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Tips for Increasing Your Milk Supply When Breastfeeding

When a new mother begins breastfeeding, she often wonders if she’ll be able to produce enough breast milk to feed her newborn. If you’re not able to produce enough milk to satisfy your baby, there are some things you can do. These tips for increasing the milk supply may prove helpful if you’re concerned.

If you are having a milk supply problem there could be a couple of reasons. Are you having problems with latch-on, is your child sleepy when nursing, or do you have painful nipples? These may cause you to not nurse as often, which may cause a milk supply slow down. If you’re taking birth control pills or have been sick, those could also be possible reasons for producing less milk.

What can you do? First, you need to determine if you’re truly having a milk supply issue. You can tell if you’re producing enough milk by the following:


• If your baby is a newborn to less than three months old, it should be gaining an ounce a day. This is a sure-fire way to verify that your child is getting enough milk each day.

• If your baby is less than a month old, it should have at least three dirty diapers each day. The stools should be a yellowy-mustardy color. As the child ages, they will have dirty diapers less often.

• Does the child nurse often? The baby should nurse at least every two to three hours for at least eight feedings, and up to twelve, per day.

• Can you hear the baby swallow when it eats? Do you notice milk in its mouth, or dribbles coming out of its mouth?

• Does the baby have five to eight wet diapers per day? While wet diapers aren’t an accurate measure of your milk supply, the number of dirty diapers and their weight are.


How do you produce more milk if you’re not happy with your milk production? In this case supply and demand are definitely the name of the game. The more often you nurse, the more milk you will produce. Here are some other tips for increasing the milk supply:


• Call a lactation consultant to discuss your concerns. They will be able to help you decide if you truly have a milk supply problem or not.

• Make sure the baby is latching on properly. If they’re not latching on properly, they won’t be stimulating the breast to cause let-down.

• If your baby becomes sleepy while nursing, keep them awake to adequately nurse.

• Use breast compression when the sucking and swallowing become less pronounced. Switch sides and allow the baby to nurse on the other side. If you still feel full, use an electric pump to fully drain the breasts.

• At your next doctor’s appointment, ask them to test your thyroid level. Low thyroid levels have been known to reduce a mother’s supply of breast milk.


A breastfeeding mom may often feel they’re not producing enough milk; however, mostly that isn’t the case at all. They may be feeling pressure to use formula, or they may just be afraid. These tips for increasing the milk supply may help you strengthen your resolve to breastfeed and continue to feed your child the way nature intended.