Published by : Matsiko Gift , Certified  Nutritionist.

Through out the world , women in different cultures eat certain milk making foods right after child birth and while they are breast feeding , therefore if you are wondering if there foods you can eat to naturally increase your breast milk production? Well the foods listed below can enable you to promote and support a healthy supply of breast milk to your baby.

1. Whole Grain Foods

These are very nutritious for breast feeding moms and they are thought to have properties that support hormones responsible for making breast milk . examples include millet flour/porridges (bushera) , whole brown rice , maize flour, oat meal, barley.

2. Dark Green Vegetables 

Vegetables such as Spinach ,Lettuce , broccoli , Carrots , Kale , alfalfa contain phytoestrogens that may have an effect on increasing breast milk production.

3. Plenty of Fluids 

Drinking enough fluids like water,porridges , juice keeps a lactating mother hydrated all the time and acts as away of increasing the qauntity of breast milk.

4 . Almonds 

Nuts especially raw almonds are healthy and full of protein and calcium . Many breast feeding mothers choose to eat almonds or drink almond milk to increase the creaminess, sweetness and amount of breastmilk.

5. Fresh Ginger Root 

Ginger is not only a healthy addirion to your diet but it can also increase breat milk production and help with stimulating the Milk let down reflex

You can choose to add it to your dishes that you cook or in tea.

6. Herbal tea

Home made herbal tea using spices like fennel have shown to have galactogenic properties that boost milk production. Other spices that could be used include Fenugreek seeds , Blessed thistle.

7. Bone Broth

This is also known as "Ekigere" in one of the local language , Luganda . its packed with Amino acids , collagen and minerals that the breastfeeding mother's body needs to heal post-delivery and also boost milk production.

8. Garlic 

Studies have shown that garlic flavored breast milk may help keep breast fed babies nursing longer and boost  breast milk production as well. However it seems that some infants  may not tolerate it very well and therefore you should avoid it if so is the case.

Other activities you could avoid to prevent low breast milk production is to avoid Stress , Taking too much Alcohol( Recommend at least 1 bottle a week ) , Avoid using feeding bottles in the very first few weeks after giving birth instead breast feed the child from the nipple.

Note of Caution ;

While taking these highly nutrious and milk producing foods , keep on mind that too much of anything is not always good. Therefore if these foods worked for you and boosted the amount of breast milk you had to a point that you feel comfortable with, begin to cut back on how much of the Lactogenic foods you are eating . If not , too much Breast milk could lead to a set of heaalth problems like Breast Engorgment , Plugged Milk ducts and Mastitis.