Foods to Eat and How to Increase Milk Production

Nursing mothers are constantly making milk for your baby.  Do you find that there are days when you are producing abundance of milk, and then there are days when your struggling? 

A nursing mother is recommended to drink 64 ounces of water a day. One way to keep hydrated is to keep water near you at all times, such as a water bottle.  You can sip on it throughout the day. You want to avoid getting dehydrated during the day, because you will make less milk.  Some early signs of dehydration are dry mouth, dark urine, dizziness, headaches and muscle weakness.   Along with water there are a variety of different foods that helps increase milk supply. 

Foods that Increase Milk Supply 

 oatmeal

• aid blood pressure regulation
• increase in milk production
• good source of iron, calcium and fiber

 garlic

• used for centuries to help nursing mothers
• add to your meals for a different flavor

 carrots

• good source of beta-carotene (great for lactation)
• good source carbohydrates
• boost of potassium

 nuts

• Cashews, almonds and macadamia are the most popular to boost milk supply
• Great in good fats and antioxidants
• Look for the raw nuts when possible
• avoid excess oil, or salted nuts
• add to recipes or just snack by themselves

sesame seeds 

• high in calcium
• type of a sesame seed is sweet, but loaded with sugar

ginger 

• has curative properties
• drinking ginger ale, ginger pops will help boost milk production
• add ginger to your cooking
• ginger snap cookies 
• babies tend to nurse longer if they taste ginger, because they seem to like the flavor of breastmilk
• Drink garlic milk

How do you increase your milk supply?

• Nurse your baby throughout the day. When you nurse your baby often during the day your body will start to make more milk.   Nursing often will send a message to your body to produce more milk to meet the demands of your baby.

• Don’t panic if your baby isn’t getting enough to eat. When the baby arrives into the world, it takes time for your milk to come in. While you are waiting, your baby is  getting colostrum. When you see regularly wet and poop in diapers, or you see your baby is alert and active your supply is doing well.       

•  Wait to use the bottle as long as possible.  For the first couple of weeks your baby should be nursing.  When you have your baby suck on your breast they will become emptier even more than if you have the pump and also you will make more milk.

• Feed yourself first then feed your baby.  Your baby depends on you to get the nourishment they need to to survive and grow healthy. Experts strongly suggest to  stay healthy by eating a variety of healthy foods each day and through out the day. The best diet is eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. This will be beneficial for you and your baby. If you are exclusively breastfeeding you will need an extra 300-500 calories per day more then what you needed before pregnancy weight.  

• Get support outside of your community or from people you know.  In your community there are support group for moms that are breastfeeding.  Also you can reach out to your friends or your own mother who may have experience in breastfeeding.  People that you know that are critical, unsupportive, or don’t believe breastfeeding is beneficial.  These people may show negativity.  Try to stay away from these people, because if you are near them it may make it more difficult to make milk.     

• Rest as much as possible during the day. The best way to do this is when your baby sleeps, then you sleep.  If you are not rested, your milk supply will decrease.  When I got discharged from the hospital nurses kept reminding me to rest so I can make milk.  Avoid overexerting yourself during the day.  You may need to cut down on your daily work chores and outside commitments until you gain more energy.  During this time, enjoy bonding with your baby and being a mother.  

Is Sunscreen Safe For Babies?

Summer is just around the corner, and you’re at the store staring at all the varieties of sunscreens that are available for your baby.  Which do you choose?  I will inform you why it is important to use sunscreen for your child, and what to look for.

Babies skin is more receptive to skin damage from the sun, because the skin is thinner and has a lower melanin concentration than adult’s skin. If your child has a many serious sunburns, it may increase your child’s risk of having skin cancer later in their life. Sunscreen can be applied to babies six months and older. Avoid exposing your six month and older baby to the sun during the peak hours of 10 am and 2 pm. Dress your baby in protective clothing, use a hat with a brim, and sunglasses.  Babies that are six months and younger should use other forms of sun protection. Keep your baby out of direct sunlight to protect from sun exposure. Use protective clothing such as sunglasses and a hat with a brim. Your baby should keep out of direct sunlight and placed in a shaded area.

 Sunscreen that comes in a cream or a spray form are the best. Avoid using products that have sunscreen and insect repellent deed, because insect repellent doesn’t technically need to be applied. When you choose sunscreen find one with a broad spectrum of SPF at least 15. The American Academy of dermatology recommends using a broad spectrum sunscreen SPF of 30 or more. When applying use generous amounts and reapply every two hours if they are perspiring and/or in the water for a long periods of time. 

Sun Safety ABC's

1.Shade and shelter:

Shaded tree, awnings gazebos, or a sun umbrella, Another form of protection on the baby carriage or stroller that provides a variety of degrees of shade

2. Sun safe togs 

Dressing the baby in the sun protective clothing: such as lightweight and  breathable long sleeve gowns, one pieces or long sleeve shirt, long pants and bright colors. 

This offers excellent protection to protect the body. Placing sunglasses and broad brimmed hat (4 inches around) or sun bonnets will help block the sun as well from their neck area.

3. Road safety 

Highly recommended for long travels is to put your baby in the middle of the backseat. This will protect the baby from UVA rays and ultraviolet B rays from the windows. Keep the baby hydrated and cool as possible while traveling on the road. Babies are susceptible to heat exhaustion, because they are limited to regulate their body temperature.

Sunscreens that is safe for your baby:

Mustela High Protection Sun Lotion

Sunbow Sunscreen

Nursing Pads

Reading to Your Child

 How many parents are reading to their child everyday and know how important it is? Experts have shown how beneficial it is to start reading to your child as young as possible. Reading to your baby helps stimulate interests in different sounds. Some experts have suggested to start as early as pregnancy. Babies hear their mother's voice while in the womb, so why not start.  An infant brain is growing rapidly. By reading to your baby will help your baby grow and prepare themselves as they get older and enter into school.

So how do you get the most out of reading to your baby? There is a way to do so.  Help your child make connections with the story to the world they live in. For instance lets say there are two ball in your story.  The first balls is yellow and the second ball is red. Which color does the child like better? When your baby is little your may decide which color to choose, but as they get older  the child may pick.

So what are the best ways to read to your child? When reading stories make it a time to cuddle for example right at bedtime.  This will strengthen your bond with you and your child.  Don't worry about finishing a story. Point out pictures when you read and then next time let the child find them. As the child becomes older increase the length and difficulty of the book.

Experts strongly suggest not using audiobooks or other sources of media, because babies and children need to feel the emotional connection by the words on the pages.

Reading to your Infants reinforces:

• speech development
• hear the rhythmic sounds
• The more you read to your child the stronger your bond will be to your child
• builds vocabulary, stimulates imagination, and improves communication skills
• Reading to a baby introduces concepts of stories, numbers, letters, colors, and shapes, and gives them information about the world around them
• By the time your baby is one years old your baby has already learned all the sounds they need to speak your native language
• when your child hears a variety of words the better they will be able to speak