Home Remedies to Increase Breast Milk

It is the common concern of every nursing mother on whether their breast milk supply is sufficient, especially the ones who become mothers for the first time. Normally, most mothers will be able to product sufficient breast milk for the need of their child. However, there are cases which the mothers cannot supply adequate quantities.

What causes Insufficient Breast Milk?

The low supply of breast milk can be the result of some particular illnesses, birth-control pills, changes of hormone in your body, deficiency of nutrition, incorrect baby’s latc

hing position as well as irregular breastfeeding because of cracked nipples.

Insufficiency of breast milk can increase the risk of your baby to malnutrition, weak immunity, poor memory as well as other health conditions.

Due to the utmost importance of the breast milk toward infants as well as newborn babies, it must be the number one priority to ensure the supply of breast milk is stable and increasing.

Here are the top 15 most effective home remedies to increase breast milk which are easy for you to apply in order to prevent the lack of breast milk and make sure your child will be fed properly.

1. Warm Compress

The first and most efficient tip from the list of home remedies to increase breast milk is using warm compress. For some cases, the reason of insufficient breast milk is due to low circulation of blood toward breasts. Therefore, apply this tip before feeding your child will be incredibly effective as it increases the supply of blood for breasts.

How to do:

• Have your breasts massaged gently for about 5 minutes before nursing.
• Take a clean cloth and soak in warm water then squeeze out the excessive water.
• Massage the area surrounding nipples as well as press the breasts using the cloth.
• After performing for about 10 minutes, you can breastfeed your child while leaning forward.

Also you apply this tip as the relaxation technique in case you have heavy feeling at your breasts but you cannot feed the child. It will help you in facilitating milk flow.

2. Fenugreek

This is an excellent ingredient in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk as it is able to stimulate the glands responsible for producing milk. With phytoestrogens which can encourage production of milk, fenugreek can promote the activities of mammary glands.

How to use:

• Take a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds and soak in some water overnight. Next morning, have both the seeds and water boiled for few minutes. Then have it strained and consume daily in the morning.
• Also you can take fenugreek in the supplementary form which is 3 capsules for 3 times per day in 10 days. Then decrease to 2 capsules 3 times every day for 10 another 10 days. Lastly, just use 1 capsule for 3 times every day in the last 10 days.

Note: Women who are asthmatic or diabetic must avoid applying this tip.

If you want to know more about the benefits and applications of fenugreek, please take a look here: Fenugreek Health Benefits.

3. Fennel Seeds

Another seeds which is equally effective as fenugreek from the list of home remedies to increase breast milk is none other than fennel seeds. It can work as galactogogue which is the substance in charge of improving the production of breast milk in your body.

How to use:

• Take a tablespoon of fennel seeds into some hot water and steep for about 30 minutes. Then have it strained and consume twice every day for 1 month.
• Another way is taking ½ cup each of cumin seeds, rock candy and fennel seeds and grind together into some fine powder. Consume a teaspoon of the powder together with some milk 3 times per day for 1 – 2 weeks.
• Also you can add fennel seeds into your daily cooking.

Not only increase breast milk supply, fennel seeds is also fairly effective against problems and conditions related to breasts such as breast pain. For more information about breast pain and fennel seeds as a remedy, please take a look here: Home Remedies for Breast Pain.

4. Cumin Seeds

This seed is considered an equivalent replacement for the 2 types of seed above as it also can encourage production of milk. Moreover, it can even enhance digestion and bring you relief from bloating, acidity and constipation. Even better, it also contains iron which is needed for new mothers after bearing a child. Therefore, there is no reason why cumin seeds cannot be included in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk.

How to use:

• Take a teaspoon of cumin powder with a teaspoon of sugar and mix. Consume the mixture with some warm milk every day before bedtime for couples of week.
• Another way is take 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds into some boiling water. Then have it strained and put in ½ cup of milk with a teaspoon of honey. Consume the mixture once every day for couples of week.

5. Cinnamon

This wonderful spice is one of the top ingredients in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk. Moreover, it even enhances the taste of milk which will help induce the baby to like. Also it can help you delay the comeback of menstruation after bearing child as well as avoid early contraception.

How to use:

• Take some cinnamon powder with ½ teaspoon of honey.
• Consume with some warm milk.
• Perform every day before bedtime for 1 – 2 months.

