How Can I Increase My Milk Supply?

The simplest answer is: empty your breasts of breast milk and you will produce more milk.

The central tenant of milk production is that milk production slows as the breast fills. In other words, milk production has everything to do with the frequency and efficiency with which your breasts are emptied, and less to do with a set period of time.

Newborns naturally feed very frequently for short periods. Remember when you’re tired and sore,

there is a good biological reason for this tendency. A frequent stimulation increases the amount of hormonal receptors in the breast (which stimulate more hormones and thus more milk supply). The number of receptors you develop in the beginning will help ensure a continuous supply.

If you are exclusively pumping, it’s important to understand this biology and try to imitate the pattern of short, frequent sessions in the beginning. Once the transitional milk comes in, pump for 30 minutes per session or for 2-5 minutes after the last drops of milk.

If you’re pumping as a supplement and/or to increase milk supply, double pump for 10-15 minutes after nursing, continuing for 2-5 minutes after the last drops of milk to ensure efficient emptying.

Don’t skip those last 2-5 minutes. You might be anxious to be done but these concluding moments are important to completely and efficiently emptying your breasts and thus, stimulating more milk production.

Sources:

Mohrbacher N. Cutting Edge Breastfeeding Trends, Orlando, FL, June 9, 2004.

Wight NE. La Leche League International Conference Session–The Premature Infant and Breastfeeding: Myth, Reality and Evidence-Based Practices, San Francisco, CA, July 5, 2003.

Hill PD, Aldag JC, Chatterton RT. Initiation and frequency of pumping and milk production in mothers of non-nursing preterm infants. J Hum Lact. 2001 Feb;17(1):9-13.

da Silva OP, Knoppert DC, Angelini MM, Forret PA.

Hill PD, Aldag JC, Chatterton RT. Effects of pumping style on milk production in mothers of non-nursing preterm infants