Tips for Increasing Milk Supply
Here are some tips for increasing your milk supply. This isn't a to-do list; I always recommend that you take what works best for you and feels doable and leave what doesn't. This is more like a menu of things to choose from and what you choose at 2pm is going to be different than what you choose at 2am and that's perfectly reasonable.
By far the most important thing to impact your milk supply is frequent and effective breast & nipple stimulation by to a goal of 8+ times per 24 hours. When latching is obviously a work in progress, I recommend practicing latching with as many feedings as possible but prioritize pumping to protect your milk supply while we continue to make progress. Skin-to-skin is a great alternative to time spent getting frustrated trying to breastfeed, especially in the first 2 weeks, to stimulate both production & your baby’s feeding instincts.
I recommend planning for at least one episode of 15-20 minutes of stimulation in the 1-5am window. I know it's not easy, but your hormones are already highest overnight and it's an important timeframe to provide stimulation & emptying to signal to your body to maintain and increase milk supply throughout your day.
During pumping sessions massage help increase stimulation & emptying milk from the breast. Manual massage with your own hands works just as well as anything, but if you are pumping frequently consider electric massagers for a hands-free option.
Hand expressing after pumping sessions also improves stimulation & removes extra milk the pump may not have been able to get.
Skin-to-skin stimulates your oxytocin which improves connection, bonding & attachment, relaxation for you & baby, as well as stimulates milk production (especially in the early weeks postpartum). Skin-to-skin is a great way to promote feeding behaviors in your baby as well. Relaxing in skin-to-skin while you get ready for a latch attempt. An alternative to this is to do skin-to-skin as your baby relaxes after a bottle feeding. If they start showing hunger cues, attempt to latch & see what happens! It could be magic, or it could be just a good learning session - but everyone will be a bit more relaxed after some high quality cuddling.
Strive to be as well nourished & hydrated as possible. It’s not an easy task postpartum, but ask for help where you need it and say yes to convenience when you can. Think: snack bars for when you’re pumping, food delivery from friends/restaurants, cases of your favorite coconut water, etc.
Consider power pumping. It involves one hour of pumping, so plan to have a good show ready to play or book to read and timer handy. I recommend doing this only once a day at most, and I think it's most effective if you do it once a day for 2-4 days in a row. The evening (3-8pm-ish) is an ideal time, but the best time is whenever it feels most convenient for you. A lot of people look at this and think UHH NO THANKS and that's A-OK too.
Consider trying supplements that may boost your supply. Nothing will be as effective as frequent stimulation/removal of breast milk by nursing or pumping, but these can be an effective addition for many people. If you’re interested in this, we can speak more about options or you may consult an herbalist.