As I researched the local agricultural fairs in which my daughters might like to participate, I learned that January is National Oatmeal Month! Somehow for a breastfeeding blogger, everything relates to breastfeeding, and National Oatmeal Month is no exception. It begged the question, does oatmeal increase milk supply? I knew that the answer could be found in the new book The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk by Diana West, IBCLC, and Lisa Marasco, M.A., IBCLC. The authors note that oat straw and its grain, oats, have long enjoyed a reputation as a galactagogue. In a section on lactogenic foods, they say:
Oatmeal is popular with North American mothers. Steel-cut or rolled oats are more nutritious and likely to be more effective than instant. Oats are also high in fiber, as is brown rice and most other whole grains and dried beans.
p. 173. So, given that oatmeal is nutritious and easy to incorporate into a healthful diet, it looks like we file this one under “Can’t hurt and might help.”
I had no problem with my milk supply for the first 7 months – in fact I had much more than my son needed. But, recently, as my hormones are returning back to normal my milk supply has decreased significantly. Thank goodness for my stored excess! Yesterday I ate a bowl of oatmeal – thought I’d give it a try – it’s not part of my normal routine and in a matter of hours I was back to my excess again. I can’t believe that’s all it took!
Oh yes, I had oversupply for the first 8 months or so and it took me a while to realise that I should lay off of the daily bowl of porridge. Nowadays if my supply feels low I eat porridge for a day or two and all is well again, back then I think the porridge combined with my oversupply really pushed me into overdrive, once I stopped eating it my constant engorgement calmed down. Magical stuff, I love it!
I have no idea what does or doesn’t affect (effect? I always get those wrong) my milk supply. When I have needed to take a medication, for example, while nursing I’ve looked to avoid things that would hurt milk supply, and things that were known to boost it were a plus, but I really don’t know. I eat oatmeal almost every morning, and eat oats in other foods (granola, cookies, breads), and I’ve never had a problem with milk supply, but who knows if there’s any cause and effect there.
Oatmeal works for me! I eat a bowl every morning and I notice a difference if I don’t!