Food for boob milk

With many things to think about when it comes to boob milk like how to keep up supply, is the milk good enough? One thing I kept being complimented on in hospital after tandem feeding twins was how fatty and rich my milk was (as I had to give the nurses the milk to keep in the fridge and freezer in the start)

This came as a surprise to some considering how skinny I was right after birth and many nurses observing my diet realised I wasn’t eating anything high calorie or fattening/ unhealthy at all.

The best way to understand how your diet impacts your milk is observing shop milk- Skimmed, semi skimmed, whole and full fat or even the ones with the cream on top. If you’re not eating well or enough as well as a balanced diet you can be sure to find yourself in the skimmed or semi skimmed section/ lacking an effective supply.

It’s important to remember that you as a mum are doing a wonderful job by even trying. It’s a journey that is personal to you. Each mum has her own obstacles with boob feeding however know you are amazing simply for trying.

Now I’m not saying stuff your face galore, simply have a normal balanced meal amount with the right intake of proteins, fruit and veg as well as other beneficial snacks. And remember the more different and ranged your flavour palette the more variety your baby tastes and will be less likely to fuss about food in the future.

When you eat a healthy and balanced diet this 100% impacts your milk. As your body is getting the right nutrients and essentials it needs to support your babies milk and you. However there are some foods out there that help you get there.

1. 💦Water, water and oh did I say water💦?

Love it or like it- water is a must, however you can make things interesting so you’re not bored of water.

1. I love infusing my water with fruits or vegetables as that gives it a flavour rather than just drinking water constantly. 🍊🍓🍋🥒
2. Twinnings tea company introduced this cold tea line where they have tea bags you drop into water and you get infused water/ cold tea. I love using these.
3. Eat water/ fluid high foods like watermelon, cucumber, oranges.🥒🍊🍉
4. Drink other fluids like tea, juices, smoothies. I like some herbal tea or store super smoothies/ juices that have fruit, veg and vitamins in them. Especially when I’m having a lazy/ busy day as I get what I need without over worrying.🍵🧃
5. Soup- is very filling and can help you intake the water and vegetables you need if you’re not a fan of either.🍜

On my own journey I have seen the difference and lack of supply when I haven’t drunk enough water. You may think you have drunk enough but sometimes you really haven’t- I had to make myself drink lots of water and saw the level I actually needed to be drinking. With my feeding twins I think I underestimated how much actually goes to the milk- after all nearly 90% of the milk is water.

A clever and natural way to know if you’re hydrated is the colour of your urine (and dry lips). If it’s dark yellow then you know your very dehydrated, if it’s a bright yellow still need to drink more water and only when you reach the light yellow colour you know you’re hydrated to your body’s needs. When you pee clear that’s already too much water.

2. Oats

Oats are high in nutrients and in iron, meaning it helps promote milk supply as well providing you with your essentials.

Oats are magic ☀️- you can eat them in so many ways. So find what works for you! With my twin group ‘boobjack’ has been a favourite. I made my own personal recipe after trying out a few times. It’s the perfect flapjack for super boob milk.

Examples to help you- porridge, flapjacks, oat soup (my mums own homemade creation- she made a wonderful soup that’s savoury and super yum with oats- if you want me to share her recipe like and comment), protein bars, biscuits, popped oats etc.

Milk

Cows/ goats milk- provided you aren’t vegan/ plant based or allergic/ intolerant, is actually beneficial to breastfeeding mothers as it makes milk fatty (in a good way).

Calcium is highly important generally but more so when feeding your infant. However animal milk isn’t the only place you can intake this with many foods ranging nuts, greens like kale or if you’re struggling supplements.

While drinking cows/goats milk doesn’t change the amount of fat in breastmilk, it does change the type.

Apricots

Apricots (also figs and dates are beneficial- I just love apricots the most😂💪🏼) naturally are high in vitamins A and C, potassium and as mentioned before calcium which helps with milk production.

Apricots🍑help increase prolactin levels (the hormone that tells you body to produce milk)

Almonds

Nuts generally are pure goodness for you and lactating mums, they’re full of protein and nutrition. Almonds aren’t an exception.

With the wide range of vitamins and minerals they contain you’re not only boosting your babies recovery and immune system but also yours too. Once the baby is born all the attention shifts away from the mother ignoring the high risk/ potentially life threatening journey she just endured and that she needs recovery time like any other patient.

Be it almonds or almond milk there is a lot this magic but does for your production of milk. As well as making it taste nice for your little one.

Walnuts

My mum bought me a few packs and told me walnuts help with making milk have good fat as do pine nuts (next one on my list) and shortly after forcing myself to eat them for a few days I saw the difference in my milk- it has a much more creamy texture rather than thin. With my sons needing to gain mass this was like heaven. Mum also made a note on walnuts being good for the brain so I was happy to help the boys by changing my diet to foods that benefit them. Also probably explains how I bounced back quickly into a size not far off my pre pregnancy body (walnuts help with anti inflammation, weight loss, lowering blood pressure and healthy ageing.

However I did feel like a squirrel eating fruits and nuts all day.🐿

Don’t want to make a huge list of the benefits but walnuts are wonderful for omega 3s, antioxidants, vitamin E- reducing oxidative stress, decreases cholesterol.

Pine nuts

I mentioned before my mum told me to eat these for my milk to have a good fat level that’s healthy for my boys to bulk up as well as the health benefits.

They’re full of good fat, protein, fibre and minerals however they’re low in calories with 10 pine nuts=11 calories, meaning much more filling than a high calorie snack like a cake.

Similar to walnuts; they help the mind and according to Huffington Post a regular intake reduce Alzheimer’s disease up to 35%. And again with the vitamin E and other vitamins your cells are protected from damage and your more likely to be receiving the balance of nutrients you and your baby needs.

Love how they taste too!

These are my top favourites and I hope it helps someone learn more about food that’s good for breastmilk production and quality. If you need professional help seek out a breastfeeding professional or speak to your doctor/ healthcare worker. I’m just a mum learning as I go. Hope my advice helps xx

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