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Breast Milk Supply COVID-19

Melanie Myers, IBCLC
Mar 17, 2020
2 min read

Updated: Sep 28, 2020

Due to COVID-19 I've had more questions than usual from families about their milk supply.

This post will cover...

How Breast Milk Making Works
How Much Do You Need
Things To Try
COVID-19 & Breastfeeding
Milk Sharing
Support Options
Formula Prep
Medications & Mothers Milk
FREEBIE

How Breast Milk Making Works:

https://www.melaniemyersibclc.com/single-post/2019/11/01/hormones-and-milk-supply

(Truth bomb - its not by drinking blue gatorade, drinking waterfalls of water or eating dozens of lactation cookies)

How much milk do I need? http://www.nancymohrbacher.com/articles/2010/8/13/the-magic-number-and-long-term-milk-production-part-1.html

Things to Try

Breast Compressions! https://www.melaniemyersibclc.com/single-post/breast-compression-what

Hand Expression works for all kinds of reasons including when you don't have a pump and/or to stimulate and express more milk https://player.vimeo.com/video/65196007

Have you tried power pumping? It mimics a cluster feeding (baby nurses off/on and all that breast stimulation and milk removal drives milk supply up!). Pump for 20, rest for 10, pump for 10, rest for 10, pump for 10 or any variation of this works. Pick a time of day, put on a tv show and start pumping! No quick fixes, try it for a few days and expect gradual increases in milk output. https://kellymom.com/hot-topics/pumping_decrease/

Don't forget to use your "hands on pumping" technique! https://med.stanford.edu/newborns/professional-education/breastfeeding/maximizing-milk-production.html

Maybe you didn't think breastfeeding or pumping was for you or you did for a bit but stopped and are now thinking about it? It's called relactation https://kellymom.com/bf/got-milk/relactation/. You can recreate the birth (lots of skin to skin, warm water) and work through these tips https://www.melaniemyersibclc.com/single-post/2018/09/05/let-the-breast-crawl-happen a great video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygesrlpn8kY

Stressing doesn't help milk production. Me telling you to not stress doesn't help either.

Talk it out, write it down, let it go, breathe. You're doing your best - you are, keep going.

Breastfeeding Meditation https://youtu.be/3u9PTwBo3Y0

Relax Now https://www.maxkirsten.com/product/free-relax-now-mp3-download/

(I have nothing to disclose but client's have found the resources helpful).

Need a support group? https://www.postpartum.net/get-help/psi-online-support-meetings/

Need to talk?

Postpartum Support International

(general support, warm line, see below for emergency info) www.postpartum.net PSI Helpline: 1-800-944-4773 #1 En Espanol or #2 English OR TEXT: 503-894-9453 ******* More serious? https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 1-800-273-8255 Crisis text line - text TALK to 741741 https://afsp.org/five-biggest-myths-crisis-text-line/ or call 911