Low Milk Production When Breast/Chestfeeding

Important information:

Many people struggle with low milk production for a variety of reasons. If you are breast/chestfeeding your baby, you may wonder if you are making enough milk. You will know that you have enough milk if your baby is having plenty of wet diapers, bowel movements, and is gaining weight. If your baby seems more hungry than usual, you can breast/chestfeed more often. This will increase your milk production. However, in certain situations such as returning to work, separation from your baby or an illness for you or your baby milk production may decrease. Some parents struggle with a low milk production from the very beginning.

Possible causes of low milk production include:

• Not breast/chestfeeding often enough

• Not breast/chestfeeding overnight or taking long breaks

• Poor latch

• Preterm baby less than 37 weeks

• Not emptying all the milk

• History of significant engorgement

• Mastitis (may cause a temporary decrease)

• Blood loss during or after birth

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Lack of breast development during pregnancy and after delivery

• Breast/chest surgery or trauma

• Thyroid problems

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

• History of infertility

• Untreated or poorly controlled chronic diseases such as diabetes

• Obesity

• Anemia

• Smoking

• Anxiety and stress

• Medicines, particularly oral contraceptives containing estrogen and cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine. In addition, if you received steroids during your pregnancy for your baby’s lungs, it may take longer than usual for your milk to fully come in.

Treatment suggestions for low milk production:

• Feed from both breasts/chest at each feeding at least 8 times a day

• Allow your baby to feed until they are full and release the breast/chest on their own

• Use breast/chest massage and hand expression to release all milk

• Pump both breasts/chest any time your baby drinks from a bottle

• Hold your baby skin-to-skin for an hour at least once daily. This will help you to produce more milk. Your milk hormones are stimulated when you are so close to the baby.

• Do not smoke or take any medicines that might interfere with milk production

• Watch this 5-minute video that explains how to do breast/chest massage: The Basics of Breast Massage and Hand Expression on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/65196007

If more frequent breast/chestfeeding or pumping does not increase milk production within 1 week, call your healthcare provider to discuss treatment options. Your provider may want to check your hormone levels or examine you for signs of retained placenta fragments.

There are some medicines that reportedly help increase milk production. However, high quality research is lacking. Potential side effects of these medicines must be considered carefully against any potential benefits. If you or your provider would like detailed information about medicines, visit the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine’s website https://abm.memberclicks.net/assets/DOCUMENTS/PROTOCOLS/9-galactogogues-protocol-english.pdf

Herbs have been used by many parents to improve milk production with good results and few side effects. There is little scientific proof that herbs increase milk production. Herbs are not regulated in the United States and there is no way to guarantee purity and dosage of herbal products. Herbs potentially could appear in your milk and produce side effects in your baby so they should be used with caution. You may have heard that certain foods or drinks may increase your milk production but there is no scientific proof supporting this. Eating healthy foods and staying well hydrated will keep you as healthy and energetic as possible.

Medicines, herbs, and diet will NOT increase your milk production if there is infrequent or inadequate breast/chest stimulation and emptying of milk. It is important to treat low milk production as soon as possible. The sooner you make changes to help your body make more milk the more likely you are to provide your baby with the best nutrition possible.  

Reviewed July 2024 by Meghan Devine BSN, RN, IBCLC