How to increase breastmilk supply

There are times you will need to increase breastmilk supply using proven strategies. A major struggle that I dealt with during the work week was the ebb and flow of my milk supply.  I always liked to err on the side of pumping more rather than less.  I wanted to make sure I had enough for my baby’s bottles.  But as the week went on I would sometimes see a dip in my supply.  Or at least the amount I was able to pump would go down.  You can read more about if you even need to be concerned with your supply here from Kelly Mom.

But this is my real mom talk about what worked for me, and what I had to do for myself to keep my sanity when pumping.  I know first hand how stressful it can be when it feels like you are drying up.  Relax mama, you can do this, you don’t have to give up just yet.

The following is a list of worked for me when I saw those ounces go down. Here are some strategies on how to increase breastmilk supply.

1. Power Pumping

I was lucky enough to have time at work where I could get a good chunk of time to pump.  I would keep myself all hooked up while working and do 15 min of pumping.  Rest for 10, pump for 10, until I was needed back on my unit.  I mean, for my job I was always needed, but when my supply was dipping it was nice to be able to get my paperwork done on the laptop while I pumped.  This definitely saved my ability to breastfeed.

2. Diet, Water & Fenugreek

Make sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet for both your health and the health of your baby. Eating oatmeal most mornings is suggested to be good for your supply.  Staying hydrated is important too!  I still enjoy drinking the Mother’s Milk Tea.  As far as fenugreek goes, this doesn’t work for everyone, but it was a low cost supplement that I did feel helped a bit.  It did not offer overnight results by any means, but I did notice more consistency with my supply after just a few days when I was taking it (please note: affiliate links, no cost to you, helps me stay home with my baby).

3. Massaging While Pumping

This is a great one.  Use a hands free pumping bra and massage your breasts while pumping, especially during a let down.  During that first 15 minutes I would sometimes get distracted and want to work on the computer without using my hands to massage.  When I didn’t t give into this temptation and actually was “hands on” during pumping I had much better results.  Reading for work helped me multi-task while keeping my hands available.

4. Look at Photos and Videos of Your Baby

The visual cue was very strong for me.  When I felt like I couldn’t get the let down to happen I’d pull up a recent picture of video of my little guy on my phone and within a minute the milk would be flowing.  Our bodies are hardwired to be very efficient at releasing milk when our babies are present.  However, when pumping you sometimes have to trick your brain into thinking the baby is actually there.  Bringing some of babies clothes can also help with this, as the smell of your sweet little one is also a powerful cue for milk.

5. Play Relaxing Music

Stress is a recipe for a difficult pumping experience.  Try to avoid getting into a cycle of worry.  Music can help transport you and help your mind and body let go.  When you can truly relax the let down reflex will be able to work properly.  Having music as a part of your pumping routine will help cue your body and mind that it is time to release milk.  Sometimes, when I was having a good week just walking into the pumping room and putting on the bra was enough to get the flow going.  I had to quickly assemble the bottles before the milk went everywhere.

6. Cue Yourself with Positive Words

It’s true when they say that your body will work to achieve what the mind believes.  Your mind is such a powerful tool.  By thinking positive thoughts and saying them to yourself (such as: “I make plenty of milk for my baby”), you will help your milk supply.  Rather than getting into a cycle of stress, don’t watch the bottles or the amount you are pumping.  Just trust that you will pump enough or know that you can build in time at home to pump if you have too.  Stressing makes it worse, as mentioned above.

7. Watch Videos of Waterfalls on YouTube

Not going to lie, I’ve actually done this.  And yes, it worked!  Thinking about the flowing water rushing down helped give my body the mental cue I needed to make a let down happen.  And it is relaxing too! This was especially helpful later in the day, when I struggled with pumping less at that time.  Just know that you might have better luck pumping more earlier in the day as that is when hormones are higher for milk production.

8. Reach Out to Your Mama Tribe

And if you don’t have one, get one!  This was crucial for my success!  Leaning on other moms that knew exactly what I was going through was a huge help.  I met these moms and their adorable babes through a new mama class at a local parenting center.  We met when our babies were just weeks old.  I highly recommend finding one in your area (be sure to check out Amma Parenting if you live in the Twin Cities, MN).  Being a part of this group helped lift the guilt I was feeling as a new mom and normalize my experience.  Not to mention, staying in touch has helped us share various tips and tricks that we have learned along the way.  Shout out to my Amma mamas!  Thanks for being such an essential part of my mothering experience, I’m so glad we have each other!

How about you? What has your experience been when low-supply has crept up on you? Any solutions that I’m missing here, please feel free to add them to the comments below!