Breastfeeding

No, a mother does not have to drink cow’s milk to produce enough milk for her baby!

I have never had an issue breastfeeding my babies while eating a plant-based diet. They’ve all gained weight and grown beautifully. I don’t count calories, but I also don’t seem to struggle to get the extra 500 calories a day a woman needs to breastfeed. The key is to eat a variety of wholesome foods and drink plenty of water.

Reflux & Colic

My first baby was fairly colicky and spit up a LOT. I’m talking have to shower and change my entire outfit lot. I’m talking his nickname was Mr. Cheese because he was constantly covered in spit-up lot. Could it have been caused by my standard American diet? It’s very likely! My following two babies hardly ever spit up in comparison to their older bro and were rarely colicky.

There is plenty of research that shows that breastfeeding moms who eliminate dairy products from their diet can improve colic and reflux in their babies. Watch this video for more information.

Boost Your Milk Supply

Galactagogue. That’s a fancy word for plants/foods that can help boost your milk supply (thanks to the plant estrogens they contain). You’ll notice many–if not all–of these so-called galactagogues are foods you’ll be eating regularly when eating a WFPB diet. This includes: Whole grains (particularly oats); protein-rich foods including legumes (especially chickpeas), tofu and lentils; leafy greens; nuts, seeds and other foods rich in healthy fats (like avocados); ginger and garlic; fenugreek and fennel (I always enjoy lots of fennel tea while breastfeeding). And of course there’s always brewer’s yeast.