While breastfeeding may seem like a natural activity, it’s actually something that has to be learned in order to be done successfully. One of the most important things new moms have to learn is how to keep their breast milk production at its highest point. Fortunately, there are plenty of foods to increase breast milk and keep you and your baby healthy, so check out the list below.
1. Bananas.
Bananas are full of vitamins and minerals that are perfect for breastfeeding moms, especially vitamin B6, which helps with the production and quality of breast milk.
You can also use bananas to increase your energy levels by eating them or adding them to smoothies and other food.
2. Coffee and tea.
Coffee, teas, and chai can all help increase breast milk production, but only in moderation. While coffee can be decaffeinated or without caffeine at all, there’s a good chance the other two will have caffeine in them. Just be sure to not overdo it or you could end up with a coffee baby! In fact, it’s best to drink coffee and tea early in the morning instead of later in the day so that your body has time to metabolise them completely (and not store too much of them).
3. Apples.
Apples are an excellent fruit to eat while breastfeeding and they are full of fibre, which helps you stay full and have more energy. Take the natural sugar in apples to help keep your blood sugar levels stable so that you don’t get hungry between meals or put on too much weight from eating too much junk food. Apples are also a good source of B vitamins, which can help increase your breast milk supply as well as help with the quality of your milk production and the baby’s overall health.
4. Horseradish (fresh or pickled).
Horseradish has been used for hundreds of years by mothers to stimulate milk production. The best way to use horseradish is to eat it! But if that’s not an option, you can also pickle and bake with it, add it to a salad dressing or smoothie, or use it as a hot sauce on the meat.
5. Lactoferrin.
Lactoferrin is a deficiency-tolerant protein found in human milk that helps with iron and immune system health – as well as breast milk production. Foods high in lactoferrin include eggs, cheese, and yoghourt.
6. Salmon.
Salmon is a great food that not only helps increase breast milk production, but it can also help with postpartum depression due to the omega-3 fatty acids in it that can help your baby’s brain and nervous system grow.
7. Carrots.
Carrot juice is full of nutrients that can help with milk production and the quality of your breast milk, such as vitamin A and fibre from carrots, along with beta-carotene from beets. Try juicing carrot or beetroot mixed with apple juice to help stimulate breast milk production and keep your energy levels high to continue breastfeeding for as long as possible. You could also add some mint leaves into the mixture to make it taste better.
When it comes to breast milk production, it’s important that you stay healthy and get enough vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to support your body so that you can continue breastfeeding for as long as possible. The most important food for this is the one that’s inside your body – breastfeeding itself! But there are other foods out there that can help increase your breast milk production too.