How can a lactating mother increase her breast-milk?

I have seen many mothers who get frustrated when they are faced with the prospect of feeding an extremely hungry baby; and knowing that, at that point of time, they are simply unable to get that much milk out ...

I have some suggestions on how to make your breasts respond to the increased demand of the baby; please go through them carefully. Although none of them are guaranteed to get you the results, I can assure you that your milk output will DEFINITELY GO UP!

1. Be positive about your milk and about your baby. Have confidence in your own self. Try and forget about the worldly problems that you face each day of your life and immerse yourself in the love you have for the child.

2. Take a small glass bowl and fill half of it with cold-pressed sunflower oil. Add to this about six to seven drops of fennel seed oil (available with aromatherapy stores). Heat the oil mixture a little. Sit in a quiet room and expose your breasts. Rub a little of the oil mixture into your palms and massage both your breasts - one in the clockwise and one in the anti-clockwise direction. Maintain the massage for at least 15 minutes. Do this at least once a day, and preferably twice to get results.

3. Keep nursing the baby. When it is sucking at your breast, pour, from a small container, with your other hand (the one that is free), a thin stream of dairy milk slowly over your breast so that its trickle rolls over the breast and over the nipple into the baby's hungry mouth. This will enable the baby to suckle without fighting your nipple and the happiness that this causes in you will, in turn, increase your milk production as well as let-down.

4. There are herbal preparations that can increase the flow of milk when used regularly. Ask your doctor for details.

Hope this helps the harried mom.