It happened to me. I woke up one morning when my son was almost 8 months old and I was completely empty.
Not an ounce of milk.
“How can that be? I have nursed him since day one! He has always been able to nurse … now what?”
First, I took a deep breath and tried my best not to panic. Then I thought about what was going on in my life that could have contributed to a decrease in my supply … Stress. Travel. Baby eating real food. Distraction. Mama trying to get her groove back … no wonder my supply had dipped! As mothers, we spend so much time thinking about what we need to do, that sometimes we run out of time to do it, which is exactly what happened to me.
I knew I had to kick into high gear. It was time to go “back to the basics” of milk production and add some new things to my routine to up my supply.
Getting “Back to the Basics” of Milk Production
I had already been doing so many of the right things, which had allowed me to exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months without any real hiccups. But once my little one began eating real food, I was distracted by all the new things he was learning and became complacent with my nursing. First things first … I had to go “back to the basics” of milk production.
1. I became more mindful of my water intake. If we are dehydrated, we will not make milk. I made sure I always had water near me and was always drinking it. I find it helpful to drink while nursing, to “refill” as you become empty.
2. I increased stimulation. Since my son was now eating real food, my nursing sessions had become less frequent. While he was enjoying table food, I pumped to help signal my body to produce more milk. So I was stimulated 5-6 times a day again, rather than my normal 2-3. It is also beneficial to add in more nursing sessions and skin-to-skin contact, and you may want to consider a “nursing vacation.”
3. I upped my calories, specifically those that support lactation. Avocado, green vegetables, garlic, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and nuts are my go-to’s.
Milk Boosters to Add to the Routine
I knew not only was I going to have to get back to what I was doing right, but also add to my ritual. Here’s what I found worked:
Fenugreek
It is an annual Mediterranean and Asiatic herb that is used as a culinary spice and is soothing to the stomach, as well as increase milk supply. This is a supplement that can be found at Whole Foods, 14 Carrot, and the Vitamin Shoppe (just to name a few). Take 2 capsules two to three times daily, preferably with food.
Lactation Smoothies
These are so delicious, there is a good chance I’ll continue to consume these after I stop nursing my son! The essential milk boosting ingredients are oats, brewer’s yeast, and flax (all these ingredients can be purchased at Whole Foods, or there are several online or other local retailers who sell brewer’s yeast and flax). Here is one of my favorite recipes:
- 1 banana
- 1 cup of almond or cow’s milk
- 1/3 cup of rolled oats ( I use organic)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp brewer’s yeast
- 1 tbsp flax
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Mothers Milk Tea
This is a loose tea or bagged tea that contains herbs such as fennel and anise (which give the tea a sweet, licorice-like taste), as well as coriander and fenugreek, which are all known to increase lactation. I really enjoy adding this to my day. Again, I found this at 14 Carrot, but can be found on Amazon or any health food or nutrition supplement store. Directions state you can enjoy 3-5 cups daily. I drink a cup of hot tea each afternoon as I try to relax and catch up on the latest during baby’s nap. This was an added bonus!
Important Resources to Consider
Each mother and nursing relationship is different, and what worked well for me might not always work well for someone else. If you are struggling with your supply, you may want to consider talking with a lactation consultant. In addition, the local La Leche League has meetings and leaders in the area who are available to offer support.
The Result
Three days after I added these things to my daily routine, my milk supply increased significantly, and we were back on the right path. The key is to not get frustrated, stay calm and committed to the goal you set, and know what you decide is what is best for you and your baby.
Did you have a similar experience? What worked well for you when trying to increase your supply?
Thank you for the blog! Once your milk supply has increased do you continue with the mothers milk, fenugreek, and smoothies or do you start cutting these out?
I usually cut them out and then add them back in when I need another boost.
