Are you facing a problem with the breast milk supply? Is your milk supply low? If you want to learn some tips for naturally increasing breast milk supply, then we have some helpful tips for you.
The first four to six breastfeeding weeks are very critical, especially if this is your first pregnancy. You and your baby both are figuring out a routine—this the time when you establish a healthy supply of breast milk.
Low breast milk supply is a very common fear, but there are only a few mothers who are not able to produce the required amount of milk for their baby; if you are one of them, then we the easiest ways to induce lactation and tips for increasing breast milk supply.
How to increase breast milk supply?
There are certain things you will need to do to maintain or boost milk supply. There are also natural methods to maintain a healthy supply of breast milk. You should always stick to natural methods first and then move to medications.
Examine Your Baby’s Latch
Make sure that the baby is latching on to the breast in a proper manner. This is an efficient way of increasing your breast milk supply. Often poor latch can also result in low milk supply. The baby will not be able to remove milk from the breast properly if latching poorly.
When the baby, he/she can stimulate breast milk, ensuring enough supply.
If you do not know what a proper latch is, then you can talk to your doctor or a lactation consultant.
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keep Breastfeed
The body works similar to the supply and demand chain. If the demand for milk increases, the body will start making more milk. As long as the baby latches on to your breasts properly for the milk, the longer or more you breastfeed, the stronger you are signaling the body that you require more milk supply.
Even if your child a little older and has been breastfeeding for a while, then increase the frequency and length of sessions when you are breastfeeding. This is a great of way of naturally increasing your breast milk supply.
Using Breast Compression
Breast compression is a method that helps the baby to consume more milk while breastfeeding. This method also works when you are using a breast pump.
If the child is breastfeeding properly, then you do not have to use breast compression.
If your baby is a strong nurser, then breast compression can help in keeping the milk flowing, and the baby can keep feeding.
Stimulate The Breasts
Hand expression technique or breast pump help in continuing or stimulating breast milk after the baby has done feeding. This stimulation gives the body a signal that your breasts need more milk.
Learning how to increase breast milk only by your hand is a powerful technique. Many women prefer using hand stimulation instead of breast pumps because it is a natural method and cost-free.
During the initial days of breastfeeding and stimulation will be more comfortable for you, and this way, you can get out more breast milk. You will need time to learn this skill.
Supplemental Nursing System
A Supplemental nursing system can motivate the baby to keep sucking even with no milk supply. Normally the child gets frustrated when the flow of milk slows down or even stops; the baby can refuse to suck the breast.
Taking a supplemental nursing system with formula supplements may get the baby to keep sucking on the breast for longer. Adding stimulation with this method will help to produce more breast milk.
Make Lifestyle Changes
You do not realize this, but some things you may be doing in your daily life might be affecting the breast milk supply.
Many things can interfere with the breast milk supply like smoking, stress, birth control pills, and fatigue. You may increase the breast milk supply naturally just by making small changes in your daily routine.
Breastfeed For Longer Periods
The newborn should breastfeed at least for 10 minutes on both sides. If the baby falls to sleep, gently wake him up by nursing. The longer the baby spends time on the breast, the higher will be the stimulation you will get.
Don’t Skip Giving Your Baby Formula.
The body makes more milk than the baby consumes. If you skip feeding the baby or give him formula instead of natural feeding, the body will not get a signal that you need more milk. The demand drops, and then slowly, the supply will also start to fall down.
Pumping helps in maintaining and building the milk supply, but this is not the same as breastfeeding.
Babies can do a better job than breast pumps, especially during the initial times when you are slowly building the supply.
Breastfeed the Baby From Both Breasts
During the initial weeks, you should breastfeed on both the sides in each feeding to build a strong supply of breast milk.you have to remember to alternate the breasts in each feeding, because it is the first breast that always gets more stimulation.
If you start on the same side always, then chances are one breast will become larger than the other. After a few initial weeks, if you are comfortable with the quantity of milk being produced, then you can start breastfeeding on both sides.
