‘Am I producing enough Breast Milk?’
The above thought is indicative of a common dilemma faced by most breastfeeding mothers. If you are one of them, don’t worry. This thought is completely natural. It’s perfectly all right for mothers to think ‘It’s Us, not Them;’ when they are worried that their baby might not be developing well.
Are you looking at How to Increase Breast Milk Naturally? If you are, you’ve come to the right place! In this article we have compiled for you the most effective ways vis a vis solving the age-old dilemma of How to Increase Breast Milk. These include invaluable Tips to Improve Breast Milk, like Foods that increase Milk Production, and even a cool Exercise to Increase Breast Milk!
Get started, with a look at whether Mama’s need to produce more Breast Milk, might actually be warranted!
Table of Contents:
- A Case for More Milk: Knowing if you are Producing Enough Breast Milk
- How to Increase Breast Milk Naturally: Tips to Improve Breast Milk
A Case for More Milk: Knowing if you are Producing More Breast Milk
In the beginning, it might be prudent to ask yourself if you really ‘are’ producing less breast milk. Truth be told, in all probability you are producing more than enough breast milk for your baby. The following are signs that will help confirm just that.
- They are content after their feed
- Those diapers are regularly soiled
- They are growing well
If they are tired, too, it’s a sign that they have had enough of Mama’s milk!
Changing dirty diapers keeps you busy? It’s one of the best signs that Mama is producing enough milk for her little one!
If they are the desired weight they should be, what’s all the fuss about? Clearly, they are getting enough breast milk for their nutritional needs.
Note: If your baby is persistently crying, it doesn’t mean they are simply getting less breast milk. The issue here could be other problems, like ‘teething’ or perhaps even, ‘gas’.
How to Increase Breast Milk Naturally: Tips to Improve Breast Milk
Regardless of whether you;re producing enough Breast Milk or not, the following are tips that will help you produce more breast milk Naturally.
- Breastfeed More!
- Eat a Balanced Diet
- Emptying both the Breasts
- Exercise to Increase Breast Milk
- Ensure a Proper ‘Latch’
- Using an Electric Pump
- Drink lots of Water
- Don’t Stress
You heard that right! The more you breastfeed your baby, the more milk your breasts make!
Tip: You also want to feed your baby to the point where they themselves decide to stop feeding.
Note: You might want to feed your baby anywhere between 8 to 12 times a day.
It is important for Mama to be on a balanced diet, to ensure that her caloric requirements for the day are not only met, but ‘exceeded’!
Note: While mothers must eat an overall ‘nutritious’ diet, there are certain Foods that Increase Milk Production. These include almonds, garlic, dark green veggies, ginger, oatmeal and fennel.
If you drain both breasts regularly, that will help prevent something called ‘breast engorgement’. This can potentially be damaging towards those glands that secrete milk.
Tip: One way to do this would be to get Mama to ‘switch sides’ when she is feeding Baby. The other way would be ensuring both breasts are stimulated simultaneously. This can be achieved by using an electric pump on the breast other than the one being used to breastfeed.
The following is a great exercise option for lactating mothers who are looking at how to increase breast milk naturally.They must make it a point to ‘rotate’ the muscles near their breasts every morning, as soon as they wake up.
Cool Fact: This exercise is excellent in the case of undoing the negative effects of the breasts getting engorged during the nighttime.
Have you ever given a thought to how Baby latches onto your nipple?
To do: Mama must ensure that Baby latches onto a bit of ‘breast tissue’, as well as that ‘nipple’. This is because, if they don’t, the milk will not flow easily.
We talked about using that electric pump in an earlier point, right? The good news is, you can use it even ‘after’ feeds and ‘in-between’ feeds. That is, to express milk in advance for Baby’s needs, of course!
Cool Fact: Using an electric pump in itself has a positive effect where it comes to stimulating the production of more milk from the breasts of lactating mothers.
If there is one thing that you should know about Breast Milk, it is this: It is 90 percent Water! Needless to say, if you drink lots of water during the day, you will be doing that production of breast milk a favour.
Tip: One way to ensure Mama gets more water is to have her drink some during every nursing session.
Okay, this one might be a tad difficult for every new mother, but it’s also a tip that’s absolutely essential! If you are looking at how to increase breast milk, start by first ‘stopping worrying’. Stress can cause a negative impact on your body’s milk production.
Tip: You might want to consider signing up for that ‘yoga class’ you have been thinking of for long. Or simply listen to some soothing music to destress!
As we have seen, all Mama has to do is make a few changes here and there, to ensure that the production of that vital Breast Milk is unhindered. Use the Tips to Improve Breast Milk outlined herein, to ensure your Baby gets their daily ‘fix’ of Breast Milk, without fail!
