We all know pumping and breastfeeding are difficult and time-consuming! It can be a full-time job at times, but it can also be very rewarding. With all of the hard work you put into it, it can be very disheartening if your supply starts dwindling or you can’t keep up with your little one’s needs. Here are some great tips to quickly and easily increase your breast milk supply.

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**I am NOT a medical professional. This is intended for informational purposes only and it is not intended to be used for medical advice. Please consult your physician before using information in this post. Click here to see my full disclaimer.

There was a point with all 3 of my children where I noticed my supply was not keeping up with their needs, especially after I returned to work and was doing more pumping than nursing. I knew I needed to do something to try to increase my milk supply or I would need to start supplementing with formula, and I didn’t want to have to do that if I didn’t have to. Here are some surprising breastfeeding tips for new moms.

I do have to say that I have absolutely nothing against formula. A fed baby is best! The purpose of this post is not to make anyone feel bad for having to use formula or supplement. Formula is necessary for some and I honestly don’t care how anyone feeds their baby! My intention with this post is to help moms who might be struggling with low milk supply to increase their milk production.

Make sure to use caution when trying to increase your supply. You don’t want to have an oversupply… that’s a whole other issue… so slowly try to increase your supply! I wanted to share what worked for me in hopes it might help someone else!

*I also want to add that these are things that helped ME! They are not a one size fit all and they might not work for everyone, like they did for me.

Here are a few things that helped improve my supply drastically:

• Stay Hydrated! This is probably the most important thing… even for our general health, but for some reason, it can be hard some days to keep up.
  • Keep a water bottle close by at all times and drink frequently.
  • I typically just drink plain water, but there are times when you just want a little more or a different flavor. So I occasionally would drink Body Armor. It tastes delicious and has coconut water and extra vitamins. Click here to check out Body Armor.
  • I also like to have Bubly water when I want a carbonated beverage. 

• Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. Again something we should be doing all the time, but it’s always a good reminder to make sure you are getting enough servings in a day. We tend to forget about taking care of ourselves when we have littles we are caring for.
  • Try to keep extra fruits and veggies on hand. If possible, cut them up ahead of time (if they need to be cut) or have someone do this for you. If they are easier to grab, you will probably be more likely to grab them and eat them. 

• Oatmeal.
  • I’m not a big oatmeal fan, but I do think it helps improve milk production.
  • I like to mix it with fruit, apple sauce, or add some to a smoothie. This is also a good way to get in some extra fruit.
  • I also found a recipe for lactation cookies that contained oatmeal! It was a nice way to increase my oatmeal intake.
  • Adding Brewers yeast can also increase milk supply.

• Fenugreek.
  • This is a supplement I got in the natural foods section of our local grocery store.
  • Definitely talk to your doctor or medical professional before taking any supplements! You need to make sure it is both safe and effective for you before taking. This did help me but it might not help everyone. So I am not saying you should take it. I am saying that I did take it and it did help my supply!
  • There are some people that fenugreek does not help and can decrease their supply. So if you choose to try fenugreek, do your research as there is research on both sides if this one.
  • I did not initially know about fenugreek, but I had read about it somewhere on the internet when researching different ways to increase my milk supply. I checked with my midwife and she gave me the go-ahead to use it. Do your research before you take it to make sure it is right for you! Once I started using it, I noticed that it helped boost my supply drastically within a couple of days. I did start smelling like maple syrup when I sweat after taking it consistently for a week or two!

• The back of the bottle I had said to take 2 pills 2-3 times a day. I only took 2 pills a day and that was enough to boost my supply. Click here to see the Fenugreek.
  

• Haakaa. I did not discover this until my 3rd baby and it was a total game-changer for me! Here is the ultimate Haakaa review and why you NEED to get it.
  • I used it on the opposite side I was nursing on (with light suction). It would catch any leaking milk and I think that light suction on the opposite side while nursing helped to stimulate increased milk production. I was surprised as to how much milk it would catch while I was nursing… sometimes I got 2-3 ounces! We all know every drop of breast milk is precious!
  • I also used it occasionally between nursing sessions to help ease some pressure if my breasts were getting uncomfortable, but the baby wasn’t quite ready to eat yet. It helped to ease enough pressure to make things more comfortable until baby was ready eat.
  • I have also used it between nursing sessions to get a little more milk saved up. It is MUCH easier than pumping and easier to clean up.
  • If used properly between sessions, you can increase milk supply without emptying your breasts between feedings. Then you can make sure you always have enough supply for baby!
  • A Haakaa has a MUCH lighter suction than a regular pump. So, it is much more comfortable to use in those early days when your breasts are sore.
  • I can’t tell you how much I love this thing! I used the original Haakaa, but they have a Haakaa with a lid, which is awesome! I wish I would have seen that when I was still nursing my youngest. There were several times I accidentally tipped mine over and spilled some of the precious milk. Click here to see the Haakaa with a lid!

• Add in an extra pumping session. 
  • I HATE pumping. This was definitely my least favorite thing to do. 
  • I added in a 15 minute pumping session while I was getting ready for work in the morning. I use this hands-free pumping bra so I could pump and get ready at the same time. Time is precious when you are a mama!
    

• Try to decrease your stress levels
  • Stress can have a big impact on supply.
  • Try to focus on relaxing and deep breathing when pumping or feeding to help increase your milk supply.
  • Here are some tips to help decrease stress.

If you are looking to increase your milk supply, I hope some of these tips can help you learn how to increase your breast milk supply! I always recommend that people trust their “mom instinct” and find something that works for you and your family. Remember that breastfeeding is hard work. It is normal to feel frustrated and defeated at times, but I do think it is worth the hard work. It’s important to seek help from a trusted professional if you are having difficulty.

Let me know below if you have other tips for moms to increase breast milk supply!

Here is a list of other great baby supplies that you NEED with a FREE printable baby registry checklist!

If you enjoyed this post, check out “How to Ease Evening Stress With An Infant”.