Here are a few recipes for lactating Moms. They will help increase the milk output when it tends to be low during the first few days/weeks after delivery.
Fenugreek and Rice Kheer
1 tsp of Methi / Fenugreek Seeds
½ Cup of Rice
1 to 1.5 cups of Water ( For cooking the Rice)
Jaggery to taste
Spices: Cardamom Powder and Saffron
Nuts: 5-6 Almonds finely chopped, 1 tsp of Raisins
1 tsp Ghee
Coconut Milk or Almond Milk ( Can also use Cows Milk if Required)
Mix 1 tsp of Fenugreek Seeds with Rice, wash well, add water and keep it for cooking in a pressure cooker
As the rice is getting cooked,dissolve Jaggery in Milk and add Cardamom powder and Saffron. Add finely chopped almonds and Raisins which have been lightly fried in 1 tsp of Ghee.
Once the rice is cooked, add the milk mixture , mix well and the Kheer is ready
Benefits of this Kheer:
The Fenugreek, Jaggery and Rice Combination helps increase the milk supply
Ghee and the fats in coconut milk provide the necessary essential fats. Coconut milk also stimulates production of milk.
Some people prefer to use Cow milk and perhaps it could help increase the milk supply because of presence of prolactin in cows milk.
Rice cooked with Meethi ( Fenugreek Seeds)
(To be taken with Garlic Jeera Rasam and Steamed Asparagus)
Use 2 tsp of Fenugreek seeds for every cup of Rice. Water as required.
Garlic and Jeera Rasam as is usually made. Avoid adding Red chillies or red chilly powder to the Rasam, use Pepper powder to spice up the Rasam. Pepper will also help increase the absorption of curcumin in the gut.
To be taken along with Steamed Asparagus shoots.
Other Curries that can also be taken with Meethi Rice:
a. Bottle Gourd Vegetable
b. Fenugreek Leaf Vegetable or Fenugreek Sprouts vegetable
c. Dill Seed sprouts or Leafy Dill vegetable
d. Sweet Potato curry
e. Drumstick leaves curry ( Or add drumsticks to Sambhar)
f. Pumpkin curry or Chutney
Benefits:
1. The Fenugreek seeds and Rice combination helps stimulate milk production
2. Garlic Jeera and Pepper Rasam, helps improve the appetite, works as an antibiotic and also improves milk supply
3. Asparagus (Shatavari) has been used in India to stimulate milk production
Bottle Gourd Kheer:
1 cup of Bottle gourd peeled and cut into small pieces
1/4th Cup of Water
Jaggery to taste
Spices: Cardamom Powder and Saffron
Nuts: 5-6 Almonds finely chopped, 1 tsp of Raisins
1 tsp Ghee
Coconut Milk / Almond Milk or Cows Milk
Pressure cook Bottle gourd with water.
As the bottle gourd is getting cooked, dissolve Jaggery in Milk and add Cardamom powder and Saffron. Add finely chopped almonds and Raisins which have been lightly fried in 1 tsp of Ghee.
Once the bottle gourd is cooked, add the milk mixture , mix well and the Kheer is ready
Dill Seeds and Dill Seeds Herbal Tea
You can take about 1-2 tsps of Dill seeds throughout the day. The seeds can be lightly roasted before consuming. Take about 1/2 tsp of the seeds and chew well. As you get used to the taste you can increase the dose gradually to approx 2 tsps of Dill seeds per day.
Another way to consume Dill seeds is by making a herbal tea.
To Make Dill Seeds Herbal tea powder:
50 grams of Dil seeds
5 Grams of Yashtimadu powder ( Indian Liquorice) - Subject to availability
Roast the Dill seeds on a very low flame till you get the aroma. Turn off the flame, let cool and powder it in a grinder, along with Yashtimadhu powder
To Make Herbal Tea
Boil 1 cup of water and to it add ½ tp of Herbal tea powder
Simmer it for a minute, turn off the flame, strain it and serve it either as it is or with a lemon and honey ( if required)
List of Galactagogues
Nutritional Aids to Increase Lactation
Fenugreek Seeds, Sprouts, Greens (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Dill Seeds, Greens (Anethum graveolens)
Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
Fennel Seeds, Bulbs etc (Foeniculum vulgare)
Oregano Leaf ( Plectranthus amboinicus)
Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Garlic (Allium Sativum)
Onions, Scallops, Spring Onions (Allium cepa)
Basil leaves, Seeds ( Ocimum family )
Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)
Pumpkin ( Cucurbita pepo)
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis)
Drumstick ( Moringa oleifera)
Almonds (Prunus dulcis)
Sesame Seeds (Sesamum indicum)
Melon Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds etc
Tender Coconut ( Water as well as Coconut Meat)
Ripe Papaya as a Fruit and Raw Papaya for making curries and Salad
Amaranth Seeds, Sprouts and Green Leafy vegetable
Note: I have included the scientific names for a few herbs so that when you do not know the local name of the plant, you can find the details using the scientific name
Other Life Style Recommendations for Increasing Milk Flow
1. Prolactin levels spike up at night and that helps increase milk production. To ensure that you do not negatively impact a mothers prolactin levels, it is recommended that you keep the lights dim and preferably of a frequency that is mimics natural light. To that end, low wattage tungsten bulbs are the best. The mother and child should preferably be in a room that does not have bright fluorescent lights, Television set, Computer Monitor etc. Keeping a Mom and her baby in low light for the first few weeks was a practice followed by many in olden times.
2. Dont use mobiles after sunset. The white light from the mobile screen as well as the microwave radiation could impact prolactin levels. Moreover it is a well known fact that the Microwave radiation emitted from Mobiles is not safe for an infant.
3. A mother should focus only on her child and her comfort. It is best that she does not involve herself in stressful activities- both physical and mental. Stress could impact the hormonal balance in a way that it could impact milk production.
Note: While there has been considerable research done to prove the impact of light on various cellular cycles, diurnal rhythms etc, one cannot wait for proof given by the scientific community before implementing certain lifestyle practices. Some of the practices recommended here, like decreasing exposure to microwave radiation and changing the intensity of light would definitely help, but if one were to wait for conclusive proof and evidence from the scientific community, then it could be possible that your child would miss something really important just because there wasnt proof when he was young.