How to Maintain and Increase Your Milk Supply with Breastfeeding and Pumping Influencer Helen Avery How to Maintain and Increase Your Milk Supply with Breastfeeding and Pumping Influencer Helen Avery

As Told by Helen Avery, Breastfeeding and Pumping Influencer

Many new moms assume breastfeeding will be a natural process, but it often comes with challenges like low milk supply, pain, and the emotional demands of caring for a newborn.

In our newest All Things Conceivable: A Surrogacy Podcast with Nazca Fontes, Helen Avery shares her journey with lactation and pumping, overcoming early struggles to achieve and maintain a successful milk supply. From her personal story of determination to practical, actionable tips about maintaining and increasing milk supply, Helen covers everything from essential pumping techniques and nutrition advice to busting common breastfeeding myths.

Whether you’re a new mom, surrogate, or a mom supporting others, Helen’s insights offer valuable tools and encouragement to help build confidence and community on your lactation journey.

🎧Listen to Helen’s full podcast here!

Helen Avery’s Journey: How She Boosted Her Milk Supply

NF: Can you tell us a bit about your own personal experience with lactation and pumping?

HA: When my first baby was born, I felt nervous about breastfeeding but overall I thought it would come naturally and easily. I had it in my mind that I would be able to exclusively nurse without any problems. I didn’t do any extra research before giving birth. I didn’t really plan or prepare. When he arrived, my world was completely rocked, which I’m sure many other new moms can relate to. Nursing did not come easily for me; it was painful. My son had poor weight gain, but I was determined not to give up. I worked with multiple lactation consultants and our pediatrician during the first month after birth.

It was at five weeks postpartum that I decided to try pumping. When I first started pumping, I was getting maybe about 10 milliliters per side. I started doing research on everything I could to increase my milk supply. I was determined. Over the next month or so, I was able to double my milk supply. In the month after that I was up to 50 ounces of pumped milk a day. I started exclusively pumping. I was not latching my baby anymore. That wasn’t working for us, so I was just bottle feeding and pumping. Thankfully, with pumping, I was able to go from extreme undersupply to a pretty good oversupply.

NF: What made you decide to start sharing your lactation journey online?

HA: Sharing my story on social media wasn’t intentional. I just posted a little funny ten second video to TikTok thinking it would get the standard 200 views. At that point, I had dropped my night sessions and I would pump in the morning. I would get over 20 ounces in these morning sessions. In the video I showed I had pumped 22 ounces out that morning and it had a little silly background song. Within the first week, I had a million and a half views on this little silly video with thousands of comments of women asking questions. They would ask, “How are you doing that? What pump are you using? Have you always had an oversupply?” It was at that point I thought maybe my story would be helpful to other moms. I started answering questions with more videos and trying to give helpful tips for other moms. I was able to build a community and reassure moms that they’re not alone in having milk supply struggles.I get daily messages from moms saying my tips have helped them or boosted their milk supply, which is amazing! It really shows we’re all in this together and reminds us that no one is alone on this journey. Honestly, knowing that my advice is making a difference is the most rewarding part for me!

Common Breastfeeding and Pumping Myths: What Every New Mom Should Know

NF: What are some common myths or misconceptions about pumping or breastfeeding?

HA: When I first started, pumping was completely foreign to me. It was only when I started pumping that I was able to increase my milk supply and get it up to a point that I was able to 100% give my baby breast milk and help him grow with that breast milk. I feel like the idea that pumping is not an option is completely a myth. And as long as you’re pumping regularly, effectively and often, you can have a successful breastfeeding journey and maintain your milk supply for a long time.

Expert Pumping Tips to Increase and Maintain Breast Milk Supply

NF: What other tips and tricks can you share with mothers looking to increase and maintain their milk supply?

HA: The first priority is ensuring effective milk removal, which can vary for each mom. Sometimes babies are more efficient, while in other cases, a pump might work better. Preparing ahead of time, ideally before giving birth, can make a big difference. Have your pump and parts ready, and know that there are multiple breastfeeding options so you’re not limited to just one approach. Finding the right pump for you and working with a lactation consultant can be invaluable. With so many choices available, understanding and prioritizing effective milk removal right from the start is key.

Establish Your Pumping Schedule to Boost Milk Supply

HA: Every mom’s pumping schedule can be unique, which is one of the great advantages of pumping — you can tailor it to fit your own routine rather than only matching the baby’s hunger cues. For new moms, a good approach to establish a strong milk supply is to pump every two to three hours. And then there’s power pumping, which is a big one for increasing or maintaining milk supply.

What is Power Pumping?

HA: Power pumping is a pumping technique that mimics a cluster feeding baby. It does require an hour’s worth of time of pumping on and off in about 20 to 10 minute increments over that hour. You pump for 20 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, pump for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes. This signals to the body that more milk is needed just as a cluster feeding baby would. When the baby wouldn’t get enough milk, they might nurse for 10 minutes and then be hungry again 10 minutes later. It’s a way that pumping moms can use a pump to mimic that schedule.

Hydration and Nutrition to Maximize Milk Production

HA: Adding proper nutrition and hydration to an already consistent pumping schedule can give you an extra boost and help ensure your body has what it needs to support milk production. Dehydration can lead to a decrease in supply, but overhydration is not going to give you more milk, so finding a balance is key. Without adequate food and water intake, your body may experience additional stress, which can negatively impact supply. Keeping your body nourished and stress-free is important for successful lactation.

The Importance of Pumping Equipment to Optimize Your Pumping Journey

HA: My top pick for a breast pump has to be the Baby Buddha. When I first told my lactation consultant about it, she hadn’t even heard of the brand, so I felt like I’d stumbled onto something special. I noticed the biggest boost in my milk supply and output when I switched to the Baby Buddha. It’s strong, portable, and has this unique pumping pattern that mimics a baby’s natural rhythm. The combo of strong suction and that baby-like pattern really made a huge difference in helping me up my milk supply and made my pumping journey way more successful.

Cleaning Your Pumping Equipment

HA: Cleaning up after pumping is such a time sink — it was one of my biggest struggles when I first started. If you’re pumping for a newborn or donating milk, you have to clean your pump every single time, which really adds up. This year, I got a Momcozy bottle washer, and honestly, it’s been a lifesaver. I post about it a lot because I literally use it every day! It washes, sanitizes, and dries everything in about an hour and a half. All I do is rinse out the milk, pop the bottles in, and they’re totally dry and ready to go afterward. Having parts that are completely dry is super important to avoid bacteria buildup and protect your pump. With this, you can have dry, sanitized parts within your next feeding window. It’s a bit of an investment, but if you’re pumping frequently, it saves so much time.

Pumping Lessons to Kickstart Your Milk Production for New Moms

HA: With my second pregnancy, I actually started pumping while I was still pregnant (with my doctor’s okay, of course!). Definitely talk to your doctor first if you’re considering it. Pregnancy or right after birth can be a great time to introduce pumping if you want to build up a little stash. It’s especially handy if you’re heading back to work or if someone else is helping with bottle feeding. Just keep in mind it might also lead to oversupply.

When I was about 39 weeks, I started pumping and collected a tiny bit of colostrum — not much, but every little bit helps. Some moms get more than others! After my baby was born, I pumped a few times a day in addition to nursing and was able to freeze a decent stash of colostrum that first week.

Donating Your Oversupply of Breast Milk and Supporting Other Moms

HA: I was in oversupply mode, freezing around 20 ounces a day, and it really started to add up. I built up quite a stash in my freezer and started looking into ways I could make a meaningful contribution with my extra milk. That’s when I found my local milk bank and decided to donate my breast milk. This was during the 2021 baby formula shortage from COVID, and it felt amazing to go from being a mom who struggled when my own supply didn’t come in right away to being able to give back to other moms who needed milk.

I’d get a cooler in the mail filled up with frozen milk, label it, and then overnight ship my breast milk to the milk bank. I knew that my milk was going to the babies that need it most, including preemie babies, babies with weakened immune systems and the babies that are in the hospital that maybe their mom is not able to produce milk. Breast milk is very needed for those babies at that time. Breast milk can be lifesaving for these new babies the same way that a blood transfusion is lifesaving for someone who needs it.

There’s so many different ways to be able to breastfeed your baby and different options available. The Milk Bank Challenge brings more light to that. The fact that you can successfully feed a newborn baby a hundred percent breast milk, even if you’re struggling to lactate, is incredible.

The Bottom Line About Boosting Your Milk Supply: Helen’s Top 3 Tips to Maintain and Increase Milk Supply

Helen Avery is a wealth of information about lactation and pumping, offering mom-to-mom guidance to help new moms establish and maintain a strong milk supply. Her TikTok community forum is a fantastic platform where you can discover the best mom hacks for your breastfeeding and pumping journey, making it an incredible support for those who are lactating. Whether you’re just starting or need a boost, here are her top three tips for building and sustaining milk supply.

1. Stick to a Pumping Schedule: Maintaining a schedule of pumping every two to three hours, especially in the early postpartum period.

2. Choose the Right Pump and Use it Effectively: Get a good pump and know how to use it! Familiarize yourself with your pump settings, like letdown and expression modes, ideally before your baby arrives.

3. Ensure Proper Flange Fit and Comfort: Make sure the flange size fits you correctly to avoid discomfort and maximize milk output. That size is different for every single mom, just like you would need a shoe that fit you correctly. You do need to actually have yourself measured or measure yourself at home. Consider using a pumping spray, food-grade oil, or pump cushion for added comfort.

Learn more about pumping. Click here for more lactation resources!

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With its pioneering All-In Surrogate Care and Compensation Package, ConceiveAbilities stands by surrogates through their postpartum recovery, ensuring they have access to essential resources like comprehensive fourth-trimester and lactation support.

This commitment reflects our deep respect and appreciation for surrogates and moms, celebrating the invaluable role they play in helping families grow.

Surplus of milk supply? Learn how to donate your extra milk through the Milk Donation Challenge.