Breastfeed: What mothers eat can influence their milk supply

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What mothers eat can influence their milk supply

Around the world and throughout history, mothers have known that certain foods support their milk production. These foods were valued in earliest cultures and highlighted in mythology. Mother Goddesses were associated with barley grain, the almond, coconut, lotus, the elder tree, and many other plants and foods that were used historically to increase milk production.

Today, mothers dealing with low milk supply are again interested to learn how foods and herbs can support their milk production. Experts who work closely with low-supply mothers report that certain foods influence milk supply for some mothers. These so-called “lactogenic foods and herbs” are the subject of this article.

Dietary Guidelines Following Birth

Getting a good start the first few weeks after birth can be helpful in supporting the onset and development of a mother’s milk supply:

- Get enough to eat. Simply eating regularly and getting enough calories will support your milk supply.

- Get enough to drink, but not too much. Between 2 – 3 quarts a day is a good goal to aim for. Some mothers discover they need much more, and some find that they need to get “just enough” fluids to maintain an optimal milk supply.

- Eat at least one warm meal per day that includes a source of protein, a portion of green salad, a grain such as millet or rice, and cooked vegetables such as yam, carrot, and fennel.

- Spice moderately with lactogenic spices, for instance with sea-salt or gomasio, with dill or caraway, or basil and marjoram, and, if tolerated, with garlic.

- Avoid food that is hard to digest such as fried or extremely fatty food.

- Take probiotic yogurt or lactobacilli supplements to protect your intestinal flora and to help prevent colic and allergy in your baby.

- Get healthy fats such as butter and olive oil, and remember to supplement with essential fatty acids.

- Herbs useful after birth include stinging nettle to rebuild the blood lost during birth, turmeric, to help prevent breast inflammation, oat-straw, to nurture the nerves and to help prevent nervous exhaustion. These herbs also increase milk supply, so keep an eye on your supply and reduce or increase your dosage of these herbs as necessary.

- If you lost a lot of blood during birth, avoid taking ginger for several weeks.

A traditional Chinese remedy used in the early postpartum is homemade chicken soup, simmered with the bones for several hours and rich with chicken fat, taken only once a week—otherwise, it is said to over-stimulate the baby. This remedy is reputed to prevent depression, to restore a mother's vitality, and to help develop an abundant milk supply.

Source: mobimotherhood.org

P/S: what's your remedy that increase your milk supply?