. Other babies like to linger and suck longer, often until the flow of milk has almost stopped. Either way is fine. Take your cue from your baby and feed until they stop.

As long as your baby is gaining weight as expected and needing regular diaper changes, then you’re probably producing enough milk.

When your baby is getting enough milk, they will:

  • gain weight as expected, which is 5.5 to 8.5 ounces each week until 4 months
  • have three or four stools every day by 4 days of age
  • have two wet diapers over 24 hours by the 2nd day after birth, and six or more wet diapers after day 5

Regular checkups with your child’s pediatrician will help determine if your milk supply may be low or if your child is undernourished. Tracking feedings and diaper changes can also help your doctor determine whether or not your milk supply is lower than it should be.

If your milk supply is low, supplementing with formula may be an option. Speak to your doctor or a lactation specialist before supplementing feedings with formula to avoid accidental early weaning.

A lactation specialist can create a supplementation plan for you to follow so that you can increase your milk production and gradually decrease supplementation.

When to seek help

If you’re worried that your baby isn’t getting enough milk or feel that your baby isn’t thriving, speak to your doctor or consult a lactation specialist. If low milk production is the problem, correcting it may be as simple as making a few changes to your routine or feeding technique, or adjusting a medication you’re on.

If you’re supply is low or you’re having other trouble with breastfeeding, try to remember the motto “Fed is best.” As long as your baby is well-fed and getting the nourishment they need, breast milk or formula are both fine.

Signs of lack of milk | Improving lactation

Many mothers are concerned about insufficient milk production, but it is not always easy to find out if milk is really low. Read our article to understand if this is true and what can be done about it.

Share this information

“Do I have enough milk?” - a question that is often asked by young mothers. If your baby is healthy and growing well, there is no reason to worry. However, if you are still worried about milk production, it is best to consult a specialist as soon as possible. If everything is in order, he will be able to calm you down. In addition, you will not needlessly feed the baby formula, because of which milk production can really decrease.

Causes of insufficient milk supply

Some mothers do not produce enough breast milk for medical reasons, which include: approximately three days after birth). 1

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction or other hormonal disorders. In some cases, such diseases lead to low milk production. 2
  • A rare medical condition called "mammary hypoplasia" in which there is not enough glandular tissue in the breast to produce milk. 3
  • Breast surgery or injury. However, many mothers who have had breast surgery successfully breastfeed in the future. 4

    • If you have any of the conditions listed, contact your lactation consultant or healthcare provider.

    How milk is produced

    With the advent of milk, the breast begins to work on the principle of supply and demand. Each time after it is emptied, whether it is feeding the baby or pumping, even more milk will be produced.

    This is why milk production may be reduced if you give formula to your baby - your body will not get the signal to produce more milk because it will remain.

    The way your baby eats also affects milk production. The more often and better he sucks the breast, the bigger it will be. If your baby eats only a small portion at one feeding, it is necessary to express milk regularly to maintain the level of its production. Read more about this below.

    Signs that the baby is not getting enough milk

    Although low milk production is rare, the baby may have difficulty feeding in the first few weeks, but for other reasons. You may not be feeding him often enough or for long enough, especially if you're trying to stick to a specific schedule. The baby may not latch on properly, or it may have features that make it difficult to take in milk.

    The following signs indicate that the baby is not getting enough milk:

    • Poor weight gain. In the first few days of life, newborns normally lose 5 to 7%, and sometimes even up to 10%, of their birth weight. However, after that, they should gain at least 20–30 g per day and regain their birth weight by 10–14 days. 5,6,7 If your baby has lost 10% or more of their weight in the early days, or has not started gaining weight by 5-6 days, you should contact your doctor immediately.
    • Not enough wet and soiled diapers. A good indicator of whether a baby is getting enough milk is the number of diapers used per day. Check out our article detailing the norm for wet and soiled diapers in Breastfeeding Your Newborn: What to Expect in the First Week. Seek medical advice if something bothers you or you notice that the number of soiled diapers has begun to decrease.
    • Dehydration. If your baby has dark urine, dry mouth or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), or baby is lethargic, has lost appetite, and may be dehydrated. 6 Dehydration can be caused by fever, diarrhoea, vomiting or overheating. If you notice any of these symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

    Misconceptions about lack of milk

    Newborns usually eat very frequently, about 10-12 times a day or every two hours. This does not mean that they do not have enough milk. Keep in mind that feeding your baby is also about comfort, so it's hard to tell how much milk your baby will eat at each feed, as the amount can vary.

