increase milk supply

The best way to increase your milk supply is to breastfeed more frequently. As you probably know already, breastfeeding is a beautiful example of supply and demand. The more your baby nurses at the breast, the more milk you will produce for him. Try the following tips to help increase your milk supply and put more weight on baby:

Keep baby skin to skin as much as possible

Try carrying baby in a soft cloth carrier or sling during the day. Take baths with baby. When baby is next to your skin he will remember to “ask” to nurse more.

Offer the breast more frequently

Pretty self explanatory – sit down and nurse the baby more often. The more time baby spends at the breast, the more the brain gets the signal to “send milk!”. If your baby is going through a growth spurt (typically at 3 months then again at 6 months), this is especially important. If your baby is using a pacifier, try offering the breast when he indicates a need to suck.

Sometimes babies go through a developmental milestone and forget to nurse enough during the day. Typically, this happens at around 6-9 months when baby is becoming more aware of his surroundings. He's also learning to crawl and then walk. He's simply too busy and distracted to nurse! You might try taking him to a quiet spot in your home, lowering the lights and nursing him there. You can also put him in a sling and pull the fabric up over his head so he can't see as much of his surroundings and become distracted with them.

Be sure to offer the breast before your baby eats solids also. Breastmilk has more calories than carrots, potatoes and most starchy foods that you would be offering at this time. Breastmilk is nutrient dense, so be sure it makes up the bulk of his diet for the first year. This will protect your milk supply.

If baby takes a pacifier, you might try removing it from his mouth sometimes and offering the breast instead. If your supply is low, baby's sucking needs are better met at your breast.

Rest with baby

Interestingly, nighttime feedings tend to increase Mom’s milk supply more than feedings that occur during the day. If your baby has recently started sleeping through the night, you may need to wake him for a night feeding.  Try to nap with baby if at all possible also. If you're stressed out and dog tired, this could impact your milk supply.

Do not restrict baby’s time at the breast

Let baby decide when feedings are over. Don’t try to rush him. Some babies take longer than others to get their caloric needs met. Keep in mind that the “hindmilk”, the milk that comes later on in the feeding, is higher in fat and tends to put the plump on baby’s little thighs.

Herbs and medications

There are some herbs and medications (referred to as galactagogues) that can increase your milk supply. Ask your Doctor or Lactation Consultant about these, but make sure you actually need them first. A lot of times a Mom thinks her milk supply is low when her baby is doing just fine. Herbs and medications should be a last resort when the tips mentioned above aren't working, or in the case of unusual circumstances like adoptive nursing or nursing after breast surgery.

I can personally recommend a book called The Nursing Mother's Herbal,  a comprehensive and thorough manual about breastfeeding and herbal remedies. It is endorsed by La Leche League, the world's foremost authority on breastfeeding.

One popular product that contains traditional herbs for increasing milk supply is MilkMaid Tea. It's an organic herbal tea safe for nursing mothers.