- June 28, 2024
- Catherine-84
- 0
When we start breastfeeding. Or even during our lactation adventure, we often think we don ‘t have enough breast milk. A stressful and overwhelming feeling. It’s often just a feeling, but if need be, the best solution is skin-to-skin and feeding on demand.
There are galactogenic foods you can eat to naturally stimulate lactation. So you’re wondering what to eat to increase your milk production ?
What are galactogenic foods?
Galactogenic foods promote the breast milk ejection reflex. They are ideal for mothers who need to boost lactation naturally. For a short period, in addition to support from a lactation consultant and/or IBCLC.
Which foods help stimulate milk production?
Fenugreek, an ancestral plant to promote breastfeeding
Fenugreek has been used since time immemorial by nursing mothers. It is one of the most effective galactogenic foods . This plant is also a support for new mothers, thanks to the anti-inflammatories and antioxidants it contains.
Fennel, the galactogenic component of breast-feeding drinks
This plant is present in most herbal teas used when breastfeeding, for its effects on lactation. Often recommended to mothers, fennel has been criticized in recent months, as the European Medicines Agency suspects a component of fennel herbal teas of having carcinogenic effects, and in the absence of sufficient data, it is not recommended in several countries.
Brewer’s yeast and barley malt, lactation boosters
A grandmother’s remedy, brewer’s yeast contains barley malt. By taking brewer’s yeast in capsule form, you can have a direct impact on breast milk production. You can also consume gourmet galactogenic foods: Tourtels twist, Maltesers, Ovomaltine, Tonimal, Ricoré and Rivella…
Oilseeds, the ideal snack for nursing mothers
Nuts are a great ally for breastfeeding. You can eat them anywhere, anytime. They’ll give you a little boost as your milk comes in.
In addition to these, other plants and foods, such as Milk Thistle, Aniseed and Basil, help to produce and maintain milk…
Delicious preparations: Choco’Boost
Choco’Boost is the 1st French artisanal galactogenic cocoa, specially designed to stimulate lactation. Delicious, it comes in tiramisu, peach and Mug Cake Boost flavors. To combine gourmet pleasure and boobs’ter your lactation.
Why eat galactogenic foods?
First of all, remember that your lactation is a function of supply and demand. The more efficiently your baby feeds, the more you’ll produce. Rest assured, the only things you need to keep an eye on are your baby’s diapers and weight. If your baby’s diapers are regularly wet and he’s following his weight curve correctly, that’s already a good sign.
But don’t hesitate to make an appointment with a specialist or lactation consultant/BCLC to rule out any suspicions.
If no problems emerge, you can embark on a course of galactogens.
And here are the reasons to include galactogenic foods in your diet:
To give your body a boost
Pregnancy, childbirth and the post-partum period can be hard on your body. Your hormones are in turmoil, and your body is slowly recovering from the experience. When you decide to breastfeed, you begin a wonderful milking adventure, but you also face a new physical challenge.
Setting up abreastfeeding routine isn’t something you can do in a day. Your baby first needs to get used to feeds. Your lactation needs to regulate itself. The feeling of not having enough milk can quickly creep into your mind. You may feel that your chest isn’t taut enough and that your grumpy baby is complaining about a lack of nourishment.
Incorporating galactogens helps you to feel reassured, and therefore to manage stress more effectively. Stress, for example, is a factor that can hinder your secretion of white gold. A tip for breast pumps is to conceal the collection bottles with a sock, for example, so as not to stress over the quantity, and therefore to pump more and better.
You may also want to pump more breast milk to stock up for when you go back to work, or to donate to lactariums.
What to do with your excess breast milk?
The freezer is full and there’s no room to freeze any more breast milk. Blow it out! It’s a real treasure! First of all, for the lactariums that are cruelly lacking in breast milk for premature babies, to donate, contact your nearest lactarium.
You can also use the consumable surplus to make sweet and savory breastmilk recipes for the whole family (breastmilk pudding, pancakes, waffles, yoghurts, cakes, etc.) and, if it’s no longer consumable, to make breastmilk recipes for skincare and cosmetics. Use it from time to time in your daily skincare routine. You’ll find 100 recipes for breast milk and its uses in my book “100 façons de sublimer ton lait maternel” and in E-book version.
