What to do to have milk. What should a mother do to feed her baby correctly: increase the fat content of breast milk or improve the quality of lactation? What foods should not be consumed while breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a natural process programmed in the body of every woman who gives birth. Babies who eat mother's milk fully and for a long time are distinguished by stronger immunity than bottle-fed babies. They are strongly connected to their mother, because breastfeeding brings mother and baby closer together. Babies on HB are actively developing and growing rapidly.

Breastfeeding is much healthier than formula

Each woman has her own physical characteristics, and milk can be in small quantities, especially after a cesarean section, anesthesia, during periods of stress or illness. What can you do so that you can fully feed the newborn and do not resort to using artificial mixtures? The simplest thing is to eat foods that increase the production of breast milk in a nursing mother (we recommend reading :). To enhance lactation, you need to eat right.

Why is lactation decreasing?

After the baby is born, the mother needs to rest more and be in a comfortable environment. A woman, if she is not too strong physically, only with the possibility of full sleep and an adequate daily regimen, is able to feed her baby to her fill.

Childbirth is a difficult test for the body, and it can fail in various ways, which, in turn, affects lactation.

There are also serious hormonal disorders. In this case, lactation can be established only with the help of hormonal therapy, but such milk will no longer be useful for the baby. There is also a hereditary predisposition to lack of lactation. Why is the amount of milk in mother's breast reduced? Let's highlight the main reasons for the decrease in lactation in a nursing mother:

  • Wrong to the chest. It can be too frequent or rare attachments, painful sensations in the minutes of feeding,.
  • Improper nutrition and mother's day regimen during the hepatitis B period.
  • Stressful situations, a tense environment at home, going to work, or too heavy a day for the mother.
  • Psychological barriers to breastfeeding reduce lactation. Conscious or latent fear of ruining the shape of the breast, being dependent on the child.
  • Taking medications.


In a stressful situation, the amount of milk can decrease dramatically

Proper food is the key to good lactation

If you do not have serious illnesses and disruptions in the functioning of the body, try to normalize lactation with the help of proper nutrition. What a mother eats affects not only the quality of milk, but also the quantity. The mother needs to adhere to a certain diet so that the baby does not have allergies or problems with the gastrointestinal tract, so that enough milk arrives. A nursing mom doesn't need to eat much. Eat healthy foods in moderation. Calculate your diet and be sure to include the following foods:

  • up to 300 gr. fermented milk products (yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt);
  • up to 200 gr. a day of meat or fish (will provide your body with protein);
  • up to 150 gr. cottage cheese;
  • up to 30 gr. hard cheese.

The quality of the cooked food matters. Do not snack in pastry shops or restaurants, buy groceries in trusted stores. Before you eat yogurt, especially in the warmer months, check the expiration date. It is better to use starter cultures, make sour milk yourself in a yogurt maker or thermos. It is better to eat vegetables and fruits from your own garden or purchase from regular sellers, because often “gifts of nature” are pumped up with nitrates. Drink enough liquid (up to 3 liters per day), because this is a prerequisite for increasing lactation. It can be liquid fermented milk products, tea, compote, water, herbs, a little milk. It is good if the liquid is warm overnight.



Dairy products are good for a nursing mom

Why is it so important for a nursing mother to eat right? On the one hand, the child needs it. Anything you eat then ends up in milk. The food should contain enough carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and trace elements. On the other hand, the mother must support her body, which is not yet strong after childbirth, stressed by breastfeeding and constant care for the newborn. In the event that your milk is not enough, you feel that the child is not eating enough, do not rush to run to the pharmacy for the formula. Try increasing lactation by adding certain foods to your diet.

What is better not to eat for a nursing mom?

A nursing mother should not be on a strict diet. Rather, she should eat like a person watching over her health, not knowing what fast food, alcohol and food from public catering are, according to Dr. Komarovsky. A strict ban in the diet of a nursing mother should be on the following ingredients:

  • alcoholic drinks (including beer) (we recommend to read:);
  • smoked sausage, meat, fish;
  • chips, spicy crackers;
  • hot spices and store-bought seasonings;
  • rolls and cakes in large quantities;
  • some spices (sage and parsley);
  • store mayonnaise;
  • active and passive.

