Tips on how to produce more breast milk

Breastfeeding: Tips to Increase Your Milk Supply l University Hospitals l Northeast Ohio

Signs That a Breastfed Baby Is Being Well Nourished

• Your baby nurses at least 8 to 16 times in 24 hours, or every 2 to 3 hours. Your baby may be fussy once or twice a day. At these times, he or she wants to nurse often for several hours before seeming full. This is called cluster feeding.
• Your baby wets at least 6 cloth or 5 disposable diapers and has at least 1 bowel movement in 24 hours. This occurs by 1 week of age.
• You can hear your baby swallow milk while nursing or you can feel your baby swallow when lightly touching his or her throat.
• Your breasts seem softer after nursing.
• Your baby gains 4 to 8 ounces a week after the first week. There is no need to weigh your baby at home. Your baby’s doctor will do this for you. You may notice that your baby has outgrown his or her clothing.
• Your baby has regained his/her birthweight by 10 to 14 days after birth.

Factors Which Can Cause Your Milk Supply to Decrease

• Your baby feeds fewer than 8 to 16 times in 24 hours. Milk production is affected by how well the breast is drained.
• Your baby has a very weak suck, or has an improper latch.
• Giving bottles of formula or water after nursing. Most babies will suck on a bottle after nursing. This just means they need to suck. It does not mean they are still hungry. Babies cry or fuss for many reasons, such as being tired, bored, wet, hot or cold.
• Giving solid foods too early and/or before you breastfeed. Most babies do not need solid foods for the first 6 months if they are breastfeeding 8 to 16 times a day.
• Smoking can cause a decreased milk supply and interfere with the letdown reflex. Here are some things you should do:
  • Try to quit or cut down.
  • Smoke after nursing, not before.
  • Don’t smoke in the same room with your baby.
• Beginning birth control pills too soon can decrease your milk supply. Wait at least 6 weeks before taking birth control pills and then use only the mini-pill (Progestin). If you still notice a decrease in your milk supply, talk to your doctor about other birth control options. Other medications may also affect milk supply. Check with your doctor. (Refer to PI-682, Breastfeeding and Birth Control: You Have Options.)
• Mothers who are exhausted may notice a decrease in milk supply. To keep yourself from getting too tired:
  • Sleep or relax when your baby sleeps.
  • Eat balanced diet that includes high-protein food.
  • Drink when you are thirsty so that your urine is pale yellow in color. Both under and excessive over hydration can decrease milk supply.
  • Take an iron supplement if your healthcare provider says you are anemic.
  • Talk with your doctor or nurse midwife about the need for vitamin supplement.
  • Accept help when it is offered.
• Use nipple shields and pacifiers with caution.
• A breast flange that is too small or too large in size can hurt your milk supply.
• Pregnancy
• Breast reduction surgery may reduce milk supply.

If You Notice Your Milk Supply Is Low

You can increase your milk supply by:

• Nursing your baby often. Nurse every 2 hours during the day and every 3 to 4 hours at night (at least 8 to 16 times in 24 hours). If your baby will not nurse, use a good quality double electric breast pump to increase milk production. Pumping after breastfeeding signals your body to produce more milk.
• Nurse your baby at least 15 minutes at each breast. Do not limit nursing time. If your baby falls asleep after one breast, wake him or her and offer the second breast. A few babies may benefit from nursing at one breast per feeding to increase the fat content of the feeding. Switch nursing- switching breasts several times during a feeding has been shown to increase milk supply.
• Gently massage breast before and during feedings.
• Use relaxation techniques to reduce stress and promote the flow of breast milk.
• Provide skin to skin time with your baby for about 20 minutes after feeds. This “kangaroo care” has been shown to increase milk supply.
• Be sure baby is positioned and latched correctly.
• Offer both breasts at each feeding.
• Try breast compression during the feeding to help drain the breast.
• Pump immediately after breastfeeding during the day. Rest at night. Some mothers find that they get more milk if they pump for 5 minutes, rest for 5 minutes, and pump for another 10 minutes.

Talk to your doctor about using medication or the herb fenugreek.

Works Cited

Wambach, Karen and Riordan, Jan “Breastfeeding and Human Lactation”, Fifth edition, Jones & Bartlett, 2016.

How to Produce More Milk

If you are struggling with increasing your breast milk supply, here is a look at some of the ways that you can maximize your milk production.

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How to Increase Milk Supply

Now that you and baby have gotten the hang of breastfeeding basics, it’s very common if you might be feeling unsure if you’re making enough milk. One of the many questions that might go through your mind is, “how can I start producing more milk?” If baby is gaining weight well, you probably don’t need to be worried about low milk supply. If you do feel you have low breast milk supply, be sure to talk with your doctor or a lactation consultant. You can also see below for a number of helpful ways to increase your milk supply:

Express your milk as often as possible. Your breast milk is produced on a supply and demand basis. How often and how much milk is removed from the breast are the main factors that determine how much milk will be made. In other words, the more often the milk is removed from the breasts (by baby or breast pump), the more milk the breasts will produce. Parents often ask if there is anything they can do to increase their supply of breast milk quickly. When it comes to production, though, regularity is a key factor.

Increase how often you nurse and/or pump. You can increase the frequency that you empty your breasts to start signaling your body to produce more milk. Some moms have seen a great response when adding an evening or early-morning nursing or pumping session. Make sure you’re nursing or pumping at least eight times a day. Keep a printable feeding and pumping log on hand to carefully track your pumping sessions, your little one's feedings, and other important information to help you stay organized as your breast milk feeding routine changes.

