Breastfeeding Diet: Best Foods to Increase Your Milk Supply
Experienced parents are often eager to share their hard-earned wisdom with new moms, including what to eat while breastfeeding. Your best friend might swear by their oatmeal lactation cookies, while an older family member might recommend beer. (No joke, I heard that one!) In fact, many cultures around the world have their own special foods for breastfeeding moms. From fish to fenugreek to papaya, the list of foods thought to increase milk production is actually quite long.
If you’re looking for natural ways to increase your milk supply, you might wonder if there’s any truth to these claims. While there are some foods that may help boost your milk supply, the best foods for breastfeeding moms are ones packed with the nutrients your body needs.
How Nutrition Affects Breast Milk Production
Producing breast milk for your baby requires extra energy, which is why it’s important to eat a nutritious diet. While there isn’t a special breastfeeding diet that you need to follow to produce breast milk, it’s a good idea to focus on nutrient-dense foods. Getting enough protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals will help to ensure that your body has the fuel it needs for nursing—plus, some of those vitamins will get passed along to your baby too.
Because your body needs a little extra energy for nursing, you’ll probably find that you need more calories and feel hungrier than usual. That’s totally normal! According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s common for nursing moms to consume about 340 to 400 more calories a day to keep energy levels up and promote breast milk production.
Mom nursing her baby in a striped nursing shirt with hidden zipper access.
Best Foods to Help Increase Milk Supply
Many nursing moms wonder what to eat while breastfeeding to increase milk supply. While most doctors recommend focusing on a nutrient-rich diet to support overall health, there are some foods that are thought to be natural breast milk boosters. These milk-boosting foods, spices, and herbs are called galactagogues.
Be aware that there isn’t a ton of scientific research supporting claims that these galactagogues truly increase milk supply. However, many of them are packed with nutrients that make them great choices to incorporate into your diet, galactagogue or not.
So, if you’re looking for a natural way to increase your milk supply, it’s not a bad idea to try out some of these breastfeeding superfoods:
Oats
Rich in iron, oats are easy to incorporate into the diet. Lactation cookies, muffins, granola, or overnight oats make for quick and healthy breastfeeding snacks.
Nuts
Almonds and other nuts are thought to support breast milk production. Plus, they’re full of protein, calcium, healthy fats, and other vitamins and minerals.
Seeds
Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are both nutrient-rich options that contain protein, zinc, and iron, which are great for nursing moms. Sesame seeds contain calcium as well as phytoestrogens, which may promote breast milk production. Chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseeds are also great sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Beans & Legumes
Chickpeas, green beans, lentils, peas are thought to increase milk supply. They’re also excellent sources of protein, fiber, and vitamins.
Whole Grains
Along with oatmeal, other whole grains like barley, quinoa, rice, millet may increase milk supply. They’re also full of nutrients and fiber, and are a great sustainable energy source for nursing moms.
Vegetables
Orange and red vegetables like carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes contain vitamin A, which is necessary for milk production. Other vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, and cabbage also contain healthy vitamins and minerals for you and your baby.
Dark Leafy Greens
Spinach, kale, collard greens, as well as other leafy green vegetables are packed with nutrients like folate, vitamin C, and vitamin K, which are good for breastfeeding moms.
Fruits
Loaded with a variety of vitamins and minerals, fruits are an essential part of any diet, but certain ones contain vitamins that may promote breast milk production. Papaya, mango, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and apricot are rich in vitamin A and other nutrients for nursing moms.
Herbs & Spices
Fennel seeds, fenugreek, and alfalfa have long been used to promote breast milk production. Other herbs and spices that may help promote milk production include turmeric, dill, anise, hibiscus, lemon balm, raspberry leaf, milk thistle, coriander, cumin, caraway, ginger, and garlic. These may be found in lactation teas or can be added to many recipes to enhance flavor.
Protein
Nursing moms typically need to increase their protein intake. Choose lean meats like chicken and turkey, as well as fish that are low in mercury, eggs, and dairy. Plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, and tofu are also healthy choices.
Brewer’s Yeast
With B vitamins, protein, and iron, many use brewer’s yeast for lactation cookies and energy bites, along with nut butters, oats, and seeds, for a tasty and healthy breastfeeding snack.
Hydration and Breastfeeding
If you’re wondering what to drink to increase breast milk, the answer might be simpler than you’d think. For the most part, you just need to make sure you’re drinking plenty of good old fashioned water whenever you’re thirsty. Avoid too much caffeine, sugar, and excess vitamins from juices, as these can affect your hydration or make your baby fussy.
Some other drinks besides water to consider while nursing include:
- Milk and milk substitutes like almond or oat milk
- Coconut water
- Herbal tea (including lactation teas)
- Fruit juices (in moderation)
Hydration is important for breastmilk production, but there’s no need to overdo it. Drinking more than you need will not increase your milk supply. The most important thing is to listen to your body—drink when you’re thirsty and eat when you’re hungry. Keeping a healthy snack and a glass of water next to you as you nurse your baby is always a good idea.
If you feel like you’re struggling with low milk supply, don’t hesitate to reach out to your health care provider for guidance. While we can’t guarantee any one diet to increase breast milk, ensuring that you’re getting an adequate amount of water, protein, vitamins, and minerals every day is a great place to start!
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