How To Increase Milk Supply Fast

When I had my baby, I had no problem beginning to breast feed. The baby immediately latched, she knew exactly what to do and everything was great for about four weeks. I was pumping a bit and breastfeeding. I own my own business so maternity leave is not something entrepreneurs could do. Thankfully my job allowed me to be with my baby and take care of her, but my milk supply was dropping.

There is so much advice for increasing a low milk supply but Mothers do not have time to sift through them all. So this will keep it simple. A lot of low milk supply challenges can be fixed easily. After speaking to a lactation consultant, going through trial and error and speaking to so many different new Moms, here are the top ways to help increase your milk supply.

What HELPS Increase Milk Supply

Water

Yes, this sounds basic but is often overlooked by Mothers. Let’s face it, you may be working, taking care of a baby, trying to maintain a house and just adjusting to Motherhood. Sit back and take a drink of water. Take two. Keeping hydrated helps you produce milk.

Find the right breast pump for you- We all want to save money. Getting a breast pump that works and causes you minimal pain is so important. You may be tempted to get a breast pump for the best price. A cheap breast pump may not necessarily be a good one and that can cause problems expressing milk and therefore bringing down your milk supply. Paying a little extra for a good breast pump or even renting one from the hospital can be a huge change in your milk supply. Rent is usually very low and this can really increase your milk supply. It also helps you test out a breast pump that is good for you, so you could eventually buy one for yourself.

Eliminate as much Stress as You Can

Can stress play a big part in your supply? Absolutely! Your body knows when it is under pressure so your supply can run thin. Know you are doing a great job as a parent. Know you are enough. Know your baby loves you and feels your love. From there, look at outside factors to try to relieve stress. This is about you and your baby. Outside drama, worrying about whether your house is completely clean or not, losing all of your baby weight as fast as you can can take a back seat to taking care of yourself and your baby. Your mental health is as important as your physical health so stress less and eliminate as much stress as you can.

Offer both breasts to the baby

Do you breastfeed with one breast during one feeding and another breast at another feeding? You should not neglect one breast in favor of another, this can really lower your milk supply quickly and confuse your body. Rotate during each feeding so each breast is being used. The body then knows that it is breastfeeding regularly and keeps replenishing milk for your baby.

Get your Thyroid checked

Just to make sure your low milk supply is not being effected by a thyroid challenge. Talk to your doctor for a checkup or go to see a specialist. A quick check can not only help you with your milk supply but it can also help with your overall health if something is wrong.

Eat Foods high in these vitamins and minerals!

It’s always good to get those vitamins and minerals to help with your milk supply. It is recommended to have foods with calcium, vitamin D, iron and folic acid in your diet if you are a breast feeding Mom! You can incorporate these through supplements (talk to your doctor first) or finding healthy and delicious foods that have these vitamins and minerals. We bet you will not only increase your milk supply, but learn a delicious recipe or two on the way!

Commit to 100% Breastfeeding

Are you are sublimating with formula but want to exclusively breastfeed? It’s time to take the leap. Your breasts will begin to produce more milk and you will be able to achieve your goal of exclusively breastfeeding your baby. This journey can be challenging, especially as first but it is so healthy for your baby and it also helps you bond with your little one. If you believe breast feeding is best for you, take the leap to exclusively breast feed!

Take hot showers and express

If you feel any lumps, bumps or just want to express more milk, treat yourself to a hot shower. Massage your breasts, especially where they may be small lumps and express milk. It will relieve you so you are not so uncomfortable but also increase your milk supply which is great for baby.

We have also read for Mothers who believe that their milk supply lowers at night that taking a hot shower increases your low milk supply at night.

Massage

Massage your breasts, especially if you are feeling lumps or bumps. Lightly massage yourself to express milk and to encourage milk flow. This can help ease the feeling of fullness, painful blockages and more.

See a Lactation Consultant

Having a person on your side during the breastfeeding journey to increase your milk supply is key. A lactation consultant can put your fears at ease that your baby is getting enough milk, help you breastfeed in the best way possible and of course, help you feel good about your breast feeding journey. They can also help you avoid painful blockages and mastitis.

Bake your own lactation cookies

Many new Moms swear on lactation cookies. Lactation cookies are cookies that are known to boost milk production. You deserve a treat that is going to help you increase your milk and taste great. Here is a link to a lactation cookie recipe that really helped me when I was trying to increase my milk supply.

Try Herbs

This worked great for some Moms and did not work at all for others. The best bet is to talk to your doctor on how herbs can increase your milk supply and whether or not any prescription is right for you.

Increasing your milk supply can be a stressful time for a new Mother who just wants to feed her baby. You already have a lot on your plate. These tips helped me increase my milk supply and feel better while I am feeding my baby. It helped me with my stress, my supply and most of all better bond with my baby.

Read more about breastfeeding and bonding!