It’s easy to feel overwhelmed as a new mother. You have to go through a lot of new experiences and manage a bunch of things at the same time, which can rapidly become exhausting. Nevertheless, with new responsibilities come new challenges.
One of the most difficult aspects of motherhood is feeding your child. If you’re not producing as much milk as you should, you’ll probably have to go through the painful process of milk pumping. What if we offered you a simple way out?
Yes, there are numerous strategies to boost lactation to feed your kid without hassle. All you have to do is pay attention to what you put into your body. In this article, we’ll discuss some great foods and vitamins to take if you’re a breastfeeding mother.
Different Food and Supplements For Better Lactation
There is a multitude of lactation supplements and organic foods that will help you with your lactation supply. Here is a list of some of the highly recommended products.
Lemon Drops
These tiny chews contain a variety of herbal compounds such as coriander, fenugreek, and fennel, all of which aid in increasing breast milk flow naturally. Taking one of these every day, in addition to your other vitamins, will pay off handsomely.
It has been proven by many studies that lemon water actively removes toxins from your milk making sure that your baby is getting healthy milk. Thus having a lemon supplement is very beneficial. It will help cure your baby’s stomach cramps, gas, bloating and irregular bowel, all while keeping you fresh and boosting your energy levels.
Prenatal Vitamins
Always keep a good supply of prenatal vitamins in your body, not only during your pregnancy but also when you’re breastfeeding. It’s a fermented whole food multivitamin that’s great for pregnancy and postpartum. You don’t necessarily need to ingest it after food; you can have it with an empty stomach as it is made from vegetables and different herbs and you won’t feel nauseous afterward.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is the most vital supplement that any new mother should take. Vitamin D supplementation is essential for the development of strong bones in newborns. This is something that babies can only get from their mothers’ milk.
In addition, the mother must maintain a healthy level of vitamin D in her body, which naturally decreases when she is breastfeeding. As a result, many pediatricians advise moms to take a lot of vitamin D so that it is enough for both the mother and the infant.
Probiotics
A healthy gut flora requires the use of probiotics. The majority of your nutrition as a mother will be passed on to your child through breast milk, and your gut flora must be enriched with probiotics to provide them with a balanced diet and some healthy bacteria. Keeping yourself healthy can also help you produce more milk.
As a mother, whatever you consume will also reach your baby’s stomach. This is why many doctors advise against eating food that is too spicy as it can imbalance your gut flora and thus cause stomach aches in your baby as their immune system is still weak. Therefore even if you do feel like having spicy food or food from outside, having probiotics along with it will ensure that your gut and in turn, the baby’s gut stays protected.
Water
Your milk supply will decrease if you are dehydrated. Hence, you should drink half your body weight in ounces of water. If you weigh 160 pounds, for example, you should aim to drink 80 ounces of water every day. Because you will expend a lot of energy breastfeeding your infant, you must stay hydrated.
Water is essential for your body to function properly. Not only will it help produce more milk, but it will also keep all the other organs in your body working smoothly. It is easy for a mother to neglect self-care, trying to take care of her baby. So no matter what you do, always drink plenty of water and look after yourself too.
Food that Increases Lactation
Centuries-old natural remedies are also used to increase lactation. Here are some of the noteworthy food ingredients that you can incorporate into your daily diet to increase your milk supply.
Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek, also known as Trigonella foenum-graecum, is a herb with numerous therapeutic properties. It looks like clove and has a maple syrup-like flavor. In the Mediterranean region, fenugreek is more common.
Fenugreek has a lot of benefits, one of which is that it helps lactating moms produce more milk. Simply put it in your tea or mix it into a cuisine you enjoy and watch the magic happen.
Garlic
Garlic is a staple item in almost everyone’s kitchen. It’s something we use virtually every day to flavor our food. Did you know, though, that it contains a variety of medicinal properties? Garlic contains antibacterial and antiviral qualities, as well as being a cure-all.
It can also help with the production of milk. Garlic, on the other hand, will change the way your milk smells and tastes, so be careful how much you eat.
Leafy Green Veggies
Leafy green veggies like cabbage, spinach, Romaine lettuce, and others are high in vitamins and can help you produce more milk. Even if they don’t taste good to you, including at least one portion of leafy green vegetables in your daily diet will greatly aid natural lactation.
There are many delicious recipes online that can help you prepare tasty green vegetable dishes that it’ll hide the natural taste of these vegetables and still give you all the benefits.
Oatmeal
When we think of starting a diet, oatmeal is generally the first item that comes to mind. However, we soon get resentful of its taste and texture, most likely because we don’t know how to cook it properly. Oatmeal is high in iron and fiber, which will help you produce more breast milk naturally.
So if you have oatmeal on hand, you should learn how to prepare it. Having oatmeal for breakfast or as a cookie snack will boost your milk output significantly.
Carrots
Carrots are the most abundant natural source of vitamin A, which is required to improve the quality of milk you make. As a result, consuming raw carrots as a drink or incorporating them into salads will ensure that you can provide your infant with high-quality milk that will not upset his or her digestive system.
Brown Rice
While rice is high in carbohydrates, which may be a concern for some new mothers, brown rice has been shown to increase hormones involved in milk production. Brown rice, whether cooked in a pressure cooker and served with leafy greens or paired with your favorite side dish, will help to speed up the lactation process.
Sesame Seeds
When we take a delicious bite from our sesame seed bun burgers, we don’t usually pay attention to those seeds as we are too busy enjoying the rich meaty flavor. But did you know that sesame seeds can have many medicinal benefits?
Sesame seeds are your best alternative if you don’t want to take calcium supplements and want to get your calcium from natural sources. It is full of calcium and also helps with the production of breast milk. You may enjoy a delicious dinner every day by making sesame seed sweets or sesame seed bread.
Fennel Seeds
Fennel is a herb that belongs to a flowering plant species in the carrot family. These were once common in the Mediterranean region, but they are now spreading around the world. Vitamin C, vitamin A, antioxidants, minerals, and fiber are all found in abundance in the small and pungent fennel seeds.
They are being used worldwide to increase milk supply in lactating mothers. All you need to do is soak a teaspoon full of seeds in water overnight and then consume this water the next morning, or you can brew it in your tea.
Holy Basil
Holy basil, which is also known as tulsi in India, is a medicinal herb that is utilized in a variety of Indian cures, medications, and Ayurvedic treatments.
They have a spicy pepper-like flavor and chemical characteristics that make them effective pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medicines. In addition, holy basil can help moms produce more milk. Many people who are aware of the benefits of this herb consume it in the form of tea.
Final Thoughts
With all the natural and supplemental ingredients that we have told you about, you should just take that breast pump and chuck it out the window. No more pain associated with pumping and no more stress regarding breast milk production.
Just implement these natural herbs and supplements in your daily diet, and you should have no problem producing enough breast milk to keep your baby satisfied.
