Thoughts on Increasing Milk Supply

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I burst into tears when the lactation consultant on the phone told me that in order to make more milk I would need to get more rest and take better care of my own body.  Who had time to rest?!  I had twin babies to care for!  It felt like another thing to add to my quickly growing list of “Ways I’m Failing as a Mom.”  I’d been a mom for all of three months and so far I had been unable to stay pregnant long enough to avoid a NICU stay, I felt exhausted and overwhelmed daily and now I was unable to breastfeed.  I was also apparently not able to even take care of my own body!  Parenting preemie twins knocked me flat on my back in more ways than one.

I used to tell my patients’ moms that “breast is best”.  I don’t do that anymore. I wish I could go back in time and apologize to some of those mamas.  We are good enough at guilting and shaming ourselves.  We don’t need anyone else to add to that.  I certainly encourage moms to breastfeed if they are in a space to do so.  But I also make sure to tell struggling moms that formula does not mean failure.   If it’s an appropriate situation I make sure to tell them that all of my children have gotten both breast milk and formula.  I cried an ugly cry in the middle of the formula aisle when my twins were young.  I cried a lot in that first year.  I felt ashamed to be a pediatric nurse who had preached the benefits of breastfeeding for years and was unable to breastfeed my own babies.  I feel none of that shame this go around with my youngest.  I am doing the best I can for her and for myself.  That is enough.

With that being said, if you are attempting breastfeeding and you are struggling with milk supply know that you are absolutely not alone.  In the clinic I work in there are four of us pumping mamas right now (don’t open a closed door around our clinic!) and the conversation always turns to supply.  There are an array of capsules and teas and lactation cookies all around our break room on any given day.  It’s hard to keep supply up when you have to be away from your baby for work or school or any other reason.

Here are some practical and simple ways you can increase your milk supply if that is your goal.

• Rest.  Don’t hear this as another thing you’re doing wrong.  There are many times when moms can’t get enough rest because kids are sick and life has to keep going.  But if you’re staying up too late because you hate to leave a mess or because you have too much on your plate, try to delegate and let go of as much as you can.  Rest is key to making milk.

• Supplements. Fenugreek is one of the best herbs to increase supply.  I wasn’t sure how well it was working but then I ran out for a few days and my supply dipped significantly.  So apparently it works quite well! This is the tea that I drink constantly these days.  It’s definitely an acquired taste but with honey it’s not too bad!

• Power pumping!  Babies often cluster feed (have several feedings close together) so if you can simulate that with a pump it can help to increase supply.  For example, I will pump at 5 p.m. while finishing up my charting and then pump again at 6 p.m. on my drive home (this is my favorite hands-free pumping bra option) and then pump again at 7:30 while eating dinner.  If I can get in one cluster-pumping session per day it keeps my supply up. Having a pump you can use on-the-go is a must if you’re a busy mama. This is the one I’m currently using and I pump while doing dishes, driving, helping big kids with homework - just about anything really.

• Consider a hospital grade pump. The difference that I’ve seen in my own body and my patients between a regular pump and a hospital grade pump is huge. I will link here to the one I’m currently using to pump milk for my youngest. They are very expensive but many insurance companies offer options to rent them at very affordable rates. I’m renting this Medela Symphony for $8/month so it’s definitely worth asking about. I’ve also seen families go in together to purchase them and pass them among cousins/siblings which is an option if the timing of pregnancies works out well. Using health savings or flex spending account money is another option if you’d like to consider a hospital grade pump.

• Lots and lots and lots of water.  Our bodies can not give what they do not have. I love these insulated cups from Pioneer Woman. I have several around my house/car/office and they are constant reminders to keep drinking.

• Acupuncture – I’ve had a lot of success with acupuncture for a number of different things and milk supply is one of them.  I’ve found that in the few days after an acupuncture session my milk increases by several ounces per pumping session.

• Healthy fats – This is the time to down those trail mixes, nuts, avocados and salmon.  I’ve noticed the amount of milk I make is very linked with how much fat I’m consuming. This is the supplement I take as an easy way to increase the healthy fats I’m consuming. Here is a link to a great website that my acupuncturist passed on to me about other foods you can consume to increase your supply.

• Keep a log. Particularly in the early weeks and months of feeding a newborn it is important to keep track of how much and how often they are eating. If you’re struggling with supply it’s likely that your baby may be getting a combination of formula/pumped milk and time at the breast. I’ve created a lot to help you keep track of your baby’s patterns. You can download this for free here.

It is always true that we are better parents when we are not depleted and exhausted.  We just usually don’t have physical evidence.  Breastfeeding is a season of parenting where how well we practice caring for ourselves tangibly translates to how well we can sustain our children.  I used to resent this truth and see it as another way I was failing.  Now I embrace it and hope it flows over into other areas of my life.  I can show up more fully for the people I love when I am aware of my own needs.

I hope you can create some time in the midst of the chaos to be kind to yourself – to make a healthy snack, to make rest a priority, to make it to a counseling or acupuncture appointment.  Your body and your baby will reap the benefits.