Best foods for breastfeeding ♡ Boost your breast milk supply ♡ All vegan

Best foods for breastfeeding

We love to share the best foods for breastfeeding. Boost your milk supply, just by eating lovely plant-based food!

Now your little one is (almost) here. And you know all about the magical benefits of breastfeeding. You want to be sure your milk supply is sufficient.

These vegan foods boost your milk supply:

• Breastfeeding favourites
• Vegetables to increase breastmilk
• Fruits for breastfeeding mums
• Herbs to boost your milk supply
• Summary

Breastfeeding plant-based favourites

Oats

Oats are a wonderful way of starting your day! Full of vitamins and minerals. All essentials to boost your breastmilk supply.

• There are varies ways to enjoy its health benefits. You can either have oat bowl, make oat cookies or add oats to your smoothies.

Just half a cup per day is sufficient.

Garlic

Garlic has so many health benefits for both you and your baby. As it is: anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic.

• Besides its medical benefits garlic also boosts your breast milk supply. Use fresh garlic to healthy give taste to all kinds of dishes.

Some babies don’t like the taste of the milk after mum eat garlic. You will notice it when your baby doesn’t want to drink after you’ve been eating garlic.
Avoid this by eating garlic during your pregnancy.

Brown rice

Brown rice is a healthy vegan ingredient to add to your shopping list. Such an easy switch from white to brown rice. If you aren’t already eating it… But why you want to eat carbs you might be thinking?

• There are so many reasons to eat more brown rice.

First of all, it’s packed with healthy nutrients. Which are perfect for you and your baby. Secondly, brown rice is a breastmilk booster. As it stimulates the hormones responsible for milk production.

Finally: it gives lots of energy! Which helps for a faster postpartum recovery. And for all the other moments’ motherhood is asking energy*…

Now you might be wondering…

How to eat more brown rice?

Our family just LOVE curries. For example Indian, Thai, Indonesian… All dishes that go great with brown rice. So that makes it easy.

• Another idea to use brown rice is by making it into gluten-free bread.

Lucky us, our daddy is a vegan chef. And has this amazing gluten-free bread recipe that we love to share with you! It contains brown rice, black beans and buckwheat. So, super healthy and super tasty: yay!

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a powerhouse. A plant-based source of essential proteins. Which improve both the quality and quantity of your breast milk.

Other than that, chickpeas contain tons of nutrients. Like: zinc, folate, fibre, iron, vitamin B, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and thiamine. A whole mouth full!

• I’m super happy that chickpeas are like gold for your lactation! As chickpeas are the number 1 ingredient in our daily vegan menus.

How to eat more chickpeas?

First of all: as a hummus

As hummus is stuffed with chickpeas. It is also easy to make and simple to add to your daily diet.

There are many ways to enjoy hummus. For example: on (gluten-free) bread, with carrots, with celery. You name it! And the good thing is… There are many ways to vary by making your own hummus.

Vegan omelettes

Besides hummus, chickpeas are great for vegan omelettes. Which is one of our favourite vegan breakfast recipes.

Before turning vegan, I thought I’d really miss eggs. However, this recipe tastes even better than eggs. And is much better for your health!

Dates

Dates are like candy. Sweet and you can’t get enough of it! Lucky for us, breastfeeding mums. You can eat dates without any guilt. As dates support milk production and lactation.

How to eat more dates?

• You can eat dates like a snack. Or make date syrup as a healthy sweetener. Also, you can add dates to smoothies, pancake mixes and anything else you like to taste sweeter.

Black sesame seeds

Yes, another favourite! Black sesame seeds. Now I hear you think: why would you love sesame seeds? I do have my reasons…

1: Black sesame seeds are easy to use.
You just sprinkle them on top of your salads, steamed veggies or on your oats. Possibilities are limitless here.

2: They make great tahini!
Who doesn’t love tahini? I’m a big fan. And again, limitless possibilities. You can add tahini to your smoothies, plant-based yoghurt, kefir. Or on salads, bread. Basically, I add tahini on everything!

3: Sesame seeds are a breast milk booster
With high doses of calcium and omega 6 fatty acids. Yay!

Nutritional yeast

Last but not least our breastfeeding favourite: nutritional yeast. Or so called: “Hippie dust”. As “hippies” (or do they mean: vegans?) like to sprinkle it on everything. And I have to admit: I’m one of them! Because I LOVE the combination of tasty and nutritional.

First of all, Nutritional yeast is full of essential vitamin B’s. Secondly, this hippie dust has a great cheesy taste. Therefore it is perfect to sprinkle on:

• Chickpea omelettes
• Gluten-free pancakes
• Mexican dishes

Or just anything you love some cheesy flavour with.

Vegetables to increase breast milk

Spinach

Leafy greens like spinach are an amazing source of nutrients. A number one breastfeeding food. As it contains Calcium, Iron, Vitamin K and Folate. Super healthy for you and your baby.

• Spinach improves your breast tissues and boosts breast milk supply.

So, start your day with a green juice! And add spinach to your meals.

Carrots

Carrots are a number one source of Vitamin A. Which boost your breast milk supply.

Carrots are great as an “easy to grab snack”. Which are essential for breastfeeding mums! Besides that, there are numerous ways to add them to your vegan diet:

• Dip in hummus (another breastfeeding favourite)
• Steamed veggies or in salads
• Carrot lactation cookies
• Carrot juice

Asparagus

Asparagus are a must-have vegetable in your lactation diet. These tasty veggies are full of Vitamin A, Vitamin K and fibre.

