HELP! I feel like I’m running low on breastmilk and need your advice. How did you increase (or maintain) your supply of breastmilk? I’ve been doing fine with my supply the past almost-four months now, but have noticed that my supply is slowly dwindling. Noooooooo. Not yet please.
To boost milk supply in the past, I’ve tried:
- Eating oatmeal. I’ve read that this helps with increasing milk production.
- Eating clams (tulya). I tried this for a few weeks only though because they gave me stomach aches, so I’m not sure if it really helped.
- Drinking Mother’s Milk Tea from Healthy Options. This one I drink a couple of times a week. It’s a bit pricey, but I like how it tastes. I also use the teabag several times (maybe around 3 cups) to make the most out of each serving. This is a herbal tea that contains fenugreek, an herb said to boost milk supply.
- Taking malunggay capsules. This really helped me in the early months, when I was new to breastfeeding and didn’t know whether I was giving my son enough milk. I took two capsules instead of one a day and woohoo, did the milk flow or what!
- Frequently feeding or pumping if I’m away from baby. I try to simulate Timmy’s feeding when I’m away from him, so that’s a breastpumping session every two hours.
What causes decreasing milk supply? There are many reasons, but I know what caused mine — stress. I missed out on several pumping sessions at work because of a long meeting I couldn’t excuse myself from. After the meeting, my breasts hurt so bad. It kinda went downhill from there.
Could you share tips on how to boost breastmilk supply? I’ve stopped taking malunggay capsules but am definitely going to take them again. I’m still taking the Mother’s Milk Tea and maybe should drink more of it. And I’ll definitely keep the pumping sessions up at work. Would you know where I can get malunggay juice? What other tips can you share?
Let’s learn from each other here. If you have questions about breastmilk supply as well, feel free to post it in the comments section.
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
aloi
December 16, 2009 at 2:11 pm (14 years ago)toni, don’t give up! the more you breastfeed, the more your breasts will produce milk. and if you’re not around timmy, keep on pumping!
ruth
December 16, 2009 at 2:40 pm (14 years ago)every time your breasts hurt because they’re overfilled, that sends a signal to your brain to decrease milk production because nobody’s using it. so you need to the compensate for that time that you missed. try also to direct latch as often as possible. a friend of mine asks her helper to bring the baby to her during lunch break so baby could latch directly at least once during the day. would that work for you?
aside from malunggay, some moms also respond well to fenugreek supplements (available at GNC). it’s also works similarly to malunggay.
good luck, toni!
.-= ruth´s last blog ..surviving P1 =-.
Em Dy
December 16, 2009 at 3:12 pm (14 years ago)If you don’t like the capsules too much, Cravings has malunggay pate. You can spread them on crackers and munch away!
.-= Em Dy´s last blog ..The Little Lady Agency Books =-.
kala
December 16, 2009 at 3:27 pm (14 years ago)Toni, I’ve been giving the breast and bottle ever since Lila was born (low milk supply). If I still have milk, and on some days I breastfeed only once a day, then you certainly still have lots in store for Timmy! I agree with Ruth, you should try to let Timmy have the breast more often, probably the best way to get your milk supply going. Good luck and don’t give up!
.-= kala´s last blog ..In the negatives =-.
sheng
December 16, 2009 at 3:37 pm (14 years ago)I know malunggay capsules work, but try some veggies soup with the malunggay leaves. Sip when hot, it worked for me.
.-= sheng´s last blog ..Looking Back =-.
Nicky
December 16, 2009 at 4:05 pm (14 years ago)Pump milk as often as you can. When the breast is empty that triggers the brain to tell the body to produce more milk. After your little one drinks from you, pump ka uli so that your body thinks it needs more than it produced.
Drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated.
.-= Nicky´s last blog ..My First 5K Run =-.
rowie
December 16, 2009 at 5:11 pm (14 years ago)Hey Toni,
Since the holidays are coming up, maybe you can switch to exclusive direct feeding on the days you won’t be working. The baby is still better than the pump at stimulating supply, so the holidays will be a perfect time to build up your supply again.
And it’s a great excuse to bring Timmy with you wherever you go this holiday season (not that we really need an excuse, haha!). 😛
.-= rowie´s last blog ..Breastfeeding stress, and how to deal with it. =-.
Gene
December 16, 2009 at 5:49 pm (14 years ago)Our hilot recommended massaging the breast area, shoulder and back, something to do with the blood flow. I wasn’t really paying attention then because the first time she massaged me after giving birth, it was so painful I can’t comprehend what she was saying but remembered something about helping with the milk supply and I think it worked. My daughter’s pedia mentioned taking Anmum Lacta, but haven’t find a way to try it.
.-= Gene´s last blog ..TikTokRok Climate Action =-.
Bon
December 16, 2009 at 8:20 pm (14 years ago)Massages definitely worked wonders for me..
Bon
December 16, 2009 at 8:22 pm (14 years ago)and oh by the way, people say drinking fish soup helps too..
Iris
December 16, 2009 at 11:22 pm (14 years ago)i replied to your earlier post on FB and twitter, so i just read that you took malunggay capsules pala. take the real deal nalang, and try to infuse them in all your dishes.
i understand how frustrating it is to dry up this soon. mine was even earlier, 1 month lang. only because 1 went back to work after 60 days and the half part of my leave, mia was confined in the hospital. so yeah, natural stimulation by the baby’s suckling really helps.
Lissa
December 17, 2009 at 12:54 am (14 years ago)Hey Toni, I know how you feel. I’ve gone through that decrease in milk supply. One thing that might help is taking fenugreek. There are other herbal supplements that you can take too but that’s one of the more popular ones. If you have one of those health stores there, they should have it. I noticed an increase in milk supply when I took it. Also, how much water are you drinking? Make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids since breastmilk is made of mostly water.