Products that increase lactation

Let us consider in detail the question of which foods actively stimulate milk production in a nursing mother. The list contains products that increase milk formation, the trace elements they contain and the consumption rate (calculated per serving). This is healthy and tasty food, not medicine. It is much better to resort to natural methods of treatment.

100-150 gr.Watermelon, fermented baked milk, kefir.
  • Watermelon contains B vitamins, calcium and magnesium.
  • Fermented baked milk and kefir, in addition to lactic acid bacteria, contain calcium, iron, amino acids, vitamins B, PP, E.
70-80 gr.Pure carrots and freshly squeezed juice, beef.
  • Carrots are extremely high in beta-carotene and various minerals.
  • Beef will provide the body with potassium, magnesium, choline.
40-60 gr.Buckwheat, natural honey, pure cottage cheese, beef tongue, oatmeal.
  • Buckwheat porridge is rich in protein, vitamins PP, group B, potassium, calcium and phosphorus.
  • Oatmeal is rich in proteins and carbohydrates, contains potassium and magnesium, vitamins.
  • Honey contains potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus.
  • Cottage cheese is rich in protein, vitamins of group B, A, E, PP, folic acid.
  • Beef tongue is a storehouse of protein and B vitamins.
30-50 gr.Chicken or chicken broth, rice and barley porridge, lean fish, hard cheese, black currant, lettuce.
  • Chicken is rich in protein and contains many vitamins.
  • Rice and barley will saturate the body with B vitamins, iron, phosphorus and calcium.
  • Fish is a storehouse of phosphorus and potassium.
  • Hard cheeses are high in protein, fat and carbohydrates.
  • Blackcurrant and lettuce are rich in vitamin C.
5-20 gr.Walnuts, virgin oil, radish, beetroot and freshly squeezed beet juice, dill or fennel, garlic.
  • Nuts are rich in potassium and magnesium.
  • Oil, beets and radish contain vitamins, potassium, magnesium.
  • Dill and fennel are high in vitamin C, carotene and magnesium.
  • There is a lot of ascorbic acid in garlic.

What's most useful?

The most popular milk-boosting foods are fennel and walnuts. Infusion of fennel is also given to babies with colic, so drinking it is doubly useful. Improvements with the amount of milk will not keep you waiting if you regularly drink a cup of warm tea with a spoonful of honey at night (read more in the article :). Infusion of walnuts in milk not only enhances lactation, but also improves the condition of the body as a whole. Great if you like fermented milk products that stimulate milk production and improve digestion.



Walnuts are not only tasty, but also healthy. But in moderation!

Caution allergens!

Some foods that prolong lactation in a nursing mother are not only healthy, but can cause allergies - everything is individual here. Doctors do not recommend using it in an amount greater than the indicated daily rate. If you yourself do not suffer from food allergies, the opposite, negative reaction to the following foods may occur in the baby's body:

  1. Walnut is a rather active allergen, although it is a storehouse of vitamins and increases lactation perfectly. You should not eat more than a handful a day.
  2. Do not overuse pure milk. It often causes problems with the digestive tract and dyspepsia in crumbs. Add milk to tea or drink a quarter cup at night. Kefir and yogurt are good for your gastrointestinal tract, increase lactation no less than fennel.
  3. Another strong allergen is honey. You should not completely exclude it, especially replace it with sugar. A spoonful of honey in tea that stimulates lactation is your option. Natural honey, not diluted, without impurities, will help both you and your child to hurt less, strengthen hair and nails, and improve skin condition. Fake honey will not do you any good, so keep an eye on its quality, buy bee products from trusted sellers.
  4. Vegetables and fruits that increase the amount of breast milk are useful, but you need to carefully introduce them into your diet, because they are active allergens, especially red berries. Strawberries, raspberries, red currants are best consumed in minimal quantities, in compote or jelly. In its pure form, it is better to eat fruits of green or yellow color: apples, gooseberries, yellow raspberries, grapes (we recommend reading :).
  5. Do not rush to eat the first watermelons and melons - they often contain a lot of nitrates, you can poison not only yourself, but also the crumb.

