Superfoods to increase breast milk production. Breastfeeding is a fun activity for a mother, and this provides benefits both for baby and mother. Breast milk is the food and unchallenged healthy drink for babies. It is a gift from the Almighty for the baby and the mom. Among the benefits of breastfeeding for the baby is shape the body and mental development of the infant optimally.
Besides, breastfeeding is beneficial to reduce the risk of allergies, asthma, respiratory and ear infections. Even breastfeeding has tremendous benefit in establishing a physical and emotional bond between mother and baby.
Other advantages of breastfeeding for mother’s womb is accelerating shrinkage, lose weight after giving birth, alleviate depression, as it also reduces the risk of breast cancer, arthritis and heart disease.
Read More: Superfoods to build your muscles
World Health Organization strongly recommend breastfeeding for six months minimum, because breastfeeding provides substantial health benefits for mothers.
The volume of breast milk and the level are due to several reasons, such as changes in infants, toddlers age, a frequency of breastfeeding, so pregnant women should keep feeding time in order the breast milk does not quickly disappear.
Superfoods to Increase Breast Milk Production
Many or not, the breast milk depends on the mother’s condition, some have a lot of milk after giving birth, some are mediocre. For those of you who do not have much breast milk, you can seek treatment with natural herbs or certain foods. Here are some superfoods to increase breast milk production for breastfeeding mothers.
1. Oatmeal
One of the foods that are good for increasing breast milk is oatmeal. Oatmeal is not only beneficial for increasing breastfeeding but also clean the breast milk. These foods also stimulate the production of the oxytocin, hormone that helps in giving birth.
Another health benefit to consuming oatmeal is preventing anemia and iron deficiency in nursing mothers.
Consuming a bowl of oatmeal is also useful as food that can prevent stress and depression for postpartum mothers.
To give a taste of the oatmeal, you can cook with one tablespoon of honey, chopped nuts, cardamom, fruit or saffron.
2. Almond
Furthermore, superfoods to increase breast milk production is almonds. Almond and some types of nuts such as cashews, walnuts are healthy foods for breastfeeding mothers.
Almonds contain lots of fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are useful for the mother and baby. Besides almonds also contain monounsaturated fats that are beneficial to enrich the nutrients in breast milk.
To obtain these nutrients, breastfeeding mothers can consume 5 or 6 seeds of almonds every day. Avoid consuming roasted or salted almonds.
For those who have a history of peanut allergy, you should avoid almonds because it could aggravate your health problem.
3. Coconut oil
Coconut oil also includes superfoods to increase breast milk. This oil has long been known high useful for pregnant and lactating mothers. Coconut oil contains essential fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to stimulate milk production.
Not only that, but the benefits of coconut oil also helps boost immunity and provide new energy for breastfeeding mothers.
To get the maximum benefits of coconut oil, mothers should strive to consume coconut oil 1 to 3 tablespoons a day.
4. Oranges
The next superfoods to increase breast milk production is orange. Vitamin C was necessary for forming of breast milk.
Research conducted in 2002 and published in the “Food and Nutrition Bulletin” reported that the amount of vitamin C in breast milk is linked with vitamin C that consumed by nursing mothers, and citrus fruit is one that is very much the content of vitamin C.
It is shown that breastfeeding mothers should consume vitamin C through vegetables or fruits.
Oranges that are famous with vitamin C also contains some other nutrients such as Vitamin A, vitamin B, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It is great for nursing mothers in improving immunity and weight loss associated with childbirth.
However, nursing mothers are prohibited from consuming too much orange juice as it could mislead a fussy baby and a gas disruption.
More: Orange benefits for maternal health
5. Fenugreek
Fenugreek including superfoods to increase breast milk production. Leave and fenugreek seeds work as the best galactagogue in stimulating the secretion of breast milk. The content of choline is also useful to help the development of the newborn well.
Fenugreek not only as stimulating the secretion of breast milk but also contains some other nutrients such as iron, fiber, various vitamins, and minerals as well as calcium.
Some of these nutrients are also beneficial for nursing mothers in preventing flatulence and pain.
Drink a glass of fenugreek tea every day. How to make tea fenugreek is to soak a tablespoon of seeds in a cup of water for overnight and then boiled the marinade in the morning.
Warning: Do not take fenugreek if you are a diabetic or have problems with peanut allergy.
6. Eating eggs
This delicious food is magnificent for nursing mothers because it can stimulate the formation of more breast milk. Besides, eggs are rich in protein, lutein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, folic acid, riboflavin, and choline.
Research in 2003, published in the “American Journal of Psychiatry” notes that pregnant and nursing mothers who consume a lot of choline helpful to maintain and protect the baby against the future by increasing the healthy brain development.
Egg yolks are included foods that contain vitamin D needed by the baby while the protein in the egg white is complete with protein containing nine essential amino acids.
For pregnant and lactating women are expected to include eggs in their diet. Eating eggs can be boiled, scrambled, omelet and others.
7. Salmon
Salmon is one of the foods that are included in the list of superfoods to increase milk production. Fish, especially salmon is well consumed by pregnant and nursing mothers because it contains protein, and DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for the baby’s nervous system.
A study that published in the “Journal of Nutrition” mentions that the salmon consumed during pregnancy will significantly improve the quality of breast milk.
Pregnant women are expected to consume two servings of salmon each week during pregnancy, and it aims to provide essential fatty acids that the baby will be born baby.
Also see: Benefits of Egg Yolk
8. Carrots
Furthermore carrots, this is not only good for the eyes, but also a superfood to increase milk production during lactation. During the period of breastfeeding women to be self-sufficient to vitamin A. Vitamin A is beneficial in helping the health of the fetus such as the maturation of the lungs and is also useful for newborns.
Also, carrots contain vitamins alpha and beta carotene are beneficial for improving breast tissue.
Enter the carrots in a salad or soup, or familiarize your day with a glass of carrot juice.
Also See: Carrots health benefits
9. Spinach
In addition to carrots, spinach is also included in the list of superfoods to increase breast milk production. Spinach-vegetable and other leafy such as kale, broccoli, mustard greens are an important food for breastfeeding mothers.
The vitamin A content in spinach is good for the development of your baby’s health and antioxidants in spinach is needed to boost the baby’s immune.
10. Brown rice
Then, superfoods to increase milk production is brown rice. If you want to compare between brown rice and white rice, the brown rice is far superior to white rice. The reason is the content of nutrients and fiber in brown rice is excellent for health.
White rice causes an increase in blood sugar but brown rice instead of decreasing the risk of diabetes. Besides, brown rice helps you feel full longer, so you do not want to eat fastly.
Another benefit is the brown rice provides a number of quality calories to produce breast milk, which in turn is useful your baby’s health.
A study published in the “Journal of Nutrition European” noting that consuming brown rice regularly can improve a person’s health psychosomatic. It is useful for pregnant and lactating women to increase mental and endurance during breastfeeding.
That’s some superfoods to increase breast milk production. Pregnant women are not only sufficient nutrition for herself but also for her baby, as well as for nursing mothers. It also takes a lot of nutrients to be supplied to newborns through breastfeeding.
