New mothers know that breastfeeding is the most natural and healthy way to nourish their babies. But did you know that certain foods can actually help boost your milk production during lactation?

These special lactation foods are also known as lactogenic foods which are traditionally known to support breastfeeding. They are believed by many mothers to help increase breast milk supply. Let’s take a closer look at some of these lactogenic foods.

Supporting Breast Milk Production for Baby

One of the biggest benefits of consuming lactation foods is that it helps to improve milk production. The key ingredients in these special lactation foods are believed to increase levels of prolactin – a hormone responsible for stimulating milk production.

Lactogenic Ingredients

It is not always simple to breastfeed, as any mother who has tried to do so may attest. Nursing women have a number of difficulties, including sore nipples, engorgement, and the potential for mastitis, in addition to the typical difficulties of caring for a baby. Fortunately, there are a few lactogenic foods that can aid with breastfeeding assistance. Here are our top picks.

Fenugreek

An age-old herb called fenugreek has been used for many years in Indian traditional medicine. Today, it is best known for being a lactogenic component, which implies that it can support breastfeeding moms’ efforts to produce more milk.

It functions by promoting the hormone prolactin’s release, which is in charge of milk production.

Garlic

There are a few suggestions regarding how garlic might support breastfeeding, but it’s still unclear whether or not it’s a lactogenic component. Garlic is also believed to increase milk supply by raising levels of prolactin, a hormone that is crucial for lactation.

Finally, some people think that the strong flavour of garlic may assist in promoting appetite, increasing the likelihood that nursing moms would eat the calories required to create milk.

Ginger

Ginger has the property of warming up peripheral temperature probably via the action of vasodilation, a process that may explain the possibility of stimulating milk production through increased blood supply for the nursing breast.

Fennel

Fennel is a galactagogue, which means it supports milk production and has a long history of use as a lactation aid. It is believed to function by imitating the prolactin hormone, which is in charge of producing milk.

Supporting Health of Mothers

Many of these foods also provide antioxidants! A diet that uses a variety of herbs and spices not only creates delicious meals which are lower in salt content but also helps to provide a variety of polyphenols and anti-inflammatory properties which supports good health!

For instance, ginger is a herb that contains gingerol which has some medicinal properties. It may help to reduce nausea and ease the symptoms. This particular rhizome is also known to aid digestion by speeding up the stomach-emptying process. This helps to reduce indigestion!

Besides that, another lactogenic food that is commonly eaten to support breastfeeding which was not discussed earlier is green papaya! Many mothers like to consume green papaya soup! Green papaya is rich in Vitamin C which is essential in promoting healthy skin and gums. It is also involved in optimising immune system function to protect the body from disease.

Closing Words

There are many benefits associated with consuming special lactation foods during breastfeeding. If you are looking for ways to improve your diet while breastfeeding or for food that boost breast milk, then consider adding more nutritious lactation recipes into your meal plans so you can have foods that promote milk production as well as the full nutritional benefits they offer.

However, if you are still wondering what to eat when breastfeeding, might we suggest swinging by our homepage to view our ReLacto breastfeeding menu? You can glean some inspiration for dishes there, or if your appetite is sufficiently whetted, feel free to sign up for your very own lactation meal package instead!

Author

ReLacto

We are a team behind the leading lactation meal provider and we believe proper nutrition during breastfeeding is not just something to be experienced, but also worth learning about. On top of preparing nutritious meals for mothers, we’re passionate about researching and sharing useful information on nutrition for lactation and recovery, and occasionally tips on baby weaning through our blogs.

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