You might be like, what on Earth are these?! The first time I heard the word I thought they said Galápagos Islands!🤣
Galactagogues a group of foods and herbs that CAN help with your milk supply if you’re breastfeeding. There isn't one magic pill for regulating breast milk, but there are some different things that can help.
As a breastfeeding mom, one of the main things we worry about is our supply and if we have enough for our baby. There are many things that can contribute to a healthy supply, but food can be a great resource to try.
You’re going to be hungry constantly so finding ways to satiate you and support your supply are great! Making sure that you’re eating properly and taking care of yourself is equally important and staying hydrated too!
It's important to remember that every woman is different and can have different responses to these foods/herbs.
While these foods are generally considered safe to include in a balanced diet, it's important to consult with a healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes, especially if you have allergies, medical conditions, or concerns about your milk supply. Additionally, focusing on a well-rounded and nutritious diet overall is key to supporting lactation and overall maternal health.
There are several different types of galactagogues, including:
✨ Oats
✨ Barley
✨ Fenugreek
✨ Fennell
✨ Brewer's Yeast
Certain foods and spices might not work for you, and that's okay! I don’t consume gluten so barley was out for me! Sometimes it's trial and error and that's how it goes. Introduce different foods into your diet slowly to determine which ones work the best for you.
I’ve created a free guide for breastfeeding moms to help you through your journey with tips and resources and join my waitlist for my breastfeeding guide PACKED with recipes!! GRAB IT HERE!
Breastfeeding can sometimes feel like a lonely and isolating experience. We as moms are doing the act of breastfeeding; it's our boobs, our time, our whole body and mind, but there are ways that dad can still help too!
In the beginning of our breastfeeding journey we were a bit confused, worried and just unsure! There were so many different voices in my head about what I 'should' do or what is 'right' and while figuring it all out, I was blessed enough to have my hubby right there with me working it all out so that our baby was well fed and I was taken care of. It can be really helpful to have that supportive dad who is there cheering you on when things might get a bit tough.
Ways that your significant other can support you:
✨Food! I didn't leave our bedroom for a week except for the bathroom. It became my eating area, my sleeping area and of course my baby caring for area.
✨Help with Tracking: We ended up writing down how often baby was eating (time was a blur) and for how long each time. Our lactation consultant recommended that, as we truly didn't have any idea since it was a day or two after my 32 hour labor.
✨Simply being there: Being next to you when you're questioning everything, when you're enjoying your baby's first snuggles, when you're getting used to your body again -everything.
Dad might want to help, but be unsure of what to do so the most important thing you can do is to ask for help. Tell him what you’re looking for and ways that he can help you during your breastfeeding journey. Just keep communication open during this sleep deprived stage!
If you're currently breastfeeding and looking for support and resources (I wish I had something like this when I was starting out!) here’s the link to grab my guide for nursing mamas!
Breastfeeding is such a beautiful experience, but it can certainly take a toll on your body in many different ways. It’s so important as breastfeeding moms that we nourish and take care of our bodies to be able to provide for our baby. Doing these stretches is an easy thing to add to your routine and can provide a lot of relief for you! Not only that, but it gives you a moment to just be quiet and focus on yourself.
These stretches are so helpful to help with any tension and discomfort that can result from holding your baby during feeding sessions. Sometimes we can catch ourselves hunching over or not in the most comfortable position while we nurse! Remember that everyone's body is different, so it's important to listen to your own comfort level and adjust the stretches accordingly.
Working out, whether while you're in the midst of your breastfeeding journey or after your little one is weened obviously looks different than before baby appeared (I have to keep reminding myself of this). But even if you choose to not workout right now, these are great stretches for your body.
Shoulder Rolls:
Sit or stand with your back straight.
Roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion, then roll them backward.
Repeat this motion several times to help relieve shoulder tension.
Neck Stretches:
Gently tilt your head to one side, bringing your ear toward your shoulder.
Hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds on each side.
