Six foods you should incorporate into your diet to increase breast milk supply
It’s a question that gets a lot of attention, particularly from new mums: what foods help produce milk? And whilst breast milk production is influenced by many factors, there are some foods that may help with increasing milk supply.
In today’s blog, we take a look at what foods help produce milk.
What foods help produce milk? How does it work?
You may have heard that there are certain foods called ‘galactogogues’ or ‘lactogenic foods’. These foods are ones which are thought to help increase the quantity and possibly the quality of the breast milk your body produces.
What foods help produce milk? Oats
When researching what foods help produce milk, oats or oatmeal are likely to pop up as one of the most well-known lactogenic foods. Oats are an excellent source of beta-glucan fibre, which helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. Oats are also a great source of iron, offering around 2mg of iron per half cup serving- that’s around 20% of a breastfeeding mum’s daily iron requirement. Oats are super-easy to add to your diet. Try making a warm and comforting porridge for breakfast, adding oats to your muffins and cookies, or making a homemade granola to enjoy with fruit and yoghurt.
What foods help produce milk? Brewer’s Yeast
Brewer’s yeast is a rich source of nutrients and important trace elements that help to support breastfeeding and milk production. Packed with B vitamins, chromium, selenium and other trace minerals, brewer’s yeast is often considered one of nature’s superfoods. You can add small amounts of brewer’s yeast to your baked goods.
What foods help produce milk? Flaxseed
Also known as linseed, flaxseed and flaxseed meal contains essential fatty acids and are particularly high in omega-3 fatty acids. They also contain phytoestrogens (a type of plant hormone) that are thought to influence breastmilk production. You can incorporate flaxseed into your diet by sprinkling some seeds on top of your salads, breakfast bowls, in your smoothie, or by consuming seed crackers that contain them.
What foods help produce milk? Dates
Dates make a healthy and convenient snack for breastfeeding mothers, since they contain a lot of calcium, iron and potassium. Dates are also known to be a food that helps with the production of the hormone serotonin- serotonin plays an important role in breastmilk production, particularly in the early newborn days.
What foods help produce milk? Dark Leafy Greens
Dark, leafy green vegetables are an important food group to consider when you are wondering what foods help produce milk. Not only should they be part of a healthy diet in general, they are particularly important for breastfeeding mothers as they support and promote lactation. Spinach, silverbeet, kale, broccoli, and other greens are packed full of nutrients. They contain phytoestrogens and lots of calcium, iron and other minerals which are not only important for breastmilk production, but also help with supporting your immune system.
What foods help produce milk? Other foods to consider…
Hopefully now you have a better understanding of what foods help to produce milk. There are, of course other foods that you can try adding into your diet too, to see whether they can help with breastmilk production. These include:
- Dill and dill seeds
- Papaya, particularly green papaya
- Garlic
- Sesame seeds
- Fenugreek seeds.
What foods help produce milk? Sweet Graze Lactation Cookies!
Here at Sweet Graze, we’ve taken the hard work out of wondering what foods help produce milk, and rolled a bunch of goodness into the convenience of our individually wrapped lactation cookies. Regardless of what flavour you choose, all of our cookies contain rolled oats (except our gluten free cookie), brewer’s yeast and flaxseed meal, to help support you on your breastfeeding journey. We individually wrap and heat seal each cookie, so it’s so easy to keep one by your bedside or in your nappy bag for a nutritious and convenient snack on the go. Best of all, our customers love them because they taste great and they work! Check out our reviews today!