5 ways to increase your breast milk supply
What to know and what to do when it comes to boosting your milk supply
One thing our International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) hear all the time from new parents is concern over whether their baby is feeding enough. As a parent, it’s natural to worry about your little one, but here at The Lactation Network, we can help alleviate your concern with expert, compassionate advice. We exclusively work to connect parents with our highest-credentialed lactation consultants who are here to support you.
If you’ve been wondering how to increase your breast milk supply, including ways to make your breast milk come in faster, we’ve got you covered. There are things you can do to boost milk production and combat low milk supply, from tried-and-true home remedies — no, not all of them are myths — to strategic choices made the moment your baby is born.
And keep in mind, breast milk production fluctuation is totally normal, so don’t worry too much about the ups and downs!
When does breast milk come in?
Before milk production begins, your body produces colostrum. Colostrum is a nutrient-rich “pre-milk” that’s high in protein, carbohydrates, and antibodies but low in fat. This is all your baby needs for the first few days.
Around three to five days after birth, your breasts may start to feel firmer, which is a sign that your milk supply is increasing and changing from colostrum to mature milk.
How to increase breast milk supply
Here are five things you can do when looking for how to increase your breast milk supply.
1. Establish a healthy milk supply from hour one
Once your baby arrives, your lactation relationship truly begins. The delivery of the placenta drops your body’s progesterone level, and over the next few days, pregnancy hormones decrease so that lactation hormones can take over. For most caregivers, these first few weeks are the most critical in establishing a healthy milk supply throughout the entire breastfeeding journey.
To get started on the right note, try to pump or nurse within the first hour of delivery. You can even add this goal into your breastfeeding plan so everyone on your care team can help make it happen.
Starting so soon after birth will stimulate the gradual transition from colostrum to ounces of milk. It’s important that your baby gets this nutrient-dense first round of breast milk to help build their immune system and gut functionality. Then, three to five days after delivery — typically when breast milk comes in — you’ll move out of the colostrum phase and start producing more milk.
Even if this shift feels small at first, the great news is that your newborn’s tiny tummy can only hold about as much as you are producing.
2. Watch for baby’s hunger cues
In the early weeks, you may want to consider incorporating flexibility into your schedule, rather than trying to force a strict feeding schedule. This can look like keeping your baby close to you, skin to skin, on your chest and watching out for adorable early hunger cues such as mouth movements and sudden alertness indicating he or she is ready to nurse. The frequency of nursing — or pumping if you cannot or choose not to nurse — matters a lot in the first few weeks. Having your baby constantly at your breast allows access to colostrum and sets your breasts up for making milk long term.
Try to avoid waiting until your newborn cries to express hunger. Since this is a very late hunger cue, it may be difficult to obtain a successful latch and have a productive breastfeeding session if you wait until this point to feed your little one. But go easy on yourself if this does happen; you’re still learning a lot about your baby in these early stages.
Trust us, your baby will tell you when they’re hungry! During those first few days, your baby may seem to sleep half the day away — enjoy it while you can — and show no active interest in feeding. Or maybe your newborn wants to nurse nonstop. Both options and anything in between are completely normal. Not sure how to read your baby’s hunger cues? Talk to your IBCLC.
3. Consistently nurse from both breasts
In the first few weeks after your baby is born, breastfeeding from both breasts at each feeding can help stimulate milk production and establish your milk supply. This is also beneficial in helping to prevent common breastfeeding issues such as clogged milk ducts and mastitis.
It is recommended to let your baby finish the first side and then offer the other side. If your baby falls asleep after the first breast, wake him or her and offer the second breast. If possible, have your baby nurse at each breast for at least 15 minutes and don’t limit the breastfeeding time.
4. Pump or express milk in between breastfeeding sessions
You’ve probably heard it before but get ready to hear it again: The economic model of “supply and demand” applies to breast milk production as well.
We know the lactating breast is never totally empty, but after a nursing or pumping session, milk production will be at its highest. This means that when your breast feels the most empty, your body sends signals to initiate the refilling process. On the other hand, when milk is left in your breast, your body sends protective signals to slow production.
This is why breastfeeding your baby more frequently and pumping or expressing milk often in between nursing sessions can help increase breast milk supply.
5. Set your nursing and pumping schedule in place early on
The first two weeks of your baby’s life set the tone for your whole lactation relationship. When a parent does not develop a full milk supply, the reason can often be traced back to an event during the first two weeks of the infant’s life, such as the separation of caregiver and infant or a half-day of no nursing or pumping. For this reason, it’s important to create a feeding and pumping schedule to increase milk supply that focuses on feeding frequency and effective milk removal in the first two weeks postpartum.
Tips for creating a pumping and nursing schedule
Every parent and every baby are different so there’s no one size fits all way to schedule pumping and nursing. The best way to begin this journey is to create a schedule that works with your personal schedule. It’s also important to know that your schedule will likely change from week to week as your infant’s needs change and you adapt to a regular routine.
For some guidance to get started, a common guideline is to aim to feed your baby every two to three hours. If this works for your baby, you’ll need to pump often when you’re away from home.
If you’re working a typical workday and want to build your milk supply, consider pumping after each breastfeeding session for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, pump at work every few hours. If you need help determining a schedule that works best for your baby and body, your IBCLC can help.
Once you get into the habit of following a schedule, the entire process will feel much more routine!
Extend supply by storing breastmilk
Knowing how to store breast milk is critical when you’re pumping milk. Freshly expressed breast milk can be stored in an insulated cooler with ice packs for up to one day. It can also be stored in the back of a clean refrigerator for up to four days.
If you don’t plan to use breast milk within four days, you’ll want to freeze it in small amounts of two to four ounces to avoid wasting any. If bringing to childcare, label milk with the date it was expressed and the child’s name. Store milk in the back of the freezer, not in the door.
Get the care you deserve
You deserve compassionate support as you develop your nursing pumping schedule: Request an insurance-covered consultation with your IBCLC. If you’d like help to increase your breast milk supply, improve breastfeeding sessions, or get expert breast pumping tips, connect with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant for an individualized assessment. Our lactation consultants are allies who are here to support you through this process.
Keep in mind that breastfeeding is not all or nothing. Even babies who receive only some of their parent’s own milk have better health outcomes than those who receive none. For those unable to meet 100% of their newborn’s nutritional needs, know that the amount you are giving your baby is making positive differences to last a lifetime.
Learn more about lactation and breastfeeding support and receive answers to the most commonly asked questions.
We’re here for you, every step of the way. We work with your insurance to provide in-home, in-office, or telehealth visits with an IBCLC.
