Is my milk is enough?
Since we cannot measure the number of ounce of milk a breastfeed baby gets, many mothers wonder whether it is enough. Remember, it is Nature’s food for the baby, the same nature that nourished the baby inside the womb and made it form into a little human being.
If you feel you are producing less milk, all you have to do is feed more often. Each time you fed your baby your body release prolactine harmons which further simulate the formation of milk.
If you skip a feed in the hope of storing more milk for the next feed, it will not work, for the less you feed, the more your milk supply will dwindle.
I consulted many mothers, elderly women, gynecologist and other sources before compiling the list of food below. It may vary for each individuals. What works for one might not work for another. So you have to find out what works best for you.😘
Foods that increase breast milk production:
Here are some tips ,tricks & foods that promote milk production and make your little one’s tummy satisfied..😋
1. Cumin seeds/Jeera –
- Roast and grind cumin seeds and add them as a seasoning to your dals, curries or other vegetable preparations.
- You can also add them to raitas, chaat and buttermilk.
- Alternately, you can soak some cumin seeds in a glass of water and drink it early in the morning to improve lactation.
2. Fenugreek seeds (methi):
- You can use fenugreek seeds in curries as a chauk.
- Can eat sprouted seeds with milk or can use the powdered form of it.
- Try fenugreek Tea, really a healthy choice. Just boil 1 tsp of methi seeds in water, strain it and drink when warm.
- Soak methi seeds in a glass of water for 7-8 hours and drink it empty stomach in the morning.
- You can have methi laddoo as famous Indian dessert for new moms.
- Just powdered its seed and pack it in a jar, you can sprinkle it in chaas/buttermilk , dal or in raita too.
Note: If you are prone to asthma or allergies, use fenugreek with caution.
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3. Ajwain/Carom seeds
My mother – law prepared ajwain panjiri for me after my delivery. She said it will give energy, cleans the stomach properly and increase the milk supply. Some also say that drinking ajwain water speeds up recovery after childbirth.
#How to consume :
Grind carom seeds, make powder. Roast it in a pan with some home made ghee, can add dryfruit powder, some amount of sugar powder. Have it with milk at least for one month.
4. Saunf/Fennel seeds
It passes through breast milk to help the baby’s digestion and relieve symptoms of colic.
#How to consume :
Grind it and add dry coconut powder to it and little quantity of sugar. Have it anytime as a mouth freshner. It taste really good.😋
Place 8 ounces (1 cup) of boiling water in a pan with 1 to 3 teaspoons of fennel seed (freshly crushed is preferred) and steep for approximately 10 minutes. The tea can be consumed three times a day.
5. Garlic
Herbalists have long embraced garlic as a beneficial supplement to nursing mothers’ diets. The herb’s distinctively pungent odor does not appear to bother most nursing babies and may in fact encourage babies to nurse longer according to experts.Longer successful nursing helps a nursing mother maintain an adequate supply of breast milk and allows the nursing baby to feed until he is satisfied.
Apart from increasing the breast milk production, the ingredient improves health conditions of both mother and her baby.
#How to consume
Have it in the form of chutney, can put in soups, garlic rice, in vegetables, rasam etc.
6. Bottle gourd
Bottle gourd is one of the best vegetables for a mother. It’s numerous benefits makes it must to have in regular diet from pregnancy to delivery and delivery to feeding. You can use it in many forms.
#How to consume
I use it in soups, oats, kheer ,halwa and make its curry by adding very less spices to it. All veggies from the gourd family are breast milk inducers.
7. Shatavari Kalpa–
Shatavari powder (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for starters) is traditionally taken mixed in a glass of warm milk, with sugar (sucanat) if desired. You can also prepare asparagus soup . Asparagus available in powdered form known as “Shatavari Kalpa” . It is a known galactogouge.
8. Milk
When mothers consume cow’s milk, they have greater amounts of secretory IgA in their breast milk. Secretory IgA is a type of antibody that lines the infant’s intestinal tract to form a barrier capable of neutralizing threats that come down the pipe. Breast feeding should have at least 2 to 3 glasses of milk.
