12 Superfoods that Help in Boosting Breast Milk Supply

Your daily food choices can have an impact on both your breast milk production and your baby's feeding habits because your diet and breast milk production are closely related. If you are wondering how these two things are intertwined and what food items can improve breast milk production, then you have come to the right place. Here you will get to know how your dietary choices affect breast milk supply and 12 superfoods that help improve the supply. So, let's get started without further ado.

In this article:

• How does my food intake affect breast milk?
• Super foods to include in your diet while breastfeeding
• The Do's while breastfeeding
• Summing Up

How Does My Food Intake Affect Breast Milk?

The flavour, quality and nutrition of your breast milk gets affected by the food you eat directly. And you may have noticed that when you eat spicy or strongly flavoured food, your baby doesn't drink the recommended amount of milk. A study has also shown that dietary patterns also affect the concentration of protein, lactation period and the amount of lactose in your breast milk. Hence, it is quite necessary to maintain a healthy diet that caters to all the nutritional needs of your baby.

Super Foods to Include in Your Diet While Breastfeeding:

As you now know the importance of diet while breastfeeding, it is time to discuss some food items that you must include in your diet.

1.    Whole Grains

Whole grains are rich in complex carbohydrates and consuming them will make you feel full for quite a long time. As a result, you won't experience energy dips while breastfeeding. Moreover, whole grains also boost the supply of breast milk by supporting the production of lactating hormones. You can add whole grains like oatmeal, barley, quinoa, brown rice and whole wheat flour to your diet.

2.    Eggs

A steady milk supply requires the consumption of high-protein food every day and what can be a better daily source of protein than eggs? In addition to being rich in protein, they also contain a variety of nutrients, many of which are crucial for you and your newborn babies, such as long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, folate, vitamin D, iodine, and selenium.

3.    Yoghurt

Moms must eat foods high in vitamin D and calcium because breastfeeding makes them lose all of their calcium and vitamins. Hence, adding dairy products like yoghurt that are rich in calcium is a good idea. Yoghurt also contains a lot of protein, magnesium, and B vitamins in addition to a lot of calcium. Yoghurt also contains good bacteria, which can support the intestinal health of both you and your newborn baby.

4.    Salmon

Salmon, whether it is wild-caught, farm-raised, or canned, is healthy for everyone. But it is particularly recommended for nursing mothers because it is rich in DHA. DHA is a type of fat crucial for the growth of a baby's neurological system. Moreover, it also boosts milk production and that's why it is a perfect addition to breastfeeding mothers' diets.

5.    Green Leafy Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables, which are high in phytoestrogens, can stimulate the production of milk. Moreover, these leafy green vegetables are also a great source of iron and calcium.  Therefore, adding them to your diet will be beneficial for both you and your baby. You can add green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, kale, lettuce, alfalfa, etc.

6.    Legumes

Beans and other legumes, like chickpeas, are great sources of protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytoestrogens. All of these nutrients are excellent for breast milk production and also improve the quality of milk considerably. So, don't forget to make legumes a part of your diet.

7.    Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a fantastic choice for boosting your milk production since they are the ideal carbohydrate-packed food item. Adding sweet potatoes to your diet will help you refuel your body with potassium, energy, and other necessary nutrients.

8.    Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds should be a part of every mother's diet because they are a rich source of all the necessary nutrients, such as magnesium, iron, proteins, and fats. For instance, sesame seeds are high in calcium and help your body produce the hormone oestrogen. Because of this, including seeds and nuts in the diet will not only help the mother stay healthy but will also enable her to produce milk of exceptional quality.

9.    Avocados

Avocados are considered quite healthy for every person in general because they are rich in three types of fatty acids: omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9. Apart from that, avocados are a great source of potassium, vitamin C, and folic acid, all of which support your child's growth and development. Hence, adding them to your diet is a good idea.

10.  Mushrooms

Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D and calcium. Moreover, certain types of mushrooms are considered an excellent source of polysaccharide beta-glucan which helps in milk production. Hence, they are a good option for vegan nursing mothers.

11. Garlic

Since it is thought to be a galactagogue, garlic has long been used as a herbal remedy to accelerate the production and supply of breast milk.

12.  Fenugreek Seeds

One of the most well-liked galactagogues that lactating mothers frequently use in India is fenugreek. Fenugreek seeds boost the development of hormone precursors, which increases milk production. You can either eat the soaked seeds or make fenugreek tea if you want to add it to your diet.

The Do’s While Breastfeeding

Apart from all the food items and dishes mentioned above, mothers have to take care of a plethora of other things. Here is a list of some of the things that you should do while breastfeeding, have a look-

Drink a lot of water

Mothers become so busy while taking care of their newborn babies that they forget to drink water in proper amounts. And this can affect the breastmilk supply and the mother's health. Drinking adequate amounts of water during breastfeeding or nursing days helps women to make up for the additional water needed to produce milk. While exceeding the typical daily recommendation of 2.7 litres of water is not necessary, you must at least drink the recommended amount.

Do not keep a strict check on calorie intake

Breastfeeding or nursing mothers need more calories to meet their and their baby’s nutritional needs. Therefore, it is not a good idea to cut down on your calorie intake.

Do not skip meals

Even if you're attempting to lose weight, you should avoid skipping meals while you're breastfeeding. Skipping meals can lower your energy and slow down your metabolism, making it harder to stay active and take care of your kid.

Stop consuming too much caffeine

Too much caffeine is anyway not good for your health as it can increase restlessness, dizziness, anxiety and your heart beat rate. However, you have to be extra careful when you are nursing because excessive caffeine intake may lower the quality of your milk and may even lead to sleep issues in your baby. Moreover, according to a study, intake of too much caffeine may inhibit iron absorption in your body as well. And thus, it may lead to the lower iron content in your breastmilk too. 

Stop Smoking and drinking

The development, growth, and sleep patterns of a newborn may be negatively impacted by the breast milk of a mother whose exposure to alcohol and smoking is above moderate amounts. Hence, it is best to either quit both of these things completely or exponentially reduce the number of times you smoke or drink.

Take the advice of a certified dietician

The majority of us are unsure of the best ways to incorporate different foods into our diets in order to achieve the best outcomes. Although you may be aware of the food you should eat, you are probably unaware of the best methods to eat it or what other foods go well with it. That’s exactly when the need for a certified dietician comes into the picture. That's why we'll suggest you subscribe to a post-pregnancy diet plan to get the best results.

Summing Up:

Breastfeeding days are very tiring and leave mothers quite drained. However, with a proper diet and guidance from experts, both mother and baby can stay in great health. Explore our diet plans today and subscribe to the one that meets your requirements.