Supply Boosters for Breastfeeding Mothers

Many mothers who have decided to breastfeed never thought that they would have to be concerned about the supply of breast milk that they would need to make to provide for their baby. Usually, the body will take cues from the breastfeeding baby and make as much as he or she needs. However, some situations arise where the mother will need to produce additional human milk for the baby to take from a bottle. Here are some suggestions on how to increase your supply and pump more breast milk.

The first thing to do when you want to increase supply is to increase the demand for milk. Your breast milk supply is running on a supply and demand system. The more the baby nurses or the more you pump, the more your body will produce. So increase your nursing sessions when you are with baby or increase the number of times you pump throughout the day. It will take a few days for your body to understand that it needs to produce more so do not get discouraged if you don't see immediate results.

The biggest culprit in a decreased supply is stress. Pumping breast milk is as much psychological as it is physiological. Stress can inhibit let downs as well as flow which will result in less output. Stress could be coming from your life, having to be away from your baby, or having to pump exclusively due to the baby not being able to nurse at the breast.

Try to remember that what you are doing is a very beneficial thing for your baby and it doesn't matter if your baby is drinking breast milk from the bottle or from your breast, your baby is still receiving all of the great nutrients and antibodies found in your milk. Try to bring a picture with you if you are able to be around your baby while you pump. Seeing your baby or smelling something of your baby will help your body cue itself into letting down more milk.

What you drink and eat can also affect your supply. Make sure you are drinking enough water so that you are not dehydrated. You will know if you are dehydrated if your urine is dark yellow, it has an odor and there isn't much. Limiting your caffeine intake will help with becoming dehydrated and will also be better for your milk since caffeine can pass into human milk.

Eating enough calories and eating healthy foods can also help with production. Your body uses approximately 500 calories a day making breast milk so it's important that your body has enough to function as well as generate a milk supply. There are some foods that have been known to help some mothers produce more than they usually do and that is oatmeal. Many mothers make oatmeal cookies or eat oatmeal for breakfast everyday.

Some mothers use herbal remedies (Galactagogues) to increase milk supply. Some of the most common ones are Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle and Alfalfa. You can find all of these at your local health foods store. It is important that the mother research these herbal supplements since some babies have had side effects from their mother's usage of them. Remember that just because herbs are natural, they still are a type of drug and you need to be careful and watch your baby for any possible side effects. That said many mothers have used herbs to increase their supply with no reactions to themselves or their baby.

Finally, if the mother has tried everything to increase their supply and the mother still does not produce enough to meet her baby's needs, prescription medication is available. The only prescription drug that is approved by the FDA in the United States is Domperidone. Domeperidone increases prolactin production in the pituitary gland which in turn stimulates milk production. Domeperidone is usually prescribed to patients with gastrointestinal tract disorders so ask your health care professional about its use in breast milk production.

Providing breast milk is so important to many breast feeding women. Many mothers have to return to work or are not able to nurse directly at the breast for various reasons and breast milk supply is constantly an issue. It's important that breast feeding mothers know that they have support and can contact a local La Leche League, call a local lactation consultant or visit an informational website, Kellymom.com (http://www.kellymom.com).

References: Kellymom website (http://www.kellymom.com)