Increasing My Milk Production - Zara’s story

-March 2026

I just wanted to share my experience in case it helps another mom.

In the first week after bringing my baby home, she developed jaundice. Besides the blue light therapy, we were told the main way to clear it was for her to feed a lot so that she could pass the bilirubin out through her stools.

At the time I didn’t actually know what “enough” breast milk looked like. A lactation professional mentioned that the amount of breast milk she was getting didn’t seem sufficient to make her poop enough to clear the jaundice, so we introduced formula milk to help push things along. Fortunately the jaundice cleared.

But once the formula milk was introduced, my own milk production slowly started decreasing because she was coming to the breast a little less. With visitors, events, and the general anxiety of being a new mom, the formula feeds slowly increased while breastfeeding decreased.

Those first few weeks were difficult — she was always gassy, unsettled, screaming, waking at night, and going on and off the breast.

Even when we asked professionals later, most of the advice centered around formula solutions — changing formulas, adjusting feeding methods, or focusing mainly on latch or oral dysfunction. No one really explained things like supply and demand or how to actively rebuild breast milk production. And trusting that breastfeeding would work or how to wean a baby off formula.I was about to collect the lowest dose of psychiatric medication that two different professionals recommended for struggling mothers. My gynaecologist had suggested and prescribed it. Mothers are often anxious, and by lowering anxiety with these medications, prolactin — the hormone that aids milk production — can increase. That’s why I was going on the lowest dose, because the intention was to support milk production, not for psychiatric treatment.

Being on the LLLSA (Parow) breastfeeding WhatsApp group helped me realize something important when the LLL Leader explained that breastfeeding works on a supply and demand system. She also mentioned that babies only need around 30ml of breastmilk per hour, which surprised me because I had been comparing breast milk to formula quantities and assumed my baby needed much more.

One day I happened to be less stressed- stress affects supply - and my baby slept more during that day. [LLLSA comment: Stress over short periods does not affect milk production; however severe stress may impact and slow down milk flow]. She ended up going to the breast more often that day and had less formula. Even though it might have only been a few (3) extra breastfeeds, it seemed to switch something.

Just as I was about to surrender to the idea of filling the script for those psychiatric medicines — determined to get my baby to breastfeed — my production increased, without needing that intervention.

The next day my breasts already felt fuller. I was actually afraid to keep giving formula because I felt it was contributing to the gas and crying, so I decided to trust the process and keep putting her on the breast.

Happily, since then we haven’t used formula again. Today she is two months old and it’s been about a week of exclusive breastfeeding and she’s doing really well.

I’m sharing this because we doubt ourselves, especially as new moms. But understanding how breastfeeding actually works and being amongst advocates— having the right support — can make a huge difference.

P.S.: I did the jungle juice, almonds, teas, moringa, ginger beer and that didn't help much. 

P.S.S.: Sometimes my breasts felt empty/flat and too soft for there to possibly be anything in, but with some squeezing I would still find two hairline streams of milk coming out as much as I continued to squeeze. So flat/soft doesn't mean empty.

“Let go and let God.”

I still sometimes doubt whether she is getting enough, but the fact that she isn’t complaining reassures me that everything is okay, despite the possible oral dysfunction.