HOW CAN I INCREASE MY MILK SUPPLY?

The first thing to remember is that a pump is rarely as effective as a baby when it comes to removing milk from the breast so chances are that your baby is getting more from the breast than you get from the pump.  If your supply is dramatically less than what your baby requires, we recommend trying some combination of the following techniques.  They are not presented in any particular order of importance.  If you do not see a marked increase in your milk supply within 3 days, you should call a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.  The following suggestions are not presented in any particular order.

1. Switch breastfeed.  This means breastfeed the baby for 5 minutes on one side then switch to the other.  Repeat again, switching from side to side until you have breastfed for a total of 20 minutes on each side.
2. Apply moist heat before breastfeeding or pumping.  Hot, moist wash cloths or Bust Buddies applied 2-5 minutes before feeding or taking a hot shower and allowing the water to run down your breasts will help fill your breasts.
3. When at home with your baby, pump on one side and breastfeed on the other side.   Start with only one feeding a day as pumping on one side while breastfeeding on the other takes available milk from your baby.   Choose one feeding time that you can consistently do this from day to day.  Over time, add an additional session of simultaneously pumping/breastfeeding until you are pumping the desired amount of extra milk.  Remember for each feeding time you do this, you will need to allow 2-3 days for an adjustment in your supply.  In other words, don’t start off pumping/breastfeeding several times a day.    Also, if your baby is noticeably hungry after you have pumped/breastfed, you may need to feed the collected milk back to the baby until your supply adjusts.   The Hands Free Breast Pump Bra  this task so much easier.
4. Read about breastfeeding and babies while you pump.  Reading about breastfeeding and babies not only helps you relax but can often increases milk yield during pumping.  We recommend The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding because of it is loaded with great testimonies from mothers who share their breastfeeding experiences with their babies.
5. Pump after you breastfeed your baby to ensure your breasts are adequately drained.
6. Pump in between feedings with your baby. 
7. When away from your baby, pump more frequently and at regular times.  Remember, it is the frequency-not the duration-of a pump session that is key to maintaining milk supply.  It is more effective to pump your breasts for 10 minutes every 2 hours than for 30 minutes every 4 hours.
8. Get comfortable and relax.   Stress decreases milk supply.  If you are away from your baby and pumping, it often helps to read an article about breastfeeding, or baby care, or baby stories while pumping.  In a study of more than 200 women, mothers reported that if they were not relaxed, if they were uncomfortable or felt rushed their output dropped by one-third to one-half the usual amount.
9. Pump at the same time every day especially if you are working.  Most mothers tend to express more milk in the morning, so try pumping more frequently in the morning than the afternoon.
10. Get rest.  After you have been pumping for a while you will notice that your milk supply is higher on Mondays than on Fridays (if you work Mon-Fri) because you are more rested at the beginning of the week.
11. Check your diet.  Products with mint are known to decrease milk supply.  Make sure you are eating a balanced diet - not too much of any one food category and drink lots of fluid.  You can also try an herbal breast milk supply booster.  Fenugreek, More Milk & herbal milk teas can sometimes make a difference.
12. Listen to a recording of your baby's cry.  Some women have a very strong response when they hear their baby's cry.  Often a baby's cry can be all you need to trigger a let down.
13. Make an appointment with a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.  If you do not see an improvement in your milk supply within 2-3 days, seek the help of a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.  Formula feeding costs more than $5,000 per year but you can't put a dollar figure on the other many benefits of breastmilk and breastfeeding compared to formula.  Breastfeeding is a skill that you and your baby have to learn and a few visits with a Lactation Consultant can make a world of difference.  You owe it to yourself and your baby to get the help you need to breastfeed successfully. 
14. If everything shown above fails, you may need to try a different breast pump.  Double electric pumps are more effective at maintaining milk supply than manual pumps.   If you are establishing your supply (i.e., in the first 6 weeks), if your baby is not breastfeeding at all, or if you baby is premature, you need to rent a hospital grade pump.  Personal use pumps like the Medela Pump In Style and the Ameda Purely Yours are only to be used to maintain an established milk supply.  For assistance on choosing the breast pump that is right for your situation, click here.  Pumping should never be painful so if you find it is, there are alternative pump shields for Medela and Ameda breast pumps that you can use.
15. As a last resort, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of using a prescription called Domperidone.  Approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics for use in breastfeeding mothers, Domperidone is a galactogogue known to produce significant increases in breastmilk for women and one study recorded a 78% increase in supply.  It has no reported pediatric concerns but for mom it can cause dry mouth, skin rash, itching, headache, thirst, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, drowsiness and in rare instances some women have had seizures.

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