If you’ve ever Googled “how to increase milk supply,” chances are you’ve been hit with the same advice over and over again: “Just nurse more.” Helpful? Sometimes. Frustrating? Also yes.

We’ve all heard the basic law of “supply and demand” when it comes to breastmilk production, but for many parents, we need to go deeper and more detailed. Supply and demand say that the more you nurse, the more you’ll produce. For families that depend on pumping, have latch struggles, have a sleepy baby, or experience pain with nursing, this basic rule is less than helpful.

The truth is, increasing milk production can feel a lot more complicated in real life, especially if you’re pumping, dealing with latch issues, recovering postpartum, returning to work, managing stress, or simply trying to keep a tiny human alive while functioning on broken sleep.

The good news? There are practical, evidence-backed ways to support milk production beyond simply putting your baby to the breast more often. And no, you do not need to become a full-time lactation scientist to figure it out.

Here are four of the most effective ways to support healthy milk production, plus a few extra tips that can make breastfeeding and pumping feel a little more manageable. Consider these milk-making strategies when just nursing more isn’t working. 

One of the biggest keys to milk production is milk removal. Your body makes milk based on demand, so when milk stays in the breast for too long, your body receives the message that less milk is needed. Removing milk from the breast frequently and completely is essential to milk production. 

Check Your Flange Fit

Ill-fitting pumps and infrequent pumping can leave milk behind in the ducts, signaling your body to make less milk rather than more. Getting your flange fitting well is an excellent first step. If you pump regularly, using the wrong flange size can make it harder to remove milk efficiently—and can also make pumping wildly uncomfortable. An improper fit may reduce output and contribute to nipple damage.

A properly fitted flange can help:

• Improve milk transfer

• Reduce discomfort

• Support stronger milk output

• Make pumping sessions shorter and more effective

If pumping has felt uncomfortable, pinchy, or ineffective, this is one of the first things worth checking.

Add Heat + Massage Before Pumping

Warmth helps encourage milk flow by supporting letdown and improving circulation. Research has shown that applying heat before pumping may increase milk output. Try:

• Warm compresses

• Heated lactation massagers

• A warm shower before pumping

• Gentle breast massage or compressions

Hands-on pumping techniques can also help move fattier milk through the ducts more effectively. Watch our demo video for hands-on pumping here!

Using heat packs to warm the breasts/chest before pumping and massaging to increase milk flow will help you pump faster. You can start transporting more milk fat out of the breast immediately by adding hand expression to your pump routine. Hand expression is key to breast drainage. Watch our demo video on hand expression here!

Support Milk Flow With Sunflower Lecithin

Milk contains fats, proteins, and carbohydrates that move through tiny milk ducts. Sometimes those fats can move sluggishly, especially if you’re prone to clogs.

That’s where Legendairy Milk’s Sunflower Lecithin can help support smoother milk flow and breast drainage. Sunflower lecithin is a common supplement taken to help those large molecules slide through. 

Many pumping moms use sunflower lecithin to:

• Support milk flow

• Help keep milk moving through ducts

• Support breast comfort during pumping

It’s especially popular among exclusively pumping moms and parents prone to clogged ducts.

Skin-to-skin isn’t only important during the newborn stage. Babies of all ages benefit from close contact—and your milk supply does too. The benefits of skin-to-skin in the minutes after birth are the most talked about, but babies of all ages benefit from being held in close contact with their parents. Close contact sends signals through both the parents’ and baby’s bodies to ensure adequate milk production and feeding frequency. 

Oxytocin, the hormone that assists milk ejection or “letdown,” is increased when the baby is skin to skin with the parent. When stress levels are high, oxytocin can struggle to do its job. When you feel calm, connected, and relaxed, milk often flows more easily. Heat is also beneficial for milk ejection, which is generated by holding your baby to the chest skin-to-skin. Sit back with a cup of tea for a good snuggle to get a milk boost. 

Easy Ways to Get More Skin-to-Skin Time

You do not need to sit in a dark room for eight uninterrupted hours a day to make this work. Try:

• Contact naps

• Babywearing

• Nursing while relaxing on the couch

• Morning snuggles before starting the day

• Skin-to-skin after bath time

Babywearing can be especially helpful if you have older children, work responsibilities, or approximately 47 loads of laundry waiting for you.

Night-time milk removal is critical to long-term milk production. It’s so critical, in fact, that skipping overnight feeds is the fastest way to reduce milk supply. Offering your baby a midnight feed plus many other feeds throughout the night and early morning hours is excellent for increasing milk production. 

Humans are designed for night feeding. Our lactation hormones peak in the middle of the night, which is why we tend to have more milk in the early morning hours. Stimulating that hormone surge through night feeding increases overall milk production. Encouraging your baby to nurse frequently at night is much easier if you’re room sharing, which is recommended by most medical organizations. 

If your baby is having midnight snacks, you might feel hungry too. Consider keeping a nutrient-rich snack next to the bed, like almonds or sunflower seeds. Blood sugar balance and overall nutrient intake can influence energy levels, hormone function, and milk production. Avoid sugary snacks like cookies or sports drinks around the clock. Have fresh veggies and dip handy for snacking, so they are an easy, healthy choice to make if a trip to the fridge is needed. Make yourself some snack containers while babywearing, and you’ll be prepared for the night munchies. Keeping easy snacks nearby can help, especially overnight. Good options include:

• Nuts

• Oatmeal

• Greek yogurt

• Protein snacks

• Trail mix

• Lactation-friendly smoothies

Brewer’s Yeast Is Popular for a Reason

Many breastfeeding moms incorporate brewer’s yeast into recipes like smoothies, muffins, pancakes, or lactation bites. Brewer’s Yeast Powder is commonly used in homemade lactation recipes because it’s an easy addition to:

• Protein shakes

• Energy bites

• Overnight oats

• Baked goods

While everyone responds differently, many moms enjoy incorporating it into their breastfeeding nutrition routine.

Humans are a social species. We don’t do any of this parenting alone. Remember that it’s more than okay to ask for help- it’s normal! Help might come from a partner or family member, a friend, or even another professional. In our internet age, help often comes from social networking. Meeting other mamas working on their breastfeeding journey is inspiring and encouraging.

That might look like:

• Meeting with an IBCLC

• Joining a pumping support group

• Asking your partner for help

• Resting instead of washing your pump parts immediately

• Letting someone else hold the baby while you eat a hot meal

Sometimes increasing milk production also means increasing support. Online breastfeeding communities also consistently mention hydration, consistent milk removal, overnight pumping, and flange sizing as some of the most impactful supply-supporting strategies.

Milk supply challenges can feel emotional, exhausting, and incredibly personal. But struggling with supply does not mean you’re failing.

Sometimes, small adjustments like improving flange fit, adding skin-to-skin time, increasing overnight milk removal, supporting hydration, or using hands-on pumping techniques can make a meaningful difference.

And sometimes you need additional support from a lactation professional, which is also completely valid.

Your feeding journey does not have to look perfect to be successful. You’re feeding your baby. You’re learning. You’re showing up. And that counts for a whole lot.