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The Best Ways to Increase Breastmilk Supply

I love breastfeeding. It is a wonderful thing to experience. Breastfeeding creates a special bond between you and your baby, that no one else can ever dream of having. In all honesty, it is hard to explain in words, it is just one of those bonds that every mother should have the chance to experience. And plus, not only is it great for the baby, it’s great for the mama too.

But what happens when your milk production stops? Well, in this post I will give you some easy natural home remedies to help increase your milk supply for your baby.

Every breastfeeding mama has had this worry at least once. The main thing to do is to stay calm and breathe. Everything is going to be just fine! I know that every instinct in your body is telling you to panic, but trust me, that is what exactly what you do not need to do. Stress and your overall health are huge key factors in your milk production. So, make sure you are getting enough rest and you keep fighting those instincts to keep your stress level at a minimum.

What are some homes remedies to help increase breastmilk supply?

• Skin to skin contact– When you go to nurse, take off your shirt and bra, and leave your baby in a diaper, just cover both of you with a blanket. This will help stimulate the hormones that produce your milk, plus it helps with the mommy-baby bond I was talking about before.
• Hydration– Make sure you are drinking lots of water each day. Water makes up 88% of breastmilk, so it is very important to drink water throughout the day. On average, you are supposed to drink half of your body weight in ounces. So Drink Drink Drink!!
• Watch your diet- I know I know, so cliché, but it’s true. There are plenty of foods out there that will help you produce more milk.
• Nurse often- Your baby’s suckling is a great way to get milk moving and producing. The sucking reflex helps stimulate milk production which means, more milk for your baby and for you to pump. So whenever you can nurse, DO IT!!

What foods should I eat to help produce breastmilk?

Food is a great natural way to help produce milk. You are going to be eating food all day every day, so why not eat foods that can help you in more ways than one. Here are my top 5 favorite foods to help with breastmilk production…

#1 Oatmeal

Now I know that plain oatmeal can taste kind of gross, but try adding some honey or cinnamon, that may help with the taste. Or you can try my favorite flavor of oatmeal

– maple & brown sugar-

Just add some milk or water, whichever you prefer.

#2 Spinach

Not only can spinach help with breastmilk production, it is also a great source of iron.

#3 Garlic

Garlic is considered one of the best when it comes to milk production. In my opinion it is a double win for us mommies, it makes our food taste great + we get more milk for our babies.

For those of you that do not like garlic, there is another option for you, it’s called -The Garlic Pill-

It is for people who do not like the taste of garlic. It is known to have the same great results as eating it, but with no after taste.

#4 Carrots

Carrots are rich in Vitamin A which is great for you baby’s growth, along with helping with milk production.

#5 Nuts

Nuts such as cashews, almonds, and macadamia nuts produce serotonin which is the key to milk production. Just make sure to get the nuts with low sodium.

What are some things to do while pumping to increase milk supply?

I struggled with pumping with all three of my kids. They were getting milk straight from me, and you could tell because they were chubby and adorable, but I just could not pump. It would take me hours to just get 5 ounces, so I tried some different approaches to pumping and came up with my own remedies. These may work for you and they may not, I just wanted to share them in hopes that they could help another mama struggling just like me.

Pumping first thing in the morning was one way that helped me to increase my milk supply. I had to make myself get into a routine of doing this. So after I took my oldest to school, I would come back ready to set up and start pumping. Plus, pumping in the mornings has many perks. The milk is full of fresh vitamins, so when you store the milk and give it to the baby later, they not only get all those vitamins but will most likely get a full belly, which leads to better sleep/naps, and less fussiness.

When I am pumping I also like to feed my baby at the same time, what can I say, us mamas have to be multitaskers. But, just like I said before your baby’s suckling will get your milk moving and will help make pumping easier. It also helps to pump and nurse as often as you can. Either each time your baby eats or in between feedings, or both.

Now this is the best advice for a pumping/feeding session..get as comfortable as you can. The more comfortable you are, the less stressful you are, which in return gives you more milk. Also, I’ll grab one or two of the snacks listed above and a tumbler of water to set next to me while I am pumping and feeding. You may think you need to skip this, but trust me it really helps. Even if you don’t grab the snacks, at least have some water next to you. You may not be thirsty now but it is completely normal during or after a pumping/feeding session to be extremely thirsty.

This is my top pick for a breast pump, it has lasted through all three of my kids, with me pumping almost daily. It is very quiet, easy to use, and travels well. If I was in the market for a breast pump I would definitely consider this one.

What remedies or advice do you have to help increase milk production?

If you know someone who has struggled, or you yourself have struggled with milk production, leave us a comment of what helped you the most, maybe your remedy or advice will help someone else.

 

 

Until next time,

Aimee ♥