Mommy Guilt

When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to breastfeed. So did what most anxious people do, I stayed up all day and night researching everything about breastfeeding. I needed to know how to increase my milk because I only had 12 weeks with my son and knowing I would return to my long work days, I also had to build a stash.

I stocked up on foods that would increase my milk supply. You know how I feel about lists. ☺️ So in my DJ Khalid voice… another one!

1. Oats

As I was researching, I ran across oats as being one of the main ingredients in lactation cookies, brownies, and other supplements that are marketed to boost milk supply. Apparently, the fiber in oats increase the hormone prolactin which increases breast milk production. In addition to the fiber, oats are high in iron, magnesium, and zinc that are all passed to baby.

I ate oatmeal every morning and when I didn’t have time to sit down, I put about half a cup in the blender with some other fruits for a smoothie.

2. Green Papaya

This fruit had to grow on me. My Caribbean ancestors may not forgive me but I wasn’t crazy about papaya. My mother used to make a papaya milk based drink and idk… I never saw the hype. But once I read about all the benefits, I knew I had to suck it up, buttercup! It increases oxytocin which, in turn, increases milk production.

While researching, I was surprised to see that people all over, including India, Angola, Indonesia, even, used this for boosting their milk supply.

3. Coconut water/ milk

The key to all this is adequate hydration and coconut water does just that. If you haven’t had the pleasure of drinking coconut water from a fresh coconut…. it’s so satisfying. Try it! But the bottled stuff works just as well, just read the label for the sugar content as all are not created equally.

I drank some everyday and I noticed my skin was glowing, I had less dry skin and my hair was even shinier.

4. Mirliton (Chayote)

It’s a squash that I grew up eating, but it wasn’t until I had my son that I learned off its nutritious proparties like zinc, B vitamins, especially folate and antioxidants.

I ate this about 3 times a week and found different recipes to switch up the flavors. Delicious. Even if you’re not breastfeeding, try this versatile squash.

5. Watermelon

Full of water that hydrates the body on a cellular level. The hydration helps boost the milk supply.

Side note: I do t even like watermelon… however, for my babies, I juiced watermelon and drank it daily.

6. Garlic

Don’t over do it though, it can cause colic in some babies and it does affect the taste of breast milk. So weigh the risks vs benefits when adding this to your diet.

I already add garlic to everything so I didn’t have to intentionally change anything.

7. Salmon

So full of omega 3s that help with baby’s brain development.

I ate salmon about 3 times a week. I blackened it, roasted it, grilled it. Delicious!!

8. Almonds

They support milk production! They are in rich in zinc and magnesium.

I drank almond milk. Threw them on salads and I my oat meal. I snacked on them throughout the day.

9. Dates

Stimulating lactation by boosting breast milk supply.

I added them to my smoothies, ate them as a snack. Whatever I needed to do to incorporate them into my diet.

10. Tofu

Full of protein but be mindful that if your baby is showing signs of soy intolerance, you may need to avoid it and eat other sources of protein.

I found that if your marinate them for a few hours after pressing out most of the liquid, you could make it taste like anything other protein source. I absolutely love it in an Asian inspired dish with the teriyaki or miso flavors.

Again, check with your medical professional and/or lactation consultant before adding these foods to your diet especially if you have any chronic health concerns.

Please share what your added to your diet to help promote your milk supply. By making these changes to my diet, I was able to pump 40 ounces a day! At times, I had to freeze milk that the baby didn’t have time to drink. It was awesome and took a lot of stress off of me when I had to return to work.