How To Boost Your Milk Supply

Alright, if you have made it to this article, it is probably because you have read a bunch of other ones out there on the internet and still feel like you have not found the answers that you are looking for.

Can eating cookies really boost my supply?

What about those body armor drinks that I keep seeing people talking about on Facebook?

What about oatmeal?

I am going to give it to you straight.

There is no magic pill, food or drink that is going to magically boost your milk supply overnight. I am sorry to tell you, but it really is true. I know, I know. I want those click-baity pin images of 8oz of expressed breast milk with the title “increase your milk supply overnight” to be true too.

Trust me, I really do.

But unfortunately, there is no real way to increase your breast milk supply overnight from drops to buckets. However, there are ways to increase your supply.

It Is All About Supply And Demand, Baby!

Breast milk production can be a tricky thing to understand, but from what I have gathered from my own experience as well as the experiences of other moms I know, breast milk is a supply and demand system.

If you are not demanding milk to be made from your breasts, then they simply will not make it.

And no, I am not talking about the “yell and point” kind of demanding. I am talking about demanding milk to be made by removing all the milk that has already been made.

When the breasts are empty, it signals the body to make more milk, and fast. On the contrary, when you are feeling engorged or havent latched your baby on in a couple of hours, you probably are hurting your supply.

Leaving milk to sit in your breasts without removing it tells your body that it does not need to make as much as it is at the time, even if the opposite is true. That means over time, your body will slowly make less and less milk and your supply will start to dry up. No bueno.

Milk Removal Equals Milk Production

SO, taking what we have learned, we now know that removing milk from the breasts is what triggers them to make more. So what do we do with that information?

Well, remove. the. milk. from. your. breasts.

You can do this by either latching your baby on, or using a pump. I understand that sometimes babies can be fussy and not want to take the breast, even when they are hungry and it is offered to them.

Sometimes though, babies just refuse breast, no matter how engorged and ready for a feeding your breasts may be.

Make sure that if you are supplementing and giving your baby a bottle at that time when they are fussing and refusing to eat from the breast that you are still removing milk from them. This is where a pump comes in super handy.

I have tried out several of the pumps on the market. Electric ones that I had to plug in to the wall, electric ones that have a fancy little battery pack so I don’t have to be close to an outlet, and too many hand pumps to count. My all time favorite pump to use though is this one here.

Whatever pump you do decide to use though, just make sure that you are using it when your baby is not eating from the breast but is eating from a bottle instead.

Pump, Pump, Pump It Up, Mama!

Breast fed babies tend to want to feed a heck of a lot more often than formula fed babies want to feed, but still you may find yourself with a lack of milk supply that you desire.

If that is the case, try pumping once or twice every day in between your babies feedings. Don’t pay attention to how much you are getting the first few times that you do this, either. Pumping in between feedings is not so much about removing a bunch of milk in that moment. It is more about letting your body know, “hey! I need more milk over here!”

Don’t Give Up Too Easily.

I know, I know. I said it once before in the beginning of this post and I will say it again for you too.

I wish boosting my milk supply were as simple as taking a pill.

I wish it were as easy as drinking a yummy drink.

I wish it were as easy as eating some yummy lactation cookies.

Unfortunately though, it isn’t. While Staying hydrated and eating right, taking vitamins and taking care of yourself will boost the quality of your milk, it does not really do a whole lot to boost the amount that you are making.

At the end of the day, I am right there with you. I understand how hard breastfeeding is, so remember this…

YOU ARE SO FREAKING STRONG.

You care about giving your baby the best nutrition, even if it means sore nipples, leaky breasts and sleepless nights up power pumping and feeding the baby.

You are so strong, and you should recognize that about yourself.

Keep going, mama. You’ve got this!

XOXO,

Lia