Foods to aid Breastfeeding

What are Lactogenic / Galactogogue Foods

A neighbour recently had a baby, and was keen to breastfeed. It got me thinking. Can certain foods aid the production of breast milk?

Certain foods across all cultures are said to aid in the production of mother’s breastmilk. The term Galactogogue comes from the Greek Words : “Gala” meaning Milk and “Agogue” meaning bringing forth. Some of the foods have been used by mothers for millennia. Often just credited to women’s folklore, and recent studies have shown that nursing mothers benefit from eating these foods during post partum. Clearly there may be something in these “old wives tales”.

Breastfeeding is widely recognised to promote lifelong health benefits for both the mother and infant. Breastfeeding encourages a strong bond between mother and infant by promoting the production of Oxytocin the “ Love Hormone or Cuddle Chemical”.

International recommendations are: exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age, with ongoing breastfeeding for two years or longer. Certainly, a mixed approach after the initial 6 months is seen to be beneficial.

Evidence indicates that the majority of women initiate breastfeeding at birth; however by the the time the infant has reached 6 months of age, only 60% are providing any breast milk, and 16% are exclusively breastfeeding. This marked drop in exclusive breastfeeding has been observed in many high income countries , including the UK and Europe. Previous research shows that lactation insufficiency (low breast milk supply) whether real or perceived, is one of the most common reasons women discontinue breastfeeding.

Commonly, foods that are lactogenic are also packed with phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens stimulate milk production by raising the PROLACTIN levels in the blood.  Your body needs prolactin to convert nutrients into breastmilk. Oestrogen releases prolactin, while DOPAMINE inhibits the release of prolactin. By adapting your diet, you can increase estrogen and decrease dopamine to raise prolactin. Eating phytoestrogen-dense foods, like oats, whole grains, legumes, soya, and tempe, increases oestrogen levels in your blood and triggers your body to release more prolactin for breastmilk production..

Here are some of my favourite foods which can easily be included in your diet, ready at hand throughout the day to help with your milk supply.

Oats

Oats are a good source of Saponins which are plant based compounds which aid lactation. Oats are an easily digestible food, rich in fibre, magnesium, iron and zinc. Magnesium aids relaxation and gut function, iron helps with the production of Haemoglobin in our red blood cells. Zinc is key to help fight viruses and infections, as well as helping baby with their metabolism, DNA and protein manufacture, and immune function, and maintain good skin, taste and smell.

It is further thought that daily consumption of oats helps with the mother’s serotonin production which helps stress reduction promoting lactation.

Scroll down for my Overnight Oat and Chia Seed Recipe.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are an abundant source of phytoestrogens and are often incorporated into the diet of many mums across the globe. Evidence has been found that Chickpeas were used to aid the production of breast milk since Ancient Egyptian times. They not only contain a good source of phytoestrogens, but also the plant compound Saponins which are also Galactogogues. They are high in dietary protein and a good source of fibre. As chickpeas are a low glycemic food, they will sustain the mother for longer and won’t lead to a blood sugar spike. Chickpeas are nutritious and can be incorporated easily into a salad, mixed with a pasta dish, as well as added to your favourite curry (if baby’s taste buds allow). Better still have a pot of home made hummus to hand with some vegetable sticks to have as a snack throughout the day, and keep hunger pangs at bay.

Fennel

Fennel seeds are a common ingredient in teas and marketed to increase breast milk output. Some people also use fennel seeds to relieve gas and bloating. Often this will help with any gastro intestinal discomfort your infant may have whilst breastfeeding.

It has been reported that incorporating fennel in your diet whilst breastfeeding can increase the volume and fat content of milk and help the baby gain more weight.

Fennel can either be used in the bulb form as a food and incorporated in soups, as a vegetable to roast in the oven with fish, or as a drink with the seeds steeped in hot water to release the fragrant aniseed flavour and drunk throughout the day.

Barley

Barley is one of the richest dietary sources of beta-glucan — a polysaccharide that may increase prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation — as well as tryptophan (pre cursor of Serotonin ).

Whole grains such as Barley can be incorporated in a variety of foods, and can be cooked and made ahead to add to your soup, salads or mixed with roasted vegetables to have as a snack throughout the day. Barley can also be found in many beers, although alcoholic drinks are not recommended, an alternative alcohol free beer might be both thirst quenching and also relaxing with the added benefit of the phytoestrogens found in the Hops too.

Scroll down for my delicious Barley and Mushroom Risotto recipe.

Protein Rich Foods

Protein is essential for the production of breast milk, and it passes from the woman to the baby to nourish and support growth. For this reason, breastfeeding mums require an extra 25 grams of protein per day. To ensure a steady supply of milk, it is essential to eat plenty of protein rich foods per day. Good sources of protein include, nuts and seeds, eggs, tofu, tempe, lean meats and fish (although limit the fish to twice weekly during lactation as some sources of fish are found to have higher than expected levels of mercury).

