Long nights. Painful nipples. Pumping wherever you can. Nursing sessions that lasted forever. You’ve made it to 6 months of nursing! First of all, this is a great accomplishment. You are truly doing your best to give your baby the best start.

But now that baby is older, how do you keep up your supply?

Easy Ways to Increase Your Supply On Your Own:

There are several easy ways to keep your supply up as baby grows. The first way is to take good care of yourself. Get plenty of rest. Drink plenty of water. Eat a healthy diet. Give your baby plenty of chances to nurse. Nurse frequently. It’s okay if baby seems to nurse like a newborn. Offer both sides at each feeding to empty breasts efficiently. Consider pumping after feedings. This can help build up your freezer stash and increase your supply.

Products that Help:

I was a big fan of lactation cookies. Just be warned, these things work. Don’t eat too many at once. They are incredibly tasty. Another product that works well is drinking mother’s milk tea. Try drinking a cup before bedtime and in the morning. Taking a supplement regularly like fenugreek can also keep your supply strong.

Be Careful With Solids:

As a new mom, I was unsure on how to integrate solids into my daughter’s diet along with nursing. It’s important to remember that as your baby starts solids, these do not replace the need for breast milk. Nursing is still a priority. Nurse before or after meal times. My pediatrician recommended nursing after I fed Johanna solids because she was not gaining weight. Kellymom.com recommends nursing before solids. Whatever you choose, you want to keep your supply going strong. Remember, food before age 1 is just for fun.

General Tips:

As baby grows, she is going to become much more active. (Crawling is coming soon, momma!) With this in mind, remember that your body knows exactly how much milk to make for your baby. While your baby does need more calories as he grows, he still needs your breast milk. Don’t feel like your baby should be on a certain schedule. Nurse often. Nurse in the night. It’s okay if baby isn’t sleeping through the night at 6 months. Nursing an older baby is a new adventure! Take care to make it a lasting, loving experience by keeping your supply going strong.

Karyn Meyerhoff lives and writes in Northeast Indiana. She nursed her daughter, Johanna, for 13 months and misses it dearly. She can’t wait to start another nursing journey with baby #2!