How to Boost Your Milk Supply

After 9 months of doing this whole breast feeding deal, I have had countless texts, calls and questions from friends and blog readers about how to boost milk supply. It is unbelievable how much people want to be all up in your business about whether you are still doing breast feeding, how long you plan to, and all the other many questions I receive weekly on said subject.

Truthfully, I’m happy to help out other women who are trying to figure out how it works, how to boost milk supply or going through a hard patch with their biter. Bless it! I have had so many friends and family members help me with the process by answering my in-numerous questions that it seems only fair. What’s odd is the random grocery store lady or even men or people without kids who ask. Is nothing sacred anymore?! HA!

I had quite the traumatic experience in my first few weeks of breastfeeding where I dried myself up…wait for it, on accident! The girls were hurting so bad that I put cabbage leaves in my bra to help with the pain. I noticed my milk was slowly decreasing when I was pumping and all the sudden, the baby was waking up every 20 minutes or so crying for more milk. I couldn’t figure out what was going on till I started talking to one of my best friends who told me she used cabbage leaves to DRY UP her milk when she stopped breastfeeding. I could not believe it!

I talked to my doctor about it and she actually prescribed me a medicine that had a side effect of helping with milk production and told me several things I could do to up my supply. See below for some of the tips and tricks I’ve picked up and please add your tips in the comments to help out other mommas who may read this post!

Tips to Boost Milk Supply:

1. Nurse Often: As hard as those early sleepless nights were, the baby crying for more food and at least trying to nurse helps aid in your body being signaled it needs to make more milk. Your body was designed by the Creator to work off of the demand your baby signals it needs. How cool is that?!
2. Drink Plenty of Water: Your body needs water to stay hydrated while you are nursing. I always keep a cup with me, preferably with a straw to help me intake more. Between hot summer months, exercise and breast feeding, I need 10-12 cups per day!
3. Get Enough Calories: My doctor told me she was concerned I was losing weight too fast after having the baby. She told me to add on an additional 500+ calories per day to get enough!
4. Pump, Pump, Pump: You are essentially tricking your body into thinking the baby needs more milk, so it needs to make more! I started pumping early on after baby to start storing up my freezer stash for when I went back to work. When I almost dried up my supply, I pumped or fed the baby every three hours all throughout the day and night. It was exhausting but it worked. We also made sure to have Eric start giving Leyton bottles early on so he would get used to eating from someone else and from a bottle…so momma could keep her sanity!
5. Lactation Cookies: You may remember my lactation cookies recipe a while back, but if you don’t have time or energy to make your own, check out milk makers cookies. I eat one every morning with my breakfast or for an afternoon treat with a cup of coffee. Originally, I thought the Lemon Zing would be my least favorite flavor but it’s actually my favorite! An excuse to eat cookies? Yes please!
6.  Milk Maid Tea: I drink the Bundle Organics Lactation Support Tea. You need to drink 2-3 cups per day to see a difference.
7. Oatmeal: When I work from home, I try to eat oatmeal for breakfast. Oatmeal has high levels of iron which supposedly if you are deficient in, can decrease your supply.
8. Fenugreek: Warning: If you take this supplement regularly, you will smell like syrup! Take 3 pills 3 times a day…it’s a lot!
9. Rest: I know it’s hard when you are a new mom, but try to rest and avoid stress or illness which can decrease your supply. It’s like a cruel joke…this tip…am I right?
10. Compression: I didn’t realize that I should be compressing my boobs while nursing or pumping to help all the extra milk come out so that it did fully empty. When a friend asked me if I got it all out by doing this, I was dumbfounded.

Now, let’s hear your best tips moms! Pleas share below in the comments.

*Affiliate links in post. Thanks to Casey Marie Photography for this photo.