Are there foods to increase your breastmilk?

[mainemom]

I have a 7 month old and I am just looking to increase my milk supply just because. I hear that you can increase it by pumping more; how often (minutes) and how long (days, weeks) and are there any foods that will help with increasing. I do take a supplement "Lactation Support". When I pump I get maybe 2 -2 1/2 out of one breast and 4ish out of the other. I was getting 8-10 ozs all together at one point.
My son does sleep through the night and has been since he was 3 months old. We did the E.A.S.Y. technique. So ever since he has been sleeping through my breasts are obviously accustomed to that now.

Any Advice would be great! Thanks!

[JKL]

Oatmeal (the real kind, not the instant) works for me.....

[~ Vik ~]

Hi, welcome to bw

Just so you know, getting 6ish oz at a pump is amazing!!  I pumped almost exclusively for the first 3 months and would only get 6-8oz first thing in the morning, and significantly less in the evenings!  So you're doing great   And congrats on the STTN, that's fantastic!  My ds is 10.5mo and does that very, very rarely

I took fenugreek, it's an herbal supplement, and it worked really well to help increase my milk supply.  I've also heard of a mother's milk tea (I think fenugreek is actually one of the ingredients) that apparently works well also, though I never tried it myself.  I've heard that oatmeal works well too.

For pumping, you can try pumping an hour after feeds.  You can use that milk to top up the next feed, to use for the df (if you're still doing one), or to mix with cereals or other solids for your lo.  Eventually that will help to increase your supply so you won't need to pump anymore.

HTH
Vikki

[mum101]

I haven't noticed any foods that have increased my milk personally. I did take fenugreek though and did notice an increase in milk.

I remember Jocasta on here swore by almonds.

 

[Canwi]

I'm just wondering why you want to increase your supply "just because"?

[deb]

An old wives' tale has stout - as in the beer you can't see through - as a good increaser of milk, although it IS alcohol.

I was also going to say oatmeal. Fenugreek and blessed thistle are the two ingredients I remember from the Mother's Milk tea (by Traditional Medicinals, who also make a number of other teas for different things).

LOTS and LOTS of water during the day, too!