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For newborns, breast milk is the best and most essential source of nutrition. For breast milk to be of high quality, mothers need to pay attention to characteristics such as thickness, aroma, and whether the milk is “cooling” (easily digestible). So how to make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and more cooling? Let’s analyze the proper diet and lifestyle to have the best milk source for your baby.
What is thin breast milk?
A mother’s milk will begin to be secreted from the second trimester of pregnancy. After giving birth, this milk will only continue for a few days. This is called colostrum. Colostrum is characterized by being very thick because it contains many nutrients, especially a large amount of nutrients that are not found in later breast milk.
After colostrum comes mature milk. Mature milk will be whiter and thinner. Mature milk is divided into foremilk, mid-milk, and hindmilk. Foremilk is usually clear, while mid-milk and hindmilk are thicker, have a cloudy white color, and a richer, fattier taste.
Many mothers often mistakenly think that because foremilk is quite clear, it will not have many benefits. However, foremilk still contains essential nutrients and components that are “cooling” (easily digestible), very beneficial for the digestive process and helping to quench the baby’s thirst. The water content in breast milk helps the baby avoid needing extra water during breastfeeding. Therefore, it would be very wasteful for mothers to express and discard the foremilk.
In cases where, even at the hindmilk stage, the milk is still clear, not fatty, and the baby is not gaining weight properly, it means the breast milk is thin.
How to make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and more “cooling”?
While thicker breast milk helps provide the baby with a greater amount of nutrients, the aroma and “cooling” nature of the milk will encourage the baby to feed more and digest it more easily. So what should mothers do and eat to make their breast milk more fragrant and “cooling”?
According to experience, to have the best quality breast milk, mothers need to ensure a proper diet, lifestyle, and breastfeeding technique.
Diet to help make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and “cooling”
During breastfeeding, the “essential” nutrients that mothers need to supplement are: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vegetables, and fruits. Besides these are essential minerals such as iron, calcium, and various vitamins.
According to folk experience, the following foods will help make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and “cooling”:
- Pork leg, goat leg, and papaya porridge;
- Sweet potato greens, sweet potato leaves, and figs;
- Carrots;
- Dill;
- Jute mallow;
- Brown rice;
- Dandelion leaves;
- Pumpkin milk;
- Polyscias fruticosa (Ming aralia) leaf water;
- Black sesame water;…
Supplementing carrots for mothers
A glass of carrot juice every morning or adding it to the lunch menu will help make breast milk more fragrant and “cooling”. The high content of vitamin A in carrots also contributes to increasing the quality of breast milk.
Not only good for milk, carrot juice also helps mothers regain their slim figure and beautify their skin after giving birth.
In addition to juicing, carrot soup or using pureed carrots with warm milk and sugar is also a way for mothers to reasonably supplement carrots into their daily menu.
Dill – not just a spice
What to eat to make breast milk fragrant and “cooling”? Dill is an extremely ideal answer that many mothers overlook. While we often only use dill as a spice, many people ignore another wonderful use of this herb: dill is also a galactagogue (milk-producing food).
Using dill not only helps increase milk production but also makes breast milk taste more delicious, encouraging the baby to breastfeed longer.
Mothers are advised to use dill regularly during breastfeeding by drying and brewing it as tea or using it to season soups and porridges.
Jute mallow – calling forth abundant breast milk
No longer unfamiliar, jute mallow appears in the daily meals of Vietnamese families. Not only does it help cool the body, but jute mallow also helps stimulate milk production and increase the quality and taste of breast milk very effectively.
Pumpkin seed water helps make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and “cooling”
With pumpkin seeds, the method is very simple. Mothers can crush or grind pumpkin seeds and then use them to make water to drink daily. With continuous use, mothers will quickly see the effect, not only will milk production increase and become thicker, but it will also limit unpleasant tastes.
Dandelion leaves help make breast milk rich in nutrients
According to Traditional Medicine, dandelion leaves have the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, and cooling the liver. Many postpartum mothers have used these leaves to cool their skin by drying them and mixing them with water. Not only that, dandelion leaves are rich in protein, minerals such as iron, calcium, vitamins A, C, and B vitamins, thereby helping breast milk become thicker, contain more nutrients, and help babies gain weight faster.