If you’re exclusively pumping your breast milk for your baby, double pumping (pumping on both sides at once) will yield more milk and decrease the amount of time you spend pumping. Even if you’re not getting the yield you want at first, don’t be discouraged. Over time, there is a good chance that your body will respond to the increased regularity of pumping or nursing by increasing your milk supply.

Nurse and pump. Another way to boost your supply is to breastfeed and then pump. Sometimes your breasts may not feel completely “empty” after nursing, so add a pumping session right after your baby finishes eating. This will stimulate your body to produce more and start increasing milk supply – even if it’s just a little bit.

Keeping a copy of current breast milk storage guidelines (also available in Spanish) on your fridge or at your pumping station can help you remember when to refrigerate, freeze, and feed your pumped milk to your little one, so none of that precious liquid gold goes to waste. Every drop counts!

Focus on self-care. Taking good care of yourself can also impact your breast milk supply and potentially increase breast milk production. Try keeping healthy snacks and bottles of water stashed by your bedside table or the chair or couch where you most frequently nurse. Find time to relax and focus on yourself – take a bath, take a nap, read a book, whatever helps relax you. It may seem nearly impossible to find the time, but by taking care of yourself, you are taking care of your baby, too!

Consult with the professionals. If your concerns about low breast milk supply go beyond what’s been suggested, you can always reach out to a lactation professional. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant can help determine what might be affecting your milk production and work with you to find ways to address and resolve these challenges.

Lactation enhancements. Some moms have turned to lactation enhancements (galactagogues) to increase breast milk production. Studies are mixed as to their effectiveness, but each mom should explore these options for herself and make the appropriate choice for her breastfeeding journey.

Teas, cookies, and smoothies containing herbs like fenugreek or alfalfa, or common ingredients like flaxseed meal, oats, and brewer’s yeast, are often used as natural lactation enhancements. Be sure to consult with your doctor or lactation consultant before utilizing these products to ensure their safety and efficacy.

Be Patient with Yourself

If you’re not getting the results you want right away, don’t be discouraged! Sticking to an established pumping and nursing routine, expressing often, communicating regularly with your doctor or a lactation consultant, and taking care of yourself are time-tested ways to increase your breast milk supply.

In the end, as long as baby is happy, healthy, and growing, you shouldn’t be worried about your breast milk supply. Always consult with your baby’s doctor (and yours!) or a lactation consultant if you’re concerned. It’s okay (and totally normal!), if you need a little bit of help on your breastfeeding journey!

How to increase the amount of milk for a nursing mother? - an article in the blog of the medical center Health for Children in Moscow

Breastfeeding is the key to good health and mental peace of the child for years to come. But besides this, breastfeeding solves most of the mother's issues: from financial issues to the convenience of building your day and bonding with your baby. Galina Vladimirovna Loseva, our most sought-after pediatrician with more than 20 years of experience, tells how to increase the amount of milk for good nutrition of a child

The problem of lack of milk can occur both in the early neonatal period, when lactation is becoming established, and later, for example, during lactation crises, which can occur at certain periods of time (3-6 weeks, 3-4 months, 6 months), as well as after temporary weaning during the mother’s illness or the need to take certain medications that are incompatible with breastfeeding.

Ways to increase lactation:

• Feeding on demand , especially during early lactation. Frequent feedings in the first weeks of life are essential for maximizing the number of prolactin receptors to ensure sufficient milk production in the long term. Without these receptors, lactation will be at risk by 2-3 months of age. It is advisable to attach the baby to the breast as soon as possible after childbirth. If possible, do not use bottle supplements without a good reason. Night feedings are obligatory, the need for them usually lasts up to about 6 months.
• Proper breastfeeding. The baby must include both the nipple and areola. His mouth should be wide open with his lower lip turned outward
• You can use post-feeding pumping to increase milk production. And at the same time, freeze milk to create a reserve in case the mother leaves or a case of illness in which it is necessary to interrupt breastfeeding.
• Rational nutrition for breastfeeding women. The menu should contain cereals, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, fruits, dairy products are better than sour-milk, a small amount of nuts is acceptable. The use of strict hypoallergenic diets in a woman without an allergic history is unacceptable. Spicy dishes, spices, fried foods are excluded, this can affect the taste and smell of milk.
• Drinking enough liquid - water, green tea, compotes, fruit drinks. Drinks should preferably be warm or hot. It is recommended to take liquid 20-40 minutes before feeding.
• Eliminate alcohol, nicotine, including passive smoking.
• Compliance with the rest regimen , psycho-emotional peace, positive attitude. This is largely determined by the attitude of close people who can help a nursing mother in household chores, caring for other children, etc.
• Warm shower, light breast massage just before feeding.
• If you still need supplementary feeding, then it is better to give it with a pipette, spoon, syringe without a needle.
• Pharmacy products: Laktogon, Femilak. From herbs, galega, cumin, anise are considered safe. However, relying only on these funds is not worth it if the above points are not observed. They can be used as ancillary, as an addition to the diet of a nursing mother, which may be insufficient for certain reasons.

The material was provided by a pediatrician with more than 20 years of experience Galina Vladimirovna Loseva.

All recommendations should be applied after full-time consultation with a specialist doctor.

Pumping when mom needs to go away | Philips Avent

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