Producing a good supply of milk

Milk production is a matter of supply and demand: the more milk is removed from your breasts, the more milk they will produce.

To get milk production off to a good start during the first few days

• Encourage skin-to-skin contact at birth when possible by offering your baby the breast. Continue skin-to-skin contact regularly afterwards.
• Within an hour of your baby’s birth, stimulate your breasts by nursing your baby or expressing milk if your condition allows. Breastfeeding or expressing milk within an hour of birth helps initiate breastfeeding. Afterwards, stimulate your breasts at least 8 times every 24 hours, day and night.
• Express your milk if your baby isn’t sucking effectively or latching on properly. During the first few days, expressing manually is often more effective than using a breast pump.

Milk production fluctuates during the first 4 to 6 weeks, depending on demand. That’s why it’s important to stimulate the breasts during the day and at night during this phase.

Some women produce substantial milk. For others, however, milk production can be less reliable, decreasing as soon as stimulation lets up or becomes more infrequent. A person trained in breastfeeding can often help new mothers increase milk production, especially during the first weeks (see You have an insufficient milk production).