When you’re at home, how often are you feeding Timmy? I think it’s good though that you’re pumping every 2 hours when you’re away from him. Also make sure that when you breastfeed him that he tries to empty out whatever side he’s eating on. It signals that breast to make more milk.
Hope these tips help!! Way to go for keeping up with the breastfeeding.
.-= Lissa´s last blog ..An editorial about online reviews =-.
Eper
December 17, 2009 at 9:17 am (14 years ago)My breastfeeding friends say that taking in lots of soup and liquids helped a lot. Fenugreek capsules also increased their supply. And try to consult a lactation specialist if all else fails.
.-= Eper´s last blog ..Is This A Sign? =-.
meekerz
December 18, 2009 at 5:29 pm (14 years ago)Tomorrow is my baby’s first birthday
It also means I’ve been breastfeeding/pumping for 1 year! 😀
I would notice too that when I’m extremely stressed or tired, my milk supply would significantly decrease. The best solution for me? Rest. I (try to!) catch up on sleep on weekends, and try to relax more. Easier said than done of course 😉 Also, try having a massage. It doesn’t have to be a lactation massage. Just your good ol swedish or shiatsu. It relieves the tension on your shoulders/back, and it helps boost your supply. I notice that a day after I get a massage my supply always gets a small boost. A massage goes a looong way: it makes me feel pampered, it relaxes me and it helps my milk! Sulit!
I stopped drinking malunggay capsules when I had oversupply. But when my milk dwindles, I make it a point to drink some soup. Fresh juices also help. Stay hydrated!
Good luck!
.-= meekerz´s last blog ..scrooge =-.
jher
December 19, 2009 at 10:59 am (14 years ago)Hi Toni! I just finished attending a Maternal and Neonatal Child Health and Nutrition Training (MNCHN). Woah that’s a mouthful. Anyway, Baby nutrition experts say that it is not true that you will run out of milk. What could be happening is that your breasts may not be getting the proper stimulation for it to produce more milk. Please do not be dependent on the breastpump. Don’t you feel sore using it? DOH experts advise against using breastpumps (for medical, practical and economic reasons as well). You can manually express your milk using your hands (there’s a proper way to do it), and the massaging motion while doing it will also help stimulate milk production. Also check how timmy latches on to your breasts, he may not be doing it properly that’s why your breast is not properly stimulated. Not only proper latching help you produce sufficient milk supply, timmy will be more comfortable with his feeding. Of course good nutrition for you will always be a good thing.
.-= jher´s last blog ..A Missent SMS that Confirmed It All =-.
Trina
December 20, 2009 at 1:28 pm (14 years ago)Hey Toni, fenugreek worked wonders for me too, I buy from Healthy Options. I was on malunggay capsules during the first months, but it was fenugreek that significantly increased my milk supply which diminished after I got sick
I took it thrice a day until my milk supply was up again 
ruth
December 21, 2009 at 7:07 am (14 years ago)Not really necessary to take supplement capsules according to my dutch european pediatrics and general doctor. drink a lot of anything fluid except tea! why? tea can create acid influx to the stomach of the baby i heard eating onions too. for milk production you may let your baby her feed every 2-3 hours stimulations so that the breastmilk factory will give signal to your brain that they will produce milk went it was empty.don’t worry you escape. important you latch him. if you have a breast sore try to put ice and massage it. if you experience a schapping nipple try to put vaseline.the option you can have less nipple pains tell to your partner to buy a silicon nipple.malungay is a myth story but perhaps it works. to make your body less stress, try to take a lukewarm shower in a tab you can feed also your baby while you take a shower in a tab.i understood what you feel i’m a young mom as you.
WHAT YOU DO RIGHT TO TIMMY is your best decision for him. god bless three of you!
.-= ruth´s last blog ..Joy of our heart =-.
april
January 16, 2011 at 1:31 am (13 years ago)I think low milk supply happens to a lot of moms. I pump every 2 to 3 hours and recently my lactation consultant told me to start using Breastea. It has worked great for me and really has increased my milk supply.
Liz
August 9, 2011 at 12:52 am (13 years ago)I know this is an older post, but hopefully this will help.
I have chronic low milk supply. I was eating enough, pumping enough, but I had a bad lactation consultant. I ended up switching and ended up getting a really great one.
I learned that when a mom exclusively pumps she often sees her milk supply dropping.
I also learned that herbs really make a big difference. Although fenugreek will help some moms, for others they have to use more than one herb to get their milk supply up.
My LC recommended Breastea from breastea.com although I’m sure there are others out there. This has worked well for me and I went from pumping 1/2 ounce at a time to over 5 ounces.
If you have low milk supply, I would recommend trying herbs. If you’ve tried using just fenugreek, I would try a product that contains more than just fenugreek.
Micah
July 17, 2012 at 8:45 am (12 years ago)This is a very helpful article! Thank you very much for the tips. I have been hearing about this drink and I might as well try it out than to deprive my child of healthy milk. Thanks again!
Happy Mommy Adventures
September 21, 2012 at 2:49 am (12 years ago)Try the Lactation Cookies from Crumbs and Grumbs ( http://www.facebook.com/TheCrazyBakes ). These lactation cookies does wonders for you breast milk production, they’re yummy too!
Crumbs and Grubs
December 27, 2012 at 3:36 am (11 years ago)Hi Toni,
You might want to try our Lactation Goodies and Healthy Snacks for Pregnant Moms. I have helped a lot of moms successfully increase their milk supply and breastfeed their little ones. Please visit http://www.facebook.com/CrumbsandGrubs.
Happy Holidays!