1. Tender Moments and Stay Close to Your Baby
Scientific studies have shown a significant connection between a mother's caregiving gestures and the amount of milk produced. Actions such as gentle caressing and tender moments with the baby stimulate an increase in oxytocin and prolactin levels in the mother's body.
Both of these hormones are crucial for the breastfeeding process. Mothers who breastfeed often have higher levels of oxytocin and prolactin in their blood, promoting emotional bonding between mother and baby and creating an upbeat mood for milk production.
2. Use the Tip of a Banana Leaf
Pineapple core, often considered useless by many, is a valuable food item in traditional practices, known for its support in milk production. If a mother has insufficient milk after childbirth, an effective remedy involves using pineapple leaf tips (the fragrant tips).
Take 7 young pineapple leaf tips for a baby boy and 9 for a baby girl. Remove all the green parts, only using the white portion. Finely chop and cook it with lean meat or bones. Have the mother consume the entire broth, including the pulp. This ensures abundant and comfortable milk production for the baby without concerns of thirst or insufficient milk.
3. Invoking milk with guava leaves
After childbirth, almost no one has milk, especially for those who have undergone C-sections. Mothers are always worried because the milk takes a long time to come in. There is a method to quickly and effectively invoke milk that is both dense and fragrant, and that is by using guava leaves.
If it's a boy, prepare 7 young guava leaves; for a girl, use 9 young guava leaves. Wash them thoroughly and cook with water. When the water is warm, dip a comb into the water and comb evenly over the breast from top to bottom. For a boy, comb 7 times, and for a girl, comb 9 times, then the milk will come abundantly like guava latex. After combing, use a cloth soaked in guava leaf water to clean the nipples, removing any dirt and making it easier for the milk to flow.
If you want better results, take about 200g of young guava leaves, soak them in saltwater, wash them thoroughly, and use the water for daily drinking. By doing so, you can ensure that mother's milk will be abundant, fragrant, and dense.
4. Eating breastfeeding-friendly dishes
Regardless of the method you use to stimulate milk production after childbirth, the most important thing is that you need to have a reasonable and nutritious diet with breastfeeding-friendly menus. These menus include dishes that promote milk production, such as stewed papaya with pork trotters, watercress soup, boiled sweet potato leaves, pennywort, seaweed, banana blossom salad, water spinach, etc. These dishes not only help mothers produce more milk but also provide nutrient-rich and effective development for the baby.
Note that to avoid milk loss, mothers should stay away from certain foods in their daily meals, such as betel leaves, bamboo shoots, coriander, celery, peppermint leaves, and spicy foods.
5. Eat hot rice or hot sticky rice
Hot rice or hot sticky rice applied to the chest to call milk and help milk mature is a folk remedy applied from ancient times and always brings surprising effectiveness.
Use a handful of hot rice or just-cooked sticky rice, wrap it in a cloth and apply it to the breast, roll this handful of rice or sticky rice clockwise for mature, condensed, and unclogged milk. When it cools, apply it again, heat it up and roll it again several times each time for about 20 minutes, and the hotter the better to bring about the desired effect.
6. Using yeast mixed with white wine
Another folk method widely used by mothers is to use yeast mixed with white wine. Use yeast cake to brew white wine, mix it into a smooth mixture, then apply it to the breast, avoiding the nipples, and gently massage until the breasts warm up. After a while, remember to wash it off thoroughly to avoid discomfort for the baby.
After cleaning the nipple for the day, the milk will come in abundance. This is a method to help mother's milk mature quickly and have a pleasant scent.
7. Using cabbage leaves
Using cabbage leaves is also a folk remedy that people in the past often used to relieve breast congestion in newly breastfeeding mothers. Cabbage leaves should be separated from the cabbage, washed with water, and drained. Then, cut off the soft part, leaving only the green and firm part. Heat the cabbage leaves over the fire until hot, then apply them to the breast. Remember to cover the breast with a cloth if not the heat from the cabbage leaves may cause burns.
Afterwards, apply these leaves to the breast, massage to clear any congestion. Once these leaves cool down, use fresh ones. Repeat this process several times, and the congestion will be quickly relieved.
