Foods To Increase Milk Supply –
Breastfeeding is one of the greatest experiences of a new mom’s life. It nurtures the beautiful bonding between the mom and her child. Breastfeeding is the only source of food and nutrition for your baby for the first six months of its age. Hence having a sufficient breast milk supply becomes necessary when you don’t really want to go for formula feeding. After all Mother’s Milk Is The Complete Food For Your Baby.
Your Lifestyle, Food & Diet play an important role in the process of making milk for your baby’s needs. If you are stressed over your milk supply and are doubtful if it’s sufficient for your baby or not, kindly examine the signs of low milk supply.
Common Signs Of Low Milk Supply
You need to observe your baby’s feeding schedule and physical development. Here are some of the common signs of low milk supply
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If Your Baby Not Gaining Weight –
If you don’t see a decent change in baby’s weight regularly or if your baby is losing its weight instead of gaining, it can be because of your low milk supply.
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Is Your Baby Passing Urine Frequently? –
Normally a breastfed baby passes urine at least six to eight times a day. He or she even can pee 20 times in a day’s time and that is absolutely common for a breastfed baby. If your baby is passing it for less than six times in 24 hours, it’s a sign of dehydration and that can make you sure that the baby is not getting enough milk supply.
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If The Frequency Of Feeding Is Low
A newborn has a tendency to have 8-12 sessions of breastfeeding in a day. It can be more than that along with the growth spurts. But if the frequency is not much, it can show the initial signs of low milk supply.
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If Baby’s Mouth Remains Dry While Breastfeeding
When the baby is taking feed happily, her mouth becomes wet around the nipple area (areola) and you can notice some milk around her lips. If your baby’s mouth remains dry, it can be a strong sign of a low milk supply.
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If Your Baby Is Not Happy During The Breastfeeding Sessions
If your baby doesn’t appear to be happy during the nursing time, it might happen due to inadequate milk supply. When a baby is breastfed well, she seems to be happy and healthy. If your baby is always cranky, you certainly need to work on enhancing your milk supply.
The above mentioned are some of the common signs of low milk supply. If you notice them, you surely need to learn how to increase milk supply quickly.
List Of 11 Best Foods To Increase Milk Supply Quickly
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Fennel Seeds
Fennel seeds (Variyali or Badishep) encompass estrogen-like composites that are believed to increase breast milk supply. They are commonly added in the lactation cookies and teas that help a new mom get ample of breast milk supply. chew some fennel seeds after every meal and help your baby to get adequate breast milk. -
Garlic
This food creates heat in the body. The new moms are supposed to eat a balanced meal that has heat and cooling effects on the body. Consuming garlic moderately helps in boosting the milk supply. But excessive consumption of garlic is not recommended. Eat moderately in chutney and sabzi, that will help you get the adequate benefits of this herb.
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Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek seeds are most commonly used to increase breast milk in every part of the world. These seeds contain Omega-3 fatty acids which help you boost milk supply quickly. Traditionally every new mom is given Methi Laddu (A sweet and bitter dessert made with fenugreek seeds with a combination of other ingredients) to eat so that she gets ample milk for the baby, and the nutrients present in fenugreek seeds heal the body faster after delivering the baby.
You can add them in laddus, can have fenugreek tea, and add the fenugreek powder to puris or parathas. You can even go for fresh fenugreek leaves that can be eaten as a vegetable dish along with roti or puri. -
Spinach
Apart from fenugreek leaves, spinach is another green leafy vegetable that is a hub of health and nutrition. Having at least one portion of spinach or any other green leafy vegetable would give you enough amount of iron and minerals. Adding spinach to a new mom’s diet would help her to heal faster and also have a sufficient amount of breast milk supply.
- CarrotsCarrots are a rich source of Vitamin A. It gives an instant boost in milk supply. A breastfeeding mom should have at least one portion of carrots every day. Carrots are known to be one of the best foods to increase milk supply.
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Apricots
Apricots are high in Vitamin C, A, calcium, and potassium. Calcium is a much-needed nutrient to produce milk. Apricots help in increasing prolactin, the hormone which tends to tell the body to produce milk. They are naturally sweet in taste and eating them every day can satisfy your sugar cravings too. -
Asparagus / Shatavari
Asparagus or Shatavari is one of the best foods to increase breast milk. The fresh asparagus can be used in various dishes whereas you can also get it in powder and malt forms from a medical store or any Ayurvedic medicine shop. Shatavari Kalp is one of the best-known malts that can be added to the milk and consumed twice a day. This is the food that is a no-fail remedy for low milk supply.
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Sweet Potato
This root vegetable is one of the tastiest foods due to its natural sweet flavors. Rich in fiber and Vitamin A, sweet potato makes a wholesome meal for a new mom. It helps to increase the milk supply quickly.
You can have steamed sweet potatoes or shallow fry them in ghee (clarified butter) for extra health benefits of sweet potatoes during the nursing period.
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Milk
Milk is a good source of calcium, protein, and folic acid which helps boost milk supply instantly. Having at least 300 ml of milk every day is highly recommended during the breastfeeding period. You can also add Paneer (cottage cheese) for enhanced benefits of milk.
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Coconut
Coconut is a commonly used ingredient in Indian households. A nursing mom can have this multipurpose fruit in various forms like cooked or uncooked. You can even have coconut water and also can add coconut oil while cooking your food.
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Dill Seeds
Dill seeds are known to be one of the best foods to increase breast milk. It also gives relief to constipation and stomach ache due to flatulence. Having these seeds as a mouth freshener after a meal will help you increase your milk supply and get relief from common stomach ache too. These are some of the best foods to increase milk supply. Along with these foods, you need to consume a sufficient amount of water and stay hydrated to produce enough breast milk for your baby.
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