How to Increase Low Milk Supply for Breastfeeding Moms
It can be frustrating to deal with low milk supply when all you want is to feed your baby. Most moms begin producing milk at birth; the goal is to have the baby begin feeding as soon as possible because demand tends to increase supply. However, some moms don’t produce enough breast milk to fully nourish and satisfy their rapidly growing baby. If you have low milk production, there are some things you can do to increase your milk supply such as using essential oils.
Drink
While you want to avoid alcohol and caffeine, you should be drinking more fluids than ever before. The better you are hydrated, the better your body will work to produce breast milk. Drinking water, milk, juice, and herbal teas are ideal for hydrating your body in a healthy manner.
Eat
You may find that you are stressing and worrying which can decrease your appetite. It is important that you have a well-balanced diet, and include foods such as garlic, asparagus, and apricots which stimulate the hormones for lactation. Get plenty of fruits and proteins that will help keep you and baby healthy.
Empty Your Breasts
Nurse your baby frequently and allow the baby to nurse as long as they are actively nursing. This will help you empty your breasts more frequently and therefore increase the demand on your body to produce more milk. If you have a sleepy nursing baby use a pump when the baby is finished nursing to make sure you are removing more milk to increase the supply.
Not producing enough breast milk may feel like a clue that you shouldn’t breastfeed, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth, it’s just another challenge to work through in order to do what is the best for your baby. Your body is made for this, and if you are producing some milk, you can produce more!
I had no idea that some mothers have difficulty providing milk.
I dont have to do this anymore I will pass it along to others who need this
I do wish that I’d known all this when I had my first, it was learn as I went with me. Back then 1977 formula feeding was most popular. For breast feeding I was told to only feed every 4 hours, weighing my son before and after each feed. If he’d drunk 10 gm less than on a chart then I was to mix up formula for the 10 gm!! Needless to say my first I only fed for 9 weeks. For the next I fed on demand which worked much better. The longest I fed one of my 7 was a year, I then had to give up sharpest as I had a cyst in my breast and my gynecologist said otherwise things would go from bad to worse and I’d need an OP. Thankfully it only took a week and I was saved the OP, close shave though.
There are some women who simply cannot breastfeed; the guilt is horrible so I am a huge proponent of a fed baby (no matter whether its formula or breast milk) is a happy baby. But there are definitely ways to increase milk flow as stated above…
Totally agree!
Interesting, will pass on this info, you never know who might need to this
that’s a really informative post
Thank you!