How to Increase the Breast Milk Supply

Breast milk is the most important diet to ensure the proper growth and development of a baby.

Mother’s milk contains several essential nutrients required for the normal development of the bones, limbs, teeth’s and physical strength of the baby’s body.

Breast milk is a natural and rich source of antibodies that strengthen the baby’s immune system naturally and defend the baby against several infections in the first two years of their life.

Often mothers complain that they are not producing enough breast milk to meet the baby’s requirement. It may happen because of nutritional deficiencies in the mother’s diet, excessive consumption of alcohol, tea OR coffee.

Stress or depression may also causes insufficient milk production. Try to reduce stress and make
an effort every day to rest and relax the body as well as the mind.

In many cases inadequate latching by the child may result in low milk production. Correcting it may well be enough to handle the low milk supply. Make sure that baby is latching properly and sucking efficiently.

Nurse your baby every two or three hours. The frequent breastfeeding is the way to produce more milk.

There are some home remedies which help to increase breast milk production.

Remedies and Tips to increase breast milk –

• Eat a well-balanced and healthy diet to ensure the increase in milk production.

• Foods which are rich in vitamin A, protein, essential fatty acids, iron, and calcium are very important. Must consume green vegetables, fish, dairy products, whole grains, and fish. Vegetables , especially like carrot and beetroot may help in increasing the quantity of your breast milk.

• Nuts, especially cashew nuts, almonds, and macadamia are very helpful to reinforce your milk. Must consume daily in adequate quantity to increase milk supply.

• Do not smoke during the breastfeeding period, especially for 2 years of the delivery because it affects your milk production.

• Drink lots of milk, as dehydration can lower your breast milk production.

• Massaging and pumping the breasts are the best for low milk supply. Massage your breasts with fingers to increase milk supply OR stimulate your breasts with a breast pump after each feeding to fully drain the breasts. It will help in increasing the milk supply.

• Brewer’s yeast is nutritional and provides the body vitamin B complex, chromium, protein and phytoestrogen.

• Green papaya is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Must consume in your daily diet.

• Consume about 2 spoons of Black sesame seeds daily. It definitely helps to increase milk production.

• Combine 1 ounce dried chamomile flowers, 1/8 ounce dried lavender flowers, ¼ ounce fennel seeds, ½ ounce dried nettle and 1 cup of boiling water. Drink 1 cup every day to increase the milk supply.

• Drinking plenty of water is very necessary every day, it will help maintain a favorable milk supply.

• Must include one source of protein, salad, whole grains, and cooked vegetables like yam, spinach, French beans, peas, carrot, and fennel in your everyday meal.

• Healthy fats like groundnut oil and olive oil provide you with essential fatty acids required to improve milk supply.

• Have Chicken soup at least once a week. Doctors recommend chicken soup, especially, simmered with the bones and rich with chicken fat. Chicken soup restores vitality, ensures abundant milk.

• Fennel tea is another successful natural remedy for insufficient milk supply. Add one to two teaspoons of powdered fennel seeds to boiling water. Boil it for five to ten minutes. Honey or sugar can be added. Drinking this tea two or three times per day will help increase the milk supply.

• Oats are no doubt the best for breast milk production. As Oats are a nerve tonic and it works on the nerves and stimulates them. Oats increase perspiration. Having Large dosages of oats are the guarantee for milk production. Eat Oats in your breakfast or as a snack.

• Ginger increases milk flow. You may take ginger tea or ginger ale. Must consult your gynaecologist before taking ginger, if you have bled a lot during child birth.

• Garlic is a potent galactagogue. It increases the synthesis and release of milk. You should take only 1 clove per day to start and can be increased the number of flakes later on.

• Chaste tree bark is very effective for low milk supply as it not only encourages the production of milk in the body but it also clear the ways of milk passage.

• Prepare a Tea of Anise seeds. It is a natural remedy and commonly used by the women suffering from this low milk supply. The regular use of this Anise seeds Tea tremendously increases the production of milk in the body of the mother.

• Alfalfa is one of the popular natural remedies for low milk production. Taking Alfalfa increases the simulation and the production of milk in the body of the mother. Eat it or make a Tea.

• Vervain is the natural remedies for low breast milk supply. It smoothens the milk passages and also increases the production of the milk.

• Fenugreek seeds are the most popular remedy to increase the breast milk supply. Crush the fenugreek and mix it with a cup of the milk of cow, goat and camel. Consume daily to get the best results. Fenugreek tea is also beneficial to improve the flow of breast milk. Dip few Fenugreek seeds in water for few hours, then boil it till the seeds are smooth and this can be taken with Milk after delivery to increase the breast milk supply.

• Drinking fennel tea three times a day is the best home remedy for insufficient milk supply. Put 1-2 teaspoons of powdered fennel seeds into boiling water, boil it for 5 to ten 10. You can add sugar or honey to sweeten it.

• Eating Thymol Seeds benefits in the production of breast milk. Eat it in small quantity. This is very useful traditional home remedy to increase breast milk naturally.

• Eating a mixture of deep fried cumin seeds, 5 grams of rock salt and 4 elaichi will helps to increase breast milk.

• Heat the fresh leaves of Castor oil tree and touch these heated leaves on breast once in every 2 seconds till it lasts its heat. It will helps to increase the milk production.

• Eating Black gram in any helps in increasing breast milk.

• Drink Carrot juice regularly to increase breast milk.

• Eat raw Onion along with you meals. It will definitely help to increase breast milk.

• Eat Roasted Cumin seeds with Sugar twice a day after delivery. It will helps to increase breast milk.

• Grapes are the best in fruits to help to increase breast milk.

• Massage your breasts with Castor oil in the starting weeks of delivery.

• Boil milk with Cumin seeds and mixed Honey in it. Drinking it regularly during pregnancy helps to increase breast milk.

• Mothers Milk Tea is the best drink for mothers with low milk supply. Prepare it using sweet fennel seed, anise seed, coriander seed, spearmint leaf, lemongrass leaf, lemon verbena leaf, althea root, blessed thistle herb, and fenugreek seed.

• Breast compression is another way to improve milk supply. Use your both hand and push out any leftover milk that has not moved through your breasts. When the baby is nibbling compress the breast gently.

• Nipple stimulation releases oxytocin into the bloodstream, which is the hormone responsible for the milk ejection reflex. Try it.

• Mothers must eat whole grains and cereals, soy products, dairy products, nuts and seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables on a regular basis to increase the breast milk.

• Sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours every day in order to let your body recuperate from the stress of pregnancy and childbirth.

• During each breast feed, make sure your baby is getting feed from both breasts.

• Allow your baby to get feed for as long and often as he wants.

• Take away the pacifier if your baby uses it . As baby’s need to suck will ensures that enough time is spent at the breast to feed the baby and your supply to be sufficient.

Certain mothers may be allergic to the certain herbs. Please consult your gynecologist before starting on any new food or herb.