Ask the Expert: TCM perspective on increasing milk supply

Yes, it is definitely possible to increase your milk supply by latching often. Latching often and latching on demand is one of the key methods to increase your milk supply. Do note that the frequency that we’re talking about is 8-12 times a day.Besides the frequency of milk removal, we will also need to ensure other breastfeeding basics are being fulfilled, such as the duration and efficiency of baby’s latch. Is your baby emptying your breast well? Yes, there are recommended TCM herbs targeted to help mothers increase their milk supply. TCM believes that a healthy lactation is dependent on a good circulation of Qi and blood. Consuming recommended TCM herbs such as dang seng, tong cao, mai dong, jie geng, huang qi, dang gui will boost your Qi and Blood, boosting production of breastmilk. It really depends on each body’s constitution. Some mommies will need to continue to supplement with regular intake of TCM herbs especially for mommies who have Qi and Blood deficiency. We will recom