Preemie babies are sometimes too small and weak to breastfeed, so you may have to try pumping to increase milk supply. Consider ditching the bottle if you want to increase milk supply. It makes sense that your body can’t produce ample milk if you’re dehydrated, so try downing an eight-ounce glass each time you breastfeed, plus a couple more throughout the day. “It’s important to know that newborn weight charts are based on standards set from formula-fed babies, who may gain weight faster than breastfed babies because the fat content in formula is higher and constant at every feeding,” Page says. Alfalfa has long been used by nursing mothers as an effective herb for increasing milk supply, and it boasts lots of other health benefits too. You may not have heard of this one before, even if you were familiar with the other herbs on this list. Unfortunately, baby can’t yet pipe up after a feeding and say, “Mommy, I’m still hungry!” But if you’re wondering, “how do I know if my milk supply is low?” rest assured that your little one can still give you some valuable clues as to what’s going on. But take a deep breath and relax, because although low milk supply may seem like a mystery, it’s one you can usually solve. If you’re truly struggling to provide baby with enough milk, you may have heard of two controversial drugs that can increase milk supply. Studies are mixed as to their effectiveness, but each mom should inform herself and make the appropriate choice for her breastfeeding journey. This can be done for a few days and works by signaling the body to make more.”. How? An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant can help determine if you do need help with your milk supply, and work with you to find ways to address the issue. Consult with the professionals. • Using a pacifier. “People of some cultures even blend oats with water, then strain the oats from the water and use the remaining milky water as a supply-boosting drink.”. • Drinking alcohol or smoking. Babies normally lose up to 10 percent of their birth weight in the first few days, but they should regain that by the time they hit the 2-week mark. Keep your eyes peeled for these common signs of low milk supply: • Stalled weight gain. A lactation consultant should always be consulted to ensure there truly is a supply issue, and if there is, all other avenues should be exhausted first. • Water. “They may not wake as often or be as active when they wake. Your breast milk is produced on a supply and demand basis. Generally speaking, your body is built to produce as much milk as baby needs—so when baby breastfeeds often, your body understands there’s a high demand for milk and ramps up production to meet it. Sometimes your breasts may not feel completely “empty” after nursing, so add a pumping session right after your baby finishes eating. • Oat straw. What causes low milk supply? But, according to Cohen, “oat straw is a very helpful herb that boosts milk supply and is very calming due to it being rich in B vitamins.”. “There are also supplement blends that contain multiple supplements in one pill. “Baby removes less milk, so mom produces less milk.” When a baby has a good latch, more milk comes out, and more milk is made. Yes, these are the same ingredients found in beer, and they may also support your supply efforts. Express your milk as often as possible. “Breast milk supply is hormonally driven in the first few days following delivery,” says Stephanie Nguyen, RN, IBCLC, a board-certified lactation consultant and founder of Modern Milk, a breastfeeding clinic and prenatal-postnatal education center in Scottsdale, Arizona. “No one in the field is really talking about them.”, Clark agrees, saying, “There are no essential oils that would increase milk supply. Taking good care of yourself can also impact your breast milk supply, and … Swaddling suppresses hunger cues and normal waking cycles,” says Barbara Cohen, IBCLC, RLC, LLLL, a board-certified lactation consultant in New York City. In this article: But it’s okay too if you need a little bit of help on your breastfeeding journey! • Advanced maternal age. Increase how often you nurse and/or pump. New moms should take caution when considering this drug, though, since severe depression and fatigue are two of the more common side effects—not exactly ideal when you’ve got a newborn on your hands. • Decrease in baby activity. It’s common for a mom’s breast milk supply to take a (temporary) dip if she’s sick with a cold or the flu. • Brewer’s yeast. And if you’re given the go-ahead, know that once you reach a point where your supply is where you want it, you should stop taking the pills. Download The Appto explore more tools like Planner+ and Food Safety. • Reglan. Chances are, your milk supply is actually just fine. Pumping to increase milk supply can be done by using your pump (hospital-grade double pumps work best) for every missed feeding or anytime baby gets a supplemental bottle of breastmilk or formula. During baby’s first several days, she should wet the same number of diapers as her age in days. Always consult with your baby’s doctor (and yours!) Eager moms want to know how long it’ll take to boost their milk supply. Here are the most common causes of low milk supply: • Not feeding enough. If you still feel like your supply is low, read on for how to increase milk supply. “Reglan can be very effective and safe if taken in the short term, for two weeks or less,” de Franco says. “New parents often have no clue how much their newborn should eat and tend to think they need more than they actually do,” says Katie Page, a certified nurse-midwife in Lynchburg, Virginia. “Quick oats, regular oats, steel-cut oats—oatmeal in all forms is said to increase milk supply,” O’Connor says. Originally used to ease nausea in cancer patients, domperidone was also used as a medication to increase milk supply until it was banned for sale in the US by the FDA. Alfalfa can be consumed in its plant form, in a pill or even a tea. Many researchers are actively trying to get it back, though—it’s said to have fewer side effects than Reglan and is excreted in breast milk at a drastically lower percentage than Reglan, making it safer for baby too. Some moms have seen a great response to adding an evening or early morning nursing or pumping session. Nurse and pump. You can increase the frequency that you empty your breasts to start signaling your body to produce more milk. For the first few weeks, you should be breastfeeding eight to 12 times a day, which shakes out to about every two or three hours. • Fewer dirty diapers. This is a drug used for digestive issues that can be effective as a galactogogue. Babies need lots of food to fuel their growing bodies—but what if your breast milk production isn’t up to the task? And the good news is, most of them are pretty simple to incorporate. Tea and cookies, anyone? “There’s no research to back up the use of essential oils to increase milk supply,” says Jennifer de Franco, RN, IBCLC, owner of Premier Lactation Services in Northern Virginia. Herbs have been used for medicinal purposes throughout history. There are some that would make mom more relaxed, but you have to be incredibly careful using essential oils during pregnancy and lactation because some are unsafe for mother and baby.”. It’s packed with iron, protein and B vitamins and is generally considered safe to consume. Make sure you’re nursing or pumping at least 8 times a day. • Lactation teas.