How To Increase Milk Supply

If you’re worried about having a low breast milk supply, you are not alone. It’s one of the most common concerns for new and veteran parents alike, but you should know this: the number one reason women struggle with breastfeeding is a lack of proper support, not a personal failure.

Before you start to doubt your body, let’s explore proven ways to increase your breast milk supply and get you back on track.

Your body’s ability to produce milk is a brilliant system of supply and demand, governed by two key hormones. Understanding this helps you know what actions are most effective.

• Prolactin: stimulates your breasts to make milk and is released through nipple stimulation and removing milk from the breast. 

• Oxytocin: stimulates the letdown reflex (the release of milk) and is triggered by loving connections with your baby, skin-to-skin contact, and even hearing your baby cry.

Anything that interrupts the signals for these hormones, from a poor latch to stress, can impact your supply.

The term low breast milk supply is often used, but it's frequently misunderstood. Many parents look at their pumping output and panic, but lactation consultants do not use a breast pump to measure supply. Your response to a pump can vary based on the machine, your technique, and even your stress levels, making it an unreliable indicator of your condition.

How can you determine if your breast milk supply is low? Look for these three reliable signs instead.

While it's normal for babies to lose some weight after birth, a loss of more than 10% of their initial birth weight in the first week may signal a problem with milk transfer, milk supply, or both. 

• What to look for: Healthy weight gain for the first four months is about 0.5 to 1 ounce per day, or 5.5-8.5 ounces per week.

• The "Weighted Feed": A lactation professional can perform a weighted feed (weigh, feed, weigh again) to see exactly how much milk the baby is getting at the breast.

Let's be clear: breastfeeding should not hurt. Friction, clamping, or pinching on the nipple is a sign of poor positioning or feeding mechanics. If left unaddressed, this damage prevents the baby from effectively removing milk, which is the ultimate precursor to a low breast milk supply. Recurring engorgement, clogged ducts, or mastitis are also red flags that milk is not being removed efficiently.

The good news is that most supply issues are caused by outside factors, not your body’s inability to produce milk. Here are the most common reasons behind a low breast milk supply.

• Delayed Feedings: Waiting too long to start breastfeeding after birth.

• Unnecessary Supplementation: Replacing feedings at the breast with formula or donor milk when not medically necessary. This tells your body that less milk is needed.

• Long Stretches Between Feeds: "Sleep training" a young infant or otherwise going too long without removing milk.

• Separation from Baby: NICU stays or other separations that interrupt direct breastfeeding.

• Retained Placenta: Fragments of the placenta remaining in the uterus can disrupt key lactation hormones.

• Ineffective Milk Transfer: This can be caused by a tongue tie, birth trauma, jaundice, or other issues in the baby.

• Certain Medications: Decongestants used for colds and allergies are designed to dry up secretions, including your milk.

• Certain Contraceptives: Birth control methods containing estrogen are not recommended for breastfeeding mothers as they can interfere with lactation

• Low Maternal Iron: Unaddressed anemia or low iron levels in the mother can impact overall energy and milk production.

• Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT): In some rare cases, a primary issue like IGT or severe inverted nipples can affect the body's ability to produce a full milk supply.

It's important to remember that low supply does not happen overnight; it is usually a secondary problem that develops from an initial issue gone unmanaged.

If you recognize any of the red flags for a low breast milk supply, you can get back on track. The first and most important step is to partner with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). They have thousands of hours of training and can create a personalized care plan tailored to your individual needs.

In the meantime, here are five proven strategies to try

Spend two to three days focused solely on you and your baby. Stay home, rest, and offer the breast frequently, allowing the baby to cluster feed as needed. This frequent  breast milk removal is the most powerful signal you can send your body to produce more breast milk.

Your body needs fuel to make milk. While drinking excessive water won't supercharge your supply, dehydration will hurt it. Drink to thirst and try to rest whenever possible—stress and exhaustion can inhibit milk production. While no special diet is required while breastfeeding, eating a balanced, varied diet is best. Focusing on whole foods will provide your body with vital nutrients it needs to produce breastmilk. It’s also recommended to continue taking your prenatal or postnatal vitamins as prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Lie back comfortably with no shirt on and place your baby (in just a diaper) directly on your bare chest. This simple act is incredibly powerful. It helps regulate your baby's temperature and heart rate, encourages rooting and nursing, and releases hormones in your body (like oxytocin) that are essential for lactation.

Galactagogues are substances believed to increase milk supply. While there are no magic foods that increase breast milk supply, ingredients like oatmeal, moringa, and milk thistle may help as a complement to a solid care plan, but they are not a cure-all. Always discuss supplements with an IBCLC, as some (like fenugreek) can interfere with certain health conditions.

Work with a professional to assess your baby's latch and your nursing position to ensure optimal breastfeeding. A deep, comfortable latch ensures your baby can effectively transfer milk and adequately stimulate your nipple, the two most critical components of the "demand" signal. A painful latch is a sign that something is not quite right, and should be addressed as soon as possible.

An experienced IBCLC will first find the root cause (or causes) of low milk supply and suggest  a plan that helps you move toward your feeding goals. This plan may include several of the tips above, or may focus on other aspects of feeding and milk production. An IBCLC can give expert guidance regarding when to include pumping, when a supplement might be necessary, how to improve baby’s latch, and how to spot any underlying medical conditions that may be contributing to low supply.

For moms who pump exclusively or as a supplement, optimizing your routine is key.

This is the ultimate technique for mimicking a baby's cluster feeding to signal a surge in demand. The schedule is: pump for 20 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, pump for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, pump for 10 minutes. Doing this once a day for 3-5 days can significantly boost your output. 

Don't just rely on the machine. Gently massage your breasts before and during your pumping session, then follow up with a few minutes of hand expression. This technique is proven to increase breast milk supply while pumping by helping to empty the breast more completely. 

An ill-fitting flange is a common culprit for low output.  If you feel pain, notice discoloration of your nipple, experience lots of nipple swelling with pumping, or see a lot of your areola being pulled in, you may need a different size.

If you are exclusively pumping, you’ll need to pump every 2-3 hours around the clock in the early weeks, including at least one session overnight when prolactin levels are highest. This is how you establish and increase breast milk pumping output.

Of course, all these techniques work best when you have a pump you can rely on. An efficient, comfortable, and powerful breast pump is essential for protecting your time and maximizing your milk output.

Knowing how to increase your breast milk supply starts with understanding the fundamentals of supply and demand. Having the right support and tools is essential for your breastfeeding journey. 

A high-quality breast pump is a game-changer for reaching your goals. Motif breast pumps are designed by and for moms to be comfortable, easy to use, and incredibly efficient. With hospital-strength performance and features like quiet motors and massage modes, they are the perfect partner for your journey.

Information provided in blogs should not be used as a substitute for medical care or consultation.