Need help with increasing supply!

I have a 5 week old baby. Been trying to combi feed since day 1 but was encouraged to give formula in the hospital whilst my milk came in. Since day 1 she has preferred the bottle over the breast because she gets far more milk from the bottle. She goes on the breast but only for a few minutes and then gets bored. I’ve been trying to pump a few times a day using my manual pump but I’ve never been able to get more than 20mls between BOTH breasts. I’ve bought a spectra pump as I’d like my little one to come off formula due to her having stomach issues. Please how can I increase my supply? Even with the spectra I can’t even get an ounce 😣

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To to increase supply you'll need to increase the frequency/duration of pumps - ideally both, especially at night. The milk making hormones are at their highest between 1am-4am (annoyingly). Aim to pump for around 30 mins, 8-12 times a day. Even if you're getting no milk, the stimulation* will prompt your body to make more milk so stick with it.
*Try to imagine if you were directly breastfeeding, baby would be on and off nursing/suckling all day long - that's what sends the message to your brain to create more milk... more stimulation = more milk 😊

Also, keep SUPER hydrated and some people swear oats help so flapjack for breakfast 😉

Good luck! xxx

Coconut water really helps increase your supply

Make sure you're eating and drinking enough definitely! I had supply issues because I wasn't eating enough. My doctor said 2500-2800 calories plus 100-120 oz of water a day. I feel like I'm eating all the time just to get those calories but it really did help my supply. Another thing that can help is triggering oxytocin by either looking, smelling, or thinking about your baby and being relaxed. If you're relaxed, it can help with your milk supply. You can also help open up your milk ducts with heat. Take a hot shower or use a heat pack on your breasts for about 10 minutes before you pump. The final thing is the wrong flange size will hurt your production if its too large or too small. Make sure you're using the right size. If you're not sure, you can get a kit on Amazon that comes with a ruler and a bunch of inserts in different sizes to try.

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