Uncommon Milk Supply Boosting Must-Try’s and Some to Avoid!

If you’ve done any asking around about what other breastfeeding moms have found that boost their breast milk supply, you’ve likely heard the usual recommendations.

I’m sure you’ve tried them all too and some of those go-to “milk cures” do indeed work!

Today, you’re about see some things I have accidentally stumbled upon that gave me unexpectedly good results with my breast milk production.

I have a hunch that you may not know what I’m about to list, so keep on reading to find out!

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breast milk boosting busts and must-trys

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8 Milk Supply Boosting Must-Try’s!

These 8 breast milk boosting must-try’s were discovered by accident, but the results were impressive! I couldn’t ignore the instant boost to my milk supply they provided me with and I hope you have the same such luck!

  1. Ripple Dairy Free Milk
  2. Oat-ly Milk
  3. Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Oat Bars
  4. Core Water
  5. Liquid Minerals
  6. Stout Beer
  7. Body Armor Drinks
  8. Starbucks’ Pink Drink

Cool, you now have my secret list of milk supply boosting must-try’s! Would you also like to know the researched reasons WHY they work? Let’s find out!

Ripple Dairy Free Milk 

This plant-based milk is consumed in very large quantities around my house. My kids love it and it’s one of my favorite drinks for breastfeeding because it seems to unquestionably help increase my milk production.

Ripple milk and other plant-based protein milks using pea protein are actually pretty healthy! Pea protein is a high quality protein from yellow peas.

Ripple milk in particular also has DHA, a healthy omega-3 fatty acid.

Another interesting ingredient that may benefit lactating mothers is Sunflower Lecithin. This is a popular supplement taken by pumping and breastfeeding moms to loosen or avoid clogs as it is known to help keep milk ducts well lubricated.

You can buy Sunflower Lecithin in softgel capsule form at Amazon if this is something you and your healthcare provider are comfortable with.

Oat-ly Milk 

You may be surprised to learn that oat milks have a nutritional profile that closely resembles human milk! If you can find an oat milk that has added fats (such as the Oat-ly brand), you’re in an even better position to increase your lactation when adding it to your breastfeeding diet.

Oats are also a well-known galactagogue. This could be due to their high amounts of iron. Breastfeeding mothers can sometimes be low in iron which is known to cause low milk supply

You can also include this explanation for the peanut butter oat bars that were third on the list.

Core Water

I have no expert or scientific resources to share as to why Core Water in particular had such a positive impact on my milk production. Even so, after doing some of my own research, I have to relate it to the electrolytes and minerals. 

Electrolytes are responsible for helping to keep us hydrated. Without being properly hydrated, it is almost impossible to naturally produce enough breast milk.

Liquid Multi-mineral

The liquid Mineral has somewhat of a different purpose for improving lactation. This particular liquid multi-mineral is mainly comprised of calcium and magnesium. 

When a nursing mother experiences the return of her menstruation cycle her hormonal changes can cause blood calcium levels to drop which are responsible for the decrease in milk supply.

I really like taking a multi-mineral about an hour before bed, it helps me relax and get a really good night’s sleep. Relaxation and good sleep are two must-haves for increasing milk supply!

Stout Beer

Even though alcohol can cause dehydration, there is some proof that beer, especially darker beers with higher amounts of barley and hops can actually be galactagogues.

What are galactagogues?

It sounds like a term for inter-galactic space travel doesn’t it?! While it’s not as cool as it sounds, it is a very important word to lactating mothers. 

The definition of galactagogue literally means any food, medication or herb that induces lactation. These foods, herbs or medications stimulate the secretion of breast milk production.

Body Armor Drinks

Next, let’s look at Body Armor Drinks for increasing milk supply, these delicious sports beverages quickly became my go-to while breastfeeding!

Why the claim to extra milk-making fame for these Body Armor Sports Drinks? 

Well, it may come as no surprise that one of the main ingredients in Body Armor that may be to thank for their lactogenic effects is coconut water.

Coconut water is good for breastfeeding, as well as coconut milk and products in general. This is because coconut water is hydrating and coconut products are high in acids that are also found in breast milk.

You can also conclude that the coconut milk in Starbucks’ Pink Drink is the reason for the same positive milk boosting effect! Check out my copycat Starbucks Pink Drinks for breastfeeding, I have two versions for you to try!

Breast Milk Boosting Busts!

First, lets briefly go over some of the products that promise to increase milk supply, but give a lot of milky mamas either no results or sometimes even the opposite effect!

Fenugreek

Fenugreek was all over the place when I first started my breast milk boosting research. So, I (figuratively) sprinted over to Amazon and made my purchase.

I did not miss a beat taking this supplement.

I was ready to have that huge over-supply and build that gigantic freezer stash I was dreaming of…

The results of this “milk miracle-maker” were less than impressive.

I was pumping around the clock and taking the fenugreek religiously, but my milk supply kind of leveled off and my newborn was painfully gassy!

Likewise, I’ve also encountered many other breastfeeding moms who have tried the fenugreek supplement routine to have had the same experience as me.

Through my experiment, I’d say fenugreek is in the category of a breast milk boosting bust!

Mother’s Milk Tea

Another breast milk boosting bust for me was mother’s milk tea. I was drinking a cup every two hours and all I noticed was a very gassy baby!

For me, the question of does Mother’s Milk Tea work was unfortunately a resounding no!

However, there are plenty of women who rave about the surplus of breast milk they are bestowed with while drinking this lactation tea.

If you’re still interested in trying a lactation tea, take a look at Earth Mama Organics, their Milkmaid tea is similar to Mother’s Milk Tea, but without the licorice flavor and it also has a few extra galactagogues that may work better for you!

pssst....There really is no replacement for nutritious food when it comes to enhancing your milk supply! Which is why you should grab this breastfeeding cookbook that’s full of simple, satisfying and easy-to-prepare breastfeeding meals!

Image of a mockup of the breastfeeding cook book on paper back.

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Your Milk Supply Success Story is on the Way!

A mother’s love really has no limits, which is why I want you to be aware of the resources you have for help with breastfeeding difficulties you may encounter.

For the mama who is hoping to nurse her baby, I recommend investing in your breastfeeding journey with this all video course provided by Milkology called The Ultimate Breastfeeding Class.

This online course has been a huge help to thousands of moms just like you who just wanted to be more prepared for breastfeeding in the privacy of their own home.

I suggest you check out out the curriculum for yourself and see why so many other moms have already enrolled.

Pssst… If you choose to purchase this course or any other ones I recommend through a link on this site, I’ll send you my exclusively pumping course for free! Here are the details.

References:

  1. Review of Plant Based Milks for Breastfeeding Moms – thelactationnutritionist.com
  2. Oatmeal for Increasing Milk Supply – kellymom.com
  3. https://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/qa/milk-supply-drops-period
  4. Foods to Help Increase Your Milk Supply – mimijumi.com