8. Drinking mugwort tea
Scientific research has revealed that wormwood tea contains terpenoids, bitter glycosides, flavonoids, resin, and alkaloids with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It promotes rapid tissue regeneration, accelerates wound healing, improves blood circulation, regulates menstruation, alleviates abdominal pain, and aids in the treatment of joint pain, anemia, fatigue, poor appetite, colds, and jaundice. For postpartum women, this plant is a miraculous remedy for reducing breast swelling and inflammation effectively. Drinking wormwood tea helps cool the body, enhance blood circulation, promote lactation, and can be applied topically to treat breast gland inflammation and clogged milk ducts.
Although this herb is highly beneficial, it is important not to consume it excessively. It is recommended to drink approximately 20-30g of dried wormwood tea infused in water daily and ensure the source is reputable.
9. Use Dandelion Leaves
Clogged milk ducts are a common concern for many postpartum mothers. It can be painful when the breast is swollen, and milk cannot be effectively nursed. A highly effective remedy for this issue is using dandelion leaves. This type of leaf has proven to be surprisingly effective for many mothers.
Take a handful of dandelion leaves, warm them up, and apply them to the breast until they cool down. Repeat this process for remarkable results. You can also crush dandelion leaves, mix them with alcohol, heat the mixture in a pan, and apply it to the breast with a warm cloth until it cools. Combining this method with drinking water infused with dandelion leaves will help eliminate the worry of clogged milk ducts. Sweet and refreshing milk will quickly be summoned for your baby.
10. Use a Comb to Stimulate Milk Flow
When going into labor, mothers should bring a small wooden comb in their luggage, not for combing hair but for brushing the breast to stimulate quicker milk flow.
If the baby is a boy, brush 7 times on each side, and for a girl, brush 9 times on each side. Mothers should brush whenever they have free time, ideally several times a day. After just a few times of brushing, milk will fill both breasts. This is a folk remedy for stimulating milk flow, and while it may lack scientific evidence, many mothers have successfully applied it.
11. Stay Hydrated
To ensure abundant milk supply, pay attention to consuming an adequate amount of water throughout the day (1.5 – 2 liters/day). The ideal interval between water intakes is 4 – 5 times/day (First time, about 2 glasses: upon waking up before hygiene routine; subsequent times, 1 – 2 glasses every half to one hour before meals and before bedtime).
Drinking plenty of water daily will stimulate the mother's body to produce abundant milk, a rule that mothers should remember. Physicians recommend postpartum mothers to drink 2 – 2.5 liters of water per day for increased milk production, optimal digestive system function, and to maintain smooth, youthful skin like a girl. In addition to filtered water and warm water, mothers can also try drinking fragrant, high-quality milk-boosting tea for the best results!
12. Ensure Deep and Sufficient Sleep
One of the unspoken struggles of postpartum women that husbands should pay attention to is the state of prolonged sleep deprivation due to a small child or changes in mental health.
During the first 3 months after childbirth, mothers need to be cared for and attended to in order to quickly recover from the 'loss' of health after the period of 'heavy pregnancy and successful childbirth.' In addition to balancing essential nutritional needs, mothers should pay attention to sleep and related accessories to ensure a good night's sleep and avoid the onslaught of illnesses.
13. Postpartum Breast Massage with Warm Water
Why does massage help stimulate a mother's milk production? Massage directly affects the milk ducts, causing them to expand, helping milk flow quickly and abundantly, resulting in a higher milk production.
Breast massage is not only the secret to stimulating a mother's milk production but also a fantastic technique to prevent breast cancer. It addresses related issues such as blocked milk ducts, breast engorgement, and compression due to accumulated fluids over time.
14. Consume a lot of rice porridge
Sticky rice belongs to the group of beneficial postpartum foods, being delicious and nutritious without causing weight gain. It contains plenty of starch, not only replenishing energy after experiencing blood loss during childbirth but also helping mothers produce abundant and consistent milk for breastfeeding. The amylopectin content provides a prolonged sense of fullness and contributes to a steady milk supply.
