The starting time of any mother is critical because of breastfeeding, especially for the first-time mom. It is a time when the mother is establishing a strong and healthy relationship with the child through the supply of breast milk. If your supply of breast milk is low, don’t worry. Here we will talk about how to increase breast milk supply.
Many mothers face this problem, but some simple steps can increase it. According to Disease Control and Prevention Center, almost 75 % of mothers start breastfeeding their babies but stop either partially or completely within the first few months.
Why the Breast Milk Supply is Low
There could be multiple factors that interfere with the let-down reflex and cause low milk supply, such as;
1. Emotional factors
Stress, Anxiety, and Embarrassment can decrease reflexes that produce less milk. Therefore, for a perfect breast milk supply, there is a need for a relaxing environment. There must be zero percent stress so that production could be normal.
2. Medical Condition
The second factor of low milk supply could be some medical conditions such as diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and pregnancy-induced blood pressure.=
3. Medications
Sometimes medication we use during pregnancy and after that can cause a low milk supply. Medicine that contains pseudoephedrine and some birth control medication can cause this problem.
5 Ways To Increase The Breast Milk Supply Naturally
For some women, the milk supply is fine, but they want to increase their breast milk production, and for that purpose, there is a need to follow some ways.
There are several strong and healthy ways to increase breast milk supply naturally.
1. Evaluate Baby’s Latch
The first step is to evaluate whether the baby is latching on the breast properly or not. It is an efficient way to increase the supply. Without it, the baby can’t be fed properly, and remove the milk from the breast. When the bay latch properly, it stimulates the receptors and produces more milk.
2. Use Breast Compression
Breast Compression is a technique that helps a baby to ake more milk while breastfeeding. It is a way to remove the milk while using a breast pump. There is no need for compression if a child feeds well.
3. Breastfeed From Both Sides
Make sure your baby is feeding on both breasts. The stimulation of both breasts helps increase milk production. Moreover, pumping from both also increases milk production, resulting in higher fat content.
4. Lactation cookies
Lactation cookies are also best to increase breast milk supply naturally. These are available in many stores and online. In these cookies, some ingredients are found that increase breast milk. Among these galactagogues is the common food which promotes lactation. Other lactation foods are whole oats, wheat germ, flaxseed meal, and brewer’s yeast.
5. Foods, Herbs, and Supplements
Many foods and herbs help to increase breast milk production. Fenugreek is very common among so many, which has a great impact within seven days. Moreover, ginger, garlic, fennel, brewer’s yeast, and spirulina are some other foods to increase breast milk supply naturally. However, supplements are not recommended to mothers because they can harm the babies’ health.
Bottom Line
If you are worried about breast milk supply after giving birth to a baby, consult with your doctor. Some natural ways are described in this article that can help you to achieve better results. Following these simple methods can naturally increase your breast milk supply.
Read Also: