Galactagogues (substances used to increase supply)

A galactagogue (pronounced ga-lac-ta-gog) is a medication, herb or food that you might take to help start, keep or increase your breastmilk supply. 

Galactagogues work best when milk is being removed from your breasts often and effectively – either by your baby or a pump. Keeping up regular feeds or expressing is really important, so it’s a good idea to get support for this before or as you try a galactagogue.

Some mums find that, with information and support from a breastfeeding counsellor or lactation consultant, their supply increases just by feeding and expressing more often and more effectively. 

These include medicines like domperidone (e.g. Motilium®) and metoclopramide (e.g. Maxolon®, Pramin®). 

Domperidone is the medicine most often used in Australia to help increase milk supply. It might start to work within a day, but for most mums it takes about a week to see a change, with the biggest effect usually seen after 2 to 4 weeks. 

Treatment is usually for about 2 weeks. Using it for longer than 4 weeks isn’t generally recommended. If your milk supply improves, your doctor may suggest slowly reducing the dose. If your supply drops again, you can return to the previous dose for a short time before trying to reduce it again.

Domperidone isn’t suitable for everyone and some people experience side effects. It’s important to talk to your doctor about whether it’s right for you.

Metoclopramide is sometimes used as an alternative, but it’s not usually the first choice because it can cause more side effects for mums.

Medicines may help in certain situations, but they work best when you’re already breastfeeding or expressing often – at least 8 times in 24 hours. Not every mum will notice an increase in supply when using a galactagogue.

Many cultures have special foods believed to boost milk supply. In Australia these include things like lactation cookies, teas, drink mixes and supplements. The ingredients in these foods are thought to support milk quality and/or milk flow. They include brewer’s yeast and oats, along with herbs like fenugreek, fennel and anise. 

While these foods are often enjoyed and may be part of family traditions, most have not been formally studied. A lactation cookie might provide energy and you may find a herbal tea relaxing, but there’s little scientific evidence that they actually increase milk supply. For example, a recent study found that lactation cookies did not increase milk production.

These kinds of remedies have been used for a long time, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re effective. Herbal products can also vary in strength and quality, and may sometimes cause side effects or interact with other medicines.

In summary, herbal galactagogues can be difficult to assess because they are not well regulated and there isn’t enough evidence to show they are safe or effective.

Research shows that galactagogues may help in some situations, but the evidence overall is limited.

Medicines like domperidone may increase milk volume, but it’s not clear which mums will benefit most. Not all low milk supply is caused by low hormone levels, so increasing these hormones doesn’t always lead to more milk.

Studies of herbal and food-based galactagogues are even less certain, with limited and inconsistent results.

Both research reviews and clinical guidelines agree on one key point. Galactagogues are most helpful when combined with frequent and effective milk removal.

• Royal Women’s Hospital (Victoria). Domperidone for increasing breast milk supply. Hospital fact sheet outlining domperidone’s use, effects, and precautions for breastfeeding mothers.
• Queensland Children’s Hospital. Domperidone for improving breast milk supply. Fact sheet for parents about domperidone, its use, effectiveness, and safety.  

The information on this website does not replace the advice of your health care provider. 

© Australian Breastfeeding Association June 2026