Does your baby feed for short periods? Do you think your milk supply is becoming less? Poor lactation results in poor breast feeding and causes a compromise in nutrition for your little one. Besides that, as a mother you feel incapable to feed your little one. If you are constantly worrying how to increase lactation, then put your worries to ease. With some simple home remedies, it is very easy to increase lactation in breastfeeding mothers.
Read More: 5 Essential Oils to Increase Milk Supply
Best Drinks to Increase Lactation
To increase lactation and breast milk supply, it is essential to stay hydrated. Breastfeeding your baby can make you feel very thirsty and increase your need to supplement your body with fluids. Following are some interesting options to improve lactation and increase breast milk
1. Water
There is nothing better than pure water. It is highly recommended that you drink more water while breastfeeding. Water keeps the body hydrated and improves lactation and body’s regular function. 8 to 10 cups of water every day is essential for good lactation. An approximate 3 liters a day is recommended for nursing mothers.
2. Infused water
Since water does not have any flavour, drinking them continuously can make it boring. Infusing water can be an interesting option to improve lactation. It not only quenches your thirst but also satisfies your craving for a sweet drink. It is completely healthy as no extra sugar is added to infused water. Fresh fruits help your body stay hydrated as well as improve lactation. Simply fill a glass with 1/3rd of fruit and 2/3rd of ice along with water. The fruits you can add are cucumber, watermelon, muskmelon, strawberries, lemon, and raspberries. Stir the water well and refrigerate if required. You can also try adding nectar to your water that will serve as a liquid thickener for dysphagia, if ever you have this kind of condition, to avoid choking while drinking it.
3. Carrot Juice
Carrot juice is one of the best juices recommended for breastfeeding mothers. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, beta-carotene, and phytoestrogens that increase breast milk supply and provide extra energy for lactating mothers. So if you are wondering how to increase lactation naturally, incorporate carrot juice into your daily diet.
Read More: Health Benefits of Carrot for babies
4. Apricot Juice
Apricots are known to be super foods for breastfeeding moms. Drinking apricot juice increases the hormone prolactin that is responsible for lactation in your body. So if you are depressed with low breast milk supply, this is the best way to improve lactation and increase breast supply. Apricots are not just healthy but tasty too.
Read More: Health benefits of Apricot in baby food
5. Almond Milk
Many times, babies can be fussy during feeding. This could be a reaction to the dairy foods that you are eating. However, you are unable to stop drinking or consuming dairy products as your breastfeeding. So if you are looking for a best alternative for milk, you must consider almond milk. Almond milk is available sweetened and unsweetened in many flavours. Almonds are rich in calcium and vitamin D that naturally enhance lactation and increase breast milk supply. It is one of the best alternatives available for milk and other dairy products.
Read More: 5 Must Know Health Benefits of Almond Milk for Children
Watch Video: 7 Juices to Increase Lactation
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6. Asparagus Stem Juice
This is a wonderful herb for breastfeeding moms. It helps improve the quality and quantity of breast milk. Asparagus stem is rich in zinc, vitamin B Complex and calcium that provide strength and immunity to lactating mothers. Adding a few spoons of dried asparagus stem powder to water or milk and consuming this drink everyday will increase lactation and enable you to breastfeeding your baby better. Additionally, asparagus stem also induces a calm state of mind and good sleep which is extremely essential for a new mother.
7. Coconut Water
Coconut water is known to be an age old remedy for lactating mothers. It contains many essential nutrients like manganese, vitamin C, riboflavin, calcium, sodium, potassium, and dietary fiber. Coconut water is the safest drink you can consume to increase breast milk production. Coconut not only promotes lactation but also increases lauric acid and capric acid which also boosts baby immunity and keeps your little one protected from infections.
Read More: Is coconut safe for kids with nut allergy?
Additional Tips to Increase Lactation
Apart from consuming the above mentioned healthy juices to increase lactation, it is also essential that you follow certain mandatory tips that help increase lactation
1} Ensure baby is nursing efficiently
Positioning and latching are very important factors in breastfeeding. If these two factors are not taken care of the baby does not nurse efficiently. Hence, milk gets accumulated in the breast and signals the hormone prolactin to reduce milk production. So it is extremely important to ensure your baby feeds efficiently by improving positioning and latching.
2} Nurse Frequently
The more you nurse, the better for you. As more milk is sucked by your baby, the body signals to produce more milk. This increases lactation and breast milk supply.
3} Feed on both breasts
It is important to ensure that your baby feeds both sides to maintain a uniformity in feeding and milk production. A misbalance can disrupt milk production and supply.
4} Avoid pacifiers and bottles for small babies
To increase lactation the best way is to make sure your baby sucks only your breast and not pacifiers or bottles. The more your baby feeds on your breast the more your lactation will be. Pacifiers and bottles can be a distraction for your little one.
Now that you know what you should do to improve lactation, breastfeeding will a more enriching and joyful experience. Both expecting moms and breastfeeding new moms must understand the importance of lactation and take care it does not get affected. Most importantly, it is essential to be happy and have a calm state of mind while breastfeeding as your mood swings can have a lot of impact on your lactation. Follow the above mentioned simple tips and enjoy the essence of motherhood.
References
http://www.momjunction.com/articles/drink-coconut-water-while-breastfeeding_00352693/#gref
https://www.romper.com/p/11-things-to-drink-to-make-breastfeeding-easier-13465
