Natural Foods for Lactating Mothers Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for babies and is nature’s perfect baby food.Breastfeeding has multiple health benefits for babies as well as mothers. It provides babies with the right nutrition and supports healthy growth and development. Breastfeeding can also boost immunity of babies and help them fight against certain illnesses and diseases. Not only this, breast feeding can even reduce the risk of diseases like ovarian cancers, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Modern mothers are unable to produce enough breast milk which negatively impacts the health of the babies as well as the mothers. Stress, fatigue etc. are the major contributing factors that hampers milk production in mothers.However, certain natural food items might enhance the milk production.
Here are three nutritional tips to increase milk production:
Fenugreek:Simply steep one teaspoon of whole fenugreek seeds in a cup of boiling water for approximately 15 minutes and then consume it. Consuming fenugreek leaves is a good option as well as it might enhance milk production. Simply add a handful of fenugreek leaves to your soups, dal, chapatis, etc. to get best benefits.
Apricots and Dates:Apricots and dates may increase prolactin, a hormone that stimulates milk production after childbirth. These are packed with vital nutrients like magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, vitamin B6 etc. These dry fruits can be easily consumed either as a snack or in the form of laddus.
Fennel seeds:Fennel seeds are believed to enhance milk production because of it’s estrogen like properties. Take a cup of boiling water and add one to three teaspoons of fennel seeds into it. Let it sit for ten minutes. Strain the seeds and consume it.
Besides promoting milk production, fennel seeds are also believed to promote healthy digestion. It also soothes coughs and sore throats. The dietary Intake of caffeine, artificial sweetener and alcohol must be completely avoided as these things might affect the milk production in lactating mothers.