“The more I obsessed and worried, the less milk I produced. It reached a point where I contemplated quitting altogether as my supply seemed scarce (around the four-month mark)”
the basics
- Stay hydrated / nourished – This is the most important above all. Make sure to maintain good nutrition and hydration to support milk production.
- Latching Techniques: Practice and ensure proper latching technique to make the experience as comfortable as possible for you and baby.
- Positions: Try various positions until you find one you are most at ease with. There’s no right or wrong way. Find some here.
- Feed on Demand: Follow your baby’s hunger cues and offer frequent feedings as often as baby wants. This also stimulates milk production.
- Breast Care: Make sure you follow good hygiene, wear lanolin cream when needed, find a comfy fitting nursing bra and clothing.
- Seek Support: Lastly, breastfeeding can be challenging at times and we all can get a little anxious about it. Please don’t hesitate to ask for help or be embarrased to ask a professional about it. It is a natural process which requires a lot of learning, practice, patience and dedication.
The Journey
We all want to know how to produce breastmilk quickly and effectively for our little ones, but along the way we tend to get so obsessed with the process that we miss the beauty of the journey. Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing, filled with ups and downs. It’s not always easy, but the bond between mother and baby is priceless. My personal experience has been a roller coaster ride, but my body has continually surprised me since we embarked on this adventure. From day one, my desire was to produce abundant milk for my baby’s needs, but the stress of constantly striving to “keep up” actually hindered my progress. The more I obsessed and worried, the less milk I produced. It reached a point where I contemplated quitting altogether as my supply seemed scarce (around the four-month mark). However, once I decided to let go and flow with the process, things changed dramatically.
While still taking my vitamins, supplements, and staying hydrated, I eased up on myself. I incorporated power-pumping and frequent latching to stimulate my milk glands and potentially boost production. And lo and behold, within that same week, my milk supply increased, paving the way for my rewarding two-year journey. It’s important to note that from the very beginning, I acknowledged that if I couldn’t produce enough milk, alternative nourishment options were available for my baby. Hence, we introduced formula alongside breastfeeding to ensure his nutritional needs were adequately met. This turned out to be advantageous as he never favored one over the other, making it easier for his father or my mom to feed him when I was away for work.
Below are some of the products I used which I feel worked the best for me. This isn’t by any means medical advice, and remember to be patient as everything during this journey is trial and error until you find something that works exactly for you and your baby.
Please remember that every breastfeeding journey is unique, and everyone has different aspirations. Seek advice and inspiration from reputable sources, such as blogs, Instagram comments, or fellow moms you meet in nursing rooms at airports. The key is to create a nurturing routine that brings you comfort and confidence. Embrace the journey, explore various methods, and find solace in the fact that you are a remarkable mom.
Love,
Steph xoxo
Essentials
Supplements
Mother's Milk Tea
Lactation tea made with ingridients such as Fennel and Fenugreek to help increase your supply. I’m a tea drinker so I had nothing to lose while giving this a fair try. I wasn’t as consistent as I should’ve been but I really enjoyed it right before bed because it’s so soothing. Also in the hotter months try adding some ice to it once it’s brewed!
Get mother’s milk tea here.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Soothing to drink
- Tastes good (add some milk and honey for more flavor) I used to drink it straight
Cons
- Must drink at least 3 bags a day to see results
rejuvica drops
Made with herbal oils such as Fenugreek, Blessed Thistle, Anise, Fennel, Turmeric & Red Raspberry Leaf, this supplement greatly increased my milk supply above all other products.
Get them here.
Pros
- No aftertaste
- Alcohol – Free
- Easy to use
Cons
- Pricy
Brewer's Yeast
Gluten-free, Non-GMO, unflavored yeast powder which helps boost your supply. I won’t lie, at first this was a difficult one to add to my diet. One of my favorite ways to get a proper full serving was to make frozen fruit smoothies (pairs best with strawberry, blueberries, bananas) and adding either almond or coconut milk to the mix. I also experimented making chocolate chips cookies with it, and while they were tasty, it was too much work while simultaneously trying to feed yourself, a hungry baby and pump.
Get it here.
Pros
- Helps boost supply overall
- Versatile (can be used with different recipes)
- Packs 17g of protein per serving!
- Helps maintain skin, hair, nails health
Cons
- Slight aftertaste
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Pump it up!
Feed, burp, change, pump, clean pump, repeat. Raising little humans is already a hard enough job. Pumping shouldn’t add more stress to the already chaotic loophole during the first couple of days, weeks, and months your navigating motherhood. I knew if I wanted to maintain my milk supply, I needed to pump right after every feeding, but this seemed like an almost impossible task, having to plug yourself to a wall basically and pump for 15 min while being ultimately tied down to your pump.
My life literally changed the minute I found the Elvie.
This is a portable pump and it comes in different styles. The fact that you can put this under your bra and pump away was mind blowing to me! I had the freedom to pump while still tending to my baby, doing chores around the house and even at work. It is so discreet no one could ever tell what i was doing.
I highly recommend this product and I cannot stress how much it helped my pumping journey and maintaining my supply while being on the go for work.
Along with pumping, I used this handheld Lactation massager which provides heat and vibration to promote let-down and massage clogged ducts.
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