Power-Up Your Breast-milk Supply!Here’s How…

Over the years, what I’ve found to be true is that, mothers often worry about their milk supply and production being low when it actually may not be.

When you are a breastfeeding mother, one of the most pertinent worries you may have is ‘Do I have enough milk?’

I have yet to meet a mother who has never asked herself this question at some point or another; especially in the beginning, while milk supply is becoming established, or when their baby is experiencing a growth spurt (typically occurring between 1-2 weeks, 6 weeks and then around 12 weeks of age). Also when returning to work or during some other major change in her feeding routines.

The fact is, all of the above situations can decrease breast-milk supply, or leave a mother with a feeling of insecurity about the amounts she is making, but usually there’s an easy fix.

So how can you tell that you really have a low breast-milk supply and what can you do if you feel your supply is waning and you’re in need of an extra boost?

Take note - the following DOES NOT indicate low milk supply if baby has adequate wet and dirty pampers and is gaining weight:

·      Baby is feeding frequently (as much as every 1 to 2 hours)

·      Baby remains on the breast for up to an hour or more before finishing the feed.

·      Your breasts feel empty or soft.

·      Your breasts are naturally very small.

·      Your baby is fussy, particularly at a certain time of the day

·      Baby guzzles down a bottle of formula or expressed breast milk directly after a feed!

·      Your breasts do not, or are no longer leaking milk.

·      You get very little or no milk with pumping.

Having baby weighed and consulting with a breastfeeding specialist or lactation consultant if you are concerned can usually help to allay any anxieties and get you back on track with breastfeeding confidently. However, if baby is not gaining weight adequately nor producing wet and dirty diapers sufficiently according to your paediatrician, then we recommend the following techniques for increasing your supply:

1. A good diet with at least 3 portions of fruit and vegetables, quality carbohydrate foods and plant based and/or animal based proteins is essential, balanced with plenty of fluids - preferably water.

2. A good multi-vitamin for pregnant and nursing mothers will give you an extra boost of nutrients.

3. Rest and skin to skin contact with your baby - give yourself and your baby the TIME you need to adjust/increase your supply. It generally takes about 6 weeks for breastfeeding to get established, and if there have been difficulties from the beginning, it can be longer.

4. On demand frequent un-restricted feeding - this means that whenever baby wants, you provide, no matter day or night, time or place, feed on demand; making sure that baby empties the breast thoroughly at each feed before offering the other side!

5. Expressing milk (using a good quality pump) between or immediately after feeds can increase milk production. Remember that at first you will not express much, but the extra stimulation in time, will increase the production. Pumping after feeds ensures a well emptied breast which fills quicker, resulting in an increased supply.

6. Night feeds are extremely important for an adequate milk supply. If there is limited or no breastfeeding occurring at night, milk production will diminish very quickly. This is due to the hormone ‘Prolactin’, which peaks at night and is stimulated during night feeds to increase supply. Yes its tiring, but remember that breastfeeding at night WILL power up your supply.

7. Avoiding artificial nipples like nipple shields, bottles and pacifiers, can help give baby the direct stimulation on the breast, needed to increase supply.

8. Particular foods, herbs and medication are known to increase milk supply: porridge, oats, barley, sago, etc. are all ideal breakfasts for a good supply (just as granny said!). Coconut water is also quite effective. Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, Raspberry Leaf and Alfalfa (known as galactagogues) are some of the herbs used by nursing mothers historically to improve milk production. There are also prescription medications /galactagogues; just ask your doctor.

Here’s to our Bajan mothers powering up not just their milk supply, but their confidence, and so much more in the process of nourishing the next generation. You got this!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrea Bonita Jordan is a registered Midwife, Breastfeeding Specialist, and co-founder of two charities: The Breastfeeding and Child Nutrition Foundation and Better Birthing in Bim.