How to Increase Breast Milk Supply: Tips on Building a Freezer Stash of Breast Milk

As a first-time mom, I feared the unknown and spent so much time reading up on everything childbirth-related to be 110% prepared.  However, I was NOT physically nor mentally prepared on how difficult it was to breastfeed AND store enough breast milk for my baby before returning to work.  As my 6-week maternity leave (way shorter than the standard 12-week leave) was coming to an end… I felt so incompetent as a mother because I wasn’t expressing enough to fill up a couple bottles, let alone an entire freezer of breast milk.  After a lot of crying… I finally did a ton of research.

In just a few short weeks, I went from producing very little milk to several baby bottles fully filled before leaving the house.  Then, I finally used the milk storage bags I bought a long time ago.  And in just a couple months, I FINALLY DID IT – a freezer full of breast milk!  I’m here to share this knowledge to all the moms who are struggling with this because I remember how stressful this was!  Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, please consult with your physician prior to attempting any of the suggestions below. 

Pumping Essentials

• Breast pump – I use the electric Spectra S2 Pump Set: includes pump, bottles, flanges (different sizes), and duckbill valves.  There are plenty of pumps out there that will do the same job; expressing milk.  But having a double electric pump over a single manual pump will make your life easier.
• Extra duckbill valves – you should replace these valves every 2-3 months because the valves do wear and tear overtime and won’t express as much once they become flimsy.  My milk production started to slow down after several months until I replaced the valves.  The ones mentioned here are compatible with Spectra and Medela pumps.
• Hands-free pumping bra – not a must but certainly nice to have your hands free, especially if you’ll be spending a lot of time pumping it up.  It’ll allow you to use your phone, fold some baby laundry, or read a book while pumping.
• Elvie Pumps – this is nice to have but not a must since it’s pricey.  The reasons why it’s costly are its portability and quietness in comparison to the standard typical pumps.  I had to stick to a strict pumping schedule, so these were useful for me to not be chained to an outlet and quiet enough to pump discreetly during work meetings.

Pumping Routine/Schedule
Note: this involves HARD WORK and commitment but this isn’t forever.  Once your body sends the signal to your brain to consistently produce more milk, you can start to scale back on the pumping sessions.

• Pump for 20-30 minutes per session
• Pump every 2 hours
  • Every 2 hours from the “end” of the last pump
    • Example: if you start pumping at 10am and the session lasts for 30 minutes (ends at 10:30), you should pump again at 12:30pm
  • OR every 2 hours from the “start” of the last pump
    • Example: if you start pumping at 10am, you should pump again at 12pm; so 1.5hr break in-between sessions
  • Stick to this schedule even through the night.  Super tough but again, it’ll get easier soon!
• You can nurse your baby in replace of a pump session but make sure you’re nursing and draining out as much as possible on both breasts.  The more you pump/nurse, the more your body will produce milk.
  • Babies tend to fall asleep after nursing on one side before making it to the other breast
  • I recommend using the Hakaa manual pump, where you can attach it to one breast while feeding your baby on the other breast to continue expressing evenly on both sides AND you can save that pumped milk for later.
• Power pump once a week
  • Pump 20 min, rest 10 min, pump 10 min, rest 10 min, pump 10 min (total 1 hour on and off)
  • This mimics cluster feeding and tells your brain to produce more prolactin (hormone) because your baby is going through a “growth spurt”
• Your levels of milk production varies throughout the day with the highest amount usually produced early mornings (~5 – 9am) and lowest production in the late afternoon/evenings.  So don’t be discouraged if you don’t express much during a particular pumping session.
• There is light at the end of the tunnel – this intense schedule isn’t forever.  I stuck to this schedule for 3-4 weeks and gradually scaled back a pump session per week and stopped power pumping.  My daughter is now 10 months old and I only pump once a day and still have a ton of milk stored for her.

Diet: What to Eat & What to Avoid

What to Consume:

• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!  Keep a water bottle at all the places you’re most frequently at (nightstand, living room, work desk, pump area, etc.) so you remember to hydrate.  You’ll be expressing a lot of milk, so you need to replenish your body with fluids.
• Everything oats!  Plain oats, instant oatmeal, and/or oat milk.
• Brewer’s yeast– ingredient used in producing bread and beer.  You can bake lactation cookies and muffins by including brewer’s yeast in it, along with oats.
• Beer – speaking of beer, there is yeast in there that is said to help with increasing milk production.  However, there is a thin line between yeast and alcohol (alcohol lowers milk production).
  • If you do choose to have an occasional alcoholic beverage, use alcohol test strips to ensure the alcohol did not cross into the breast milk before providing it to baby
• Prenatal vitamins – no direct correlation to milk production but it’s important to continue these dietary supplement for you and baby
• Fenugreek – this is a plant herb that comes in supplement form.  Not only does this help increase milk production, it has other health benefits like lowering A1C levels, blood sugar, and cholesterol
• Pink Stork lactation tea – this also contains herbs such as thistle and fenugreek
• Apricots and Dates – these dried fruits help with milk production and are also calcium-rich and high in fiber to help with digestion
• Maintain an overall healthy diet by including:
  • Bone broth recipes – lots of healthy nutrients with bone broth because it includes a ton of vitamins and essential fatty acids
  • Lean protein meats, eggs, nuts, and seeds
  • Whole grains
  • Leafy grains – kale, spinach, and lentil soups
  • Salmon and sardines – healthy fats, omega 3s and vitamin B12 in these! Great for baby’s brain development too due to high amounts of DHA
  • Of course you can enjoy some junk food but just remember that your body and baby will appreciate a well-balanced diet over junk food and soda
• Getting in adequate sleep is also important.  I know this sounds impossible with the crazy pumping schedule and taking care of a baby but when you CAN, try to get as much rest as possible.  If you’re way too tired to pump, then it’s A-OK to skip a session and rest instead.  At the end of the day, your health is more important than creating a freezer stash of milk.  There are many other food alternatives for baby to thrive on just fine.

What to Avoid:

• Lack of sleep and high stress leads to increased levels of cortisol.  Cortisol is a hormone that mimics a built-in alarm system in your body.  Increased cortisol correlates with decreased milk production.
• Excessive amounts of the following:
  • Alcohol – there is no benefit to this in terms of milk production but if you need a drink after a long day, go for it (but in moderation)
  • Caffeine – a cup of joe won’t hurt but excessive amounts of caffeine usually throws your water levels off balance if you’re not hydrating enough with water
  • Parsley, peppermint, cinnamon, and certain chili spices in excess may also decrease milk production
• Certain medications can affect milk production but you should consult with your physician regarding this.

Feeling overwhelmed after reading this?  Don’t be!  You are definitely not alone in this and I can totally relate because I was in the same boat.  You might have heard, “breast is best” but at the end of the day – “FED is best” whether that be breast milk or formula.  A lot of babies on formula develop just fine.  Your baby will grow up later remembering your love and affection, not whether he/she was breast-fed or formula-fed.  If these tips are manageable for you – then pump away, mama!  If not, then don’t beat yourself up over it.  Just remember not to obsess about filling up your freezer with breast milk.  Instead, obsess over your baby because they grow up too fast and life is way too short.

FTC: this post is NOT sponsored.  Some hyperlinks may contain affiliated links, however all products mentioned are my own and honest opinions.  Thanks for your genuine support.