Did you know that 1 year of breastfeeding equates to about 1825 hours feeding or pumping? That is the same amount of time as a full time job! Mamas, breastfeeding is no easy task and apart from the time spent breastfeeding your child - it comes with its own set of challenges too! Let’s make things easier for you… Here are 5 top tips from a Lactation Consultant on how to increase your breastmilk supply.
Tip 1: Pump or Nurse Frequently
The supply of your breastmilk is largely correlated to the demand of it. If you’re experiencing low milk supply, the first thing you should consider is whether or not you are pumping or nursing enough. You should be aiming to empty your breast about 8-12 times a day in 24 hours. The frequent pumping or nursing will signal your body to produce more milk naturally.
Tip 2: Make Sure Baby is Latching Correctly
Proper latching is important for ensuring that your baby is fully extracting milk from your breast. It also plays a crucial role in enabling your baby to get enough milk and to prevent any discomfort for you. If your baby doesn’t have a proper latch, your breasts may not be fully emptied and this can cause common breastfeeding issues like engorgement, clogged milk ducts and mastitis. On top of that, not having a proper latch can affect your baby’s oral health as it builds jaw and facial muscles which will eventually contribute to your baby’s speech development. Click here to find out how to effectively latch your baby!
Tip 3: Stay Hydrated and Have Balanced Meals!
As breastmilk is predominantly made up of water, you need to keep yourself hydrated! Breastfeeding moms typically need an extra 1 Litre of water than their normal intake to ensure that their hydration levels are not affecting their milk production. Additionally, your body also needs more nutrition as it produces more milk - this will also aid in increasing the nutritional value of your breastmilk. Eat a balanced diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins!
Tip 4: Consider Using Galactagogues
Galactagogues help to increase breastmilk production by stimulating the hormones that are responsible for milk production like prolactin and oxytocin. Galactagogues can be found in certain foods, herbs and medication. Here at Legendairy Milk SG, we provide herb based supplements that can help to increase your breastmilk production. Learn more about the different herbs we use as galactagogues!
Tip 5: Rest, Rest Don’t Stress!
Getting enough rest and keeping low levels of stress are important factors of milk production. Stress can cause hormonal disruptions - affecting prolactin levels and the release of oxytocin, which are responsible for milk production and the trigger of the let-down reflex which allows milk to flow from the breast. Ensuring that you have proper sleep and rest ensures that your stress levels are kept in check and enhances your energy levels!
We hope that these 5 crucial tips will help you increase your breastmilk supply and ensure that your baby gets all the nutrition they need! Do note that sometimes your low milk supply can be caused by other issues.
But before you go...
Here are 6 common causes of low milk supply:
- Breasts not being fully emptied
- Not consuming enough calories
- Insufficient intake of water
- Unsuitable pump or incorrect flange size
- Hormonal imbalances
- Consumption of certain foods
Feel like there’s a more crucial underlying issue at play? Talk to our Lactation Consultant for FREE here.
References:
- https://medela.sg/blog/mums-journey/breast-milk-supply-and-demand/
- https://www.whattoexpect.com/pumping-breast-milk.aspx
- https://www.medela.com/en/breastfeeding-pumping/articles/breastfeeding-tips/6-simple-steps-to-a-good-breastfeeding-latch
- https://www.kkh.com.sg/patient-care/conditions-treatments/mastitis
- https://fb.watch/syeqZrNrNc/
- https://www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-diet.aspx
- https://legendairymilk.sg/pages/fenugreek-free
- https://legendairymilk.sg/
- https://legendairymilk.sg/collections/increase-milk-supply
- https://nichq.org/insight/better-sleep-breastfeeding-mothers-safer-sleep-babies
- https://wa.me/6587869549
- https://www.instagram.com/p/C7SkNYMISfE/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==