How to Increase Your Milk Supply Fast: 8 Tips to Double Your Milk Production

Even after breastfeeding your newborn regularly, he is not gaining enough weight?— A lack of milk supply can be the topmost possible reason.

If additional signs include lesser and infrequent poop along with colored pee, the reason is assured. But sadly, without breast pumping, there is no other way to check how much milk you are producing.

So, better play on the safe side. Apply these 8 effective tips to boost your milk production.

Try Not to Add Supplements in Your Baby’s Diet

If your newborn is getting enough breast milk, seems healthy and content, then try avoiding to add any other supplements such as formula or water. In fact, even after they start having solid foods try to keep the ratio high for breast milk.

Because supplements make your little used to a different taste. That might end up your suckling baby denying breast milk, or even if not denying, having a very little amount. This will lead to infrequent nursing and result in insufficient milk production.

Nurse Frequently and Nurse on Demand

The first few months after the baby’s arrival is exhausting for every mother. Feeding them in every 2-3 hours of interval is a real struggle. But you need to do it for the first two months at least.

Infrequent breastfeeding means less stimulation and less stimulation means lesser production of milk.

So, it’s better not to stick with any rigid routine for feeding your baby. Breastfeed your little one frequently when he’s awake. And if he sleeps longer then express your milk and store it safely for feeding him later.

Stimulating Exercises Help

Do some exercise for stimulating the production process of your breast milk. Your amazing body develops the glandular tissues during the pregnancy. These tissues produce milk and express it through the milk ducts in your breast.

But, to produce and express enough milk you need to stimulate it on a regular basis by breast compressing and massaging the breasts while nursing your baby.

Use an Efficient Power Pump

For busy moms, it’s not always possible to compress and massage the breasts manually every now and then. In those cases, a power pump comes for your rescue.

Power pumps drain your breasts completely and boost milk production. If you haven’t tried one yet check out some great power pumps from this list.

Pump your breasts in specific intervals. For example, 20 minutes pumping followed by 20 minutes rest, then again 10 minutes pumping and 20 minutes rest, and so on.

Don’t Rush While Nursing

Take quality time with patience while nursing. Paying too much attention on the clock and shortening the nursing time will end up producing less milk.

So, let your baby take his time and drain all the milk stored in your both breasts. Draining your breasts completely will send a signal to your body to produce more milk. That’s how the cycle of supply and demand is maintained.

Add Lactation Stimulating Foods to Your Diet

Foods that contain galactagogues are known to be good stimulators for producing breast milk. To boost up your milk production, you should redo your diet chart including such foods.

Milk stimulating foods include wheat germ, flax seed meals, brewer’s yeast, whole oats and etc. There are some helpful recipes out there on the internet. You should try out these lactation food recipes and take note of what works best for you.

Quit Alcohol or Smoking

Being the mother of a newborn, we assume you have already quitted on alcohol and smoking already in your pregnancy period. But if you have started it all over again after giving birth, bad news for you.

Intoxicants like cigarettes and alcohol contain sedative and galactogenic properties which rectify the milk production process. According to a study by CDC, Alcohol and smoking does not only affect breast milk production.

It also damages an infant’s brain and mental development, growth, and sleep patterns. So it’s high time to say NO to all types of intoxicants for the sake of your little munchkin.

Eat Healthy and Drink More

Cliché but important. There is no alternative to eating healthy and drinking more and more water. Although caring for a newborn takes a lot of effort and time, you can’t do that when you are in a good state.

To produce sufficient breast milk you need to eat a drink a lot within short intervals during the day. Besides that, take good rest.

If needed, set a reminder for snacks and drinking. If you are well hydrated and nutritious, then your body will regain the energy to produce more for your little one.

Final Words

These are a few tips to help you increase your milk production. If these tips still don’t help you, consult with your pediatrician or a lactation expert.

However, remember the ounces of milk will never measure your love for your child. Your efforts that took you here says it all.

Julie Higgins
Author
Julie is a Staff Writer at momooze.com. She has been working in publishing houses before joining the editorial team at momooze. Julie's love and passion are topics around beauty, lifestyle, hair and nails.