A Broke Mom's Guide on Increasing Breastmilk Supply

Well, I’m back from my mini hiatus! Let me tell you, mama – a Cesarean section is no joke! Honestly, I used to think that giving birth via CS was an easy way out. That’s mostly because I birthed my first child normally. But boy, was I mistaken. The entire experience has given me a whole new outlook on the process and I’ve gained so much more respect for mamas who’ve given birth through CS. So, I give one giant hug to all those mamas who have had to go through the pain and struggle of Cesarean birth – you’re all rockstars!

Now, while I would love to go into detail regarding my birthing experience (which I might get to after a blog post or two), I actually want to talk about something that’s a little more pertinent to my mama life right now. That is – breastfeeding.

I know, for lots of mamas, breastfeeding is one of the biggest hurdles of post partum life. Making sure your baby gets enough, having the time to direct feed or pump, and keeping your supply stable, or if possible, increasing it all together are no simple feats! And that’s something I’ve had to learn the hard way with this second pregnancy.

After having formula fed my first baby, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t do the same with my next child. So here I am. Trying to desperately figure out a way to feed my baby, express milk, and maintain a steady supply, all while tending to the needs of a toddler, an infant, and a bunch of naggy online clients.

My Breastfeeding Struggle

When I had my first child, my breasts were constantly engorged. This entailed hours of manual expression in the bathroom as I held my composure through hours of excruciating pain that seemed endless. I would have offered my breast to my daughter instead, but she was so accustomed to the bottle that she refused to latch.

With this second pregnancy, I was almost sure that supply wouldn’t be an issue. Hey – I had so much to spare with my first! How could this be any different? Of course, I was mistaken. Despite latching endlessly with my second baby now, I’ve come to find that my supply isn’t what I thought it would be. Sometimes, hours would pass without my breasts re-inflating. They’d feel like nothing more than limp pancakes with just a little milk to spare for my fussy little boy after he wakes up from his afternoon nap.

Pumping was a nightmare over the first few weeks. I was lucky enough to get an ounce of milk. Often, pumping sessions would end with an accumulated 60 mL collected between both breasts. How pathetic, right? It honestly made me feel inferior, especially with all those Instagram moms showing off their stash of hundreds of milk storage bags and bottles lined up neatly in their freezers.

So this was my problem. How could I increase my breastmilk supply to have enough for my latching baby, and pump to start a stash at the same time?

Looking for the Right Lactation Aid

To cut a long story short – I never really found the perfect lactation aid. Why? Well, it’s simple – they’re so darn expensive! At over PhP 1,000 per bottle of a hundred capsules, I found myself hesitant to dive into such an overpriced product. Plus the fact that I wasn’t sure whether or not I’d actually benefit from using them, I felt like I wasn’t ready to shell out cash for something that seemed so uncertain.

So I turned to baked goodies. Cookies, brownies, and whatever else those creative mommy bakers had to offer. Let me tell you – I was this close to buying a dozen of everything I saw! They all looked so delish! But at the end of the day, I could imagine myself forking down every single baked goodie I would have purchased in less than a day, leaving me no lactation aid to see me through the rest of the week. So that seemed like an impractical choice.

Now, with lactation capsules, cookies, and baked goodies out of the question – what other choices did I have? Feeling like I had run out of options, I scoured the web in search of methods to increase breast milk (that wouldn’t cost me a fortune, and that would guarantee effective results) and I was happy to find that there was at least one more alternative I could try.

Massaging Your Breasts to Increase Breastmilk Supply

You’d be surprised just how effective massage can be for lactating mamas. And really – it works super fast! The idea is that massaging the breasts encourages better blood circulation, unclogs potentially obstructed ducts, and promotes the production of more milk. Being that it was cost-free, easy, and super doable from the comfort of my work desk – what did I have to lose? So right then and there, I started massaging my breasts.

Within minutes, they started filling up with milk. About an hour after I massaged them, they felt really engorged, and I found myself eager to try pumping yet again. To my surprise – the results were astounding!

From a measly 60mL between both breasts, I was able to collect a whopping 80mL FROM A SINGLE BREAST in less than 15 minutes! I honestly couldn’t believe it myself at the start! But it’s been going great so far, and I’ve managed to start out a small stash in my freezer to give my baby when the hubby and I run errands or find time for a date (LOL, like that’s ever gonna happen!)

If you’re wondering how I figured out how to massage my breast, most of it was just assumption. Here’s what I found to be the most effective massage method on my body:

1. With your fingers extended straight, jab gently into your underarm. Repeat for about 2 minutes to stimulate the lymph nodes.
2. Place your hand flat on your underarm and rub slowly towards the side of the breast. Repeat for 2 minutes.
3. Hold your breast with one hand cupping the underside, and another pressing against the medial side. Then gently apply pressure and pull the breast towards the underarm. Repeat for 2 minutes.
4. With one hand, work around your breast, pressing gently around its perimeter. Try to stimulate the inner side my making small circles with your palm.

I usually perform the above steps over and over again in that order until I complete about 15 minutes of massage. Keep in mind though that every mama’s body is different, so some of these steps may or may not work for you depending on your body’s reaction. There are some really helpful articles and supplementary materials like this which you can check out to get a better idea of how it’s done.

The Bottom Line on Breastmilk Supply

Mama, if you’re working on a budget like I am, I suggest that you try alternative methods before you shell out your hard earned cash for those expensive supplements! Of course, we all want what’s best for our babies, but there are ways you can give your little rascal the very best nutrition without having to spend more than you can afford.

So, before you click that “checkout” button on your online lactation aid purchase, I suggest you give the breast massage a try! If your body is anything like mine, you might find yourself surprised at how far a little squeeze here and there might take your supply.

Happy milking, mamas!

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