I think it’s really important to say everyone is different and some (probably most) people may do everything I list here, and not make 70 ounces/day. I am naturally an over producer, but this is what I would recommend if you’re trying to increase your supply.
When I first started breastfeeding and pumping, I never expected to produce over 70 ounces of milk per day. Building a large milk supply didn’t happen overnight, but there were several things I did consistently that helped increase and maintain my supply.
Everybody is different, and not everyone will have the same results. But these habits made a huge difference for me and may help if you’re trying to increase your milk supply.
1. I Started Hand Expressing at 38 Weeks Pregnant
At 38 weeks pregnant, I started hand expressing colostrum. My goal was to:
- Help encourage labor naturally
- Collect colostrum to bring with me to the hospital
Having colostrum stored ahead of time gave me peace of mind in case baby needed supplementation early on. It also helped my body start the process of milk production before my baby was even born.
2. Start Pumping The First Day Baby Is Born
I began pumping the first day my baby was born. Early and frequent milk removal tells your body that milk is needed, which helps establish supply.
Those early days postpartum are incredibly important for signaling to your body how much milk to produce.
3. Pump Frequently
One of the biggest factors in building my milk supply was how often I pumped.
Whenever my baby was eating, I was usually pumping. In the early months, I pumped every 2–3 hours, even overnight.
Later, I switched to pumping every 3–4 hours.
If you want to see exactly what this looked like for me, check out my blog post:
“Realistic Pumping Schedule.”
Consistency is key when it comes to milk supply. It really is supply and demand. The more often you pump and tell your body to produce milk, hopefully the more milk you’ll produce.
4. Don’t Skip The Middle-of-the-Night Pump
For the first several months, I set an alarm to pump in the middle of the night. I continued doing this until about 5 months postpartum.
Middle-of-the-night pumps can be extremely helpful for maintaining supply because prolactin (the hormone responsible for milk production) is often higher during the night.
If you’re worried about your supply decreasing, it may be helpful to continue your MOTN (middle-of-the-night) pump.
5. Increase Calorie Intake
Milk production requires a lot of energy, and eating enough food is very important.
I focused on foods that kept me full and supported milk production, especially:
- Oatmeal
- Eggs
- Plenty of protein and carbohydrates
If you’re looking for ideas, check out my post:
“Postpartum Snacks.”
Eating regularly throughout the day helped keep my energy up and supported my milk supply.
6. Increase Water Intake
Hydration was another huge factor for me.
Breastfeeding and pumping can make you incredibly thirsty, and staying hydrated is important for milk production. I tried to drink water consistently throughout the day.
I also enjoyed drinking Lyte Body Armour drinks occasionally for extra electrolytes.
7. Prioritize Pumping
One of the most important things I learned is that milk production requires consistency and priority.
You can’t put pumping on the back burner and expect your supply to increase. If increasing your milk supply is your goal, pumping needs to be part of your routine.
That means planning your day around pumping sessions and staying consistent even when it feels inconvenient or tiring.
8. Log Your Pumps
I’ve used the Huckleberry app from the very beginning, and it’s been incredibly helpful. Being able to look back at how much you pump each day allows you to identify patterns, like when your production was higher and what you ate, drank, or how often you pumped on those days. That kind of insight provides valuable feedback, helping you understand what works best for your body.
9. Try Power Pumping
I don’t know much about power pumping because I’ve always naturally been an over-producer, but I have heard great things about it. Essentially you pump in rapid intervals for a period of time to help produce more milk and fully empty your breasts.
9. Correct flange size
Having the correct flange size can help maximize your output. I would recommend getting fitted for this by a lactation consultant, so you know you’re doing it correctly. There are also size charts you can buy on Amazon like this one from Momcozy. I’ve also heard great things about the Legendary Milk flange inserts. I did try them and really liked them but didn’t like how they fit in my bag when I went to work, so I prefer the small flanges that come with the Eufy pump.
Pumping this much milk has taken consistency, patience, and a lot of dedication. Frequent milk removal, proper nutrition, hydration, and prioritizing pumping all played a role in building and maintaining my supply.
Every breastfeeding journey is different, but if you’re trying to increase your milk production, these habits may help support your goals.
These posts may contain affiliate links. That means I may make a small commission on items purchased through links in these posts at no extra cost to you!