Why not try adding some full fat cottage cheese to a plate of berries and nuts for a fibre rich, nutrient dense protein rich breakfast, or mid day snack, which is quick and easy to prepare.

Keep jars of your favourite nuts (unsalted) to hand, which can add a satiating fix, full of fibre , full of good fats and high in protein.

Herbal Teas

Herbal teas have been used by women around the globe to aid breast milk production for centuries. It has even been recorded that the Druids used Nettle Leaf tea for this very purpose. Common herbal teas to enjoy to stimulate milk flow include, Nettle Tea, rich in iron and enjoyed with a spoon of honey, Camomile Tea to aid digestion and relaxation, Fennel Tea with its high content of phytoestrogens and Fenugreek tea (or Moringa Tea) which is widely used in Asian cultures. Drinking just three cups of Fenugreek tea a day has been shown to increase the production of prolactin which promotes lactation.

Recipes

Here are some recipes to include in your Post Partum bundle of nutritious Lactogenic Foods :

Lactation Cookies ( source of oats and Brewers Yeast)

These can be made in advance and kept as a standby to munch with a cup of tea . They are packed full of Galactagogue ingredients , rich in dietary fibre, and omega 3 fatty acids and are great tasting too!

Ingredients :

2 tablespoons of flaxseeds, 1/4 cup of water, 1 cup of softened butter, 1/2 cup of white , 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 3 organic egg yolks (large) , 1/12 tsp vanilla extract, 2 cups , 2 cups of plain flour, 1/4 cup of Brewers years, 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar, 1 tablespoon of wheatgerm (rich in Vitamin B and also good source of fibre), 1 tsp of Bicarbonate of Soda, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 2 1/2 cups of Steel Cut Oats, 1 cup of organic dark chocolate chips.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 135 C

Soak the flaxseeds in water and let it stand for 5 minutes.

Beat the butter with the sugar until light and creamy and incorporate the vanilla and egg yolks one at a time and mix thoroughly. Add the soaked flaxseeds (discard any excess soaking water).

Mix the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, brewers yeast, cream of Tartar and wheat germ in a separate bowl.

Add these to the wet ingredients. Then lastly incorporate rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Divide equally into walnut size balls or use an ice cream scoop, and lay flat on a prepaid baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, typically 1—12 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool and place on a wire rack to cool

Barley Risotto with Mushrooms and Asparagus ( Rich in Plant Phytoestrogens)

Ingredients: Makes 4 servings

200 g Pearl Barley , 30 g of butter , 30 g of good olive oil, 700 ml of vegetable stock or stock of choice , 1 x shallot finely chopped, 1 sprig of Thyme , 1 -2 slices of Lemon peel (make sure this is from an unwaxed lemon), 1 clove of garlic, 225 g of portobello, or chestnut mushrooms, 225 g of Asparagus tips (these can be substituted with frozen peas), grated parmesan to taste. 150 g creme fresh.

Method:

Sauce the finely chopped shallot with the oil and butter together in a heavy bottom pan, then add the Pearl Barley, heated stock, sprig of Thyme and lemon peel to the pan. Bring to the boil stirring all the time, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, blanche the asparagus in boiling water, once cooked, immediately plunge into cold water to arrest the cooking process and keep the spears green. Add the butter to another pan, and sauté the mushrooms with chopped garlic and keep stirring until all the water has been evaporated from the mushrooms and set this aside.

When the Barley has cooked through , add the frozen peas (if using) heat through on a low heat until the peas are cooked, which should be a matter of minutes.

Stir through the creme fresh incorporating throughout all the grains until they are light and creamy, add the mushrooms and asparagus spears and add the grated parmesan. Serve in bowls with extra parmesan if required.

Any leftovers can be had the next day for lunch just heated through.

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds topping of choice (Rich in Fibre, and Protein)

Ingredients: Makes 3 servings

125 g rolled oats, 366 ml of milk of your choice, 150 g full fat greek yoghurt, 3 tablespoons chia seeds, 3 teaspoons of maple syrup.

Method:

Mix the yoghurt and the milk to slacken the yoghurt, add the maple syrup to the liquid. Mix the liquid with the oat and chia seed mix. Mix this into three small glass jars and cover and leave overnight in the fridge.

To enjoy, top with your favourite berries, a banana , walnuts or cinnamon.

This amount makes 3 x servings and to make enough for the week, you can double the ingredients and store in the fridge with jar lids on. Safe in the knowledge that a quick nutritious breakfast is ready for you.

Get in touch today for your free 15 minute discovery call, and see how a health coach can help you.