I wish you all the best of luck with breast feeding and I would love to help and meet with you if you have any questions regarding breast feeding.
Visit our Eco-Baby workshops and join other loving parents in this great journey and learn together how we can raise our children healthy naturally.
Here are some tips for moms planning on Breast feeding from your local pediatrician Dr. Bar on how to produce more milk in the first weeks after the baby is born.
First remember drink 10 to 12 cups of water a day
Take your vitamins with the extra calcium and Iron and omega’s ( check our motherhood vitamins available in the office.)
Nap later during the day this will increase your milk supply ? how simple is that ?.
Eat a healthy balanced diet and here are some herbs to keep in mind that will help you make more milk just remember very important use organic herbs and small amounts.
Fennel
Dill
Barley
Basil
Fenugreek tea
Cumin
Certain foods (known as galactagogue foods) are known to stimulate the production of breastmilk.
While herbs such as fenugreek and fennel have been used for centuries to increase a nursing mother’s milk supply, little is known about how herbs affect a nursing baby. Play it safe and use organic herbs and also small amounts and a variety of herbs not just one.
Fennel water
Fennel has been used for centuries to increase lactation. It is also believed to help digestion and prevent colic
Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 litre filtered water
Method:
Add fennel seeds to one litre of filtered water.
Bring the mixture to boil.
Lower the flame and let the mixture boil for another 10-minutes.
Remove from the flame. Allow it to cool till the water is warm.
Strain and store in a thermos, so that the water remains warm for several hours
Sip the fennel water all through the day. Continue doing this as long you are breastfeeding your baby, if possible.
Tip: You can also chew a teaspoonful few roasted fennel seeds after meals to aid digestion. Add fennel seeds to your tea, vegetables and soups for nutrition as well as an enhanced flavour.
Fennel tea
Believed to increase lactation and aid digestion.
Ingredients:
1-2 tsp powdered fennel seeds
2 cups water
1/2 – 1 tsp honey/sugar/jaggery (optional)
Dill (suwa) tea
Dill is believed to increase lactation and appetite. It may also reduce gas and colic. However since it is a mild diuretic it should be consumed in moderation.
Ingredients:
1-2 tsp crushed/powdered dill seeds
2 cups water
Method:
Boil the water in a pan and add the crushed/powdered dill seeds.
Cover and let the seeds steep for 10-15 minutes. Longer steeping makes a stronger tea.
Strain and pour into a cup. Add honey/sugar. Serve hot.
Have 1-2 cup a day
Barley and fennel water
Barley and fennel water is believed to increase low milk supply. It may take a week or two for the effect to show. In addition, this drink also eases gastric problems, constipation and colic, aids digestion and prevents colds.
Ingredients:
½ cup whole or pearled barley (bajra)
1-2 tsp of fennel seeds (saunf) or fennel powder
4 cups filtered water
½ – 1 tsp honey/sugar/jaggery (optional)
Method:
Wash barley grains well and soak them overnight in filtered water.
Strain and keep the water aside.
Now measure four cups of water, including the strained water as it carries the nutrients of barley, and add it to soaked barley grains.
Add fennel seeds to the mixture and bring to boil. Lower the flame and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from the flame and allow it to stand for another 10 minutes.
Strain and pour into a clean thermos so that it stays warm for several hours.
Drink this water throughout the day.
You may want to add honey/sugar/jaggery to increase the taste.
Note: Do bear in mind that the longer barley simmers the thicker the consistency. Add more water to dilute the mixture to a pouring consistency.
Tip: For a variation and different flavour you may want to use fenugreek (methi) powder instead of fennel seeds.
Basil water
Basil is believed to stimulate milk flow and an excellent source of carotene, niacin, thiamine and iron. It calms the nerves and initiates the let-down reflex. It aids digestion, reduce flatulence and increase appetite. You can also add basil leaves to your tea, milk, soups and cooked vegetables.
Ingredients:
7-8 fresh basil leaves
1 cup filtered water
½-1tsp honey (optional)
Method:
In a pan add water and crushed/finely chopped basil leaves.
Bring the mixture to boil.
Simmer and let the leaves steep for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the flame and sieve through a cup.
Add honey to taste. Serve warm.
Have 1-2 cups a day.
Fenugreek tea
Research shows that mothers report an increase in their milk supply within two to four days after taking the herb.
Ingredients:
1-3 tsp of crushed fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
1 cup filtered water
½-1tsp honey (optional)
Method:
In a pan add water and fenugreek seeds.
Bring the mixture to boil.
Simmer and let the leaves steep for about 5 minutes. Cover and let the seeds steep for 5-10 minutes or longer to make a strong tea.
Remove from the flame and sieve through a cup.
Add honey to taste. Serve warm.
Have 1-2 cups a day.
Note: The tea has a characteristic bitter taste and it may take you a few days to develop a taste for it.
Cumin water
Cumin seeds are believed to help milk production. This drink also aids digestion and helps relieving constipation, bloating and gas.
Ingredients
1 litre filtered water
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
Method:
Add cumin seeds to one litre of filtered water.
Bring the mixture to boil.
Lower the flame and let the mixture stand for another 15-20 minutes.
Let it cool till the water is lukewarm.
Store the water along with cumin seeds in a thermos to ensure it stays warm for several hours.
Take sips of this water all through the day.
Tip: You can also try chewing few dry roasted cumin seeds every morning. Adding cumin seeds to your everyday cooking will help.
Visit my website DrBar.org for videos on breast feeding and other useful tips on how to raise your baby healthy naturally.
Dr.Bar
359 San Miguel Dr. 200
Newport Beach Ca 92660
949 706 1212
