Increase Your Breast Milk Supply Naturally

Five Ways to Increase Your Breast Milk Supply Naturally

By Anna Lynn Sibal

Your breast milk is the best milk for your baby. Not only does breast milk provide your baby the nutrients that she needs to grow and develop properly, but it also helps boost her immune system and make her more resistant to various diseases. Also, the act of breastfeeding creates and strengthens your bond with your baby.

So, it can be a serious issue if it seems like you cannot produce enough breast milk for your child. There are supplements that you can take – some synthetic and some herbal – in order to increase your breast milk production. However, you can never be sure if those supplements do not have ingredients that can be harmful to your baby.

Thankfully, there are more natural ways that you can turn to so you can increase your breast milk production. Maybe these natural methods can help you out.

1. Breastfeed more frequently. Supply is dictated by demand. So if you nurse more, you trick your body into producing more breast milk. You can create the demand and make your baby want to suck more by taking away the pacifier. You should also avoid feeding your baby with milk supplements because these will make your baby want to feed even less.

2. Pump at least eight times a day. Pumping your breast does the same thing as making your baby want to nurse more – it stimulates the production of milk in your breast. You can do this in the morning and right after your baby has nursed. Massaging the breast while pumping is known to help with the production of more milk.

3. Get enough rest. Stress is detrimental to optimum milk production. Ironically, stress is a new mother’s constant companion, what with the things she has to deal with on a daily basis now that the baby is there. If you are stressed out, find time to relax. For example, try to have a nap when you get the time and indulge in a massage every once in a while.

4. Eat properly. Inasmuch as you need to lose the weight you gained during your pregnancy, you should make sure that you are getting around 2,000 calories every day. You need those calories to build up not just the rate of your breast milk production but also the quality of your milk. You should also make sure that you are getting enough protein as well as vitamins and minerals.

5. Stay hydrated. Breast milk is a body fluid. How can your body produce more of it if you are not properly hydrated? Thus, you should drink plenty of water or fruit juices. You may have read about drinking beer being able to help boost breast milk supply, but studies have shown that babies do not like the taste of alcohol-flavored breast milk and will feed less. You should also avoid drinking coffee because it will make your baby restless and irritable.

With these more natural ways of boosting breast milk production, you do not have to turn to herbal supplements and the like to get it done unless you really have to. These five methods are safe and guaranteed to work in increasing the rate of your producing milk.