The only necessary component to induce lactation—the official term for making milk without pregnancy and birth—is to stimulate and drain the breasts. That stimulation or emptying can happen with baby breastfeeding, with an electric breast pump, or using a variety of manual techniques.

Hormones signal the mammary glands in your body to start producing milk to feed the baby. But it’s also possible for women who have never been pregnant — and even men — to lactate. This is called galactorrhea, and it can happen for a variety of reasons.

Excessive breast stimulation, medication side effects or disorders of the pituitary gland all may contribute to galactorrhea. Often, galactorrhea results from increased levels of prolactin, the hormone that stimulates milk production. Sometimes, the cause of galactorrhea can’t be determined.

When your baby suckles, it sends a message to your brain. The brain then signals the hormones, prolactin and oxytocin to be released. Prolactin causes the alveoli to begin making milk. Oxytocin causes muscles around the alveoli to squeeze milk out through the milk ducts.

Another way to boost your supply is to breastfeed and then pump. Sometimes your breasts may not feel completely “empty” after nursing, so add a pumping session right after your baby finishes eating. This will stimulate your body to produce more and start increasing milk supply – even if it’s just a little bit.

5 Foods That Might Help Boost Your Breast Milk Supply

• Fenugreek. These aromatic seeds are often touted as potent galactagogues.
• Oatmeal or oat milk.
• Fennel seeds.
• Lean meat and poultry.
• Garlic.

Which foods can help with lactation?

• Oatmeal.
• Brewer’s yeast.
• Fenugreek seeds.
• Garlic.
• Fennel seeds.
• Protein-rich.
• Leafy greens.
• Alfalfa.

Menstruation or ovulation can result in a temporary drop in milk supply. You might also notice cyclical dips in milk supply before your period returns, as your body begins the return to fertility. Hormonal changes also cause milk supply to decrease during pregnancy.

Does caffeine decrease milk supply? There is no evidence that caffeine decreases milk supply. The myth that caffeine will decrease milk supply is widespread. Many moms consume caffeine, and it ought to be easy to document any adverse effects of caffeine on milk supply.

5 Foods to Limit or Avoid While Breastfeeding

• Fish high in mercury.
• Some herbal supplements.
• Alcohol.
• Caffeine.
• Highly processed foods.

Key Takeaways. A recent study finds that consuming too many sugary drinks can negatively impact an infant’s cognitive development. Breastfeeding mothers should avoid or cut back on juice, soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

Babies who are reacting to your caffeine intake may be unusually irritable, fussy, or wakeful. They may have a harder time staying asleep.

The half-life* of caffeine is about 97.5 hours in a newborn, 14 hours in a 3-5 month old baby and 2.6 hours in a baby older than 6 months. In comparison, the half-life of caffeine in an adult is 4.9 hours. (Hale 2008 pg. 139) Peak levels of caffeine in breastmilk are found 60 -120 minutes after intake.

To reduce the risk for passing on caffeine to your baby, have a cup of coffee right before feeding your baby, or, if your baby goes more than 2 hours between feedings, wait to have your coffee until right after you’ve finished feeding baby.

The amount of caffeine that gets into a mother’s breastmilk is about 1% of what she takes in and the caffeine level in her breastmilk usually reaches a peak about 60 minutes after she has consumed it.

Drugs to relieve headache, aches, pain or fever Try not to breastfeed for 1 to 2 hours after taking the dose to minimise the amount in your breastmilk.

Yes, it’s fine to eat spicy food while you’re breastfeeding. Traces of what you eat enter your milk, but it shouldn’t unsettle your baby if you eat spicy food. In fact, it may benefit your baby.