Ways to Increase Breast Milk Supply

Maintaining a steady milk supply is crucial to breastfeeding mothers. Unfortunately, just about everything that you do or eat can have an affect on your milk supply. If you need to increase your breast milk supply, there are a few commonly successful methods to try.

Pumping

The best way to increase your milk supply is to breastfeed more often. Breastfeeding works on a supply and demand scale. Therefore, the more milk you express, the more milk your body will make. If you are breastfeeding regularly, this shouldn't be a problem. However, if you are missing feedings because of work, or sleeping through them, you might find a decrease in your supply. Purchase a pump, and make sure that you pump regularly, even if your baby is not eating regularly. Pumping at work can keep your supply up so that you are able to continue breastfeeding when you return home. Pumping and breastfeeding simultaneously will inevitably increase your supply, so it's encouraged, especially for mothers whose babies are not yet eating well, or not taking in enough at each feeding.

Breastfeeding Vacation

Often, a busy life can get in the way of your continual breastfeeding, resulting in a lowering of your breast milk supply. If this is the case, consider a breastfeeding vacation. If you can take the time off, grab some of your favorite movies and books, and simply stay home and make breastfeeding your number-one priority. Stay in bed if you can, and nurse every two to three hours for at least two days. This tricks your body into producing enough milk to feed your baby every three hours for two days. It takes 48 hours for a change in supply to take place, which is why a breastfeeding vacation needs to be two days for it to be effective in increasing your supply.

Supplements

Certain supplements can help your milk supply increase when taken daily. Fenugreek has been used with great success and can be found at most health food stores. Breastfeeding mothers should take Fenugreek only with their health care provider's supervision. Fenugreek stimulates the hormones that increase milk production, and that increase should occur 24 to 72 hours from first taking Fenugreek. You can take Fenugreek as long as necessary, but once your supply has increased, it is generally safe to stop taking it,