Breast milk is an essential nutrient for babies. No other nutrient can replace breast milk. Therefore, it is beneficial to understand the factors that decrease and increase breast milk.
Breast milk is an essential nutrient for babies. No other nutrient can replace breast milk. Therefore, it is beneficial to understand the factors that decrease and increase breast milk.
Factors such as stress in the mother, incorrect breastfeeding techniques, and insufficient and improper nutrition of the mother can decrease breast milk production.
The primary hormone responsible for the production of breast milk is prolactin, while the hormone that allows milk to reach the baby through the ducts is oxytocin. The level of oxytocin hormone decreases in stressful situations. As a result, there may be a disruption in the milk reaching the baby. Breastfeeding mothers, therefore, need to stay away from stress factors.
If you do not breastfeed your baby in the correct position, your baby may not reach your milk completely, and your milk supply may start to decrease each passing day. Incorrect breastfeeding positions can also cause wounds on the nipples. Therefore, it is essential to learn how to breastfeed in the correct position from relevant healthcare professionals. You can use breastfeeding pillows for comfortable and proper breastfeeding.
Not breastfeeding your baby whenever they want or avoiding breastfeeding can lead to a significant factor in reducing your milk supply because it is easier to give formula instead of breast milk. It is essential to avoid such negative behaviors.
There are many ways to increase breast milk.
Feeding your baby whenever they want or frequently breastfeeding is a behavior that prevents and increases the decrease in breast milk. Therefore, if you want to increase your milk, breastfeed your baby whenever they demand or frequently. This is especially important in the first ten days after birth.
If you think your breast milk is not increasing despite often breastfeeding, then express with your pump for 15 minutes after each feeding. These pumping sessions should always be after breastfeeding. The amount of milk extracted does not have to be large.
Since breast milk is approximately 90% water, drinking plenty of water is very effective in increasing breast milk. It is beneficial to drink at least 2-2.5 liters of water throughout the day.
There are many nutrients that increase breast milk. Some of them are described below.
Green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, nettle, kale, beetroot containing dark green leaves help you to take the extra calories needed while breastfeeding in a healthy way. Also, the phytoestrogens they contain help you produce and release the hormones you need to produce milk. Remember that you can benefit more from green leafy vegetables when you consume them raw or slightly cooked.
Carrot
Carrot, which contains phytoestrogens like green vegetables, is also rich in beta-carotene and vitamin A. Whether you add it to your salad raw, snack on it, or squeeze its juice, it will help provide the energy and vitamins you need while breastfeeding and improve the quality of your milk.
Fish
Fish rich in omega-3 like salmon very well support the mother's diet. In addition, they help to secrete hormones that support milk production.
Oats
Oats are a food that lowers cholesterol and regulates blood pressure. Additionally, being a food that provides a relaxing feeling and increases your energy contributes to increasing breast milk.
Humus
Prepared with chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon, humus contains almost all the nutrients a breastfeeding mother needs. Rich in protein, humus also helps to increase milk production.
Apricot, Fig, and Date
You can consume both fresh or dried forms of these fruits, some of the best-known milk-increasing foods. Besides containing plenty of fibre, potassium, and calcium, they are also rich in vitamins A and C. Apricot also contains an ingredient called tryptophan that triggers the prolactin hormone that increases milk production.
Fennel
Fennel, which contains phytoestrogens, is one of the best plants that help increase milk production. You can add fresh fennel leaves to your meals and salads, or you can brew dried fennel seeds in boiled water and drink it as tea. One of the best benefits of fennel is that it passes into breast milk, helping with digestive problems in both the mother and the baby.
The sibling plant of fennel, dill, also helps increase milk production when consumed fresh.
Sesame
Being rich in calcium, sesame has the feature of increasing breast milk production.
