One of the easiest things to obsess over after having a baby [aside from how cute they are], is “are they getting enough milk?”. Newborns are, well, new, and they aren’t very coordinated at eating early on. My little guy would get frustrated in the early days of breast feeding and I had the thought of “what if he’s not getting enough milk, what if I’m not producing enough?”.
For one GO SEE A LACTATION CONSULTANT! They’re amazing, have great tips, and even weighed my little guy before and after breastfeeding to ensure he was indeed getting enough. It put my mind at ease.
The next thing I wanted to focus on was starting a freezer supply of milk for when I went back to work. In order to get a good quantity in the freezer you have to produce more per day than your little one is drinking [duh]. My little one is currently 3 months old and I have hundreds of ounces in the freezer for a rainy day.
So here’s what I do:
1. DRINK DRINK DRINK
Water is great obviously, but I also really like the body armor drinks! So many mommas swear by them and I think they make a big difference too! I try to drink one per day. In all, I try to drink about 64 ounces per day total.
2. SUPPLEMENTS
I have tried several different types of supplements made to increase milk production. I really like the powdered ones that you mix into your drink of choice, but they can get a bit costly depending on how many you take a day.
For example, these chocolate ones taste great!
These pills come in a pack of 100 for the same cost as one box of the mix in powders, and each pill has 1,800 mg of fenugreek! These are what I am using most days, and using the powder mix ins just to switch it up or when I’ve craving chocolate milk or hot cocoa!
3. PUMP OFTEN
Days I’m not working, I try to pump at least twice a day on top of breastfeeding. My little guy is 3.5 months old so my milk is definitely “in”. Starting off in the early days, I was pumping after almost every breast feeding. It is SO MUCH EASIER if you have a pumping bra! HAVING YOUR HANDS FREE IS AMAZING. I’ve held them on to my boobs before that does not work very well for me, milk leaks from around the flanges, I end up not pumping for as long, etc. I have a couple pumping bras but my favorite is this one.
You can pump or unclick the strap to breastfeed! Also, you don’t have to worry if you have the one piece connector/flange, you can slip the flange through the opening on this easily whereas some pumping bras require you be able to detach the flange from the valve connector.
4. A WARM BOOBIE IS A HAPPY BOOBIE
If I ever feel like my breasts are empty before I’m going to feed or pump I either take a hot shower and let the water run over my breasts, or I use my boobie warmers!
I pop these in the microwave and can either put them directly on my breasts under my bra before breastfeeding, or they’re made to fit around a breast flange while pumping! The warmth helps to improve your let down, faster milk flow means less time pumping ladies!
Is there anything else you mommas out there have in your pumping arsenal you’d like to share! Comment below!