How to boost your milk supply

Bringing a child into the world, caring for them, looking after them… is one of the most important and intense experiences in a parent's life. Breastfeeding also brings its share of surprises and a few difficulties that you hadn't anticipated.

Some women experience a certain frustration, become upset, or feel sad because they cannot reach the goals they had set for themselves.

Others may also feel a degree of guilt when they want to stop breastfeeding. Every experience is different, so it is perfectly normal to feel this way — and yet you are not responsible for any of it.

Breastfeeding depends on a number of factors which, it has to be said, are very difficult to manage.

Among all the factors that can influence breastfeeding, today we are talking about a drop in milk supply and, above all, how to remedy it!

Indeed, a drop in milk production can occur and cause problems with feeding your baby. It is even possible that, following a piece of bad advice, you gradually end up with an unintended, induced weaning. The word "boost" refers to the act of wanting to increase your milk production.

Why does milk supply drop?

Often, the factor that most influences milk supply is the latch, which may not be as good as it could be. Breastfeeding mothers can end up with sore nipples, but they push through that pain to allow their baby to get a good flow at the breast.

This sort of situation is very common. Past the first month of breastfeeding, it is not normal to still be experiencing this pain. It indicates a poor latch and, very often, a feed that is not efficient enough, which can lead to a drop in milk supply. But other factors can also affect a poor latch.

To avoid nipple/dummy confusion, we advise against using this type of product.

Furthermore, taking certain medications can cause a drop in milk supply. For example, when you start taking a contraceptive pill again, use a progestogen-releasing IUD, or another hormonal method of contraception.

For many breastfeeding mothers, these contraceptive methods cause a significant drop in milk supply, even though they are often told that this is not the case.

Of course, every body is different and it is possible that you will not notice any change with the use of this type of medication.

Sometimes, a slowdown in milk production can stem from postnatal depression, exhaustion, dieting, stress… It is common for this decrease to happen later on. Inevitably, when the flow of milk drops, baby slips on the nipple and pulls at the breast, which results in a less effective latch and slows milk production even further.

How to boost your milk supply and prevent a drop in lactation?

At Maman & Bébé Nature, we have found some solutions to help prevent a drop in milk production. There are several products that can boost your milk supply and help you avoid the problems listed above.

Breastfeeding herbal tea

First of all, we wanted to talk to you about breastfeeding herbal teas. One very important point when breastfeeding is hydration. It is essential to drink more than usual. Of course, water is a must, but you can also choose to vary your drinks and establish a herbal tea routine.

Breastfeeding herbal teas are prepared from "galactagogue" plants, which help boost the production of breast milk during lactation. To give you a few examples, galactagogue foods can include fruits and vegetables such as fennel, nettle, green anise, and dates, but can also include cereals such as cooked barley. They can therefore give milk production a helpful boost during times of exhaustion or stress.

Of course, these herbal teas cannot work magic and restart your breastfeeding journey all on their own (even if sometimes we wish we could go back to that time…).

In addition to supporting lactation, certain plants contained in the teas (camomile and fennel) can also help relieve colic and tummy aches in your baby.

On our website you will find two types of breastfeeding herbal tea in the Maman category:

• The 20 organic tea bags (24g);
• The organic loose-leaf breastfeeding tea (50g);
• The Mama Mia loose-leaf tea (50g).

The nursing necklace: your daily ally

The nursing necklace is a wonderful breastfeeding ally. It keeps your baby entertained during feeds so they don't let go of the breast.

Some babies are easily distracted by what is happening around them, and this can sometimes even prolong feeds. The necklace will help you capture your baby's attention, soothe them, and make feeds altogether calmer.

In fact, it makes breastfeeding more enjoyable and less stressful for both mum and baby!

What's more, it stops baby from scratching you or pulling your hair. The nursing necklace will also help you create lovely moments of closeness with your baby.

You can find our nursing necklaces in the Maman category.

Try a sling to make breastfeeding easier

Baby-wearing allows you to feel your baby close to you and, above all, to easily recognise hunger cues. You can then feed them at just the right moment.

It won't be difficult to spot that they are hungry, as they will turn their head from side to side, open their mouth, and search for your breast. Hard to miss those signs!

Several studies have shown that when mothers carried their babies or had physical contact before feeding them, they were able to feed them more frequently and breastfeed more quickly.

So the closeness that sling carrying provides makes it easier to recognise baby's hunger signals.

Studies also show that skin-to-skin contact supports healthy breastfeeding and good weight gain in babies.

At Maman & Bébé Nature we recommend this technique, which not only improves milk production but can also be a way to breastfeed discreetly in public, for those who wish to do so!

You can find our baby slings in the Maman category.