More Milk, Less Stress: Natural Ways to Boost Supply

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Episode Title: How to Boost Milk Supply Naturally

Welcome back to Tend and Befriend! I’m your host Deborah—mom, doula, health professional, and your biggest cheerleader on this journey through pregnancy, postpartum, and parenthood.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about a topic I hear all the time from breastfeeding moms: how to naturally boost your milk supply. Whether you’re just starting out or navigating a supply dip, I’ll walk you through research-backed strategies, supportive tools, and tips that really work. We'll talk about supply and demand, power pumping, hydration, helpful herbs, and simple ways to make your nursing life a little easier.

You’ll also hear my thoughts on how local breastfeeding support systems can impact feeding outcomes—and why preparation during pregnancy is so important.

✨ Plus, I’m sharing a few of my favorite mama-approved products (available in Canada) and some heartfelt encouragement, because you deserve it.

💬 Let’s normalize asking for help, rest, and support during this deeply personal time.

🔗 Check out the show notes for research links and product recommendations.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey Mamas, you're listening to Tend and Befriend,
a podcast about women's mentaland physical health.
This is Debra.
I'm a mom of two, a labor andbirth coach and birth advocate,
a health professional, and todayI'm your host.
Let's dive into today's episode.
Am your host?

(00:28):
Let's dive into today's episode.
Any information you hear orthat is suggested or recommended
on these episodes is notmedical advice.
Hi, mama, welcome to Tend andBe Friend.
I'm your host, debra, and I'malso your doula, and I'm here to
bring you some advice, somehelpful tips and a whole lot of
encouragement as you navigatepregnancy, postpartum and

(00:49):
parenthood.
Today we're diving into a topicthat so many breastfeeding moms
ask me about how to boost milksupply naturally.
Whether you're just startingout or you're hitting a bump in
the road, I'm going to sharesome strategies to support your
supply, along with some productsthat are available to help.
Let's get started.
Before we dive into the tips,it's important to understand how

(01:12):
milk supply works.
Breastfeeding operates on thesupply and demand system.
The more often your baby nurses, or the more milk you pump, the
more milk your body produces.
For most moms, milk supply isdetermined by certain factors,
and those factors are howfrequently milk is removed from
the breast, effective latchingand milk transfer, and your
overall health, hydration andnutrition.

(01:35):
While some medical conditions,such as thyroid issues or
insufficient glandular tissue,can impact your supply, for the
majority of moms, naturalstrategies and a bit of patience
can make a big difference.
I want to talk about thebreastfeeding rate in your area.
I don't know where you live,but I do know where I live, and

(01:56):
the breastfeeding rate here is12%, which is devastating.
Now, because I live here and Ilive in the birth world and the
pregnancy postpartum world, Iknow that there are not a lot of
resources, and I also know thatthe resources that are
available, not a lot of momsknow about them and a lot of

(02:17):
moms can't afford them.
When you're pregnant, if yourplan is to actually breastfeed,
you want to set yourself up forsuccess by researching these
support systems so that you canactually put them into play for
your postpartum.
So here are the best ways toincrease your milk production,
and these are backed by researchand expert recommendations.

(02:41):
Frequent nursing or pumping is agreat way to boost your supply.
You want to aim to nurse orpump every two to three hours,
and that includes during thenight.
Now I'm saying this with awhole lot of caution, because I
truly believe that anything ispossible during daylight hours,
but in the night not so much.
The idea behind this is thatemptying your breasts frequently

(03:02):
sends the signal to your bodyto make more milk.
So the more that you feed orthe more that you pump, the more
milk your body makes.
Now, one of the things that canaffect your nursing is that if
your baby is not nursingeffectively, you might want to
consider using a high qualitydouble electric pump.
They can come in handy.

