The best breastfeeding hacks I’ve learned after 3 kids
Breastfeeding is an amazing gift to mothers and their babies, but it is also a big commitment. Women who breastfeed burn up to 600 calories per day! Whether you are on the fence about choosing to breastfeed, or need a couple of tips to help boost your supply, keep reading to learn my favorite hacks for breastfeeding exclusively.
1. Triple Feed
I didn’t know about this with my first child, but it gave me so much confidence at the beginning with my second. I started doing triple feeds while in the hospital, and my milk supply skyrocketed. To triple feed, you have to start with at least 1-2 oz saved up. Then, when your baby wakes to feed, nurse him/her on one side, then offer the other. After your baby has finished nursing (feed #1), pass him off to Dad, Grandma, Auntie, etc for a bottle of the ounce you stored earlier (this is the second “feed”). While the baby gets a bottle, you pump for 10-20 more minutes (feed #3). This is a great way to start producing actual milk instead of colostrum or build a bigger supply if you’re past that early stage.
2. Power Pump
Power pumping is another amazing trick that was a game-changer for me with my second child. I don’t know how many times I ended up in a puddle of tears and a full-on panic attack because I felt like I had no milk left to give my baby. If you breastfeed exclusively and never pump, eventually your supply will start to get low because there is not a constant enough demand (I.e. the baby sleeps through the night, gets a bottle from dad, etc) to keep your supply up. Power pumping adds that extra demand to boost your supply for a week or two.
To power pump, I suggest prepping by drinking lots of water the day before. When you are ready to start, grab a snack, your phone charger, a cozy blanket, and your pumping bra, and get to work. Start about 30 minutes after you nursed the baby, and pump for 20 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes after that, taking the pump off completely. Then, pump for 10 more minutes on a slightly stronger level, and rest for 10 again. Finally pump for 10 more minutes, again adjusting the bra and adding suction if necessary. The purpose here is to completely drain the breast, and also encourage more letdowns, which signal to your body to produce more milk.
The total process looks like this: On 20, off 10, on 10, off 10, on 10 which totals 60 minutes. It’s important to continue nursing as normal before and after power pumping so as not to ruin its purpose by simply pumping and feeding the baby bottles. If they need extra milk after nursing, start by giving them half of what you pumped.
3. Oats, Fenugreek tea, Protein
I notice a huge difference when I eat what’s recommended versus whatever I want. Things like oatmeal, protein smoothies packed with fruits & nuts, and peanut butter & banana wraps for breakfast. For lunch and dinner make sure to get some kind of lean meat like chicken or beef. Lean meats and protein both help tremendously with postpartum healing as well. Water and fenugreek tea, or even almond milk are great drinks. Stay away from too much caffeine, no more than 100 mg or about one soda or coffee per day. You can even have a sugar-free Red Bull, as those are only 91 mg of caffeine!
4. Haaka
The Haaka is an affordable tool you can use while breastfeeding, in the shower, to help with clogs, and build your storage supply. Simply suction the 100% food-grade silicone product to the breast you are not nursing from. Now when you have a letdown, the Haaka will collect all of the extra milk that would have soaked into your clothing, a nursing pad, or otherwise been wasted. Sometimes I get ½ an ounce, sometimes I get 4 ounces. Either way, I’m always grateful for that extra milk.
5. Wearable Pump
It’s been said that if you look up the word “multitask” in the dictionary a picture of a mom will be there. But seriously, no one does it better than us. With that said, being chained to the wall while you pump and your children run wild like crazed monkeys and your baby screams his way to sleep in his swing is less than ideal. One thing I loved with my second was my wearable pump. They fit comfortably in your bra, are battery-powered, and store usually around 4-5 oz on both sides.
6. Serotonin / Melatonin
A cool fact about breastmilk is that it has more serotonin, or the happy chemical, in the morning and more melatonin, or the sleepy chemical, at night. If you pump, it can be helpful to label your milk a.m. and p.m. and use it accordingly.
7. Sunflower Lecithin
I personally never had mastitis thank goodness, but I have a friend who did and she was in the hospital for about a week over the whole thing. She said the pain was excruciating but not as painful as not being able to see her daughter (this was during COVID quarantine.) I can’t imagine how difficult mastitis really can be for women. However, I have had my fair share of fever-inducing clogs and knots and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. When I have a particularly tough knot I will take this sunflower lecithin up to 3 times per day for about 3 days and it helps break it up from the inside!
8. A warm shower, massage, & pointing baby’s nose toward the clog
Externally, there are things you can do to help get rid of a clog, too! Try taking a hot shower and turning the shower head so that the water is a little bit more aggressive. Point the shower head towards the clog and begin to massage it out with your fingers. While nursing, try changing positions, or nursing on the side that is clogged first.
Using all of these suggestions together is the best solution for clogs. Staying on top of it and being consistent for about 72 hours will make a huge difference.
9. Dress for the occasion
Wear crop tops, tank tops, button-downs, and zip-ups. I used to feel very limited when it came to what I wore, and it was frustrating to come off of pregnancy where nothing fit to breastfeeding where nothing seemed practical. I spent so much money on nursing clothes that didn’t fit right and didn’t look good. At the end of the day, I realized a pair of high-waisted pants can go a long way. Put those babies on with a crop top or tuck in a low-cut tank top, and layer with a cardigan or button-down. BAM. Problem solved.
10. Tug on ears, tickle toes, undress
Now, this last tip may seem like common sense, but if you find yourself in a cycle where the baby seems to be nursing a lot, and you can’t tell if they’re eating well, you may have to work with them to keep them awake. Babies have to work to breastfeed, it’s exhausting for them! Especially when they’re younger, they may start to get just enough milk, they get tired, and if they don’t have someone to check in on them, they fall asleep instead of getting full. Then they wake less than an hour later hungry again! It’s important for both of you that they are getting full with every feeding.
That’s a wrap! My top 10 tips for breastfeeding exclusively. I’m in my 5th year of breastfeeding now, (I did take a 9-month break between the first two kids) and if I could do it over again, I’d start here. I hope this has been helpful for you, and if you ever have serious concerns you will always bring those to your OBGYN or otherwise highly-trained professional.