Boost your breast milk supply with these 20 easy tips

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1. HOLD OFF THE FAKE NIPPLE

Nipple, bottle teat and pacifier – wouldn’t you be confused as well if you were offered all three at different times? Avoid giving your newborn artificial nipples during the first four weeks when she is learning to latch on, advises Cynthia Pang, assistant director of lactation services at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH). It can jeopardise your efforts. Always use a spoon, cup or syringe to feed her expressed breast milk.

2. GET YOUR TECHNIQUE RIGHT

Ensuring that Baby latches on correctly can help stimulate your supply, says Cynthia. It also helps prevent problems like sore nipples and engorgement, which can discourage you from nursing.

When you latch Baby onto your breast, turn her tummy to face yours and support her head and body, she advises. Check that Baby’s mouth covers the areola (the coloured area around the nipple). Her lower lip should turn out and her chin should be touching your breasts.

If Baby is doing it correctly, you shouldn’t feel any pain. You should also see and hear her swallowing, she adds.

3. BACK YOURSELF UP WITH THEORY

Practice does make perfect. But doing some prep work – for example, reading up and attending antenatal classes – will help you cope better when the going gets tough, says Kang Phaik Gaik, senior nurse manager and senior lactation consultant at Mount Alvernia Hospital.

Sarah Sinaram, a senior dietitian at Raffles Diabetes and Endocrine Centre at Raffles Hospital, suggests these books and resources:



4. CUDDLE YOUR BABY

Ample skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible after delivery stimulates the hormone oxytocin, which helps with bonding and milk let-down, says Phaik Gaik.

Most healthy babies are typically alert and have a keen interest in suckling in the first hour after birth, says Phaik Gaik. During this time, your newborn might even instinctively latch on by herself.

If you are unable to nurse your baby immediately – for instance, because of a caesarean delivery – get a breast pump and express as soon as possible every three hours, shares Cynthia.

5. TAKE CARE OF YOUR BOSOM BUDDIES

Your supply suffers when your milk ducts are blocked. Steer clear of tight, wired bras and opt for those with breathable fabrics. If you have a habit of sleeping face down, get used to lying on your side or on your back instead, says Zhong Xi Ming, a senior traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physician with Eu Yan Sang Premier TCM Centre at Paragon. Regular breast massages can also help ensure smooth milk flow, she adds. Using your thumb and index finger, massage inwards starting from the side of the breast to the centre. Do this twice a day, for 20 times each.

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6. DRINK UP

Staying well-hydrated is important when you’re making milk around the clock. As a rule of thumb, make sure you take at least eight glasses of fluids – water, milk, soup and juices – every day, says Pauline.

Having a hot beverage before your nursing or pumping session can also help you to unwind and rev up prolactin hormones, which stimulate breast-milk production, adds Mount Alvernia’s Phaik Gaik.

7. SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP EARLY

Address any problems by getting help from a professional lactation consultant, says Cynthia.

“When you’re stressed, you may feel like your breastfeeding difficulties are huge. But, in reality, most breastfeeding problems are relatively minor. Mums usually learn to cope with the proper support and guidance,” says Phaik Gaik.

BMSG has a counselling hotline at 6339-3558. Check with your hospital, too, and get one-to-one lactation support.

8. DON’T REACH FOR THE FORMULA TIN

One of the worst things you can do while establishing your milk supply in the early days is to start supplementing with formula, say lactation experts.

During the first few days after delivery, your breasts will produce small amounts of colostrum, which is the first form of breast milk. Packed with nutrients and antibodies, these precious few drops are enough to fill your newborn’s tiny tummy.

“Some mothers worry that the colostrum is not enough for their babies, and start supplementing with formula. This can impact her breast-milk supply as milk production is based on the supply-and-demand principle,” explains Cynthia.

When Baby nurses regularly, more milk will be made, she explains. Each time you offer a bottle to her, she spends less time breastfeeding and this, in turn, affects your milk supply.

9. INVEST IN A PUMP

The best breast-milk pump? That would be your newborn. But if you intend to express for storage or when you return to work, invest in a good electric pump.

Phaik Gaik advises getting a model which mimics a baby’s sucking patterns. It should include a stimulation phase and a slower let-down phase. A double pump, which allows you to express both breasts simultaneously, can help increase breastfeeding hormones and, in turn, milk production, she says.

10. FOLLOW HER CUES

This can mean nursing Baby as regularly as every two to three hours, 12 or more times over 24 hours, in the first two months, say experts.

If you find that you’re not making enough milk, nursing on demand over two to three days is usually enough to increase your supply, says senior dietitian Pauline Xie from the National Healthcare Group (NHG).