Hi Noticed that you never listed seeing an LC or IBCLC instead you have galactogoges which aren’t evidence based and can harm mom and baby more then help. Women should drink to thirst, because exorbitant amounts of water won’t help prevent more milk most moms who see a change in their milk supply after drinking water were dehydrated. Also what you eat isn’t a huge factor because milk is made from the blood and not the gut. Fenugreek causes terrible bowel issues for both mom and baby and shouldn’t be taken at all if a woman wakes up and finds she can’t pump she should see an LC or IBCLC so that a professional can assess the situation and come up with a plan for both mom and baby that will help them get back on track
Thanks so much for your feedback. We can definitely agree that if there is a problem, consulting a professional is an important step to take. We did list in the “Important Resources to Consider” the value of consulting an LC and the local LLL. While fenugreek, like many other vitamins and herbs on the market, is not supported by the FDA, many mothers report seeing an increase in milk supply as a result of using this product. Our blog shares real life experiences of local moms while striving to be socially responsible. I can honestly say personally, as a mom who breastfed her son for 3 1/2 years and struggled with moments of maintaining my supply, when consulting my dr. and a lactation consultant, they did not have a problem with me introducing fenugreek into my diet and I did not experience terrible bowel movements. I think as you mentioned, the key is discussing a plan with a professional to help get you back on track. Again, I appreciate your additional insight regarding the topic.
I’ve heard funugreek can also decrease your supply? I’m pumping about 20 ounces in 3 pump sessions at work and I want to see if I’m capable of making more. I have hypothyroidism and have read that funugreek can make ur medicine not work correctly? I’m interested in trying the mothers milk tea and the Brewers yeast if it would help.
I have not heard that fenugreek can decrease supply or make current medication ineffective. However, I would encourage you to consult your doctor with any questions and concerns before beginning. Best of luck to you, and I hope you are able to increase your supply!
My problem isn’t supply while nursing my issue is my body does not respond well to the pump! Will these tricks help that?
Hmmm… what type of pump are you using? How new it is? How often are you pumping?
I have a two month old baby at first he wouldn’t latch at all for two weeks after he started to latch he would get frustrated because I wasn’t producing much milk. That only lasted for two weeks maybe less. Now I got nothing I didn’t continue pumping because I have the manual pump and I would get frustrated . I would pump for two hours and get about 1 of combined . I really regret not keeping up with pumping but I just easily gave up, now I want to keep breastfeeding , I know I still have very little but not enough so if I was to start this routine and keep trying to breastfeed will my supply go up. Atleast a little bit?
I have a 4 month old son. At two months my supply dropped and I gave up. Just thus week I consulted my LC and was recommended Mother Milk tea andddddd
Reglan that I will start tomorrow…..Wish me luck!
Good luck mama! Let us know how it goes! I always kept Reglan in my mind as a resource in case I needed it, but was able to maintain my supply through alternative methods. Sending good vibes your way!
I would like to ask about the Fenugreek. I heard that it creates bad smell from the body. Is that true? Also , I hope it not creates swellness in the breast
Some people report smelling like maple syrup after taking fenugreek. I really believe it depends on the individual person and their body composition, as I took A LOT of fenugreek over an extended period of time but never smelled the maple syrup flavor others indicated. For some, smelling like maple syrup is a bad thing, while others like the scent (or don’t experience it all). I wouldn’t say taking fenugreek created a huge swelling effect in the breast, not like being engorged and painful, but rather comfortably increased my supply.
A friend told me about healthy nursing tea, a lactation organic tea. I started drinking the tea and got good results. Now, I’m breastfeeding my LO with sufficient supply (still taking the tea 3 to 4 times a day)
That’s great! I also incorporated a lactation tea into my diet, Mother’s Milk Tea, and had great results!
Hello everyone I’m trying to up my supply by baby girl will be 1 month in a few days and I need to store away milk for when I go back to work in the past for my 3 year old when I was bf him I was introduced to Mothers Milk more milk plus capsules they are sold at target and boy did they work! So far by just eating oatmeal drinking water and drink Mexican milk drinks like atole which my grandma n mother in law make me and they work I have managed to freeze about 100oz so far of breast milk n want to increase a bit more. The pills are only bout 25.00 and work the fenugreek did make me smell like maple syrup but will try them this time around see if they work for me. Hope this helps.
Awesome! Thanks for the tips!
I was barely producing one or even less than one oz of breast milk per session and was looking a way to boost my supply. After trying lots of remedies I was being suggested to drink “Healthy nursing tea”. This organic herbal tea worked great and I am now producing 4 to 5 oz per session.”
That’s great! I’ve also had great results with Mother’s Milk Tea.