How to Maintain a Healthy Breastmilk Supply

Before I had a baby, I watched a ton of videos on YouTube about breastfeeding and thought I was prepared for what was to come. Little did I know, that what was ahead of me the days to follow after birth, was going to be one of the most overwhelming things about my fourth trimester. Where was the baby who literally would crawl up to my breasts instinctively? Where was the milk that would come out magically? I really was not ready!

As I laid down hoping to catch at least an hour of sleep, the nurse walked in with a breast pump and said it was time to start trying to feed. The shock! I didn't even imagine I would feed my baby just in a few hours after birth haha. The next week proved challenging as my milk trickled in tiny bits and my baby was really sleepy and wasn't latching.

We eventually got him to latch on and my milk supply started to flow so much that I produced enough for 2 babies. He is now 15 months old and I am doing extended breastfeeding. My milk supply albeit not as much as before, still splashes far when I'm in the shower and I still get the fullness of milk. Here are some of the tips that helped me maintain a healthy milk supply.

• Eat a Healthy Balanced Diet: I focused a lot on my nutrition throughout my pregnancy and after. I remained conscious of the fact that whatever I take in goes into my baby and so eating a well balanced diet with key nutrients was important to me. It is also important to not skip meals when breastfeeding because you need food to nourish your breastmilk.

• Pump Regularly: In the first couple of weeks especially, I made sure to pump after every feed. In the first few days when my milk supply was not in yet, I pumped for 20 minutes every 3 hours regardless and I am sure it made a wealth of difference in my milk supply subsequently.

• Stay Hydrated: on my YouTube channel, I talked about how little things like drinking water can seem like common sense but it can be much more difficult for a new mother. Approximately 90% of breastmilk is water and so it is very important to drink a lot of water when nursing a baby. As part of my hydration, I also drank this tea and I think it helped.

• Don't Wear Tight Bras: these can cut off your milk supply since they press on your milk ducts. It is better to using nursing/maternity bras when nursing.

• Avoid Stress: Stress can have a big impact on milk supply. It is important to get as much sleep and rest as possible. Accept help where you can and stay mindful of the energy around you.

• Take your Prenatals: a lot like eating healthy, what you take in is what you give out and so i continued to take my prenatals and still do. But I would recommend you always talk to your doctor first before taking any medication.