3 Easy-to-Find Foods to Boost Lactation

“Is my baby getting fed enough?”

“Am I producing enough milk?”

“Why is my milk supply decreasing?”

Do these sound a bit too familiar for you? If you have thought of any of these while breastfeeding, know that you are not alone. 

In fact, not producing enough milk is possibly one of the most common struggles faced by nursing mothers. Not to mention, most of the times it can be hard to figure out what exactly is causing the low milk production.  

It could be that your baby is not latching well – which can be frustrating to deal with – or it could be that you are not consuming the right food or the right amount of liquid. After all, your body produces based on what it is ‘told’. Remember, if there is demand, there will be supply. 

Regardless, ensuring you are providing enough can be a constant battle for many mothers. If you are thinking of modifying your diet or adding more lactation boosting ingredients into your daily meals to boost the production of milk, you have come to the right place! 

During the nursing period, mothers must be extra attentive towards the food and nutrition consumed in order to maintain her supply of milk. It is said that what you eat, will directly affect your supply of milk. To ensure a good supply of milk, it is recommended that mothers try to include a variety of lactogenic foods in their daily diet.

Lactogenic foods contain natural nutrients that can boost your breast milk production. It is also the safest and most natural way to increase lactation for mothers. However, mothers should also be cautioned that the consumption of certain lactogenic foods/herbs may cause babies to become colicky. It is always advisable to speak to a qualified nutritionist or medical practitioner for more in-depth advice.

If your breast milk supply has been slowing down, here are 3 easy-to-find lactation inducing foods to try out:

1) Papaya

Good for your digestion and breast milk, now just which mother wouldn’t love this? Boiled papaya contains saponins and alkaloids which can boost the production of prolactin (hormones that stimulate milk production) and oxytocin (hormones which cause ejection of milk into the ducts). 

Apart from having them like normal fruits, you can slice them up and turn into salads. You can also prepare soups with unripe papaya (because they are tougher, thus able to stand high heat during cooking process better)! 

In fact, one of our highly-favoured soups is the Green Papaya Fish Soup which many nursing moms consume to help in boosting their milk production. Papaya is generally a pretty versatile as well due to both its taste and texture.

2) Salmon

This is many mothers’ favourite milk-booster, and we can certainly see why! On top of its extensive benefits for a breastfeeding mom and their breastfed baby, salmon is tasty and versatile, allowing it to be cooked and prepared in so many different, creative ways! 

Salmon is high in good healthy fats, omega 3! Marine source omega 3 is commonly known as DHA. Ultimately, the DHA content in your breast milk is positively associated with your’ intake of DHA. 

Sufficient intake of EPA and DHA will help to increase their concentration in breast milk as well as improve depressive symptoms of mothers with perinatal depression. Plus, it is also potentially effective at preventing asthma in babies among breastfeeding moms who have low blood levels of omega-3.

On top of that, salmon also supports healthy visual and cognitive development in babies. Isn’t it simply amazing how much a simple food ingredient can contribute to a person’s growth?

With all these benefits, it’s no wonder fish is among the top recommended proteins by a nutritionist or dietitian. Practising a healthy diet by consuming the weekly recommended amount of fish will invariably provide a smooth recovery for you as well as growth for your little one.

3) Garlic

Aren’t you excited to come across this particular ingredient here? A lot of Asian dishes are made with garlic for its unique taste, but did you know that it also works to help with your lactation? 

First off, studies have shown that consuming garlic can potentially affect the odour and flavour of your breast milk. While some adults may not like the ‘acquired taste’ of garlic and its scent, findings have also suggested that babies are quite fond of it!

Babies seem to nurse longer and more vigorously and would spend more time being attached to their mother’s breast when the mother consumes garlic or garlic supplements before breastfeeding. This, in turn, sends a signal to your body that more milk is needed, causing your body to increase the production of milk.

While certain superfoods can aid in boosting your milk supply, it is also important to maintain a positive mind and emotional level during your breastfeeding period. Your breast milk supply does not solely depend on the food you consume but also your daily habits. Always ensure that your body receives enough food, rest and relaxation as stress can also inhibit milk production.

Guided by our very own in-house dietitian, we pay extra attention to what we put into our meals. In catering to nursing mothers, we are aware that diet can play an important role in determining your milk production. If you are looking for proper lactation food Singapore catering, we are always just one call away!