Think about health

Increasing lactation is not easy, but possible. Eat foods that improve milk production, latch your baby to the breast often (this promotes prolactin production), drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest. First of all, the mother of the newborn should not clean the house or prepare the menu for the whole family, but take care of the baby. The first year of your child's life will flash quickly. You will still have time to stand at the stove or run around with a vacuum cleaner in your hands for all subsequent years, but the period of breastfeeding cannot be returned.

Remember that your milk is the guarantee of your child's health for decades to come. Think about your health, and let your loved ones help you in this good goal.

For a newborn to develop normally, he needs to eat well. Sometimes new mothers notice that the child is very capricious, constantly crying and very irritated. Basically, this behavior is a sign that the baby is hungry. We have to think about increasing lactation and how to increase the fat content of breast milk.

Breast milk is the most useful nutritious product for a child, the development of the immune system and the body depends on it. It is for this reason that it is important that it is fat enough.

Signs pointing to low-fat milk:

  1. After feeding, the child continues to cry, does not eat up.
  2. When expressed, the mother's milk is clear or blue in color.

If one of the listed signs is found, it is necessary to carry out a kind of analysis of milk, which will help determine its fat percentage. The test can be done at home. Take a test tube and pour some milk into it. Let the contents sit for 5-6 hours until cream forms on top. Then measure with a ruler how many mm they occupy. 1 mm equals 1% fat. The normal rate is 4%.

In the event that the analysis showed less than 4%, you need to find out how to increase the fat content of breast milk.

Proper nutrition

Women's doctors claim that proper nutrition contributes to better lactation and constantly maintains the desired level of milk fat. A nursing mother needs to receive 500 Kcal more than usual every day. And what is required is not chocolate and other sweets, but healthy foods. Let's try to figure out in more detail what a nursing mother needs to eat in order to have a lot of milk.

Foods that should be in the diet of a breastfeeding mother:

  1. Broths made with meats such as chicken, rabbit or beef. If there are hot soups every day, then there will be no problems with lactation, moreover, the body will begin to better absorb other food.
  2. A nursing mother needs cereals. It can be buckwheat, rice, semolina, millet, arnautka. They are high in calories and contribute to better milk flow to the mammary glands.
  3. If the child is breastfed, the woman must definitely drink herbal infusions. For example, chamomile is soothing and does not contribute to the development of an allergic reaction in babies.
  4. To always have a lot of milk, nails and teeth to remain strong and white, a nursing mother needs to eat cottage cheese and yoghurts. But cow's milk cannot be abused, it should be drunk no more than 2 glasses a day.
  5. Seasonal vegetables and fruits. These are very important products that supply vitamins to the mother's body, then they are passed on to the baby during feeding.

What foods increase the fat content of milk

What lactation depends on and what you need to eat in order to have milk has already become clearer. Now it remains to figure out how to increase the fat content of breast milk if it is not enough. Reusable fractional meals enriched with vegetable fats, complex carbohydrates and proteins are recommended.

If the baby is breastfed, then it is through breast milk that he should receive everything that is needed for normal development.

Products that increase the fat content of milk:

  1. Sunflower nuts and seeds.
  2. Homemade cottage cheese and hard cheeses.
  3. Beef and liver.

It is important to understand that each of the above products should be eaten very carefully for the reason that, for example, nuts can provoke allergies in a baby. Recommended not more than 30-40 grams per day of seeds and nuts; beef and cottage cheese can be eaten in slightly larger quantities.

Drinks that keep milk fat

How to make breast milk fat by drinking, and is it possible? It is believed that the liquid dilutes the milk, making it more watery. However, the arguments presented were proved to be excessively exaggerated. To have an acceptable percentile ratio, you just need to choose the right drinks.

