3 Natural Ways of Increasing Breast Milk
The constant cries with no sleep can be overwhelming and tiresome. How would you feel if someone told you that you could naturally increase your breast milk and wave goodbye to sleepless nights? Wow, better days are here to enjoy motherhood in peace. Here are tips on how you can increase your milk supply from the comfort of your bed.
- 1. Breast Feeding Frequently.
As a first-time mum, my pediatrician told me to nurse the baby more frequently, but I could not understand what he meant. The baby would suckle, and after 2 to 5 mins start crying again, and the only advice given can be very disappointing for a mum who feels she can’t suckle got was to nurture her again. AGHRRRR I got irritated and stressed, but I later released she was fully fed. Well, I later realized the more the baby suckles, the more milk is produced as per the demand and supply law.
Your breast milk is produced according to how much milk the baby suckles out. Doctors’ advice that the baby should be suckled frequently, especially the first days after birth, to trigger your body to produce more milk.
You might be asking yourself. My baby sleeps for long hours should you wake her up to suckle? ……., Sometimes your breasts may not feel completely “empty,” an introduction to pumping session right after suckling the baby will go a long way.
- Eating the Right Food.
Knowing what exactly to eat can save you and the baby in many ways, no wasting money on buying food that will not increase your breast milk, saves you the time you could spend on shopping and energy of preparing it.
You are probably wondering what I should pock on the next grocery visit. Well, there are a lot of great foods with Galaetagogues, which increases lactation. A nursing mum needs 500 extra calories each day, so having a balanced diet is key. The following are great foods that will increase your milk production.
- Oats: Oats are not the great tasting food, try making some pancakes they taste awesome.
- Flax seeds: Try adding them in yogurts and smoothies.
- Green leafy vegetables, fresh funnel, brown rice, brewer’s yeast, garlic are a great food for increasing milk production.
- 3. Drink Plenty Of Water.
When breastfeeding, a hormone known as oxytocin increases, and this stimulates thirst. You need to drink enough water to meet the demand for milk production.
Drink water whenever thirsty until you have quenched your thirst. If you feel like milk production is decreasing, drink more water.
The best way to know if your body is well hydrated is by the smell of your urine and color. If it’s smelly and dark-colored, then you need to increase your water intake.
As a new mum, it can be stressful and overwhelming to deal with a newborn. You need to take of yourself for the baby. When your body is relaxed, it tends to increase your milk supply.