Increase your milk supply naturally and without the use of supplements by adding these lactogenic foods to your meals. These top milk-boosting foods could help boost breast milk production in nursing moms without expensive supplements!
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
For breast feeding moms, especially first time moms, milk supply can be a constant source of anxiety. Is baby getting enough to eat? How much milk am I making? Is it enough? At least that's how I felt with my first baby.
If you're in the same boat, you've probably already turned to a Google search for ways to increase milk supply. Before you purchase all the expensive teas, snacks and supplements, you may benefit from trying some commonly used foods to increase your milk supply instead!
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Why Use Food To Increase Milk Supply?
Why not just go out and buy a supplement to boost milk? As a dietitian, I always prefer a food-first approach when it comes to dietary matters. Boosting milk supply is no different. Here is why is food a better option for breastfeeding moms:
- You have to eat anyway. If you're already eating 3 meals (plus snacks) each day, why not put them to work for you by choosing foods that can give your milk supply a little boost?
- It's inexpensive. Real food is much less costly than supplements. Have you ever bought a box of lactation tea? It's not cheap! And you're supposed to drink multiple cups per day. And it may not even be effective. When you buy and eat real food, it's still nourishing your body whether it works to increase your milk supply or not, so you're not throwing away money.
- It won't cause harm. The problem with supplements is that they aren’t well regulated, so you don't always know that what you're paying for is actually what you're getting. Also, even though many supplements are 'natural', that doesn't necessarily mean safe, especially if you are on certain medications. Trying a food-first approach is always a safe bet.
- Food tastes better. Have you ever tried some of the lactation teas and supplements? They don't taste good. Real food that you enjoy means you're more likely to stick with it.
Foods That Can Naturally Increase Milk Supply
Bonus: Most of these foods are also baby led weaning friendly, so you can share with your little ones who are starting solids without worrying about the ingredients in supplements!
Oats
Oatmeal is a common milk-boosting food that's easy to use, inexpensive, and super nutritious! While research is lacking and the mechanism is unclear, one theory is that the beta-glucan in oats raises the breast feeding hormone prolactin, which could increase milk production. Oats also contain plant estrogens and saponins, two compounds that also have a positive effect on milk supply. I definitely noticed a difference in my own supply on the days I ate oatmeal versus the days I did not.
Bonus: Oatmeal is great for baby led weaning, so if you've got a little one who is eating solids, adding oatmeal to your meals is healthy and easy for you both!
Ideas and Recipes: Start your day with a simple bowl of oatmeal, baked oats or overnight oats; include oatmeal in snacks, such as granola, oatmeal bites, breakfast cookies, or oat muffins.
Whole Grains
While not as commonly recommended as oats, other whole grains like brown rice, quinoa or barley may also be beneficial for milk supply. It's important to eat enough carbs while nursing to support a healthy supply (and keep your energy levels up!).
Ideas and Recipes: Incorporate more whole grains into meals by opting for grain bowls made with brown rice or farro for lunch or dinner, or add some heft to green salads by adding barley or quinoa.
Protein
In addition to carbs, it's important to get enough high quality protein to support milk production. Eating chicken, fish, eggs, and tofu has be associated with increased milk supply. I'm not sure how much red meat has been studied, but I'd be willing to bet minimally processed beef or pork also has the same effect on milk supply.
Ideas and Recipes: Start the day with scrambled eggs or a simple omelet, or make it more convenient to grab and go with cottage cheese egg bites, kale and red pepper frittata, or broccoli cheese egg muffins. Prep some grilled chicken or fish ahead of time to include in lunches, or make a quick tuna salad for a protein boost.
Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are another food often recommended to increase milk supply, as they contain plant estrogens that could increase production. They're also high in healthy fats that are important for baby's development. Make sure you're using ground flaxseed, not whole, for the most benefit.
Ideas and Recipes: Sprinkle ground flaxseed into smoothies, oatmeal, or on top of salads. You can also add a tablespoon or two into baked goods such as muffins or pancakes.
Sesame Seeds
Similar to flaxseeds, sesame seeds may also increase milk supply. You can use them whole in recipes or to sprinkle on salads, yogurt, or eggs. My favorite way to eat them is tahini - which is basically like sesame seed butter.
Ideas and Recipes: Tahini is often included in hummus. You can also drizzle it on oatmeal, make a delicious sauce out of it, or include it in my tahini banana baked oatmeal muffins.
Dark Green and Leafy Vegetables
Dark green vegetables and leafy greens contain phytoestrogens, as well as iron, which is important to replete your stores, as well as for adequate milk supply. Kale, spinach and broccoli are just a few to add to your daily meals.
Ideas and Recipes: Of course you can make a leafy green salad with spinach or kale, but you can also add dark leafy greens to smoothies, soups, pasta, and egg casseroles, like my sweet potato veggie frittata. Add broccoli or other green vegetables as a side dish with dinner a couple of nights a week, or chop and add to quinoa veggie egg muffins.
Fennel
Fennel is often an ingredient in lactation teas and the seeds can be used as a spice, but the actual fennel bulb can be eaten as a vegetable, too!
Ideas and Recipes: Shave raw fennel thinly into a salad, or roast it with other root vegetables. Include fennel seed in pastas, meatballs, or as part of your seasoning mix on grilled meats.
Almonds
Almonds are another food commonly recommended to increase milk supply. Even if they don't work, almonds are full of beneficial nutrients like calcium, protein, and healthy fat. And they're a healthy, easy snack to keep you energized!
Ideas and Recipes: Throw almonds on your oatmeal, yogurt, salads, or ice cream; Snack on almonds or fruit dipped in almond butter; Replace your chocolate habit with chocolate covered almonds.
Pumpkin
Good news for fall lovers! In one study, pumpkin was associated with an increased milk supply.
Ideas and Recipes: Canned pumpkin is easy to use in recipes like pumpkin pancakes or muffins, and to stir into soups, chili, or oatmeal. You can also cook pumpkin from scratch like other winter squash. I love roasted pumpkin as a side dish or tossed into salads.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are another food that contain phytoestrogens. They are also super nutritious and affordable, so they're great to add to your diet regardless of whether or not they actually increase milk supply.
Ideas and Recipes: Snack on veggies with hummus or crispy roasted chickpeas; Include chickpeas in grain salads, green salads, soups, and curries; Make a quick smashed chickpea and egg salad for lunch; Make peanut butter chickpea cookies or snack balls.
Brewer's Yeast
No list of lactogenic foods is complete without mentioning brewer's yeast, though I consider this one a supplement. Nobody actually eats brewer's yeast just because. And for good reason - it's disgusting. Brewer's yeast is included in many lactation bites or cookies. It is full of iron and B-vitamins, and many mothers say it works well for them. But in my personal experience, it didn't seem to help, so I happily stopped choking it down. I'd start with the other foods on this list first.
Ideas and Recipes: Blend into smoothies, add to oatmeal, snacks bites, or cookies.
Do These Foods Actually Work?
Unfortunately, there is very little evidence on which foods work to increase milk supply, how they work, and whether or not they are effective. Most evidence is anecdotal. So the answer is: maybe! All you can do is try and see what works for you. Every person is different and your body may respond in a different way than another mom's, so you'll have to experiment with what works for you.
Another thing to note is that milk production works in a 'supply and demand' style. So you must remove milk to produce more. Although I know how frustrating it is to be told to 'just pump more' or 'just nurse on demand' with no results, it is an important piece of the puzzle.
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