Other benefits of cinnamon you can see here.

6. Garlic

Considered as an incredible galactagogue in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk, garlic can effectively promote lactation. It is proven that nursing mothers who consume garlic will be able to have prolong period of breastfeeding and also garlic is able to induce the baby to like the milk.

How to use:

• Take 3 cloves of garlic to grate.
• Have them boiled in some water until the water is reduced to ¼ of the original amount.
• Add in some milk and have the mixture boiled again.
• Take it out of heat and put in some honey then have the mixture strained.
• Consume the liquid once every day while breastfeeding in the morning.

7. Basil

This herb is something you cannot ignore in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk. It is extremely effective at stimulate flow of milk while calming the new mothers’ nerves. Also containing iron, thiamine, niacin and carotene, basil will be able to strengthen the health of both the baby and the mother.

How to use:

• Take some chopped basil leaves into a pan with some water.
• Have it boiled for 2 minutes.
• Then simmer and steep for 5 minutes.
• Have it strained and put in some honey depended on taste.
• Consume twice every day for several months after having child.

8. Drumstick

Also known under the name “sahjan”, it is the green vegetable which contains numerous essential nutrients that promote the activities of mammary glands and encourage the breast veins to open up for better circulation. As a result, breast milk will be increase in no time. That is the reason why this vegetable can make the list of home remedies to increase breast milk.

How to use:

• Take some fresh drumsticks to extract juice and consume ½ glass of juice daily for 1 month.
• Another way is taking some drumstick leaves to boil in some water with a little bit of salt for couples of minute. Then have the water drained and smear some clarified butter to the leaves. Consume the leaves twice every day for a month for increasing breast milk.

9. Oatmeal

It is the food that you must have in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk. As deficiency of iron is the major reason for lacking of breast milk, oatmeal which is abundant in iron can help new mothers calm down and alleviate stress.

Consume oatmeal with some milk at breakfast every morning is the simplest yet most effective method for increasing the supply of breast milk.

10. Carrot and Beetroot

They both contain high amount of beta-carotene which is essential for improve the supply of breast milk. Furthermore, beta-carotene is extremely beneficial for the development and growth of newborns. Additionally, those vegetables are rich of nutrients and minerals which are needed by nursing mothers. Therefore, they are qualified to be in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk.

How to use:

• Take 2 carrots with 2 beetroots into the juicer for making juice. Put in some salt depended on taste. Consume twice every day for few weeks.
• Another way is cooking some salads or soups with beetroot and carrot and consuming every day for better supply of breast milk.

11. Milk Thistle

Just like its name, it is surely a reliable herb from the list of home remedies to increase breast milk that you can consider applying. Due to the potent estrogens from plant, it is able to improve the production of breast milk rather well.

How to use:

• You can make a concoction by taking some milk thistle seeds into some hot water on pan. Consume twice per day.

12. Asparagus

It is essential for breastfeeding mothers to consume for foods which are rich of estrogens in order to boost up the production of milk. Therefore, asparagus from the list of home remedies to increase breast milk can be the perfect candidate. The tryptophan from asparagus is considered an important amino acid for the process of producing breast milk as it increases prolactin levels which is the hormone in charge of lactation. You can include asparagus in your daily cooking.

13. Spinach

The reason for including this vegetable in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk is its richness of iron which are extremely important for boosting up production of milk.

14. Parsley

The leaves of parsley are always deemed as the finest one in the list of home remedies to increase breast milk. You can take the parsley leaves to boil then wrap them in a clean cloth. Apply the leaves onto the breasts as it will help release pus.

15. Bottle Gourd

The last tip from the list of home remedies to increase breast milk belongs to bottle gourd or dudhi. It is incredible that any vegetable in the family of gourd is beneficial for inducing breast milk. You can consume gourd in kheer, halwa, stir fried or curries…

Extra Tips:

• Maintain hydration through consuming water during the day.
• Apply nutritious diet as well as improve the intake of calorie daily.
• Improve your position for latching in order to make it confortable for both baby and mother while breastfeeding.
• Breastfeed your baby regularly and frequently as doing so will induce more milk to be generated.
• Have your baby breastfed on one side until it is empty before switching to another side of the breasts.
• Use breast-pump for at least 15 minutes every couples of hour to stimulate breast milk.
• Keep out of drinking or smoking while breastfeeding.