The key to increasing your breastmilk supply is to increase the number of times you feed your baby and therefore effectively drain your breasts of milk. The more milk that is removed, the more breastmilk is produced. Effective positioning and attachment is important for breast drainage and will increase your breastmilk supply.
Can stress impact on milk supply?
Some breastfeeding mothers find they just don’t seem to have a good milk supply. Stress and being overtired can have a big impact so try and increase the amount of rest you’re getting and look at ways of improving your diet. Avoid giving baby extra top-up feeds with formula milk as this can diminish supply. Speak to your local child and family health Nurse or GP about the best options for your family.Increasing your breastmilk supply
Tips to increase your breastmilk:
PROBLEM |
SUGGESTED ACTION |
Does your baby only feed for short periods? |
Try to encourage your baby to stay longer at each breast or re-offer the first breast. |
Does your baby fall asleep at the breast before they finish a feed? |
Take baby off the breast and try to wake up by changing their nappy, or giving baby a short break to burp. The other option is to leave baby for a short period of time to rest then wake and reoffer your breast to them. |
Is your baby going for long periods between feeds? |
Reduce the time between feeds for a couple of days by offering the breast more frequently. |
Are your nipples sore or tender? |
Check if your baby is well positioned on the breast (you might need to have some specialist breastfeeding advice for this). If your baby is not well positioned, they may not be able to stimulate a let down or effectively drain your breasts. |
Do you get anxious or upset every time you have to breastfeed your baby? |
If you are feeling anxious and upset this may be impacting on the let down reflex that allows the free flow of your breastmilk. If this is happening you may need to seek some assistance from your child and family health nurse or a lactation consultant. Before each feed take a few moments to do a short relaxation exercise. |
Are you giving your baby extra top-up feeds with formula milk? |
Unless advised by your doctor, slowly stop these extra feeds and increase the number of breastfeeds to meet your baby’s needs. |
Have you introduced the baby to solid foods too early (before six months)? |
Return to offering breastfeeds only until six months. If your baby is over six months, breastfeed before offering your baby their solid foods. |
Are you smoking? |
Smoking can reduce your breastmilk production. Consider going onto a Quit program or reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. Seek the support of your doctor or child and family health nurse. |
PROBLEM |
SUGGESTED ACTION |
Are you or have you been unwell or overly tired? |
It might be time to see your local doctor about this, especially if it’s impacting on your wellbeing and/or your breastmilk supply. In the meantime you can improve your diet – make sure you are eating healthy, nutritious food and drinking plenty of water. Try and increase the amount of rest you are having by having a sleep during the day, even a short period can be helpful. Ask for and accept help from family and friends with household tasks. Have some time out and do something that you enjoy to help you relax. |
Is your baby unwell? |
If your baby is unwell this may be impacting on their ability to suck vigorously and stay awake to gain adequate nutrition. You may need to provide them with shorter but more frequent feeds until they are healthy again. Do not delay, if your baby remains unwell make an appointment to see your local doctor. |
Are you offering your baby a dummy or pacifier to extend the periods between feeds? |
Feed your baby more frequent feeds rather than using the dummy or pacifier to delay feeds. |
Are you taking medication either prescribed, over-the-counter, recreational or natural/herbal remedies? |
Either discuss the safety of these medications with the person who prescribed them or talk to your local pharmacist for advice. Recreational drugs can also have a negative impact on your milk supply, your health and your baby’s health and safety. |
Are you having a change in your hormones? |
This may be due to menstruation re-commencing, you may be ovulating again, you may have recently started a new contraceptive or you could be pregnant. In most instances (unless you are pregnant) the impact is short-lived and the taste of your breastmilk and baby’s behaviour will return to normal in a couple of days. Importantly, if you are pregnant you can still continue to breastfeed. |
Breastfeeding FAQ's
- I have to return to work but I am breastfeeding. I don't want to wean. What can I do?
- Our 2 year old has started to become very demanding and has regular tantrums. His naughty behaviour usually occurs when I am trying to feed my baby?
- I am going to be in the hospital for a couple of days, but I'm still breastfeeding my newborn. How do I manage?
- Does Tresillian support breastfeeding?
- Is it safe to have a COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding?
