Lactation is one of the body’s natural responses to having a child. This is so the baby can have the best food possible for the first part of its life. However, between the hectic schedules and the sleepless nights, it may be hard to make sure you have enough milk to keep your child from going hungry. Of course, there are foods you can eat that will be able to help you produce more milk, so you have one less thing to worry about during this crazy time.
Foods that Help
- Water: Although this isn’t exactly a food, it is the most important aspect of your diet. Making sure you drink enough water is essential to producing breast milk, as well as making sure all the other processes in your body are running smoothly. Try to have a bottle or glass of water near you wherever you are.
- Garlic: This tasty ingredient is already in some of the best dishes around, so if you like garlic anyway, keep eating it. It is good for you and your milk supply. Furthermore, it is a cheap and easy to use staple that you can add to the food you cook.
- Nuts: You already know nuts are a powerhouse of protein, so they are good as a snack and can help stabilize blood sugar levels. Keep a handful of almonds or cashews nearby when you need a little pick me up, or use almond milk in your cereal.
- Oatmeal: Oatmeal, as well as any type of oats is great for increasing milk. They can lower your cholesterol and can be part of a delicious hot breakfast. On the flip side, they can be used to make oatmeal cookies as a tasty treat. There is even a special recipe for a type of chocolate chip oatmeal cookie that is called a lactation cookie, which you may want to try.
- Salmon: Eating fish is another great way to get the protein you need in your diet. Besides that, salmon is full of healthy vitamins and fatty acids. Try to eat fish about 1-2 times a week and make sure the fish you choose doesn’t have high mercury levels.
Other Helpful Foods
There are a few other noteworthy foods that can help you in the milk department if you are struggling or need to choose foods that will do you the most good. After all, with a newborn, there is probably less time for shopping and fixing dinner, much less time to worry about how to get everything else done.
Some of the other items that you can add to your shopping list are fennel, spinach, asparagus, and carrots. Each of these items can be used quite easily in many different recipes, and they also add vitamins into your diet that you need anyway.
It is also important to remember that you are using some of your calories to feed your baby, so make sure you are eating an adequate amount of healthy foods and keeping your fluids up.