Popular Confinement Food That Will Increase Milk Supply

A newborn baby relies heavily on the mother’s milk for nutrients right from childbirth to the time that he or she is six months old. Therefore, a nutritious diet is important not only for a mother’s recovery but for breast milk production as well. A new mother may have problems producing enough milk for the baby, and as much as it can be really stressful, every mother will have her own unique experience with breastfeeding. Traditionally, foods have often been one of the main components used in many cultures to support mothers in breastfeeding! Mothers in Singapore are introduced to lactogenic foods or galactagogues to aid in milk production. The foods to increase breast milk are also rich in nutrients that are essential to the mother and the baby. Below are the most common foods that are often incorporated into a chinese confinement food menu:

---

Fenugreek

If you are struggling with milk production, then fenugreek may be the solution to your problem within 24-72 hours after consumption. The popular lactogenic herb from South Asia stimulates the sweat glands in the mother’s body. Since the breast is a modified sweat gland, fenugreek stimulates the milk ducts and increases the milk supply. 

---

Green Papaya

If you have undergone the 30-day confinement period, then you must have taken green papaya soup with fish. You can also prepare papaya salad and curry or mix it with other vegetables if you want to avoid taking the confinement soup. The fruit contains plenty of vitamins, proteins, and beta-carotene, essential in milk production. Green papaya is also a great oxytocin and prolactin hormone booster. Prolactin is responsible for the production of milk in the mother’s body. The alkaloids in green papaya stimulate smoother milk flow out of the breast. Some people may have allergic reactions to papaya, so you should monitor the results after consumption.

You May Also Read this: The Benefits of Papaya Fish Soup for Mothers in Confinement

---

Garlic

Garlic is a common ingredient in most confinement dishes. It has numerous curative benefits traditionally known ranging from heart disease prevention to boosting the immunity system. Most babies like the taste of garlic in the milk and may end up taking more. If the baby empties the breasts every time they feed, the mother’s body will be wired to increase production.

---

Ginger

Ginger is another alternative that contains galactagogue effects to help boost her milk supply production. Besides providing a warm sensation after consumption, which is desired during confinement to keep mothers warm, ginger is actually a vasodilator. This means blood vessels allow more blood to flow through; this mechanism may explain it’s the possibility of increasing milk production due to the increase in blood supply at the breast tissue. Ginger definitely gives a distinctive flavour which infants may be able to identify via breast milk. This can be great news for mothers because when introducing solids later on down the line, babies are already accustomed to different tastes from their breast milk. 

---

Milk production is dependent on the ingredients in confinement food for breastfeeding mothers. Other important aspects include immediate uninterrupted skin-to-skin exposure between mother and infant after birth, and the mother’s physical and emotional well-being, which are essential in milk production. A mother may also take a few days after delivery to start producing a lot of milk since the body has to adapt to the physical, emotional, and hormonal changes happening in the body before performing normally. A confined mother should stick to a balanced diet, which incorporates the highlighted foods to increase breast milk quickly. If you are unsure of how to prepare a balanced diet, consider getting confinement food catering for your confinement period. You should also be ready to take a lot of fluids like red date tea to increase the flow of milk throughout the day.