A tip to increase postpartum milk supply is to cook sticky rice porridge with pig trotters, adding a bit of mung beans. This not only promotes milk production but also alleviates concerns about clogged milk ducts.
15. Consume a Variety of Fruits
Eating safe fruits or drinking fresh fruit juices 1-2 times a day in the postpartum diet is a crucial consideration. Fresh and juicy fruits provide a rich source of vitamins, enhance nutrients, and stimulate the postpartum mother's appetite for good health and abundant breastfeeding.
However, be cautious with pineapple juices or strongly scented fruits as some babies can be very sensitive to them and find them discomforting.
16. Rice Milk
Rice milk calls back mother's milk in a more pleasant and easier-to-drink way than Mr. Tho's milk or pig trotters (both filling and fatty, all into mom). Making rice milk is extremely simple, and any mom can do it.
Rice milk is excellent for breastfeeding women. Rice contains many B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6) and minerals such as calcium, iron, trace elements like Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Selenium, Glutathione (GSH), Potassium, and Sodium. Rice not only provides nutrition but also helps detoxify the body. Rice milk helps postpartum mothers with fragrant and abundant breast milk.
17. Calling back lost milk with green papaya
Another folk remedy to quickly call back mother's milk is to use green papaya. Green papaya contains a lot of protein, rich in vitamins A, B, C, D, E, etc. Green papaya stewed with pig's trotters is a very nutritious dish for mothers after giving birth.
You can also replace pig's trotters with carp or banana fish to help with milk production. Additionally, this dish also helps thicken and enhance the flavor of the milk.
18. Betel Leaves
Betel leaves are also a type of leaf that folk remedies use to help mothers produce more milk. Betel leaves contain various minerals and vitamins, helping to cool the body, detoxify, and promote milk production. Betel leaf water has a pleasant aroma and is easy to drink, making it a suitable replacement for daily beverages. Simply take clean betel leaves, boil them in water, and drink daily. Betel leaf water helps relieve milk blockage and stimulates milk production after childbirth.
The process of boiling betel leaf water is also very simple. Take a few betel leaves, boil them with water for drinking, and consume it while it's still warm.
19. Egg + Sugar + Salt Steamed with Distilled Water and Water Spinach
Water spinach is a familiar vegetable to all of us. In the summer, a plate of boiled or stir-fried water spinach with a bowl of sour soup is delicious. Water spinach water combined with Egg + Sugar + Salt steamed with distilled water is a folk remedy to quickly, fragrantly, and effectively boost milk production in new mothers.
Take a handful of boiled water spinach, a teaspoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt (the taste will be slightly bland, not sweet or salty). Mix it with a beaten chicken egg, stir well, steam or boil in water, and then consume. This method is very nourishing and effective. Mothers, remember to choose clean vegetables without pesticides.
20. Angelica Sinensis Leaves
According to folklore, drinking water infused with Angelica Sinensis leaves helps mothers produce more milk, reducing breast engorgement. Consuming this infusion can soften the breast, alleviate engorgement, and improve milk circulation. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Angelica Sinensis leaves are known for their strong fragrance, slightly sweet and mildly bitter taste. Angelica Sinensis has cooling properties, detoxifies, and is believed to cool down breast milk. Additionally, it is thought to nourish blood, promote blood circulation, and prevent allergic symptoms. The leaves and roots of Angelica Sinensis contain various active ingredients such as saponins, alkaloids, B-group vitamins (B1, B2, B6), vitamin C, beneficial for breastfeeding mothers. Moreover, Angelica Sinensis leaves contain approximately 20 different amino acids, phytosterols, glycosides, tannins, organic acids, essential oils, iron, magnesium, potassium, among others. These components play a role in increasing milk production and preventing blocked milk ducts for postpartum mothers.
Preparing this infusion is simple; you just need to take Angelica Sinensis leaves and simmer them in water. It is advisable to drink the infusion while it is still warm and reheat if the water cools. Drinking Angelica Sinensis leaf water helps mothers produce more milk for their babies.