Breast milk is very important for your baby’s healthy start in life! Most mothers are aware of the importance of breast milk and are making an effort to give more breast milk to their baby. During this period, mothers may often ask themselves what to do to increase breast milk. We would like to share a few suggestions that may help you.
To increase your milk, it is very important to breastfeed your baby regardless of the time of day. The first 10 days you hold your baby in your arms is the maturation period of your milk. During this period, breastfeeding your baby under the guidance of your baby will help your milk to take a certain form and mature. In the following 3 weeks, your body will have determined your baby’s needs and will start producing milk according to your baby’s sucking pattern. If you move with your baby during this period, it will be very comfortable. Sleeping, waking up and feeding together with your baby will be effective in forming the bond between you and your baby. It is also important to put the help of adults in order at the beginning of this process.
Believing that you will feed your baby with breast milk until birth, knowing who to talk to if you are stuck about breastfeeding in the first days, and choosing a breast pump will make your job easier for later.
The following tricks can help you to increase your milk.
- The primary way to increase and maintain your breast milk supply is to breastfeed your baby plenty.
- Stress directly affects the secretion and production of breast milk, so it is important to avoid stress and anxiety. Do not hesitate to ask for help from your partner and relatives. This is important for your health and the health of your baby.
- Drinking plenty of water directly affects the formation of breast milk. Breastfeeding mothers should consume an average of 3 – 3.5 liters of water per day. It is useful to pay close attention to fluid intake, especially during summer periods.
- after day 4 – 5, breast milk may start to be produced more than the baby needs. If your baby cannot empty your breast by sucking, expressing your breast after breastfeeding will increase your milk production. Because your body will start producing milk to fill your empty milk ducts. In all my trainings, I recommend that expectant mothers and fathers determine a breast pump before giving birth.
- Sleep is also a factor that affects milk very much. Therefore, especially if you can sleep with your baby for 1 hour at noon, this will positively affect your milk.
- Especially a protein-based diet will have a positive effect on your milk. Plan your diet as 3 main meals and 3 snacks. Emphasize animal protein in the evening meal. Your snacks can be nuts such as almonds, walnuts and a glass of buttermilk.
- 5-7 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits should be consumed daily. However, it is important to choose these from seasonal products.
- Salami, sausage, sausage, sausage, ham and other foods that contain additives such as spices and salt with a high concentration of salt should not be consumed as they can retain the fluid in your body.
- Milk, yogurt and cheese, which are rich in calcium, should be consumed every day.
You can also take a look at other articles on nutrition during breastfeeding.
A healthy diet requires adequate and balanced daily intake of each food group. Roughly in this period;
- Milk – yogurt / 2-3 cups (400-600 ml.)
- Cheese / 2 matchboxes (60 gr)
- Meat, chicken, fish / 3-4 portions
- Eggs, legumes / 1 serving
- Fresh vegetables and fruits / 5-7 servings
Grains
- Bread / 4-6 slices
- Rice, bulgur, pasta etc. / none or 2-3 servings
When your baby first comes into the world, the temperature of the air, the smell, the sounds around him, everything is different from what he knows. All he knows is his mother, whose smell he recognizes, whose voice he knows. The time it takes for your baby to get used to the world and for you to get used to your baby is only 40 days. Everything will be fine in this time, but please don’t rush into anything. Especially in the first 2-3 weeks, breastfeed your baby whenever he/she wants, as often as he/she wants, until the milk in one breast runs out.
Breastfeed lots, drink lots of water, sleep with your baby and wake up with your baby. Before you know it, everything will be fine.