“What is the best way to improve my lactation naturally?”
Are there any natural foods or medications that can help me improve lactation for my baby?
9 Answers
Improving lactation naturally can be a concern for many new mothers, and there are several strategies and natural remedies that can help. Here are some tips and recommendations:
### 1. **Frequent Nursing or Pumping**
- **Nurse often:** Breastfeed your baby frequently and on demand. The more you nurse, the more milk your body will produce.
- **Pump:** If your baby isn’t nursing well, consider pumping to stimulate milk production.
### 2. **Proper Latch and Positioning**
- Ensure that your baby is latching on correctly. A proper latch can significantly impact milk production and flow.
- Consider consulting a lactation consultant to help with positioning and latch techniques.
### 3. **Stay Hydrated**
- Drink plenty of fluids. Water, herbal teas, and broths can help keep you hydrated, which is essential for maintaining milk supply.
### 4. **Balanced Diet**
- **Oats:** Rich in iron and a popular food for boosting milk supply.
- **Fenugreek:** Often taken as a supplement or tea; it’s one of the most well-known galactagogues (substances that promote lactation).
- **Fennel:** Can be consumed as a vegetable or in tea form; believed to help increase milk production.
- **Garlic:** Known for its lactogenic properties, though it can affect the taste of breast milk.
- **Brewer's Yeast:** Often used in lactation cookies; it’s rich in B vitamins and protein.
- **Fruits and Vegetables:** Apricots, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, and asparagus are rich in vitamins and minerals that support lactation.
### 5. **Herbal Teas and Supplements**
- **Teas and Infusions:** Using herbs such as nettles, raspberry leaf, comfrey and red clover can support your supply of breast milk. Rotating these herbs weekly can help replenish minerals lost from childbirth and the stress of nursing.
- **Mother’s Milk Tea:** A blend of herbs like fenugreek, fennel, and blessed thistle that support lactation.
- **Blessed Thistle:** Often used in combination with fenugreek to enhance milk production.
- **Goat’s Rue:** Another herb that can help increase breast tissue and milk supply.
### 6. **Adequate Rest and Stress Management**
- Lack of sleep and high stress can negatively impact milk supply. Try to rest whenever possible and practice stress-reducing techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or gentle yoga.
### 7. **Skin-to-Skin Contact**
- Spend time holding your baby skin-to-skin. This can help stimulate the hormones that promote milk production.
### 8. **Avoid Certain Substances**
- Avoid smoking, excessive caffeine, and alcohol as these can affect milk production.
### 9. **Monitor Baby’s Needs**
- Pay attention to your baby’s hunger cues and growth patterns. Sometimes, perceived low milk supply is not an actual problem, but rather a normal variation in feeding patterns.
Every mother and baby pair is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. It’s important to be patient and persistent. If you have concerns about your milk supply or your baby’s growth, consult with a healthcare provider or lactation consultant for personalized advice and support.
### 1. **Frequent Nursing or Pumping**
- **Nurse often:** Breastfeed your baby frequently and on demand. The more you nurse, the more milk your body will produce.
- **Pump:** If your baby isn’t nursing well, consider pumping to stimulate milk production.
### 2. **Proper Latch and Positioning**
- Ensure that your baby is latching on correctly. A proper latch can significantly impact milk production and flow.
- Consider consulting a lactation consultant to help with positioning and latch techniques.
### 3. **Stay Hydrated**
- Drink plenty of fluids. Water, herbal teas, and broths can help keep you hydrated, which is essential for maintaining milk supply.
### 4. **Balanced Diet**
- **Oats:** Rich in iron and a popular food for boosting milk supply.
- **Fenugreek:** Often taken as a supplement or tea; it’s one of the most well-known galactagogues (substances that promote lactation).
- **Fennel:** Can be consumed as a vegetable or in tea form; believed to help increase milk production.
- **Garlic:** Known for its lactogenic properties, though it can affect the taste of breast milk.
- **Brewer's Yeast:** Often used in lactation cookies; it’s rich in B vitamins and protein.
- **Fruits and Vegetables:** Apricots, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, and asparagus are rich in vitamins and minerals that support lactation.
### 5. **Herbal Teas and Supplements**
- **Teas and Infusions:** Using herbs such as nettles, raspberry leaf, comfrey and red clover can support your supply of breast milk. Rotating these herbs weekly can help replenish minerals lost from childbirth and the stress of nursing.
- **Mother’s Milk Tea:** A blend of herbs like fenugreek, fennel, and blessed thistle that support lactation.
- **Blessed Thistle:** Often used in combination with fenugreek to enhance milk production.
- **Goat’s Rue:** Another herb that can help increase breast tissue and milk supply.
### 6. **Adequate Rest and Stress Management**
- Lack of sleep and high stress can negatively impact milk supply. Try to rest whenever possible and practice stress-reducing techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or gentle yoga.
### 7. **Skin-to-Skin Contact**
- Spend time holding your baby skin-to-skin. This can help stimulate the hormones that promote milk production.
### 8. **Avoid Certain Substances**
- Avoid smoking, excessive caffeine, and alcohol as these can affect milk production.
### 9. **Monitor Baby’s Needs**
- Pay attention to your baby’s hunger cues and growth patterns. Sometimes, perceived low milk supply is not an actual problem, but rather a normal variation in feeding patterns.
Every mother and baby pair is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. It’s important to be patient and persistent. If you have concerns about your milk supply or your baby’s growth, consult with a healthcare provider or lactation consultant for personalized advice and support.
Yes! There are a ton! There are books on the topic.
The body will produce supply when there is a demand. A lactation consolation might be in order. They are very helpful and usually have a couple of recommendations
Here are a couple of options that have been very useful for many women, and I’ve even used myself: Mother’s Milk tea by Traditional Medicinals is a great daily addition to support healthy lactation and supply, and making lactation cookies or brownies can help too! I have some examples here below, but if you use another recipe you find online, make sure they include whole oats, flax seeds, and brewers yeast which is great for boosting milk supply.
Also, make sure you are WELL hydrated, and eating enough makes a positive difference in milk supply. (Not drinking enough *water* is a common reason for the low milk amount produced. Poor diet quality or not eating enough commonly leads to poor milk quality.) Finally, keep in mind that if you’re stressing out a lot over this or overly stressed in general, that can also have a negative effect on lactation.
https://www.medela.us/breastfeeding/articles/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookie-recipe
https://www.sugarandsoul.co/lactation-brownies/
Also, make sure you are WELL hydrated, and eating enough makes a positive difference in milk supply. (Not drinking enough *water* is a common reason for the low milk amount produced. Poor diet quality or not eating enough commonly leads to poor milk quality.) Finally, keep in mind that if you’re stressing out a lot over this or overly stressed in general, that can also have a negative effect on lactation.
https://www.medela.us/breastfeeding/articles/oatmeal-chocolate-chip-lactation-cookie-recipe
https://www.sugarandsoul.co/lactation-brownies/
Sesame juice
Drug free. No Pseudoephedrine.
Find a skillful naturopathic doctor in your area.
Milk production is most affected by the frequency of suckling and the hydration status of the mother. However, milk composition varies according the mother's diet, reflecting her dietary intake.
You could try slow cooked oatmeal, fennel can be cooked with or made into a tea as can fenugreek, blessed thistle, milk thistle, or nettle.
