What to eat to increase Breast milk supply

[gully83]

What can I eat to increase milk supply, as I'm breastfeeding and on demand. I don't pump as often as I feel like my nipples are in constant use!

Lots of fluids, fenugreek and healthy fats (almonds, nuts..). Also feeding on demand and making sure a breast is completely empty before you shift to the other.
If you have a pump, try to empty both breasts after a feed. If you keep pumping on an empty breast, it will start letting milk again after a few minutes and tricks your body into thinking the baby is still hungry so it needs to produce more milk.

Another one for oats! And loads of water!

If you're drinking enough the just your baby feeding stimulates more milk.
I found the 7 week stage hardest when they feed non stop,you think you haven't enough milk and after 3 days more milk comes through,that's when I leaked!
Babies don't have huge stomachs at 4 weeks and they feed more as they have a growth spurt and your body responds to that.
If you're baby's feeding fine,starting to put on weight then leave the stress of pumping for a few more weeks when you will produce more.

The op’s baby is 4 weeks old, if she had IGT baby would be showing signs of insufficient weight gain, hypoglycaemia and dehydration.

As the op has said that baby is well and healthy I didn’t feel it pertinent to include every facet of information that may affect milk supply (as she doesn’t A) have supply issues, or B) suggest signs of IGT in her posts).

Good grief!

Nothing you eat is going to increase your supply. Leaking is absolutely not an indicator of your supply and neither is pumping. Some woman never manage to pump a drop and never leak and their baby will still thrive as baby is much more efficient than a pump.

If baby is putting on weight, contented after feeds and doing at least 6 wet nappies a day and 2 poos then you are doing great and there's no need to cause extra work and stress for yourself.

@PinkyU other women will search for and read these threads so it is important that information is correct

I used to eat KitKats! I don't think it matters what it is but you do need lots of calories. I exclusively breast fed twins for 6 months and managed to continue breast feeding once solids were introduced, so needed lots of calories.

Thank you ladies

No squirting or leaking here. Don’t feel a sensation of “letdown”.

But baby now 8 weeks and gaining weight/filling nappies like a trooper so I guess it doesn’t matter.

Feed on demand: in my case, all the bloody time!

Fenugreek has also been shown to REDUCE supply if it does anything at all. Just feed feed feed. If baby has plenty of wet and dirty nappies it’s fine.

Leaking and squirting milk is a pain in the arse. You just end up smelling like a cheese factory all the time, and having to do all sorts of contortions to avoid inadvertantly choking your baby at the beginning of every feed. You're doing grand, don't worry!

The breastfeeding specialist at the hospital with DS3 raved about milky hot chocolate for increasing supply - she was constantly checking that everyone was having plenty.
My milk was in plentiful supply and very squirty so maybe she was on to something there

As others have said, squirting milk was a PTA and involved DS pulling off choking, needing more burping, always having a muslin to hand to catch it and puke.

There is nothing that is proven to increase supply foodwise and no breast feeding specialist should be saying so if they're actually evidence based.

Eat enough. Drink well. Let baby have free access to boobs.

If they're gaining and nappy output is good, you're doing well

You are still establishing supply at this stage. Pumping may lead to oversupply, leave it alone.