How to Increase Milk Supply: What Actually Works and What Doesn't

Advice
Written By Bobbi Daly

This is the third post in a series on low milk supply. In the first post I looked at how to tell the difference between real and perceived low milk supply. In the second I covered the most common causes. This post is about what can actually be done — and what the evidence does and does not support.

If you have not read the first two posts yet, it is worth starting there. Understanding whether supply is genuinely low, and why, is essential before attempting to increase it. The right approach depends entirely on the cause.

The Most Important Thing to Know First

Most strategies for increasing milk supply work on the same principle: the more frequently and effectively milk is removed from the breast, the more milk the body produces. This is the foundation of everything that follows. No supplement, food, or herbal remedy can substitute for this — and none of them will work if the underlying problem is poor milk removal.

Before reaching for anything, the first question to ask is: is milk being removed from the breast frequently and effectively? If the answer is no — because of a latch problem, tongue tie, infrequent feeding, or missed feeds — that is where to start.

What Actually Works

Feed More Frequently

Frequency of milk removal is the single most powerful driver of supply. If supply is low, feeding more often — at least ten to twelve times in twenty-four hours including through the night — is the most important thing you can do. The breast should never go more than a few hours without being drained, particularly in the early weeks.

Get the Latch Assessed

A baby who is not latching deeply and effectively is not draining the breast well. No amount of feeding frequency will compensate for poor milk transfer. If you are feeding often but supply is not responding, latch and tongue function should be assessed by an IBCLC — not just a quick check, but a full feeding assessment that includes observing a complete feed and assessing how well the baby is draining the breast.

Breast Compression

Breast compression during a feed helps to keep milk flowing when a baby slows or pauses, encouraging more active suckling and better drainage. To do it, cup your breast with your hand — thumb on top, fingers underneath — and gently compress when your baby is sucking but not swallowing. Release when your baby pauses. This is one of the simplest and most effective tools for improving milk transfer at the breast.

Switch Nursing

Switch nursing means switching breasts several times during a feed — moving your baby to the other breast each time they slow their sucking rather than waiting until they finish one side completely. This keeps the baby more actively feeding, improves drainage of both breasts, and signals the body to produce more milk. It is particularly useful for sleepy babies or where supply needs to be built up quickly.

Expressing After Feeds

Expressing after feeds — by hand or by pump — sends an additional signal to the body that more milk is needed. Even a short session of hand expressing after a breastfeed can make a meaningful difference to supply over time, particularly in the early weeks. The breastfeeding.support website has an excellent detailed guide on hand expressing if you are not sure where to start.

Skin to Skin

Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby stimulates the hormones involved in milk production — prolactin and oxytocin — and encourages feeding. It is particularly valuable in the early days but remains useful at any stage. A nursing holiday — a day or two in bed with your baby, with as much skin-to-skin and feeding as possible — can give supply a meaningful boost when things feel like they have stalled.

Address the Cause

None of the above will work well if the underlying cause of low supply has not been identified and addressed. A retained placental fragment will suppress supply regardless of how often you feed. IGT will set an upper limit on what is achievable regardless of expressing frequency. A tongue tie that is affecting milk transfer needs to be properly assessed and managed. Supply-building strategies work best when the reason for low supply is understood.

What the Evidence Does Not Support

Oats, Guinness, and Lactation Foods

Oats, Guinness, fennel tea, and lactation cookies are widely recommended in Irish mother and baby groups. The evidence does not support them. There are no well-designed clinical trials showing that any of these foods meaningfully increase milk supply in healthy mothers. Oats are nutritious and there is no harm in eating them — but eating more oats will not fix a supply problem.

Guinness deserves a specific mention because it is so commonly recommended in Ireland. Alcohol actually inhibits oxytocin release and can temporarily reduce milk transfer. The barley in Guinness was once thought to have galactagogue properties, but the alcohol content more than offsets any potential benefit. It is not recommended.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is the most widely used herbal galactagogue. The evidence for it is weak. Studies have been small, poorly designed, and inconsistent — some show a modest effect, others show none. A 2018 network meta-analysis found no evidence that fenugreek was more effective than other comparators.

More importantly, fenugreek carries real risks that are not always mentioned. It can cause gastrointestinal upset in mothers and babies, can affect blood sugar levels, and should not be used by mothers with a history of clotting disorders or bleeding disorders. It can also make both mother and baby smell of maple syrup, which can interfere with newborn screening tests.

If you are considering fenugreek, please speak to an IBCLC or your GP first — and be aware that the Breastfeeding Network advises that a full risk-benefit discussion should take place before it is recommended. It is not a harmless supplement just because it is natural.

Other Herbal Galactagogues

Blessed thistle, fennel, moringa, and other herbal galactagogues are widely marketed for low milk supply. The evidence for all of them is anecdotal rather than scientific. Some carry their own risks. None should be taken without proper advice, and none are a substitute for skilled breastfeeding support.

Lactation Cookies and Supplements

Lactation supplements — capsules, teas, and cookies marketed specifically to breastfeeding mothers — are a growing industry. Most contain combinations of fenugreek, blessed thistle, oats, and brewer's yeast. The evidence base is extremely limited. Some cost a significant amount of money. None have been shown in well-designed trials to meaningfully increase supply.

What About Domperidone?

Domperidone is a prescription medication that can increase prolactin levels and is sometimes used in Ireland to support milk supply in specific clinical situations — for example, in mothers of premature babies, or where supply has not responded to non-pharmacological approaches. It is not a first-line treatment and is not appropriate for everyone.

If you feel you may need a prescription galactagogue, speak to your GP. It is a conversation worth having with full information — including an understanding of why supply is low, what has already been tried, and what is realistic to achieve.

The Honest Answer

Increasing milk supply is possible for many mothers — but it requires understanding the cause, removing milk frequently and effectively, and getting skilled support. There is no supplement or food that will compensate for poor latch, infrequent feeding, or an underlying hormonal condition.

If supply is a genuine concern, the most useful thing you can do is get a full assessment from an IBCLC rather than spending money on products that are unlikely to help.

A proper assessment will identify what is actually happening and give you a realistic, personalised plan — which is worth far more than any lactation cookie.

I offer breastfeeding consultations at my clinic in Listowel, Co. Kerry, home visits across North Kerry, and online consultations for families nationwide.

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Key Sources

Bobbi Daly
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What Causes Low Milk Supply? The Most Common Reasons and What Can Be Done