  1. When breastfeeding, newly-made mothers need not only eat well, but also drink 2-2.5 liters of liquid per day. This includes water, soups, and broths.
  2. In order for the fat content of milk to be sufficient for feeding the child, doctors recommend using rosehip broth.
  3. If a woman loves coffee, then at the time of breastfeeding, it can be replaced with a barley drink.
  4. Green tea with cream half an hour before feeding not only stimulates lactation, but also has a positive effect on maintaining the balance of fat content in breast milk.
  5. If a woman wants to eat and drink so that her baby gets vitamins, you can prepare compotes from seasonal fruits. The main thing is to select products that do not contribute to the manifestation of allergies. If you want strawberries, you can try to eat them, but for the first time - only one berry, and only if the child is 5-6 months old.
  6. Natural juices from carrots and apples will be useful for the body of mother and child. They contain a large amount of vitamins.

It is not enough just to drink and eat correctly during breastfeeding. There are other factors that can reduce the fat content of milk and help stop lactation. Stress, lack of sleep and chronic fatigue drain the mother's body, and the baby suffers from this. To avoid unpleasant consequences, follow the helpful tips below.

  1. You only need to eat healthy foods in the allotted time. Compliance with the correct diet plays a fundamental role in the fat content of breast milk and its quantity.
  2. Try to be as little nervous as possible - small children feel the stress of their mothers a lot, as a result they may refuse to eat and sleep.
  3. If you want to give your baby the most care and protection, always get a good night's sleep. Chronic fatigue causes irritability and loss of energy.
  4. There are many ways to make milk more fatty, choose the safest one for yourself, based on the individual characteristics of the body.
  5. You can't overeat. You need to eat often, but in small portions. This will help to avoid sudden "rushes" of milk and an increase in its fat content.
  6. Try not to pump too much. The first portion of milk that a child eats is less fat than the second. Therefore, make sure that the baby finishes everything to the end. Only then can it be applied to the other breast.

If you want to increase the fat content of your breast milk, make sure you really need it. It is possible that the cause of the baby's starvation and his anxiety lies elsewhere. In the event that you cannot figure it out yourself, you can seek help from a pediatrician.

After the birth of a child, the next most important task for a woman is to breastfeed him. There is no better food for a baby than breast milk, both mother and child are programmed for breastfeeding by nature itself.



Almost all women are able to feed a newborn with breast milk, with the exception of no more than 2-3 percent of women, for whom breastfeeding is contraindicated for health reasons for medical reasons. All others can and should feed, and this will be of invaluable benefit to their child. Breast milk contains all the nutrients a baby needs. They help its growth, strengthen immunity, and promote the development of the brain. And also, breastfeeding is the most important close contact between mother and baby.


Constantly feeling near the mother, her warmth and love, the child will be more calm emotionally, have fewer digestive problems, and diseases in the first year of life will also bypass him. Breastfeeding is now very widely promoted, there are many breastfeeding specialists. Indeed, at the initial stage of breastfeeding, a nursing mother has many questions, for example, how to properly attach the baby to the breast, how often it should be done, and whether the baby has enough milk. These concerns are understandable, since the baby is not yet able to explain his needs, and the responsibility for his successful development lies entirely with the parents, therefore, proper child care and properly organized breastfeeding are extremely important.


Mothers often have a question about how to eat in order to have more breast milk. First of all, it is necessary to drink as much liquid as possible, not less than 1.5, but not more than 2.5 liters per day. Since breast milk is almost 80 percent water, the body of a nursing mother should also receive it in sufficient quantities. You can drink not only water, tea with milk, freshly brewed, black or green, is very useful to enhance lactation. Even grandmothers used this method to increase the amount of breast milk. Before feeding, drink a glass of this tea in 10-15 minutes, and eat a bowl of soup or a sandwich with cheese. Secondly, herbs such as anise, fennel, cumin, nettle and decoctions from them also have a lacticidal effect. Currently, the baby food departments sell special teas to enhance and maintain lactation from various manufacturers, both foreign and Russian. Some of the most effective teas for nursing mothers are "Hipp" or "Lactogon". Food products that are included in the diet of a lactating woman should be both dietary and provide the body with the necessary amount of calories so that milk deficiency is not created. Dishes should be consumed protein, fish, meat, vegetables, but be careful with fruits. Unwanted canned food, cakes, pastries, the need for carbohydrates are best satisfied with bread (bread with caraway seeds is especially useful), cereal bread, cereal cookies. Kefir, cereals, dairy products are required. Previously, doctors' recommendations on how to eat so that there was more breast milk included advice that the mother herself should drink as much milk as possible, now almost no one recommends doing this, due to the possibility of a negative effect of cow's milk on the composition chest. Many children now often have such a phenomenon as cow protein allergy, which means intolerance to cow's milk.