(03:23):
I don't always love them and Ido have some moms that don't
love them, but I do have a lotof moms that really really find
that this can help.
Power pumping is another option.
Power pumping mimics clusterfeeding and can help stimulate
milk production.
So you want to try pumping for20 minutes, then rest for 10

(03:46):
minutes, then pump for another10 minutes, and so on for an
hour.
If you do this once a day for afew days, you will notice a
significant boost in your milksupply.
Breast milk is about 90% water,so staying hydrated is
essential.
You want to keep a water bottlewith you and sip it throughout

(04:07):
the day and for an added boost,try an electrolyte drink like
Noon or BioSteel.
I like these two because theyare both low in sugar noon or
bio steel.
I like these two because theyare both low in sugar, and I
like to tell mamas to create anursing station and have it
stocked with water and snacks.
If you're nursing in yournursery, keep it in your nursery
, but if you also nurse in yourmain room or somewhere else

(04:30):
besides the nursery during theday, then set up a station there
as well, and also stocking thatnursing station can be somebody
else's responsibility in thoseearly postpartum days.
Now you also want to eat abalanced diet with plenty of
protein, some healthy fats andsome grains, and also foods that

(04:52):
are rich in galactogodes, likeoatmeal, flaxseed and brewer's
yeast.
You can also try lactationcookies, which often combine
these ingredients.
There's brands online, likeBooby Boons, and they're
available on Amazon andspecifically designed for
breastfeeding moms.
But if you know a reallyamazing baker or a friend or

(05:14):
your, your mom or your sister,they can make them for you.
New Greek and blessed thistleand goat's rue have been shown
in some studies to support milksupply.
You want to look for a highquality lactation tea or
supplement like Earth Mama'sorganic milk made tea or Mother
Love more milk plus capsules,because these have all of those

(05:37):
ingredients in them and they areboth available in Canada and
are well loved by a lot ofbreastfeeding moms.
Here's a word of caution onsupplements.
Always consult your healthcareprovider before starting any
herbal supplements, especiallyif you're taking other
medications or if you have anyunderlying health conditions.
Another tip is to spend sometime with your baby, skin to

(05:57):
skin.
This increases oxytocin levels,which helps with melt, let down
and bonding, and this isespecially helpful in the early
days of breastfeeding or duringa supply dip.
If your baby isn't latchingproperly, they may not be
effectively emptying the breasts, which can impact supply.
You want to consult a certifiedlactation consultant for

(06:18):
support.
Many offer in-person or virtualsessions to help you
troubleshoot the latch andmaximize milk transfer.
Stress and exhaustion can alsoplay a role and affect your milk
supply, and reducing theseissues is easier said than done.
But short naps, meditation,handing off the household duties

(06:40):
these can all play a role inyour stress and your level of
fatigue.
There are tools like guidedmeditation apps or white noise
machines which can make rest alittle bit easier Anything that
you can do to get five minutesof rest.
It doesn't have to be sleeping,just rest quiet time.
Here's a list of somebreastfeeding essentials that

(07:02):
can help.
There are therapy packs tosoothe your engorgement and
encourage letdown, and those arelike warm packs and cold packs.
You can buy a pumping bra whichcan make pumping more efficient
and less of a hassle, and then,of course, the dreaded cracked
nipples.
It can buy a pumping bra whichcan make pumping more efficient
and less of a hassle, and then,of course, the dreaded cracked
nipples.
It can make breastfeeding sopainful and so uncomfortable,

(07:23):
and even to the point where wewon't don't want to do it.
So you can use a baby safenipple treatment or, for an even
better option, just rub yourbreast milk on your nipples and
let the mare dry, miracle worker.
If you try these strategies andyour supply isn't improving, or
if you're experiencing pain orother issues, make sure to reach

(07:43):
out to your healthcare provideror a lactation consultant.
There may be underlying factorsthat need to be addressed, and
they can provide personalizedsupport to get you back on track
.
Please don't give up onbreastfeeding until you have
actually brought in aprofessional.
For your reference, we've addedsome links to the show notes
about the research.
Feel free to check those outand, for your convenience, there

(08:03):
are links to the some of theproducts that we love.
Boosting your breast milk supplynaturally takes time, patience
and a bit of trial and error,but with the right tools and
some support, it's absolutelypossible.
Remember that every mom'sjourney is unique and you're
doing an amazing job, no matterwhere you're at.
If you found this episodehelpful, please share it with

(08:24):
another mom who you might feelwould benefit from these tips.
Thank you so much for tuninginto today's episode.
Until next time, take care andkeep tending to yourself and
those you love.
Let's talk soon.
Talk to you soon.
Okay, let's talk soon.