How Do I Increase My Milk Supply?
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If you have done it, you know that breastfeeding is no easy task- especially when you are just starting out. There are sore, cracked, and blistered nipples and your back and neck ache from bending over yourself to see if they are latching. But just when you feel like quitting, it all seems to work itself out. And if it doesn’t, make sure you take advantage of all of those amazing lactation consultants!
When my milk came in and my little guy started gaining weight, I felt like the ultimate boss! I was able to feed him and pump away about 50 6oz bags for the freezer in the first 7 weeks of his life. Everything was great.
Well, that is until the freezer was left open, all of my collected milk went to the trash, and my milk supply started going downhill. I FREAKED! It started slowly, and before I knew it, I was having to nurse him for up to 45 minutes to be minimally satisfied, and when I pumped I was lucky to get a few drops out. So I started researching and implementing a ton of different techniques and got varying results. Some worked, but were short term fixes, and some seem to be working so far. Take a look below for some ways to increase milk production!
Lactation Cookies: Cookies made with Oatmeal, Flaxseed, and Brewers Yeast was all I ate for days on end. And it started to work by the second day! I was able to feed him and pump about 3oz throughout the day. But as a few more days went by, I was right back where I started and had to give him the 3oz I had put away after his night feeding.
Mother’s Milk Tea: This one worked even better than the lactation cookies, but only when I drank it three or more times a day. I personally love tea, but I couldn’t stand the sickeningly sweet smell of licorice or the taste. I am not sure if it was the ingredients, or the fact that I was adding several more cups of liquid to my diet that it increased my supply, but it also fizzled out after a couple weeks. I was not able to pump any extra using Mother’s Milk Tea, he was just very satisfied nursing.
Non-Alcoholic Beer: Bleh, this was my least favorite of all! I absolutely HATE the taste of beer. But, it was the most effective for a “quick fix.” I would drink one non-alcoholic beer throughout the day and I would feel a let down about an hour after drinking it. While I was producing way more, I don’t think the quality was as good or fatty, because my little guy would need to drink way more than usual to feel satisfied and full. Therefor, I was still not able to pump. On the plus side though, there was milk for him constantly so he didn’t feel frustrated when he was hungry and trying to nurse.
Monitoring My Intakes: I started setting alarms on my FitBit for water, food, and vitamins and I didn’t realize how little water I was really drinking and that I wasn’t fueling my body with enough wholesome snacks throughout the day. I also got The Honest Co. Postnatal Lactation Plus supplements with fenugreek, milk thistle, veggies, and all that good stuff. I have noticed my milk is the same fat consistence as it was before my milk supply went down since really looking at my day, and I feel so much better and have more energy. I started this regimen about 4 days ago and am feeling more confident about this than any of the above. I will update in about a week to see if it stuck!
What did you do to increase your milk supply when breastfeeding??
