Increasing Milk Supply
Lactogenic foods (Foods that help boost milk supply):
- Whole Grains: Oats, Barley, Millet, Brown Rice, Wild Rice, Quinoa, Amaranth
- Legumes: Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans, Navy Beans, Pinto Beans, Mung Beans, Lentils
- Nuts (raw): Almonds, Cashews, Pecans
- Seeds: Sesame, Flax, Sunflower, Pumpkin
- Oils: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Sesame Seed Oil, Flax Seed Oil, Coconut Oil, Walnut Oil, Sunflower/Safflower Oil
- Butters: Tahini (sesame seed paste), Almond Butter, Sunflower Butter, Gomasio (sesame + salt power)
- Coconut
- Pumpkin
- Veggies: Asparagus, Carrots, Beets, Yams, Broccoli, Fennel, Cauliflower
- Leafy Greens: Kale, Spinach, Collard + Mustard Greens, Swiss Chard, Arugula, Chicory
- Seaweed
- Herbs to “spice up” your food: Garlic, Onion, Ginger, Dill, Caraway, Anise, Basil, Marjoram, Sea Salt
- Brewer’s or Nutritional Yeast
- Fresh Fruit: Green Papaya, Apricots, Peaches, Nectarines, Plums, Figs, Sweet Cherries
- Dried Fruit: Apricots, Figs, Dates
- Blackstrap Molasses
Please avoid the following Anti-Lactogenic foods, herbs, (foods that impact milk supply)
- Peppermint
- Sage
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Caffeine (Coffee, Soft Drinks, Black or Green Tea)
Herbs that help boost supply
Please consult with a Lactation Consultant or your doctor prior to starting any herbs. Included are the websites where the herbs can be purchased (Dr. Nasta’s office carries them):
- Fenugreek – 3 caps 3x day or 3 droppersful 3x day (www.HerbLore.com) Please note that fenugreek needs to be taken consistently; if you abruptly stop taking it, that will impact the supply you’re trying to build. When you’re ready to stop, do a slow wean of removing one pill per day and that will help protect your supply.
Herbs that help boost supply
- Blessed Thistle (to be taken along with Fenugreek) – 3 caps 3x day or 3 droppersful 3x day (www.HerbLore.com)
- Go-Lacta or Moringa/Malunggay leaves – 3 caps 3x day (www.GoLacta.com)
- Goat’s Rue Tincture – 3 droppersful 3x day (www.HerbLore.com)
- Alfalfa capsules – 3 caps 3x day (www.HerbLore.com)
- More Milk Plus – 3 caps 3x day (www.Motherlove.com)
- Mothers Milk Tea – 3-5 cups per day (hot or cold) Traditional Medicinals (Whole Foods)
Medications that boost supply (talk with your doctor)
- Domperidone – talk to your OB/GYN about this medication. You can read more about it at http://www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=doc-DGS
- Reglan – not a medication I suggest; it has a side effect of severe depression and anxiety… Here’s another link where you can read about prescription galactogogues (milk supply boosters) http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/meds/prescript_galactagogue
Adapted from: The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk by Diana West, IDCLC and Lisa Marasco, MA, IBCLC. Dr. Jack Newman, http://www.drjacknewman.com/breastfeeding-help.asp. Hilary Jacobson CH.HU.SI, Mother Food for Breastfeeding Mothers, 2004
