Boosting My Milk Supply As A Breastfeeding Mom

As a breastfeeding mom, I want to make sure I’m taking in and doing things that are boosting my milk supply for my baby girl.

As I am writing this post, we are going 4 months strong and my baby girl is a great nurser.

In fact, right after I had given birth to her, she was already rooting around and searching for the milk.

This child came out knowing what to do and how to latch which I’m so thankful for.

So since I have a child that knows what to do, I have to make sure that I’m keeping up my supply with her demand in order to make sure she is gaining weight properly.

Because as an exclusively breastfeeding mom, weight gain is something that you worry about when breastfeeding because you cannot tell how much your little one is getting versus moms that bottle-feed their babies.

You can obviously pump and know that way, but since I barely pump and I am mostly available to feed my baby, I never know exactly how much she is getting.

I have to follow her cues and feed her when she is hungry.

Or else I’m going to have one fussy and hungry baby.

With me knowing this, there are several things I do to increase my milk supply and boost lactation.

Here are some of the things I do to boost my milk supply as an exclusively breastfeeding mom.

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What Causes Your Milk Supply To Drop?

Before I get into the different ways that I have been boosting my milk supply, let’s talk about what causes your milk supply to drop.

Because like I was saying above, when you are breastfeeding, you need to make sure you are maintaining your supply in order to feed your baby.

I have heard from many moms who say things like “I feel like my milk supply is dropping” or “My milk is drying up. How do I increase my supply?”

If we take a look at what we are doing on a daily, then we might just come up with an answer to this question.

We may not realize it, but some of our lifestyle choices can interfere with our supply.

According to Verywell Family, here are some of the things that can lead to a reduction in your milk supply:

• Not getting enough rest
• Stress
• Health issues
• Getting pregnant again
• Eating a lot of jumk food
• Not drinking enough water
• Too much caffeine
• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol
• Birth control pills

So as you can see, there are quite a few things that many of us may do that can affect our milk supply.

If you are noticing that your supply is drying up or decreasing and you don’t want it to, then go through this list and see if one of these things could be contributing to it.

The good thing about some of these things is that you can turn them around by simply doing some of the things that I will be mentioning down below.

Now that we know what might be causing our supply to decrease, let’s get into some things that you can do to increase your milk supply.

Boosting My Milk Supply As A Breastfeeding Mom

Nurse Frequently

So the very first tip I want to mention when you are boosting your milk supply is obvious and that is to nurse frequently.

Your body cannot produce milk unless it is receiving signals that it needs to.

And the way to do that is by nursing.

If you are going long periods without nursing your little one, then you are telling your body that it does not need to produce milk.

Ideally, you should be nursing your baby every 2-3 hours.

Most breastfed babies wake up at night to nurse as well so it is very normal for a breastfed baby to wake a couple of times at night to feed.

Nursing and latching frequently will keep signaling to your body that it needs to continue to make milk.

Cosleeping

While we are on the subject of breastfed babies waking up at night, cosleeping is another way to regulate your milk supply.

So you may be wondering what does cosleeping have to do with increasing your milk supply?

Well if you read my post on bedsharing with my baby, then you saw that I listed that one of the benefits of bedsharing is that it helps maintain an adequate milk supply for breastfeeding moms.

And that is because by having your baby close, they will nurse on demand and keep your supply up through the night.

I bedshare with my baby which means that she is in the bed with us, but you can also have a small nursery corner in your bedroom so that your baby can sleep in the same room as you.

I know not everyone wants to have the baby in their bedroom or even in their bed, but that is what I do and I get the best rest while I’m breastfeeding my baby through the night because she is close.

Get Good Rest

As I was just saying, bedsharing is how I get good rest at night as a breastfeeding mom of a small baby.

We all know the sleep deprivation and postpartum insomnia we experience with having a small baby, so rest is very important not just for breastfeeding but for our overall wellbeing.

We burn a lot of calories from breastfeeding which means our bodies are constantly at work producing milk for our little ones.

After burning all of those calories, we need to get our rest in order for our bodies to continue producing milk at the demand of our babies.

Eat Foods That Will Increase Milk Supply

Since we know that certain foods will decrease your milk supply, we should also know which ones will help it.

These foods and herbs have been known to increase your milk supply:

• Bone broth
• Coconut milk/water
• Fenugreek
• Lentils
• Fennel
• Oatmeal
• Garlic
• Chickpeas
• Sweet potatoes
• Leafy greens
• Almonds

I like to make sure I’m eating some of these foods and herbs regularly while breasting to aid in boosting my milk supply.

Drink A Lactation Tea

For all you that have read about me, then you already know that I’m a tea drinker and love drinking herbal teas.

So of course I’m drinking herbal tea to aid in my breastfeeding journey.

One of my favorite breastfeeding teas to drink is Mother’s Milk from Traditional Medicinals and I mentioned that tea in my breastfeeding must-haves.

But I have been trying a different one lately and it might just be moving its way up to my favorite.

It is this Organic Milkmaid Tea From Earth Mama Organics.

It is a caffeine-free herbal tea that contains fennel and fenugreek that support breast milk production and healthy lactation.

I have been drinking this tea for a while now to boost my milk supply and it is definitely getting the job done.

If you have been looking for herbal tea to drink while breastfeeding, then give this Organic Milkmaid Tea a try.

And while you are there, you can use my link here to get 15% off your order with the code LOVEJASS15.

Drink More Water

When I’m not drinking my breastfeeding tea, I try to make sure I’m drinking water.

Eating right and staying hydrated really play a key factor in maintaining your milk supply.

Get yourself a cute water bottle and fill it all the way up at the beginning of the day so that way you can drink it throughout the day.

That is what I have been doing and I have found that I normally finish it off and fill it back up again before the day is over.

Consult With A Lactation Specialist

And my last tip for boosting your milk supply is to consult with a lactation specialist.

If you have been trying any and everything to increase your supply and you still are not seeing results, then it is time to get some outside help.

The whole job of a lactation consultant is to help and guide you in your breastfeeding journey so that is who you want to talk to.

Most of the time while you are in the hospital after you have given birth, you will get the chance to speak with a lactation consultant and also get their contact information.

You can also ask your OBGYN for recommendations as well.

Your Turn

Well, that is everything that I have been doing to boost my milk supply as a breastfeeding mom. For those who want to try that Organic Milkmaid Tea by Earth Mama Organics, make sure to use my code LOVEJASS15 for 15% off your order. You can use my link here. What are some things that you all do to increase your milk supply? Let me know in the comments and while you are still here, check out my previous post down below. Until next time!

• Read More: Fun Places To Take A Toddler

Love,

Just Jass