How to increase breastmilk supply?
8:24:00 AM
I haven’t posted about breastfeeding or pumping for weeks, or months exactly. No, don’t take me wrong, I’m still BREASTFEEDING. Nursing is breastfeeding, pumping is also breastfeeding. I’m now exclusively pumping. I don’t take that as a disadvantage or a “bug” that I need to fix any more. I feel it a blessing that I’m still able to provide my baby the best.
I know that a lot mamas out there are like me that are trying your best to give your LO mother’s milk. I just want to post some tips from my personal experience that helped increase my supply, from an undersupplier to have my own milk stash now almost 1000 oz.
1. NURSING and PUMPING. In the first month, my lo was like attaching to me 24/7. And now I know it’s normal that she’s trying to cluster feeding to get what she needs and increase mommy’s supply. Just keep nursing and pumping afterwards for like 10 to 15 minutes to let your body know that your lo needs more and more.
2. WATER, WATER, WATER. I’m never a fan of water. But now I can’t leave it for a second. Get some straw cup and fill with water constantly! You need those water to create breastmilk. Breastmilk is 80% water, mommies.
3. POWER PUMPING. I can give all credits to power pumping if I can. Power pumping is you pump until empty, and follow with a 10-minute break, and continue with 10-minute pumping, and 10-minute rest, and another 10-minute pumping. In the first couple months, I spent hours and hours on power pumping. I still remember one day I felt asleep in my couch and still pumping. At 7 months pp, I still power pump once a day to make my body know that I still need more.
4. TIMING. I would say that those first couple months are perfect time to increase supply. My supply regulated at around 4 months, when I pumped enough and made a little freezer stash. That time, I’m still power pumping and I’m still pump at mid of the nights. It just remained the same. Now at 7 months pp, I dropped my mid of the night pump, and I still got that much.
5.PUMPING SCHEDULE. If you choose to exclusively pumping, make a schedule. I pump every two hours in the very beginning, and then I pump every three hours. I still remain that schedule except I dropped the midnight pump. I now pump before my lo’s feeding time and give her my fresh pumped milk for the feeding afterwards. I made my own schedule that fitted perfectly into my lo’s schedule. My schedule: 6am (or when Kaylee wakes me up, around 6:30), 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, 9pm (power pumping time). You may add a 2am pumping. Oh, and I pump 30 minutes each session.
6. NO STRESS. I know it’s easier said than done. In the first couple months, I sticked to my schedule and woke up twice at nights to pump. I’m a fighter. I don’t think I can’t get enough when other mommies can. But holy cow, I was stressed out. I downloaded an APP and recorded how much I got each session. I looked at the bottles all the time to see if there’s something coming out or not. I felt so defeated! But you will get there. Just believe yourself and do your best! Stress won’t help a thing!
Some small tips here:
7. PUMPING GEAR. I used Medela PISA in the first month, and I got to know that Spectra has a great pump that is recommended by lots of mammas. Wow, my best investment ever. I bought a used Spectra S2 pump and the first time I used it was amazing. I got more out while using less time. I highly recommend it. If you have budget, get the S1 which is cordless.
8. FLANGE SIZING. Do you ever think that you’ve got a wrong sized flange? Get your flange sized may help your supply!
9. COCONUT OIL. Use some coconut oil on the flange before pumping. You will definitely feel the differences.
10. SUPPLEMENTS. Ok, it’s finally time to supplements. Well, from my own experience, I don’t recommend any of them since I’ve tried a lot and NOTHING WORKED! Literally nothing!
I just hope these tips will help some mamas out there! HAPPY BREASTFEEDING! HAPPY NURSING! HAPPY PUMPING!
0 comments