How to Increase Breast Milk Supply With Galactagogues

Agalactagogueor galactogogue (pronounced gah-lak´tah-gog) is something that can help abreastfeeding parentincrease theirbreast milksupply. The word itself is a combination of the Greek terms "galact-" meaning milk, and "-ogogue" meaning leading to or promoting.

Herbs are commonly used to boost low milk supply, but certain actions, foods, and medications can help you make more breast milk as well. Learn more about how to increase breast milk supply by using a galactagogue.

Do You Need a Galactagogue?

Although many people worry aboutmaking enough breast milk, most do not need to use a galactagogue and are actually makingsufficient amounts of breast milk．If your newborn has agood latchand you're breastfeeding on demand at least every 2 to 3 hours, you should make enough breast milk for your baby.

Breastfeeding works on a supply-and-demand system, so the more your baby drinks, the more breast milk you'll make. Your doctor will also weigh your baby at every checkup, so you'll know if their growth is on track.

然而,有时独自母乳喂养不是enough to promote the production of an adequate breast milk supply. In these situations, a galactagogue may be helpful to stimulate the production of breast milk, such as:

• The return of your period has caused a dip in your supply of breast milk
• You arebreastfeeding after breast surgery
• You areexclusively pumpingfor your baby
• You are not sure why your milk supply is low
• You are pumping for a preemie or a sick child in the hospital
• You stopped breastfeeding and would like to start again
• You want to breastfeed an adopted baby
• Your breast milk supply has declined after starting hormonal birth control

Increasing Breast Milk Production

Your body makes breast milkin response to the stimulation of yourbreastsby your baby as they nurse, or by abreast pumpas you pump your breast milk. There are several effective techniques you can try toincrease your supply of breast milk naturally．

Check Your Baby's Latch

Make sure that your baby is latching on correctly. A properbreastfeeding latchallows your child to remove the breast milk from your breast efficiently. If you are not sure if your baby is latching on well, get help from a lactation expert. A doctor, nurse, lactation consultant, or member of a local breastfeeding group can check your breastfeeding technique.

Stimulate Your Breasts More Often

The more you breastfeed or pump, the more breast milk you're telling your body to make. You can stimulate your breasts more often bybreastfeedingyour baby at least every 2 to 3 hours around the clock. You can also use a high-quality electric breast pump to pump your breast milk after or in between breastfeeding sessions. If you are exclusively pumping, be sure to pump at least every 2 to 3 hours until your supply of breast milk builds up.

Types of Galactagogues

Galactagogues include foods, herbs, or medications. While using foods to boost breast milk production is generally considered safe, talk with a healthcare provider before using herbs or medicines while pregnant or breastfeeding.

Foods

All around the world, different cultures have particular foods that they give to breastfeeding parents after childbirth.Foods that increase breast milkand promote lactation are sometimes called lactogenic foods. They include:

• Almonds
• Barley
• Brewer's yeast
• Brown rice
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Green leafy vegetables
• Oatmeal

When added to a healthy well-balanced breastfeeding diet, these milk-making foods are believed to increase breast milk and promote a healthy flow of milk to the baby.

Herbs

Many plants and spices are also used as galactagogues, although scientific evidence of their usefulness is lacking. Thesebreastfeeding herbsinclude:

• Alfalfa
• Blessed thistle
• Fennel
• Fenugreek
• Goat's rue
• Milk thistle
• Stinging nettle

Whether steeped together into a soothing herbal tea or added to everyday recipes, herbs have been used throughout history to support lactation.

Medications

When necessary, a doctor can also prescribemedications to create or build up a breast milk supply．Medications are often the last resort after other options have failed. Prescriptions are most helpful if you'd like to nurse an adopted child, or if you want to start breastfeeding again after you have stopped for a while. They are also useful when you're pumping for a premature or hospitalized infant and you have a low breast milk supply.

Reglan (metoclopramide) and Motilium (domperidone) are two common prescription medications that may help increase milk production for lactation induction, relactation, and a true low milk supply.Other drugs such as oxytocin nasal spray, sulpiride, thorazine, TRH, and human growth hormone may also have a positive effect on breast milk supply, but they are not as commonly used for this purpose.

Galactagogue Safety

The safest ways to increase your milk supply are to make sure your baby has a good latch, breastfeed or pump often, and add some lactogenic foods to your daily diet.Commercially prepared herbal teas and lactation supplements may contain safe doses of effective herbs when they are taken as directed, but note that they often lack scientific evidence of their safety and efficacy in people who are breastfeeding.

Additionally, it's important to keep in mind that more is not always better. Herbs are similar to medications. In high doses, they can be dangerous and have side effects for both you and your child.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If you have tried the actions and foods listed above, but you are not able to increase the amount of breast milk that you're making, talk to a healthcare provider. If you have atrue low milk supply, they can work with you to find out the cause and try to correct it. Also, to be sure that your baby is getting enough breast milk, take your child to a pediatrician for regular examinations and weight checks.

It's also important to talk to a doctor or a lactation consultant before trying any medications or herbs. Not only can your health provider advise you on the proper dose of herbs, but they can help you determine which herb or combination of herbs will work the best for your situation. Then, if necessary, they can move on to the correct prescription.

When Galactagogues Don't Work

Galactagogues do not always work. It is possible that after trying the actions, foods, herbs, and even prescription medications listed above, you will not be able to increase your milk supply to the level you would like. Sometimes, medical issues such as underdeveloped breasts or previous breast cancer treatments, prevent the production of ahealthy breast milk supply, and the body is just not able to respond to galactagogues.

你仍然可以尝试增加你的牛奶供应,一个d you can certainly stillbreastfeed for comfort and bonding．You may just have to supplement your child with additional nutrition, and that is perfectly OK.