5 Effective Ways To Boost Your Milk Supply!

Hey moms, we know that entering motherhood is a big step. You must be dealing with heart-throbbing issues, your body is trying to heal from childbirth, you are exhausting yourself day and night to give your child all the nourishment and care you can. We know the first few weeks are the hardest. I have received numerous inquiries in my mail where mothers are really worried about their milk supply. The first thing that I would like to clarify is that most women have enough milk supply, the more you put pressure on yourself, the more you make things harder. You need to trust your body and your instincts. If the baby is crying more then there might be several other reasons for that. Second, if your baby has enough wet diapers, is getting enough sleep and is nursing well, then there is no need to worry, you are doing a great job.

However, if you suspect that there is something wrong, please consult a health care provider or a lactation consultant. They know better how to deal with this situation. To help you out better here I have listed 5 Simple and Effective Ways That Can Help You Increase Your Milk Supply.

1. Nurse on Demand and Not By The Clock

Your milk supply is based on supply and demand. The more your baby nurses, the more milk you’ll produce (theoretically). Let your baby nurse on demand when you’re building your supply, and your body should respond by boosting milk production.

Suckling stimulates the production of milk in the mammary glands. The more a baby feeds, the more milk is produced by the mother's breasts. Milk flow slows down when a baby suckles less often.

2. Galactagogues

To be honest, there is no magic food that will suddenly boost your milk supply, but these foods may help by giving you the right amount of vitamins to fuel your body and increase breast milk. After all, everything can be set right by a good diet.

• Fennel Seeds

• Fenugreek Seeds

• Cumin Seeds

• Oatmeal

• Green Leafy Vegetables

These are some of the most common foods that are said to boost milk production. Although they are all natural, that doesn't exempt you from any potential side effect so please consult with your health care provider before consuming them.

3. Cut Yourself Some Slack, and Try To Get Some Sleep

With the baby around you, we know this seems tough. But trust me, your body gets exhausted, it needs plenty of rest to produce more milk and energy. After all, you are a human. Your body needs time to heal from all the blood loss and tears from childbirth. If you are well-rested, you will feel fresh and your body will support you through your breastfeeding journey. You will certainly be able to boost your milk supply.

4. Hydration is the Key To Successful Breastfeeding

Consume lots and lots of fluids. If you're dehydrated, your body won't be able to produce milk. You also need more water than you can realize—in addition to the doctor's prescribed eight glasses a day, you can consume an additional four glasses. Breast milk contains 88 percent water. This implies that your body will fail to produce milk if you are dehydrated.

If you exercise, staying hydrated is particularly important. We lose a lot of water through sweat, so make sure you're drinking plenty of water, particularly on workout days.

5. Breast Stimulation

Breastfeeding works on the principle of supply and demand, which means that the more the breast is stimulated and drained, the more milk it produces. Breastfeed at least 8 times every 24 hours, then pump after each feeding to ensure complete drainage.

Studies have shown that breast massage while breastfeeding and pumping have been effective to increase milk production by up to 48 per cent! Hand compression and relaxation assist in compressing the ducts and more efficiently emptying the breast.

Although breast massage does not improve milk production directly, it does help you in draining the breast more efficiently, which signals your body to produce more.