It is assumed that the body of a nursing mother will independently form the composition of breast milk that is optimal for the baby. In order to make her milk nutritious, the mother should eat more natural foods that are high in vitamins. To have more breast milk, apply to the baby's breast often, this is a basic rule. By constantly stimulating the work of the mammary gland, thereby the baby will help to produce the amount of breast milk that he needs. There is no need to limit the duration of feeding, when the baby is full, he will release the breast himself. No less important is the technique of attaching the baby to the breast - there should be no chomping sounds when feeding, so that as little air as possible gets into the baby's mouth, then he will not be tormented by belching and increased gas formation.


During breastfeeding, you should eat so as to consume as few allergenic foods as possible. If the mother is allergic to certain foods, the baby is more likely to have it. No need to eat seasonings with a strong smell, garlic, a lot of onions. This can give the milk an unpleasant aftertaste that the baby will not like. Foods that increase lactation are cheese, carrots, dill, parsley, walnuts. Squeezed carrot juice mixed with milk is very useful, it should be drunk warm before feeding. However, you need to carefully monitor whether your child develops an allergy to carrots. You can also buy specialized food, which is produced for pregnant and lactating mothers. Many antenatal clinics issue coupons for its free purchase, to all women at their request.


Such nutrition contributes to the saturation of milk with essential nutrients, supports and strengthens the body of a nursing mother. But, if it is not at hand, then you should not worry. If breastfeeding is organized correctly, a nursing woman does not starve and feeds regularly, drinks a sufficient amount of liquid, there will always be enough breast milk for the baby. When the so-called lactation crises occur, they can also be dealt with with proper nutrition, a calm emotional environment, and, if necessary, taking lactogonous teas. However, it is still not worth consuming these teas all the time, since you can make the production of breast milk even excessive, and it will be much more difficult to lower it.

It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of breast milk for an infant. Such food is the most organic for the crumbs, provides it with all the elements necessary for growth and development, completely replaces not only food, but also drink, and at the same time is easily and naturally absorbed. According to statistics, babies are less prone to colds than others, and their immunity in the first years of life is much stronger than that of their peers who are artificial. Nevertheless, not every mommy succeeds in establishing breastfeeding - not knowing its basics, you can make a lot of efforts and still not achieve tangible results, providing the baby with milk. Our tips will show you how to increase breast milk and make breastfeeding easy and enjoyable.

Bottle or chest? The dilemma of the first year of life

The shelves of modern supermarkets are simply bursting with an abundance of all kinds of infant formula, expensive and cheaper. The balanced composition, the verified amount of vitamins, macro- and microelements promise to provide the baby with ideally harmonious nutrition from the first days of life, but none of them can compare with breast milk. Breastfeeding has many undeniable benefits for your baby:

  • Complete menu.Breast milk is both food and drink at the same time. Its natural composition includes a sufficient amount of proteins, fats and water, which are easily absorbed and allow the child to quickly gain weight and, accordingly, develop physically. The baby also receives vitamins, salts, iron, phosphorus, calcium and other components that are so necessary in this difficult period from HS, which means that he does not need additional pharmacological additives.
  • Strong immunity. For the first six months of a baby's life, his immune system is not sufficiently developed, so the mother's breast milk provides resistance to diseases. And in the future, the frequency of complicated colds in infants is significantly lower than in artificial ones.
  • No allergic reactions. Even the most modern formula causes hypersensitivity in newborns much more often than breast milk.