    You have enough milk even if:

    • the child wants to eat often;
    • the child does not want to be laid down;
    • the child wakes up at night;
    • feeding is fast;
    • feeding takes a long time;
    • after feeding, the child takes another bottle;
    • Your breasts are softer than in the first weeks;
    • milk does not leak or has stopped leaking;
    • You cannot express much milk;
    • You have small breasts.

    What to do if your milk supply is low

    If you suspect that your baby is not getting enough milk, contact your lactation consultant or your doctor. It will determine if you are getting enough milk and check how your baby is latch-on and getting enough milk. He may also suggest changing the feeding position or the way the baby is attached to the breast to make it easier.

    Also try holding your baby close to you more often to increase skin-to-skin contact before and during feedings. This stimulates the production of the hormone oxytocin, which promotes milk flow. Use relaxation techniques, such as listening to your favorite soothing music, to reduce anxiety that can negatively impact milk production. 8

    With proper support, most under-lactating mothers can breastfeed their babies at least partially, and some manage to normalize production.

    If your baby is unable to get enough milk directly from the breast (perhaps because he was born prematurely or has special needs), you need to express milk to support his production. Your doctor may prescribe you special drugs that stimulate lactation.

    If you are unable to express enough milk, you will need to supplement your baby with donor milk or formula. This should also take place under the supervision of a physician. The Supplemental Nursing System (SNS)* is a great way to help your baby get all the milk he needs at the breast.

    How to increase your milk production with a breast pump

    If you need to increase your milk production in the first five days after giving birth, you can use a dual electronic breast pump with lactation start technology, such as the Medela Symphony**. Such a breast pump imitates the sucking of the breast by a child and helps to increase milk production in the future. 9

    After your milk comes in, double pumping allows you to get more milk in less time. 10 This method helps to better empty the breast, which also improves lactation.

    Although every mother is different, it is often recommended to express milk immediately or one hour after a feed. This may seem strange, since it is usually easier to express milk from a full breast. However, the pumping session should be seen as an "investment in tomorrow."

    You will probably only be able to express a little milk at first, but don't be discouraged - if you express regularly, your milk supply will increase. Try to empty your breasts - by putting your baby to your breast or expressing milk - 8 to 12 times a day, including one nightly session, when your levels of prolactin (the hormone responsible for producing milk) are highest. The more often you empty your chest, the better. After two to three days of regular pumping, you will notice a significant increase in milk production. For tips on how to get more milk with every pump, see Tips for Using a Breast Pump.

    Pumping with massage to get more milk

    If your baby is not lating at all or you are not yet able to express enough milk for him, a technique called “massage pumping” may be helpful. It helps mothers increase the amount of milk they get in one pumping session. 11.12 The whole process takes about 25-30 minutes. Remember that the better you empty your breast, the faster milk is produced in it.

    A few simple steps are required:

    • Massage your breasts.
    • Perform a double pump while wearing a special bustier top that allows you to keep your hands free.
    • While expressing, squeeze the chest with all fingers for a few seconds. Release and repeat. Squeeze both breasts until the milk flows in a thin stream.
    • Massage your chest again.
    • Express milk manually or with a single breast pump, squeezing each breast in turn to empty them as completely as possible.

    When your baby starts to gain weight and milk production increases, you can switch to exclusive breastfeeding.

    Literature

    1 Pang WW, Hartmann PE. Initiation of human lactation: secretory differentiation and secretory activation. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2007;12(4):211-221. - Pang, W.W., Hartmann, P.I., "Lactation initiation in the lactating mother: secretory differentiation and secretory activation." J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia. 2007;12(4):211-221. 9 E et al . Breastfeeding in polycystic ovary syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2008;87(5):531-535. - Wanky, I. et al., "Breastfeeding in the setting of polycystic ovaries." Akta Obstet Ginecol Scand. 2008;87(5):531-535.

    3 Neifert MR et al. Lactation failure due to insufficient glandular development of the breast. Pediatrics. 1985;76(5):823-828. - Neifert M.R. et al., "Inability to Lactate Due to Deficiency of Glandular Breast Tissue". Pediatrix (Pediatrics). 1985;76(5):823-828.

    4 Neifert M et al. The influence of breast surgery, breast appearance, and pregnancy-induced breast changes on lactation sufficiency as measured by infant weight gain. Birth. 1990;17(1):31-38. - Neifert M. et al., "Effect of breast surgery, breast appearance, and pregnancy-induced breast changes on milk supply as measured by weighing the baby." Bers. 1990;17(1):31-38.

