How I Kept My Breast Milk Supply Alive While Only Pumping

Music—Swørn•Tumbling
Video imported from Instagram @sarva.rosewater

Here’s what helped me keep my breast milk supply while only pumping for my youngest babe who couldn’t nurse (based on Ayurvedic wisdom) ❥

1. I got as much skin-to-skin contact with my baby as possible. Had him safely nap with head on my breast & nipple in or near his mouth.

2. Eating warm, soupy foods with a spoonful or 2 of ghee in it. Especially long-cooked yellow mung dal soup with 1-2 spoonfuls of ghee stirred in. You can get dal + ghee from Banyan Botanicals (Code ROSEWATER15 gets you 15% off, and yes I get a commission as well.) And let me know if you want a simple dal soup recipe, I’ll make another post for it ♥️

3. Staying well hydrated with warm water. Webmd recommends nursing mothers drink 16 cups of water daily. There is also a mild fennel + fenugreek tea I make that helped me tons. (No, I’m not worried about fenugreek in this recipe as it is very mild, spic- level only and I’ve only had beautiful support from it.) Let me know if you want the recipe ✨

4. Shatavari herbal powder or tablets. Banyan Botanicals has nice options and is where I get mine (again, use code ROSEWATER15 to get 15% off your order)

5. Producing oxytocin — laughing, loving, kissing, cuddling, being relaxed, looking into baby’s eyes, watching funny movies, NOT stressing about how much milk you’re producing.. stressing about it never helps

6. Making sure I had no nutritional deficiencies, taking prenatal vitamins, eating ample good fats & proteins (reminder: you want your food to be warm & soupy, your drinks warm)

7. Pumping on a schedule — I did 20 min on each breast every 3 hrs around the clock until milk was ample — & pumping with baby skin to skin on my tummy or chest

8. Daily abhyanga (Ayurvedic warm oil massage) — I use Banyan Botanical’s Daily Massage Oil, Ashwagandha Bala sesame oil, OR plain refined sesame oil. I warm it by setting the bottle in a sink full of hot water for a few minutes, then I massage into my body gently from head to toe giving extra attention to my scalp, breasts, belly, & feet.

Don’t implement anything here without first consulting your primary care physician.