Dandelion leaves are also included in the list of foods that help treat blocked milk ducts very effectively.
How to make: Mothers dry the leaves, boil them in water, and use the resulting liquid as drinking water daily.
Drinking brown rice – delicious and nutritious
Brown rice is not only delicious but also a food that contains a lot of vitamin B and can be used in combination to treat diseases.
With a high content of trace elements such as sodium, magnesium, etc., brown rice is also a reasonable choice for mothers who are wondering what to eat to make their breast milk more fragrant and “cooling”.
How to make: Mothers roast brown rice until fragrant and store it in a sealed jar for later use. When using, take 50g of brown rice, cook with 2-3 liters of water, and add salt to taste. Drinking it hot is very good for the mother’s body!
More delicious breast milk with pumpkin
Pumpkin contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, providing the body with an abundant source of energy every day. It’s an especially great solution when mothers are tired of using formula milk.
Regular consumption of pumpkin will help make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and “cooling”.
How to make:
- Steam 500g of chopped pumpkin until cooked and soft;
- Blend the pumpkin with 1 liter of fresh milk and ½ can of sweetened condensed milk. You can add a little honey if you like.
- Pour the blended mixture into a pot, simmer, and stir constantly.
- To make the mixture smooth, strain it and then pour it into a glass jar for later use. Before each use, reheat the mixture for best results for milk production.
Polyscias fruticosa (Ming aralia) leaves – surprising benefits
Polyscias fruticosa leaves have many benefits that will surprise mothers: not only do they increase milk production and reduce breast engorgement, a solution for blocked milk ducts, but they are also a way for mothers to improve the quality of their milk. Breast milk will become thicker and more fragrant, encouraging the baby to breastfeed longer.
One note for mothers is not to use Polyscias fruticosa leaves for a long time, as it can cause milk loss.
Lifestyle for more nutritious and fragrant breast milk
Not only nutritional factors, but a reasonable lifestyle is also an important way to help mothers produce more and better quality breast milk.
Postpartum rest is very important
After giving birth, the mother’s body is often very tired and exhausted. This will greatly affect the quantity and quality of milk produced. What is needed at this time is for the mother to have the necessary rest and relaxation to allow her body to recover. Only when the mother is truly healthy can the milk produced be abundant and rich in nutrients.
In particular, how to make breast milk thick and fragrant is also greatly influenced by the mother’s postpartum psychology. With a relaxed mind and spirit, the mother’s milk ducts will also function better.
Breastfeed correctly and frequently
One of the fairly common reasons why mothers have little or thin milk is due to not breastfeeding frequently or correctly.
Regular breastfeeding will help mothers maintain abundant and better quality milk every day. Besides that, breastfeeding in the correct position is also very important. Milk for the baby should also be expressed evenly from both breasts.
Light exercise
After giving birth, the mother’s body is still very tired, so mothers should avoid strenuous activities. However, light, relaxing exercises will help mothers feel more comfortable, reduce the risk of postpartum depression, and also stimulate milk production.
Do not use stimulants
All stimulants such as alcohol, beer, cigarettes, etc., have an inhibitory effect on the activity of the mammary glands. According to the recommendations of specialists, mothers should avoid these stimulants during breastfeeding.
In addition to the above methods, the following methods will also help make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and “cooling” for the baby:
- Regularly massage breasts to stimulate milk duct activity
- Limit strong-smelling spices such as pepper, chili, garlic,…
- Mothers should drink about 3 liters of water per day
- Clean nipples with warm water before breastfeeding…
With the sharing from this article, Kids believes that mothers now know how to ensure an abundant and best quality milk supply for their babies. How to make and what to eat to make breast milk thicker, more fragrant, and “cooling” is no longer a difficult question to answer. Wish mothers and babies good health! Mothers, please regularly visit kidsplaza.vn/blog to update with the most useful information.
Articles you may be interested in:
- How to treat blocked milk ducts with Polyscias fruticosa leaves
- Guide to making nutritious pumpkin milk to help babies gain weight
- Detailed steps to make Flan cake from formula milk
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