However, for a nursing mother, this feeding method is also the most preferable, since it combines many advantages:

  • Fast recovery. HB promotes the earliest possible contraction of the uterus after childbirth, serves as prevention of bleeding and helps the mother to quickly restore the "pre-pregnant" forms, as it has a positive effect on metabolism.
  • Convenience. You don't have to spend a lot of time choosing the most suitable formula, getting up at night to prepare a bottle, worrying about food for your child while traveling - everything you need will always be at hand.
  • Psychological factor. Breastfeeding produces specific hormones that are soothing and relaxing. This effect is especially valuable in the difficult period of the first months of a baby's life, when a newly-made mother may feel exhausted and overly worked up.

That is why many women are worried about how to increase breast milk and provide the baby with such valuable nutrition for as long as possible, for which, alas, there is no full replacement yet.

How to establish lactation? First mistakes

You should take care of how to increase the production of breast milk even in the maternity hospital - it is there that the foundations of GW are laid, and if everything is done correctly, this process will bring maximum pleasure to both mother and baby. Take care of this in advance by discussing all important nuances with the staff:

1. The first attachment of the baby to the breast should take place immediately after birth - this will help him to perceive the breast correctly.

2. Supplementation with a mixture is permissible only in cases of extreme necessity - once having tried the bottle, the newborn will not be interested in "getting" food from the breast.

3. Try to latch on the baby to the breast as often as possible - this is what allows you to increase lactation to a greater extent.

4. Do not take a pacifier with you so that you will not be tempted to give it to your child if he starts to act up.

5. Do not be alarmed if the first 3-4 days the amount of excreted colostrum is minimal - it is very nutritious, so even a couple of drops will be enough for the baby to eat. The milk flow usually occurs 3-5 days after delivery.

6. Do not use a breast pump - it can increase lactation too much, and it will be extremely uncomfortable for the baby to eat. Everything should be in moderation!

All these tips are relevant when finding a baby and mother together. If circumstances develop in such a way that the child needs to be temporarily isolated, you will have to act according to the situation. Bring bottles from home with the smallest holes in the nipples, as the hospital has too much flow and the baby will quickly get used to the free flow of food. Express regularly so that breast milk does not drain. And as soon as the doctors allow you to feed yourself, try to wean the baby from the bottle - when he is hungry, he will reach for the food source himself.

How to know if your baby has enough breast milk?

It may seem to many mothers that the child does not eat enough and even after prolonged feeding remains hungry. In fact, the duration of a meal does not affect the amount eaten - many babies can just suckle. If you are in doubt, pay attention to the signs that will tell you exactly whether the newborn has enough nutrition:

  • if the baby has filled at least 4-5 diapers in a day and has defecated 2-3 times, do not worry - his body receives the required amount of food;
  • listen to how the newborn swallows - if he is not just sucking on the breast, but actively swallowing, then the volume of milk is sufficient;
  • if the weight gain is at an active pace, the child looks cheerful and cheerful, put aside doubts - you do not need to increase lactation.

If you find at least one of these signs in yourself, then you should seriously think about how to increase the production of breast milk. Do not try to feed the baby with a mixture - as a result, he may completely abandon HS, and you will have to either pump or completely switch to artificial feeding.

How to increase the volume of breast milk? Practical advice

As soon as you find that the baby is not eating enough, you should not in a panic look for a hepatitis B consultant, and even more so run to the store for formula - there are many ways to increase lactation at home. The correct regimen and the secrets of traditional medicine will allow you to preserve hepatitis B and provide the baby with such valuable milk.

We make the correct feeding schedule

The mammary glands are arranged quite thoughtfully: the more there is a need for milk, the more it will be produced. Therefore, the only important rule is keep the baby at the breast for as long as it needs! And let this time seem endless to you, just take a relaxing position, turn on your favorite TV show, sit back on the bed - and feed. Even if it seems to you that the newborn is just indulging and only sucking slightly, do not wean him from the breast - when he is completely full or falls asleep, he will release the nipple himself.