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9. Dalia (Broken Wheat)
After my delivery my mother in law give milk daliya(sweet) or daliya upma(salty) to me on daily basis. It is actually very healthy to have . It enhances breast milk supply.
10. Sabudana(sago)
The humble
Sabudana Khichadi has the incredible power to increase and boost milk supply in lactating mothers.
11. Pulses – Dal is a good source of protein and fiber which is very essential for a mother. Dal especially the red lentils or masoor dal is said to improve lactation. Include
moong dal also in your diet because it is easily digestible and healthy too. Prepare garlic, palak dal, just by adding spinach and garlic at the time of boiling. This dish has three power packed ingredients guaranteed to increase milk supply.
12. Sesama seeds –
Sesame seeds are a lactogenic food, meaning they help to increase breast milk production.Can be taken in the form of ladoo/ chutney,gajak.
13. Nuts – Eating nuts specially walnuts , figs,dates,apricots, pistachios and almonds can actually decrease the risk of allergies and food sensitivities in breastfed babies whose mothers eat nuts or nut products, Have 3-4 overnight soaked almonds in morning time.Women suffering from the problem of poor lactation are often advised to increase their intake of almonds to stimulate their milk production naturally!
14. Green papaya – Green papaya is one of the best galactagogue, which means that it is an agent that induces lactation. The enzymes in green papaya enhance milk production and also provide you with essential vitamins like Vitamins A, B, C, and E. It is a super food that can boost the quantity and quality of your breast milk. Thus, papaya is a must-have for lactating moms.
15. Spinach – Spinach soup is super healthy and contains photo-oestrogen a plant based chemical similar to estrogen (hormone responsible for milk production in women).
16. Brown Rice – Foods like brown rice provide your body the calories it needs to make the best-quality milk for your baby.
17. Orange – Oranges and other citrus fruits are excellent breastfeeding foods, since nursing moms need more vitamin C than pregnant women.For moms, having an orange or orange juice it is quite normal,But some baby might be sensitive to the high amount of citrus food in your diet.If you notice your baby experiences fussiness and begins spitting within few hours of breastfeeding, it’s better to cut back on oranges until your baby’s intestinal tract develops fully.😃
18. Oats – Eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast each morning is a frequently heard recommendation for increasing milk supply.
19. Egg – Eggs are an excellent way to help meet your body’s demands for protein. Look for DHA-fortified eggs to boost the level of this essential fatty acid in your breast milk.
20. CARROTS – Beta-carotene is in high demand for lactating mothers so snacking on some carrots is an excellent source of replenishment.
21. Garden cress – Consuming garden cress( “alive” in hindi) helps to stimulate the mammary glands to start producing milk in lactating mothers. Due to this powerful property of garden cress, new mothers are encouraged to eat food containing garden cress to facilitate milk production. Moreover, due to the high protein and iron contents of garden cress, it is ideally given post-partum to breastfeeding mothers.
Its small black seeds. Boil it in milk and sugar and have it regularly .It is available in ayurvedic stores.
What to avoid
During the phase of exclusive breast feeding(six month period) take proper care of your diet and avoid smoking, alcohol, spicy and gassy food which causes gas.
Note :
- You may have been told that you should drink lots of water to keep up your milk supply, but in reality drinking lots of water, or indeed going a bit thirsty, won’t affect the amount of milk you make. Your body is good at regulating its reserves to make sure it keeps your milk supply going. You only need to drink enough to satisfy your thirst while you’re breastfeeding.
- No need to be over conscious about your diet during breast feeding, take normal balanced, healthy diet and enjoy motherhood. Stay calm and relaxed.😌
- If your baby pees 5 times a day and is gaining weight steadily your feed is enough
Please feel free to ask any doubt related to the article and you can also ask recipe of any food that you want to include in your diet which is mentioned above.
Mommies please share your secret food you use to increase breast milk supply.
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