She speaks from experience: When she was hospitalised for mastitis, a form of breast infection, after she had her first baby, the determined mum relied on the supply-and-demand method to replenish her dwindling milk production.

“I pumped every 1½ hours around the clock. My supply returned in a few days and I went on to breastfeed my firstborn until she was ready to be weaned at 27 months,” she shares. To ramp up supply even further, she also suggests pumping between feeds.

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11. EAT WHEN HUNGRY

Now’s not the time to try to lose that post-baby pot belly by dieting. On top of your regular meals, you will need about an additional 500 calories every day if you are breastfeeding, says Pauline. If your calorie intake drops, so will your milk supply.

Besides having three balanced main meals each day, sneak in extra calories with wholesome snacks such as yogurt, a wholegrain sandwich or a handful of dried fruit and nuts. Don’t worry; breastfeeding help you burn off those extra calories.

12. GET YOUR BOSS’ SUPPORT

While it’s a personal decision, you should still inform your employer if you decide to continue breastfeeding after returning to work, suggests Cynthia of KKH. This way, he won’t be surprised if you’re away from your desk.

13. PUMP AT LEAST TWICE A DAY

Even when you return to work, your body will be able to keep up with Baby’s demands as long as you diligently express milk, assures Cynthia. She advises pumping once before work, during lunch time and in the late evening. At home and on weekends, continue to let Baby latch on to you.

To maintain her milk supply, Pauline of NHG would finish her meal faster so she could fit in pumping sessions during lunch. Sarah from Raffles, who breastfed her son for nine months, shares that she expressed at least twice during her work day. Her advice: Be sure to pump before meetings because they are bound to disrupt your schedule.

14. KEEP CALM

This might sound like a tall order, especially when you’re deprived of sleep and have tons of chores waiting to be done. But because breastfeeding is also a psychological response, being relaxed is important, says Phaik Gaik. Your let-down reflexes may take longer to kick in if you’re in pain, stressed or exhausted.

Before each nursing or pumping session, she suggests either taking a warm bath, sipping a hot drink, massaging your baby, or simply looking at her photos or videos.

15. GIVE TCM A CHANCE

If you’re struggling to build up your supply, consider taking Chinese herbs, says Eu Yan Sang’s Xi Ming. There is, however, no one-size-fits-all solution because everyone’s constitution is different, she adds.

While common ingredients like red dates and dried longan are relatively safe, Phaik Gaik says to steer clear of oestrogen-based herbs like dang gui (angelica root), which might affect milk supply. To be safe, always consult a trained TCM physician and don’t self-medicate.

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16. TRY THIS – FENUGREEK

This spice is a long-held traditional remedy for increasing milk supply. According to Associate Professor Tan Thiam Chye, senior consultant at KKH’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, fenugreek is considered safe for nursing mums, as long as it is used in moderation (too much of it can cause loose stools).

Add one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds to a glass of hot water. Take this three times a day, says Prof Tan. Or get the capsule version from pharmacies; he suggests taking two capsules four times a day or three capsules three times a day.

17. AND THIS – GREEN PAPAYA

While there is no scientific proof, green papaya is another breast milk-boosting food that some mums swear by. Phaik Gaik says to choose only unripe papaya which contains a milky white sap, which is believed to help boost mum’s milk production. A ripe papaya won’t have the same effect. She suggests cooking the fruit with fish broth for an added boost of protein.

18. COOK THIS – MALUNGGAY

Also known as moringa leaves, this nutrient-rich vegetable may help some mums improve their milk production, says Phaik Gaik. She suggests cooking malunggay in soup. You can easily split up the portions and eat it over two meals. But it is not enough to solely rely on food to boost your milk supply. Be sure to latch on Baby frequently, too, she adds.

19. EAT MORE PROTEIN

According to Phaik Gaik, protein-rich food can help boost your milk production. Include additional servings of black beans, fish, milk and nuts on top of your balanced meals.

Under the recommended dietary allowances by HPB, lactating mums are advised to consume an extra 25g of protein daily in the first six months of breastfeeding in addition to the regular 58g. That’s about two servings of Greek yogurt, one can of tuna, or a serving of chicken or beans.

20. IF ALL ELSE FAILS, SEE YOUR DOC

Prescription drugs like domperidone and metoclopramide can help increase your milk supply. They work by increasing prolactin levels, and are usually used to ease gastric reflux and vomiting, respectively, explains Phaik Gaik. But take them only as a last resort when other methods fail, she says. Ask your doctor about the pros and cons of taking these drugs. Metoclopramide, for instance, can cause depression.

 

This story was originally published in the August 2014 issue of Young Parents.

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