Alternate feeds from different breasts. When it seems to you that the baby has stopped actively swallowing, offer him a second breast - he may want to eat more. And start the next feeding from the second breast - so the baby can receive not only light front milk, but also nutritious rear milk.

To increase milk volume, you should also refuse feeding "by the hour". Apply the baby as often as he wants it, and the more often the better - this way the milk will come constantly. Even at night, do not leave him without food - at this time it is better to organize a joint sleep or get up for feeding every one and a half to two hours. Usually, in 2-3 days of this regime, the amount of milk can be increased to the required level, and constant feedings disappear by themselves. Therefore, do not be alarmed that this "Groundhog Day" will last forever - just use this opportunity to once again take a break from everyday problems.

And of course, the most important rule for mothers who dream of increasing lactation is do not be nervous. Worrying that you will not be able to keep GV and that the child will have to be switched to formula will in no way improve the situation. Therefore, breathe out calmly, look at your baby and start enjoying every moment you spend together!

Traditional Medicine Secrets: Herbalist's Piggy Bank

If you are low on breast milk, you can quickly fix this problem by using proven alternative medicine recipes. Decoctions, tinctures and food with the addition of special herbs will help increase lactation in just a couple of days.

TOP-3 proven recipes

1. Chamomile tea. Brew chamomile flowers 2-3 times a day with sweetened boiling water, and the milk will gradually begin to arrive. This method is good not only for those who dream of preserving HB, but also for those who want to strengthen the nervous system, relieve stress and slightly improve digestion.

2. Milkshake with carrots. This recipe is suitable for those mothers whose newborns are not allergic to carrots. Grate 1 root vegetable on a fine grater, cover with a glass of warm milk and let stand for about 5 minutes. Drink this mix 2-3 times a day, and you can double or triple lactation.

3. Caraway tea. Pour a tablespoon of cumin ½ liter of boiling water, let it brew a little and use instead of tea leaves, diluting it with water and a slice of lemon. Such a drink will significantly increase the volume of milk, as well as relieve possible colic and digestive problems in babies.

To establish GV and increase the amount of breast milk, you do not need any significant efforts - in a woman, nature is inherent in breastfeeding a child, so if desired, everything will definitely work out. And even if at first this process seems too complicated or even unpleasant for you, do not worry - with the proper patience, everything will return to normal very quickly, and you will only have to enjoy close contact with the baby.

Very often women, having waited for the happiest moment in their life - the birth of a baby, having endured all the hardships of pregnancy and childbirth, face another problem - a lack of milk. As a rule, this is accompanied by panic and a thoughtless transfer to supplementary feeding with artificial mixtures. But such a decision is correct only in individual cases, in general, almost all women can maintain lactation as much as the baby needs. The main problem is not in the female body, but in the young woman's ignorance of what to do if a nursing mother has little milk.

According to the WHO, true hypogalactia (the inability of the female body to produce enough milk) is detected only in 3% of women. For the rest, this is a temporary and easily fixable problem.

What signs are most often mistaken for a lack of lactation

Usually, nursing mothers make their own, most often, erroneous conclusions about a lack of lactation on the following grounds:

  • poor expression of the remaining milk from the breast after feeding. But this can also be a physiological phenomenon, in which the breast simply reacts incorrectly to pumping (in the form of a spasm of the ducts), while it does not prevent the baby from sucking milk in sufficient quantities;
  • soft breasts. Here it should be understood that already 1.5 months after the birth of the child, the mother's breast can be filled only by the beginning of direct feeding (most often this is the body's "habit" developed while observing the baby's diet);
  • small breast size;
  • disappointing results of control weighing (carried out before and after feeding the child). Do not forget that at different times the baby sucks out different volumes of milk;
  • anxiety, frequent crying of the baby after feeding (the problem may lie in the work of the digestive system, which is only being adjusted);
  • the need for numerous feedings (at intervals of every 40 minutes, an hour and a half);
  • long time of each feeding.

