• ENG

World Breastfeeding Week: Know what to eat to ensure optimum milk production and what to stay away from

World Breastfeeding Week: Know what to eat to ensure optimum milk production and what to stay away from
While working from home, new mothers do not have to switch to using a pump. @Shutterstock

Here, on World Breastfeeding Week, we reveal what you must add to your diet to boost milk production. Read on to know more.

Written by Jahnavi Sarma |Updated : August 6, 2020 4:20 PM IST

Breastfeeding is the best for your newborn child. Breast milk contains all the nutrients essential for your little one's proper growth and development. The aim of the World Breastfeeding Week is to raise awareness about this very fact. According to the World Health Organisation, breastfeeding provides every child with the best possible start in life. It delivers health, nutritional and emotional benefits to both children and mothers. And it forms part of a sustainable food system. But while breastfeeding is a natural process, it is not always easy. Mothers need support both to get started and to sustain breastfeeding. Therefore, in keeping with this year's theme 'Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet,' this premier organisation along with UNICEF are calling on governments to protect and promote women's access to skilled breastfeeding counselling, a critical component of breastfeeding support.

When you start breastfeeding, you need to ensure that you produce enough milk to meet your child's requirement. For this you need to take extra care of your diet. What you eat can make a huge difference to the quantity and quality of breast milk. Here, on World Breastfeeding Week, we reveal what you must add to your diet to boost milk production. At the same time, you must also avoid certain foods during this period.

Relationship between nutrition and lactation

It is important that during lactation, the mother receives adequate nutrition. For the first few months, the infant will get all the nutrition from breast milk. Since breast milk has to nourish a rapidly growing and fully developed infant, the mother needs extra requirements for meeting her as well as the baby's requirements. According to Dr. Teena Thomas, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Apollo Cradle, Bangalore, "Inadequacies in the diet will influence the quality and quantity of the secreted milk, with the latter affected more. If the diet is not enough for meeting the nutritional needs, the mother will draw from the reserves in their body to meet the lactation needs."

Also Read

More News

Foods that help in boosting milk supply

All over the world, women eat certain foods immediately after childbirth or while breastfeeding to ramp up milk production. Some of these foods contain chemical properties that aid in breast milk production while others are full of minerals and vitamins. Dr Thomas shares a few examples of such superfoods what are known to promote a healthy breast milk supply.

  • Whole grains (oatmeal, whole grain brown rice, barley)
  • Dark green vegetables (Kale, lettuce, broccoli, spinach, alfalfa)
  • Fennel
  • Garlic
  • Chickpeas
  • Sesame seeds
  • Almonds
  • Flaxseed
  • Teas that contain fennel, fenugreek, milk thistle, and blessed thistle

Foods to avoid

According to Dr Thomas, "Even after childbirth, you have to take care of what you put into your body as you will be breastfeeding your little one. Here are some of the foods and drinks you should avoid while breastfeeding."

  • Beverages like tea and coffee
  • Alcohol
  • Chocolate
  • Peppermint, parsley, and sage
  • Vegetables like beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower

Medications during breastfeeding

Dr Thomas further adds that you must also be careful of what medication you are taking as this can get into your breast milk. So, take all medications only on the advice of a certified doctor. According to her, medicines that you should avoid are Acebutolol, Decongestant and Antihistamine combinations, Doxepin, Thiazide Diuretics, and Narcotics.