You can also gently rotate your head in a circular motion, being mindful not to strain your neck.
Chest Opener Stretch:
Stand in a doorway with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle and your forearms resting on the door frame.
- Step forward slightly, feeling a gentle stretch in your chest and shoulders.
- Hold for about 20-30 seconds, breathing deeply.Don’t forget that it’s okay to take a moment and take care of yourself too! Finding little pockets of time during your day are going to be key when you are in this busier phase of life.
PS - if you’re breastfeeding and need a little extra support, download my free guide here full of tips and info for breastfeeding moms!
In our family, we are all about reducing toxins in our home and finding natural alternatives to some of those more nefarious chemicals! We love using Young Living essential oils and they truly are a blessing to have on hand as a nursing mama!
If you are having any difficulty with nursing, to be fair most of us do at one point or another, it's great to reach out to a lactation consultant as they can be so helpful! We did this a few days after Ben was born and I’m so glad we did!
There are a lot of different ways to use oils when it comes to breastfeeding. The effects of them aren’t always immediate (although sometimes they are!), so make sure you’re patient and give them time to do their job.
For supply support, add 2 drops of Fennel vitality essential oil to a veggie capsule with an edible carrier oil (olive or avocado or almond oils to name a few) and take for up to 10 days. Fennel has been known to increase prolactin levels, which is the main hormone responsible for stimulating milk production. When it comes to your supply, don’t forget that getting the baby to the boob is really helpful when it comes to regulating your supply to their demand!
If you’re weaning or looking to decrease your supply, peppermint can sometimes help with this. I haven’t personally weaned Ben at all yet (besides his one meal a day of solid food) so I can’t speak from personal experience here, only what I’ve read. You can apply it (with a carrier oil) directly to your breasts, but be mindful of the timing because you don’t want baby to come in contact with it. ive been told that as your supply is decreasing you may experience some discomfort. Hand expressing is a great option to release enough milk to be content and cold ice packs too!
A lot of women I know have experienced a clogged duct. This is in no way fun at all and in fact some women say more painful than childbirth itself! So one remedy you could try is 2 drops Melrose, 2 drops Lavender and a few drops of carrier oil. You’re going to combine and massage around your breast (but not the nipple.) If you have a Hakka, that’s a great resource too! Add hot water to it (as hot as you can stand it) and mix with epsom salts, apply to your breast as usual. Another great option for a clogged duct is to add rice to a sock, heat it up and put around your breast before nursing. This helps with letdown and to remove the blockage.
Obviously every woman is very different with what works for them, so always reach out to other mom, trial and error and you can read some fantastic resources too!
I definitely didn’t know a lot about breastfeeding before giving birth, other than my boobs will feed the munchkin.
In reality there are so many different things to learn and experience!
I was talking to someone and they were like, oh wait that’s not true?! So I thought here’s a few common breastfeeding myths and the real deal!
✨ Breastfeeding helps you lose weight
✨ Breastfeeding doesn’t help baby after 6 months
✨ What you eat as a breastfeeding mom doesn’t really matter for your milk
Let’s debunk these!
👉Losing weight isn’t a direct result from nursing your baby and each mom is different. Although you do burn around 500 calories by breastfeeding, you’re also eating more to produce that milk. There’s also the aspect of your body holding onto that weight to make sure you can feed your little one!
👉Your milk changes during your breastfeeding journey, but it’s still an important part of your baby’s diet and nutritional needs, even after 6 months! When you consume caffeine and alcohol (for example) that can end up (in small amounts) in your breast milk. There are also important vitamins and minerals that can be absorbed from your breast milk (like vitamin A, iron and others!) that come from your food.
👉What you eat can alter your milk! Traces of the food that you consume do get into your breastmilk so it’s important to be mindful of what you eat and if it causes any digestive or other issues for your baby (check out my previous post about dairy!)
Did any of these surprise you!?
You can grab my free guide to learn more about breastfeeding and tips for nursing moms here!
