How can you increase breast milk supply

Can you increase breast milk supply?

Expectant mothers start thinking of their way of feeding the baby well before they deliver. With a vast majority of health care providers suggesting that breast feeding is the best option, many women worry whether they will be able to produce enough milk or not.

The question I get asked most frequently is:
What should I eat to produce enough milk for my baby?

Some take to the internet to find answers. However, in this day of information over load it is easy to get confused by all the data that is so easily available. Traditionally there are a lot of beliefs regarding foods that aid in lactation.

There are some spices and herbs that have traditionally been used to increase milk production in India for thousands of years. They include methi seeds (fenugreek) , saunf (fennel), jeera (cumin seeds), moti eliachi (black cardamom), ajwain (caraway seeds) some ayurvedic herbs like shatavari, moringa, etc . They are consumed as concoctions made using the powders, boiling the herbs in water or as capsules.

Unfortunately, studies available in the literature are either inconclusive on some of the spices and herbs while there was no data available on others.

My personal take is: If you’re worried about not producing enough milk, consuming one of the traditional Indian herb may be a good idea. It may not necessarily increase milk production, but it may help you relax and calm down. That in turn may very well help in increasing your milk production.

At the end of the day, try to stay relaxed and happy, no matter what. Remember, that even despite all your efforts if you are not able to produce enough milk, there are infant formulas available to take care of your babies nutritional needs. But, only you can take care of your babies emotional needs.