Breast milk is a miraculous food that meets all the nutritional needs of the baby during the first 6 months of life, supports optimal growth and development, and protects the baby against diseases.
Galactagogue foods
Galactogogue foods are foods that support the production of breast milk. Black seed, fenugreek, ginger, oats, fennel, raspberry, beet, carrot, sesame, tahini, figs, dates, dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach-arugula-kale, legumes such as mung bean-chickpea-lentil, raw nuts such as cashew-walnut-almond, protein sources such as eggs-fish-chicken are galactogogue foods. While taking advantage of galactagogue foods, one should be careful about foods that can cause gas to the baby.
For our content on “Foods That May Cause Gas in Breastfed Babies’’; https://www.evolvia.com.tr/en/makaleler/foods-that-may-cause-gas-in-breastfed-babies/
Don’t expect miracles!
No food alone can increase breast milk. For efficient milk production, it is of great importance that the mother eats adequate and balanced nutrition, consumes plenty of fluids, rests enough, manages her stress and breastfeeds frequently.
Does “sugar” increase breast milk?
Contrary to popular belief, there is no scientific data showing the effect of sugar increasing breast milk. Frequent consumption of sugar and sugary foods during breastfeeding may cause unexpected weight gain and adversely affect the infant’s food preferences in adulthood.
Breast Milk Booster Cookies
• 2 figs
• 2 dates
• 6 dried apricots
• 4 tablespoons of raisins
• 5 walnuts
• 1 tablespoon of tahini
• 1.5 cups of milk
• 2 cups of oats
Warm the milk, chop the dried fruits and walnuts into small pieces. Mix and knead the heated milk and all the ingredients in a bowl. Shape and arrange on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees until browned.
Breast Milk Booster Fig Sandwich
- 2 figs
- 2 walnuts
- 1 tablespoon of tahini
Put the walnut in the fig and pour the tahini on it.
Resources:
- Kayıran, D. D. S. M. (2018). Galaktogoglar. Klinik Tıp Pediatri Dergisi, 10 (6), 28-31. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/ktpd/issue/47813/602582
- Buntuchai, G., Pavadhgul, P., Kittipichai, W., & Satheannoppakao, W. (2017). Traditional Galactagogue Foods and Their Connection to Human Milk Volume in Thai Breastfeeding Mothers. Journal of human lactation: official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association, 33(3), 552–559.https://doi.org/10.1177/0890334417709432
- Foong, S. C., Tan, M. L., Foong, W. C., Marasco, L. A., Ho, J. J., & Ong, J. H. (2020). Oral galactagogues (natural therapies or drugs) for increasing breast milk production in mothers of non-hospitalised term infants. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 5(5), CD011505. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011505.pub2
- Marshall, N. E., Abrams, B., Barbour, L. A., Catalano, P., Christian, P., Friedman, J. E., Hay, W. W., Jr, Hernandez, T. L., Krebs, N. F., Oken, E., Purnell, J. Q., Roberts, J. M., Soltani, H., Wallace, J., & Thornburg, K. L. (2022). The importance of nutrition in pregnancy and lactation: lifelong consequences. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 226(5), 607–632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2021.12.035
- Bravi, F., Wiens, F., Decarli, A., Dal Pont, A., Agostoni, C., & Ferraroni, M. (2016). Impact of maternal nutrition on breast-milk composition: a systematic review. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 104(3), 646–662. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.115.120881
- De Cosmi, V., Scaglioni, S., & Agostoni, C. (2017). Early Taste Experiences and Later Food Choices. Nutrients, 9(2), 107. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9020107
