Worried that you are not producing enough breast milk for your little bundle of joy? Fret not. Keep on reading to know 15 of the best ways to make sure that your breasts are producing enough milk for your baby.
1. Drink Plenty of Water
One of the simplest ways to encourage more breast milk production is by keeping your body hydrated. Drinking 8 to 12 glasses of water daily helps keep dehydration and ultimately insufficient breast milk production at bay.
2. Apply Warm Compress
There are instances wherein poor blood circulation is the culprit behind insufficient breast milk production. Applying warm compress is a simple way to divert more blood to the breasts. Simply dip a small towel in warm water. Wring out the excess and apply/massage on the breast using moderate pressure to promote blood circulation.
3. Drink Warm Milk with Cumin Powder
Before going to bed, it’s a good idea to guzzle down a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of cumin powder dissolved in it. Doing this nightly is said to help increase milk production. Plus it also supplies you with iron that your body needs.
4. Take a Glass of Warm Milk with Cinnamon
Aside from making a wide variety of baked products taste amazing, cinnamon can also help your breast produce more milk for your baby. Dissolving a teaspoon of it in a glass of warm milk is a great alternative for the home remedy above which consists of cumin powder. You may also add a teaspoon of honey to the mixture to make it more palatable.
5. Have a Bowl of Oatmeal
Every breakfast and snack time, have a serving of oatmeal. This healthy treat is loaded with iron, a mineral you need for better milk production. Oatmeal is also packed with fiber that’s good for the heart as well as digestive tract.
6. Swallow Raw Cloves of Garlic
Many people take up to 3 cloves of garlic daily to ward off cardiovascular disease. If you’re a nursing mother, you may do the same if you want to ensure that your breasts are producing enough milk. You may also grate 3 cloves of garlic and boil it in a cup of water. Once it’s reduced to half, add a cup of milk and boil again. Remove from heat. Allow to cool, strain and add a teaspoon of honey. Take it every morning.
7. Munch on Carrot Sticks
Snacking on carrots helps your breasts produce more milk because they are packed with beta carotene. They are also low in fat and rich in fiber, thus helping you to get rid of that baby weight you gained.
8. Incorporate Fennel in Your Diet
Not everyone is fond of fennel. However, you will surely love it after knowing that it can actually help stimulate breast milk production. Make sure that you add this herb to your daily diet. You may toss it into your salad or add it to your stir-fried vegetable mix to take advantage of its breast milk-producing properties.
9. Sprinkle Sesame Seeds Wherever Possible
Sesame seeds are said to be very good at increasing the production of breast milk. Sprinkle some of them on your oatmeal, yogurt, breakfast cereals, salad, etc. to make sure that there’s enough milk for your little bundle of joy.
10. Snack on Raw Nuts
Here’s a reason why you should go nuts over almonds, peanuts, cashews, macadamia and the rest: nuts help stimulate breast production as they are packed with antioxidants. Make sure that you opt for low-sodium or no-salt variants!
11. Have Some Green Papaya
Everyone knows that ripe papaya is good for the health. Did you know that consuming the unripe kind is perfect for a breastfeeding mom who doesn’t seem to produce enough milk? Take advantage of the breast milk-producing properties of unripe papaya steaming or stir frying thin slices of it.
12. Go Ahead and Feed Your Baby
Don’t hesitate feeding your newborn just because you feel that you’re not producing enough milk. The fact is the more you breastfeed, the more milk your breasts will produce to ensure that your baby is getting ample of it.
