I love breastfeeding my babies and on my eight month feeding journey with my first one I learned a thing or two about how to keep up milk supply which I thought is worth sharing.
(Btw I’m just sharing from my experience here what works best for me, also no judgment about how you feed your baby because while breastfeeding might work for one mom, it might not for another and that’s more than okay. Fed is best!)
These are my hacks to en sure my little one always gets enough of the liquid gold:
1. Water
Hydration is key! When breastfeeding more than ever because to produce enough milk you need enough liquids in your body. Keep a filled water bottle by your side day & night, this makes ALL the difference, I promise!
2. Rest
Yes, your body needs time to recover to produce all that milk. Remember, it’s nourishing a little human all by itself, isn’t that just amazing?! Newborn phase is stressful, you aren’t getting much sleep but do yourself a favor and rest while you can. I just experienced a drop in my milk supply last week after my older daughter’s birthday. I had been on my feet all day busy with preparations, didn’t sleep enough and probably also didn’t hydrate enough and the next day I noticed a big drop in milk production. I brought it back up by making sure I was drinking plenty of fluids and went to bed earlier that night which helped to get my milk back up.
3. Fennel Tea
Fennel is an amazing herbal galactagogue (a substance that helps in increasing breastmilk supply) and has been used to increase the supply of milk in nursing women for centuries. I have usually make one big jug of fennel tea in the morning and drink it throughout the day and then one at night again. It has a mild taste and it’s a nice warming alternative to plain water.
4. Coconut Water
This hack I found out when I spent some time in Florida two years ago when my first baby was only two months old. Instead of tea I craved something fresh and cooling and I drank lots of coconut water which did wonders for my milk production! I think it’s because coconut water contains natural electrolytes and is super hydrating. Now I make sure to always keep a stash in my fridge. It’s also a super nice afternoon treat when you crave a little something sweet.
5. Oatmeal
Oats contain plenty of iron which is needed to produce breastmilk. I love to start my day with oatmeal when I breastfeed as I’m usually hungry in the morning from those night feeds and it’s a nice and comforting way to replenish those depleted stores. Keep it interesting with varying toppings every day, like seeds, cacao nibs, banana, peanut butter, coconut milk, stewed berries and a drizzle of maple syrup!
