You have a baby, you plan to breastfeed; your body knows what to do and makes plenty of milk, right?
Not always.
Sometimes, making enough milk can be a struggle – as every nursing relationship has its ups and downs and ebbs and flows.
However, you CAN try a few things to boost your milk supply while breastfeeding. Read on:
Eat well and stay hydrated
It goes without saying that nursing moms need AT LEAST 8, 8-ounce glasses of water a day. And you do need extra calories while nursing, so make sure you are eating plenty of nourishing foods with protein and fiber. Also, some foods like flaxseed can actually boost your supply too!
Nurse. A lot.
Nursing on demand can really help boost your supply, as can skin-to-skin contact, so make sure you are watching for baby’s cues and nursing a lot. Yes, it can seem that you nurse all day, every day. That’s normal – especially in the early days. For working mamas, this can be challenging so try to do your best. And let your baby eat on both sides; don’t set a timer!
Pump
This might seem odd, but emptying the breast actually signals the body to make MORE milk, so if baby is falling asleep while nursing or not emptying the breast, pumping after nursing can really boost your milk supply!
Don’t stress
The most important matter at hand is that baby is fed and happy, so try not to stress about it. Each nursing relationship – and each mom and baby are unique and special and there can be health factors or other concerns that make milk production an issue. A good lactation consultant can also be a huge help to many nursing mamas.
Everything Birth
At Everything Birth, we love our nursing mamas and babies!
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