The likelihood of a new pregnancy with breastfeeding

How can you tell if the problem is insufficient lactation?

You can make sure that a nursing mother does not have enough milk in one of three ways.

  1. Weekly checkweighing.

This is a more objective option than weighing before and after feeding. At one time, a child can eat from 15 grams to 100 grams of breast milk, so the result cannot be objective, but if the baby has gained at least 150 grams in its own weight in a week, then this already indicates sufficient nutrition.

  1. Counting of daily urination.

Up to six weeks of age, a newborn should wet the diaper at least 10 times a day, walk "over the top" 3 times. Pay attention to the color of the urine - it is normally pale yellow or colorless.

  1. Monitoring the condition of the baby.

The reason for concern is that the child is lethargic, does not suck well, urine is dark, weekly weight gain is less than 130 grams, the breast grabs greedily and pulls milk strongly, but does not swallow (externally, this can be seen by the wide-open mouth). You can talk about a lack of nutrition if a newborn sleeps for more than four hours in the first month, he has an increase in body temperature.

Reasons that can lead to a decrease in lactation

There are, in fact, many reasons why a nursing mother has little milk. Very often they are associated with fatigue, poor nutrition of the mother herself, insufficient rest and increased nervousness (at first, a young mother is unreasonably worried and nervous about any, even harmless reason).

The process of breast stimulation is disrupted by attempts to comply with the feeding regime strictly by the clock. Today doctors do not recommend doing this: you need to give a newborn breast when he asks. Moreover, in the first month it should be 12 times a day.

Short feeding and adding water to the newborn will also lead to a decrease in lactation, because the baby simply will not pull from the breast all that is supposed to be for a full feeding. All attempts to accumulate milk for the next feeding will fail, because the body perceives the remaining milk in the milk ducts as an excess of it and begins to produce less in the next portions.

After mothers start giving babies pacifiers or "pitying" their crumbs, they periodically feed them from a bottle, babies, having satisfied their natural need for sucking, pull less on the breast, which leads to a decrease in milk production.

Mommy's uncomfortable posture, stress when feeding - also affects the lactation process.

Hormonal disorders in the female body, stress, taking diuretics, prolonged separation from a newborn after childbirth - this and much more can be the reason why a nursing mother has little milk.

What to do to improve lactation

In order for a nursing mother to have more milk, the first thing to do is:

  • establish a full, balanced diet for a woman;
  • ensure a sufficient amount of fluid entering the woman's body;
  • make time for your own vacation and worry less about it.

There is no need to constantly worry, fear and think that the baby is missing something. Scientists have long noticed one interesting fact about this: in underdeveloped countries with lactation there are much fewer problems than in Europe. But here a lot of attention is paid to this topic by doctors and young mothers. This means that one of the main roles is played not by the standard of living and security, but by the psychological attitude of the woman. Try to perceive the feeding of the baby as a natural, pleasant for the mother, useful for the baby, a process regulated by nature. Just enjoy putting it on your chest.

Is influenza and breastfeeding compatible

The following dietary adjustments will help increase lactation:

  • hot meals should be consumed at least twice a day;
  • plentiful warm drink is imperative. Tea with milk helps very well to increase lactation, it can also be a rosehip broth, dried fruit compote, herbal teas;
  • despite many restrictions, nutrition must be balanced. Whole grain cereals, protein products and containing complex carbohydrates, vegetable oil are especially recommended;
  • it is undesirable to consume fermented milk products in the first month.

If the problem is in the "empty" milk in a nursing mother, you should pay attention to the presence of lactogonic agents in the diet. These are: walnuts, feta cheese, fatty fish, ginger. Some cereal spices are useful: cumin, dill, fennel.

In addition to the above, do not forget that it is necessary to feed the baby on demand, no breaks of three hours. Night feeds should not be ignored, they are most beneficial for the milk separation process as they are it is at night that the largest amount of prolactin (the hormone responsible for this process) is produced. And also be sure to work out the possible causes of the problem with lactation, eliminating them as much as possible.

gastroguru 2017