    5 C Tawia S, McGuire L. Early weight loss and weight gain in healthy, full-term, exclusively-breastfed infants. Breastfeed Rev . 2014;22(1):31-42. - S. Tavia S., McGuire L., "Natural Weight Loss and Gain in Healthy, Exclusively Breastfed Full-Term Infants. " Brestfeed Rev (Breastfeeding Review). 2014;22(1):31-42.

    6 Lawrence RA, Lawrence RM. Breastfeeding: A guide for the medical profession. 7th ed. Maryland Heights MO, USA: Elsevier Mosby; 2010. 1128 p . - Lawrence R.A., Lawrence R.M., "Breastfeeding: A guide for healthcare professionals." Seventh edition. Publisher Maryland Heights , Missouri, USA: Elsevier Mosby; 2010. Pp. 1128.

    7 World Health Organization. [Internet]. Neonatal Care . 2012;12(2):112-119 - Keith D.R. et al., "Effects of listening to music on the amount, fat content, composition and calorie content of breast milk in mothers of premature and seriously ill children." Adv Neonatal Care. 2012;12(2):112-119

    9 Meier PP et al. Breast pump suction patterns that mimic the human infant during breastfeeding: greater milk output in less time spent pumping for breast pump-dependent mothers with premature infants. J. Perinatol. 2012;32(2):103-10. - Meyer P.P. et al., "Pumping patterns that mimic breastfeeding behavior: more milk and less time for constantly pumping mothers of preterm infants." J Perinatol (Journal of Perinatology). 2012;32(2):103-10.

    10 Prime DK et al. Simultaneous breast expression in breastfeeding women is more efficacious than sequential breast expression.Breastfeed Med . 2012;7(6):442-447. - Prime D.K. and co-authors. "During the period of breastfeeding, the simultaneous pumping of both breasts is more productive than consecutive." Brestfeed Med (Breastfeeding Medicine). 2012;7(6):442-447.

    11 Stanford University School of Medicine [Internet]. Stanford, CA, USA: Maximizing Milk Production with Hands-On Pumping; 2017. [ Accessed 04/30/2018]. - Stanford University School of Medicine [Internet]. Stanford, CA, USA: "Increased milk production from hand expression"; 2017. [Page accessed 04/30/2018].

    12 Morton J et al. Combining hand techniques with electric pumping increases milk production in mothers of preterm infants. J. Perinatol. 2009;29(11):757-764. - Morton J. et al., "Manual pumping combined with an electric breast pump increases breast milk production in mothers of preterm infants." J Perinatol (Journal of Perinatology). 2009;29(11):757.

    Read instructions before use. Consult a specialist about possible contraindications.

    * RU No. ФСЗ 2010/07352 dated 07/19/10

    ** RU No. ФСЗ 2010/06525 dated 03/17/2021

    How to establish breastfeeding and increase breast milk

    Breast milk is very important for the health of the baby and mother . We will share the secrets of how to improve lactation

    All articles

    Everyone is well aware that mother's milk contains everything that a baby needs in the first months of life. These are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins in the optimal qualitative and quantitative composition, as well as enzymes, hormones, antibodies and immune cells that protect the baby from allergies, infections and chronic diseases.

    We have written about the benefits of breastfeeding more than once, and today we will give you recommendations on how to maintain and increase the amount of breast milk:

    • Feed your baby on demand. It is especially important to do this in the first month of the baby. The child requires constant attention. Between feedings can pass no more than an hour. This is a completely normal process. The more he suckles it, the sooner milk production will begin.

    • Try not to give a bottle. If necessary, supplementary food or water can be given from a spoon. The mechanism of pacifier and bottle sucking is different from breast sucking and can lead to improper attachment and failure.

    • Let the baby stay at the breast for as long as he needs, even if it is more than 30-40 minutes. Use this time to relax or sleep.

    • Take care of a menu that can quickly increase lactation. It should be as satisfying as possible and high in protein.

    • Drink as much liquid as possible: 1.5-2 liters of pure water per day will support lactation at the right level. Weak warm tea, compotes, dill water, fruit drinks are also recommended.

    • Eat in a comfortable position. Make sure that the child completely captures not only the nipple, but also part of the areola. So the milk will be released in the right amount and the nipple will not be injured. If you feel pain, then the baby is doing something wrong. Take the breast out of the baby's mouth and help him grasp it correctly.

    • Remember oxytocin is a hormone that is responsible for the release of milk from the breast. It is helped to form in the female body in sufficient quantities: relaxation, warmth, massage, rest, contact with the child, support from loved ones, self-confidence.

      Learn more