How does Chinese medicine view breastmilk?

“Breastmilk closely resembles blood with it’s nourishing and immune boosting properties” 

In Chinese medicine, breast milk closely resembles blood in terms of its deeply nourishing and immune boosting effects. Newborn babies depend on breast milk for nourishment and to help provide immune support while their bodies are growing and developing.

Does blood loss during childbirth affect breast milk production?

Given that the birthing process is so exhausting; involving a huge exertion of Qi and loss of Blood during this process.

From a Chinese medicine viewpoint, it makes sense that the expenditure of so much Qi and Blood means that there may not be much left in reserves that is available for the body to transform Blood into Milk. Your registered Chinese Medicine doctor may prescribe a Chinese herbal formula for you, in order to rebuild your Blood and Qi reserves with the addition of a few specific herbs to help increase your Breastmilk production.

Did you know that Chinese herbs can improve your breast milk production?

A Chinese Medicine practitioner can be of assistance during this postnatal time. By using Acupuncture and Chinese herbs, we are able to:

• Increase your Qi energy levels

• Nourish your Blood

• Regulate your hormones

• Improve breast milk production

Did you know certain foods can improve your breast milk production?

We recommend having warming foods like broths, soups and slow cooked stews especially in the first 40- 100 days immediately following birth (postnatally) to replenish, restore and build up the Qi (energy) and Blood stores within the body. 

Traditional recipes to rebuild your reserves and deeply nourish the body include:

• congee (hot tip: add lots of ginger)

• Korean seaweed soup called miyeokguk

• chicken soup with red dates, goji berries and ginger

• slow braised pork trotter with black vinegar and boiled eggs

Modern recipes that are deeply nourishing to rebuild your reserves include:

• ham hock soup with beans/lentils and vegetables

• ginger fried rice

• pumpkin and red lentil soup

• oat and chia porridge

• slow-cooked stews

Are there cookies to improve Breastmilk?

These lovely muesli –like cookies have the added benefit of helping to increase production of breastmilk.

The key ingredients are:

• oats

• brewer’s yeast

• almonds

Recipe: Lactation Cookies to increase breast milk

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 4 tablespoons water

• 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups wholemeal flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 cups oats

• 1 cup raisins and or choc chips (or a mix of both)

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

• 2 tablespoons brewer's yeast

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees  C

2. Mix the flaxseed meal and water together in a small mixing bowl. Set the mixture aside for 3-5 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar; then stir in the eggs.

4. Stir flaxseed mix and butter mix together, then stir in the vanilla. Beat until well blended.

5. Combine all dry ingredients (except oats, raisins, choc chips and almonds) in a separate bowl.

6. Add the butter mixture to the dry mixture. Stir well

7. Add the oats, raisins, choc chips and almonds. Stir to combine.

8. Drop dough balls onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.