We have a lot of nursing moms who call or come in wanting to know what they can do to increase their breastmilk supply for their baby. Here are some quick general tips!
(If you want to get more personalized advice, stop by for our Breastfeeding Support Group on Tuesday mornings at 10am. Or call us at (818) 380 - 3111 to schedule a one-on-one lactation consult for full evaluation and assistance.)
Ways to help increase your milk supply and help your baby get more milk out:
- Make sure you are bringing your baby to breast often! The leading cause of low milk production is not breastfeeding often enough. In the first month or so, your baby will probably feed every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-5 hours at night (at least eight times in every 24 hour period). Nursing your baby skin-to-skin more often will tell your body that it needs to produce more milk. Remember that the short, frequent feedings are more effective for increasing supply than longer, infrequent feedings.
- If you can't bring your baby to breast as often as you'd like (because you're back at work, etc), make sure that you're pumping at least as often as your baby would be feeding. Whether you use a hospital-grade rental pump or a personal-grade breast pump, make sure that you get a double electric pump so that you can pump both breasts at the same time. Using a hands-free pumping bra makes life a lot easier! For the times you are away from baby, pump when your baby would feed (every 2-3 hours early on). When you are with baby, you can pump for 10-15 minutes after each feeding to further stimulate your breasts and tell your body that more milk is needed.
- If you are breastfeeding & pumping often and you still want a little extra help, you can take galactogogues (herbs or foods to stimulate your breasts to produce more milk). Oats and barley are great grains to help, so eating oatmeal and drinking non-alcoholic barley beer are often recommended. Nutritional yeast or brewer's yeast is full of B vitamins and can boost supply. Green papaya and sesame seeds are used by moms in Asia. There are also galactogogue teas, such as Mother's Milk Tea, and herbal supplements, such as Fenugreek and More Milk Plus by Motherlove.
Need more help? RSVP online for our Breastfeeding Support Group!
(If you want to get more personalized advice, stop by for our Breastfeeding Support Group on Tuesday mornings at 10am. Or call us at (818) 380 - 3111 to schedule a one-on-one lactation consult for full evaluation and assistance.)
Ways to help increase your milk supply and help your baby get more milk out:
- Make sure you are bringing your baby to breast often! The leading cause of low milk production is not breastfeeding often enough. In the first month or so, your baby will probably feed every 2-3 hours during the day and every 3-5 hours at night (at least eight times in every 24 hour period). Nursing your baby skin-to-skin more often will tell your body that it needs to produce more milk. Remember that the short, frequent feedings are more effective for increasing supply than longer, infrequent feedings.
- If you can't bring your baby to breast as often as you'd like (because you're back at work, etc), make sure that you're pumping at least as often as your baby would be feeding. Whether you use a hospital-grade rental pump or a personal-grade breast pump, make sure that you get a double electric pump so that you can pump both breasts at the same time. Using a hands-free pumping bra makes life a lot easier! For the times you are away from baby, pump when your baby would feed (every 2-3 hours early on). When you are with baby, you can pump for 10-15 minutes after each feeding to further stimulate your breasts and tell your body that more milk is needed.
- If you are breastfeeding & pumping often and you still want a little extra help, you can take galactogogues (herbs or foods to stimulate your breasts to produce more milk). Oats and barley are great grains to help, so eating oatmeal and drinking non-alcoholic barley beer are often recommended. Nutritional yeast or brewer's yeast is full of B vitamins and can boost supply. Green papaya and sesame seeds are used by moms in Asia. There are also galactogogue teas, such as Mother's Milk Tea, and herbal supplements, such as Fenugreek and More Milk Plus by Motherlove.
Need more help? RSVP online for our Breastfeeding Support Group!
Visit us at:
16101 Ventura Blvd. Suite 230
Encino, CA. 91436
p. (818) 380-3111 w. shopthehaven.com
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