Try to Keep the Drowsy Baby Awake
After the first few weeks of birth, newborns get drowsy and tend to sleep a lot. If your baby is sleepy, you should wake him up every three hours to breastfeed. Not only this, but you also need to keep the baby awake and keep sucking while you are breastfeeding.
For nursing, a sleeping baby, rub her feet, change diapers, burping her. You can even unwrap her to get rid of the cozy vibe if you keep the baby awake while nursing, she will get more nourishment and also provide the stimulation to your body, which helps you create a healthy breast milk supply.
Promote Skin-to-Skin Contact
Skin-to-skin contact is known to have many benefits. This treatment is beneficial for both premature babies as well as a little older babies.
The skin-to-skin treatment is also called Kangaroo Care, the way of holding a baby. The child is made to wear only a hat, and a diaper is made to lay down on the mother’s bare chest and then covered with a blanket. This direct contact with the mother’s body lowers the child’s stress and improves breathing as well as body temperature. This method is also great for breastfeeding. Kangaroo’s baby feeds for longer and makes the mother make more milk.
Use a Breast Pump
One more way to remove the excess breast milk is by using a breast pump. If you do not like hand expression, then you can use a breast pump after or between the breastfeeding sessions. The more you empty the breast milk, the more your body will make milk.
You can do extra pumping sessions in the initial weeks if you will continue pumping milk for your child. When the breast milk flow stops, you can continue pumping for a few more minutes.
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Take a Break on the Pacifier
Studies show that babies who breastfeed can use a pacifier. But it is always best to wait for the time until your milk supply is properly established before you start using a pacifier.
If you give a newborn baby a pacifier in the initial days of breastfeeding, then the baby won’t be nursing enough like he should.
If your baby craves for the pacifier, put the baby on the breast. This will also help in increasing milk production. Then you can slowly start giving up the milk supply. Then some babies can be given the pacifier after a week or month, so you need to determine what works best for you and your baby.
Eat Well
You should eat better the entire period when you are breastfeeding. Making breast milk and breastfeeding requires a lot of energy.
To fuel your body and maintain a healthy supply of milk, you need to include healthy meals and snacks in your diet. You can include oatmeal, which is milk boosting food, and almonds and dark green veggies in your daily diet to get those extra calories.
Consume Plenty of Fluids
Breast milk is 90% water do you need to take your fluids regularly and stay hydrated. Drink around 6-8 glass of water daily along with juices, milk, and tea. Drink more if you feel thirsty.
If you feel a bit dizzy or have dry mouth and headache, that means you are not drinking enough.
Get Enough Rest
Stress and exhaustion can have a negative impact on your milk supply. It’s hard to get time to rest when you are a new mom, but it is very important.
Sleep when your baby is sleeping, you can even ask your family member for help. When you are well-rested and not stressed, the body is able to put extra energy into making a healthy supply of breast milk.
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Avoid consuming Things That Impact Milk Supply Negatively.
There are many things that might be coming in the way of making enough breast milk supply.
If you start birth control containing estrogen after six weeks of the birth, it can cause a problem in making breast milk.
Consuming excess caffeine, alcohol, and even smoking can sometimes interfere with the breast milk supply in your body. Do inform your doctor that you are currently breastfeeding before taking any new medication like birth control pills. Also avoid anything that may have a negative impact on the body, breast milk supply, and your baby.
Believe in Yourself
As a mother, you can boost and maintain a healthy breast milk supply for the baby. If you are frequently breastfeeding and the baby is putting on healthy weight is showing signs of getting abundant milk, you are doing fine.
You can always seek help in case you are worried about whether things are going fine or not. Consulting with a lactation consultant or a doctor or maybe other mothers who are breastfeeding will keep your mind calm and help you keep on going on the right path. naturally increasing breast milk supply is not that difficult; just keep following normal things.
