Methods to Ensure Enough Milk Supply for Your Newborn!

If you are breastfeeding, you have probably wondered at least once whether you are producing enough milk for your little one or if you are underfeeding them. It is totally understandable, and almost all nursing mothers will have this exact concern. It’s natural to worry about the growth of our babies, but you shouldn’t let it stress you out.

In case you notice a decrease in supply, know that it will not stay that way and it can be increased back. Setting out with an optimistic mindset is the very first step to take! 

Some mothers start out having high production which slowly decreases and becomes low. Some can’t produce enough and have to supplement the lack of milk with formula instead. Over the years, researchers have found that so many factors may affect breast milk supply.

What if we say there are various things like your confinement diet plan that may help boost your milk production? That’s right! If the correct measures are followed, you may see an increase in your milk production.

Do note that different people have different breastfeeding experiences. What works for one may not work for another. Here are a few methods and pointers that you can try out if your milk production has been low or if you feel that you haven’t been producing enough milk for your baby.

Demand & Supply

The magical thing about your body is that it has its own way of adjusting your milk supply according to how much your baby needs. In other words, it is a matter of demand and supply. Your body will keep producing milk as long as it is needed. 

So how do you ‘tell’ your body that it needs to produce more milk? 

If you want to increase the supply, nurse more often or try pumping more often. This gives a signal that there is a demand for production and your body will continue producing more milk.

If you have to spend an extended period apart from your baby, this may affect the amount of breast milk produced. Emptying your breast milk regularly after feeds will help keep up your supply. Going the extra mile by holding skin-to-skin contact with your little one helps even more – it’s a powerful bonding experience and an effective way to boost lactation production!

Hydration

Hydration is key, and this holds true no matter what we are talking about! Dry skin? Hydrate. Dull complexion? Hydrate! Low milk supply? You guessed it – hydrate! In fact, if you are not consuming enough fluids you would be at risk of dehydration which can lead to other issues like fatigue and constipation in mothers. Feeling unwell would make mothers less likely to be able to breastfeed as much as she wants, thus making her more stressed out. The increase in stress would increase her cortisol levels which may affect her breast milk supply. Now, the good thing is, you can hydrate yourself the way you want to You can have other drinks, soups, and even certain fruits that can boost hydration such as watermelon, strawberries, and coconut water! Remember to not exceed more than 1 glass of sweet drink or fruit juice per day to ensure that you avoid excessive sugar intake that may lead to excess caloric intake.

Modify Your Diet

The food you consume plays an essential part in your milk production, especially within the first month after childbirth which is also known as the confinement month. As breastfeeding starts soon after birth, you will need to ensure that the food consumed during your confinement supports your recovery well and has all the necessary ingredients and nutrition to aid in your milk production. But how to know which ones are the best confinement food for breastfeeding? Confinement meal caterers like Tian Wei Signature advocates breastfeeding and their meals are specifically planned to help in boosting milk supply. We include various lactogenic herbs and ingredients like fenugreek, ginger, garlic, fennel and green papaya, which are traditionally known to increase milk production. 

Certain ingredients like garlic can affect the odour and flavour of breast milk. If you include some garlic in your meals, good news, your baby will most likely like it as well! Studies have shown that babies of mothers who consume garlic latch on longer, especially during the initial stages of breastfeeding. Due to this, your body receives a signal that more milk needs to be produced, resulting in more production! As breast milk production largely depends on your fluid intake, we also try to keep your daily drink as tasty yet healthy as possible to ensure you are well-hydrated. For that, we serve red dates tea for breastfeeding as well as promoting proper blood circulation purposes.

Refrain from offering your baby pacifiers to delay feeding

Babies somehow know when they are hungry and will give cues such as crankiness, fussing or crying. Try to avoid offering them pacifiers if you feel that it is too early for feeding. The fact is, breast milk digests faster than formula, so your baby tends to get hungry faster when he/she is breastfed compared to feeding him/her formula. If your baby is breastfed, then he/she should be fed whenever he/she wants to. Feeding shouldn’t be replaced with an empty teat just to delay feeding time. When it comes to feeding your baby, pay attention to their hunger cues instead of following a strict timetable. This is called ‘feeding on demand’ and will guide your body to provide an ample milk supply for your little one’s needs.

You will find that the more often you nurse, the higher your milk production will be as it gives your body the signal that milk is being emptied much quicker and the body must increase production.

In conclusion, there are a number of ways to aid in increasing milk production. Try out these methods and let us know if they helped improve your milk production!

If you prefer the method of modifying your diet and are still trying to figure out where to start, you can try our confinement meals! 

If you’re searching for accessible confinement food in Singapore, Tian Wei Signature provides confinement food delivery services to your doorstep. We are always one call away, available daily to assist you!