• Besides these wonderful nutrients, asparagus also stimulate the milk-producing hormones in breastfeeding mothers.

The only side-note is that your (and baby’s) wee might smell strange. Also, some babies don’t like the taste of mums milk after eating asparagus. So check-in to see how your baby responds to them.

Sweet potato

An easy and super health switch: from white potato to sweet potatoes! While “normal” potatoes are doing your body no good. As they cause inflammation. On the other hand. Sweet potatoes are a healthy resource of Vitamin A. And some women claim it improves the breastmilk supply.

• Sweet potatoes are a healthy and tasty addition to your breastfeeding diet. We love to make sweet potato fries is the (air) oven. Or add them to our steamed veggies.

Fruits for breastfeeding mums

Avocado

Avocado: we are big fans of this green fruit! As it is packed with vital nutrients. Yes indeed, avocado is considered a fruit. A is a great source of healthy fats and protein. Especially for vegans. And everyone else who follows a healthy lifestyle.

Avocado helps your body to digest vital vitamins. Due to its high fibres, it helps resolve constipation. Which unfortunately a common theme in postpartum.

Above all that: Avocado improves baby’s brain development.

There are varies way to add (more) avocados to your vegan breastfeeding diet:

• Make it into Guacamole
• Add to your smoothy and salad
• Or, one of our favourites: Avocado on gluten-free toast

Papaya

Papaya is your best friend for fast postpartum recovery. As this exotic fruit is is super rich in Vitamin C. Furthermore, it is packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and folate.

• Papaya both boosts your milk supply and improves its quality.

Great as a fruit snack. Even better with some lime, passion fruit and black sesame tahini on top.

Apricots

Apricots aren’t just a tasty snack. These golden suns are also a great nutrient source.

First of all, because of the vitamins, A & C. As well due to calcium and potassium. All nutritious sources for a healthy body. For both you and your baby.

Increasing lactation due to Phytoestrogens: What?

Secondly, apricots are amazing due to “Phytoestrogens”. What?! These magical Phytoestrogens mimic the body’s natural estrogen… Which help the milk-making hormones in your body. Thus increasing lactation.

Are you still following…? Anyway, the message is:

• Apricots are an amazing resource to boost your milk supply!

Are fresh apricots in season? Then you are a lucky mama! However, when the apricots aren’t in the season, there is no need to worry. The dried ones that you find all year through are also breastmilk boosters.

Herbs to boost your milk supply

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is a traditional Indian herb. Often used in Ayurvedic cuisine. It is a breastfeeding favourite. As it increases your breastmilk supply.

How to use Fenugreek

It is popular in Indian cuisine: like in curries and sweet dishes. No time to cook up a whole Indian curry? No worries. As you can also make herbal tea of it. Or buy fenugreek supplements.

However, fenugreek is known to effectively boost breast milk. There is a side note as some infants experience gas from it. Or a decreased blood sugar level. Always try a bit and see the effects on your baby.

After giving birth I kept drinking water and tea.

• Herbal breastfeeding tea was a combination of Fenugreek, Anise and Fennel.

Made by my doula, thanks again for the wondrous postpartum care!

Because my milk was flowing fluently I highly recommend giving Fenugreek a try.

Cumin seeds

Another traditional Indian spice which boosts lactation. And can help with your digestion. Cumin has a typical taste which is great with Indian and Mexican style dishes.

• We love to add cumin to our rice, couscous or quinoa. And of course to Indian curries.

A perfect herb to spice it up and while increasing lactation. A win-win!

Dandelion

Dandelion has many healing powers. Ancient wisdom from the Chinese and Native America. Yet, in our Western society, people often call them “weeds”… However, the opposite is true!

This yellow flower is magical for your breast milk supply. And helps to recover fast after birth.

Now you might be wondering…

How to use dandelions?

Well. You can use the whole flowers. Stalks, leaves, everything.

You can add it to your soup or salad.

Or you can enjoy a nice cup of dandelion tea.

Tulsi – Holy Basil

Holy basil isn’t called holy for nothing.
Its a number one aid for lactating mama’s.

Tulsi is especially know for its calming effect.

But it also increases your breastmilk supply. As well as it is a natural remedy for constipation.

This wonder herb is mostly used as a herbal tea.

Dill

Dill is also used as a herbal calming tea.

Besides it’s relaxing effect it promotes lactation.

This lactating herb can be used in many ways.

We love to put ut on top of scrambled tofu.

Poppy seeds

Just like Dill and Holy Basil, poppy seeds are known for its calming effect.

So, ideal for lactating mothers. As the more relaxed you are, the better your milk will flow.

Poppy seeds are great to add to your lactation cookies.

Enjoy!

Summary Best foods for breastmilk

Best foods for breastmilk. Luckily, there are many ways to boost your breast milk. As breastmilk is pure magic!

• Read on: The magical benefits of breastfeeding

We have listed our all-time plant-based breastfeeding favourites. Like oats, chickpeas and dates. Also:

• Herbs to boost your milk supply
• Vegetables to increase breastmilk
• Fruits for breastfeeding mums

With tips on how to implement these ingredients in your daily vegan breastfeeding diet.

All fully plant-based. For a healthy (and cruelty-free) mama and baby.

What are your favourite milk supply boosters?

Inspire us, mama! Share how you add these lactation boosters to your vegan diet.