When you are in the nursing phase, you will have tonnes of questions to ask, and it is the time when a mother requires a lot of attention regarding her health and food because whatever you eat will also affect the amount of milk that is produced.
Top 25 Foods To Increase Breast Milk:
In order to enhance the lactation and to increase the breast milk, there are certain food items that you must eat. For a newborn baby, it gets all the prime nutrients for the brain development and overall growth from breast milk. Check out this top 25 foods that you must include in your diet to increase breast milk.
Oatmeal:
They are pretty easy to cook. During post pregnancy, they help to control the occurrence of diabetes. They are loaded with energy and contains fibre which helps in smooth digestion.
Salmon:
One great source of omega-3 and Essential Fatty acids which are both essential and highly nutritious for lactating mothers. It boosts the production of lactation hormones as well as makes you make your milk more nutritious. Go for boiled, steamed or maybe even grilled salmon.
Spinach And Beet Leaves:
They contain folic acid, calcium and iron which are essential for recouping anaemic mothers and will make your baby strong. Also, they include detoxifying agents. Spinach carries special plant chemicals that prevent breast cancer. Try to eat spinach in moderation because too much will cause diarrhoea in your baby.
Carrots:
Start consuming a glass of carrot juice along with lunch or breakfast and they will work wonders in lactation. Carrots have lactation promoting qualities just like spinach. It is a rich source of vitamin A which will increase the quality of your milk. Consume pureed carrots stirred with warm milk and a little sugar in winters.
Fennel Seeds:
Fennel is great to boost the quantity of your breast milk you are producing. Fennels are digestives and control baby-colic. Don’t hesitate to pop in a few seeds after your meal; it is one great mouth freshener. Boil a few seeds with milk or add them to your tea and drink it up.
Fenugreek Seeds:
They are also known for increasing breast milk supply. In order to prevent post-delivery constipation, chew on the sprouted seeds with a glass of milk. It will enhance your milk quality for sure. Try them for breakfast as pancakes by mixing it up with rice and fenugreek seeds.
Bottle Gourd:
They are not normally a preferred vegetable but has high nutrition content. It has high water content as well, so it is considered as a summer vegetable. This will help to keep a nursing mother hydrated. Along with all those benefits, they also do increase milk quantity, aids in lactation and is easy to digest.
Basil Leaves:
They are one great source of anti-oxidants. Basil will help to calm you down which is important while lactating. It does boost the immunity levels of your baby. Try adding a few basil leaves in your tea, leave the sprigs in the tea for a while and drink this water in your empty stomach in the morning to see the effect.
Garlic:
It is well-known for boosting lactation in nursing mothers and is also considered one among the best food to increase your breast milk. Garlic comes with chemical compounds that help in lactation, and the consumption of it saves you from all types of cancer. Stir fry a handful of garlic cloves in ghee and eat it along with steamed rice. Try this every other day.
Barley:
Barley keeps you hydrated and boosts the lactation. You could just boil the barley and keep drinking it throughout the day. With your favourite flavouring, toss in whole barley with other vegetables.
Chickpea:
Chickpea is a lactation booster for nursing mommies and also a protein snack. They are the rich source of fibre, B-complex vitamins and calcium. You need to soak the chickpeas before you boil them in the morning.
Asparagus:
It is a must-have food item for nursing mothers as it is a high fibre food, high in Vitamin A and K, helps in stimulating the hormones that are required for lactation. First, wash and then chop to boil with milk. Before you drink, make sure you strain it.
Brown Rice:
Brown rice supplies the nursing mummies with that extra energy required post-delivery. It contains certain chemicals which will help in normalising the mood swings and also the sleep pattern. They help in maintaining sugar levels in the blood and increasing the appetite. They come with hormone stimulants which increase lactation.
Cumin Seeds:
Even though they will boost your milk supply, have them in moderation, though. They are known fat-burners and appetisers. Cumin Seeds eliminate digestive irritants such as acidity. Put a pinch of cumin powder to your buttermilk and drink it up.
Black Sesame Seeds:
They contain calcium in plenty and boosts the milk supply as well. But consume in limited quantity, though.
Oils And Fats:
In your post pregnancy period, it is always recommended that you keep your oils and fats to the minimum in your diet. But you don’t need to avoid oil and fat in your post-delivery diet as these are the essential part of lactation and helps in easing your bowel movement.
Apricots:
There are many hormonal imbalances that are taking place in your body, during and post pregnancy. The dried apricots got several chemicals that balance out the hormone levels. Try to include walnuts and apricots in your oatmeal diet.
Cow Milk:
It has essential fatty acids and calcium that promotes lactation. Take special care to include 2 to 3 glasses of Cow Milk in your daily diet.
Dill Leaves:
It does look like a bunch of dark green, silky hair and has a distinct odour to it. They are meant to boost milk supply. Dill Leaves comes with high Vitamin K and fibre content. And this helps to recoup the blood loss during your delivery.
Drumstick:
Drumstick has high calcium and iron content and is great for lactation. It enhances your nervous system along with boosting your immunity. If you want you can have it steamed with flavouring.
Poppy Seeds (Khuskhus):
The Poppy seeds contain sedative properties which will help you to calm down and relax as it is important for nursing mothers to relax fully. So make sure you add it to your daily diet in a minimum quantity. You can roast your poppy seeds to have it with your porridges and puddings.
Water And Juices:
You need to drink more juices and water as it will increase the total milk volume per feed. You lose fluid during lactation and drinking more fluids will replace the lost fluid. Drink a glass of water whenever you feel thirsty, and it is a good idea to drink it before you begin to nurse your baby.
Almonds:
They are the rich source of Vitamin E and Omega-3. The Vitamin E will help in healing the itching that is caused by post pregnancy stretch marks. And Omega-3 helps the lactation boosting hormones to generate more milk.
Sweet Potato:
It is one major source of potassium, and it got energy-producing carbohydrate which is required to fight the fatigue. It carries various other vitamins such as Vitamin B-complex, C and a muscle relaxant mineral like magnesium. You could make it as a pudding for dessert.
Unripe Papayas:
They are part of the South Asian cuisine. The Unripe Papayas can be used as a natural sedative that will help you relax and to fee your baby better. You could try it out as a South Asian or try tossing it along with flat noodles.
It is the most powerful creation to have life growing inside of you.There is no bigger gift