Breastfeeding can be challenging if for no other reason than not knowing exactly how much milk your baby is getting. Mothers often worry about inadequate, but it is seldom actually a valid concern. If a baby is gaining weight and producing wet and dirty diapers each day, mother's milk supply is not a problem. When there is a problem with weight gain and elimination, milk supply may be a contributing factor. To resolve the problem, there are certain foods thought to be "lactogenic," or that increase the milk supply.
Vegetables
Vegetables such as fennel, dark leafy greens, carrots, yams, beets, chickpeas and lentils all can assist in increasing your milk supply. Fennel and carrot seed may also be taken in capsule form or you can eat the vegetables raw or cooked. Eating a fresh green salad each day is an excellent way to increase your intake of these vegetables.
Nuts
There are certain kinds of nuts you can eat to increase milk supply. These include almonds, macadamia nuts and cashews. Try to eat nuts raw and unsalted to preserve the health benefits and eliminate excess sodium intake.
Oatmeal
Eating regular oatmeal can help increase milk production. A daily bowl of oatmeal in the morning, oatmeal cookies and granola all may help. An additional benefit of eating oatmeal is that the increase in fiber will lead to better digestive health.
Herbs and Spices
Certain herbs are thought to increase the milk supply including fenugreek, milk thistle, motherwort, red raspberry, chamomile, anise and coriander. Many of these herbs are found in the popular Mother's Milk Tea, which can be purchased at many health food stores. Garlic is thought to be helpful with breastfeeding by enticing babies to latch better and suckle for longer periods of time. Milk production is automatically increased as babies nurse for longer periods of time, and the mother's body will adapt to produce the milk that the baby needs. Garlic may be cooked in foods or taken in capsule form. Ginger is another spice that can help with supply by promoting let down, the reflex that allows the milk ducts to open and the milk to flow freely to the baby.
