Nursing mothers have plenty of questions about breastfeeding and how it affects their baby’s growth. This is especially true about women who are nursing for the first time in their lives.

Breastfeeding is one of the most important tasks of a mother’s life, especially during the first six months after the delivery of the baby. But ensuring that the quality and the quantity of the breast milk produced during these first six months (when it is their life support and their only source of nutrition and antibodies) is apt for the baby is an important responsibility that a nursing mother must take realize.

Breast milk is extremely nutritious and important for the babies. Breast milk is rich in essential proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates as well as fats and a combination of these nutrients ensures good growth and development of the baby. Breast milk also boosts the immune system of the babies and protects them against a plethora of disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Further, breast milk has a form of fat that is unique and essential for brain growth and development, known as docasahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is an Omega-3 Fatty Acid and its levels are the highest in babies who are breast fed the longest.

But the good news is that mothers with inadequate production of breast milk can improve the quality and the quantity of the breast milk produced with the help of certain super foods. Here is the list of the top five super foods that help increase milk production in nursing mothers.

#1: Oatmeal

Oatmeal is extremely rich in fiber and calcium, the two nutritional elements that boost the production of breast milk. The best you can do is have a bowl full of oatmeals for breakfast every morning.

#2: Fennel Seeds (Saunf)

Vitamin C rich fennel seeds not only help improve the production of breast milk but also improves its quality drastically. Just pop in a spoonful of fennel seeds after every meal to reap its benefits.

#3: Garlic

Garlic is one of the best lactogenic foods that can help boost milk production in nursing mothers almost instantly. Research has shown that babies feed more frequently and for a longer duration when mothers consume a diet rich in garlic during pregnancy and lactation.Babies are known to feed more milk if the mother takes a diet rich in garlic. You can add it to any vegetable that you cook or club it with steamed rice.

#4: Almonds

Almonds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that help hormones that boost the production of breast milk. You can either add some crushed almonds to your bowl of oatmeal for breakfast or take a handful of them along with a glass of milk.

#5: Carrots

Carrots are yet another super food that has a great impact on the quality and quantity of milk produced by a lactating mother. It is rich in vitamin A and beta-carotene, both of which are equally important for proper lactation. Make a carrot soup or snack on raw for amazing benefits.

Apart from the food mentioned above, spinach, chickpea, ginger, barley, and sweet potato may also help improve the quality of the breast milk. However, nursing mothers must remember that they need to breast feed the baby regularly and frequently to be able to produce sufficient quantity of milk. These super foods will help on top of that by improving the quantity, quality, and the overall effectiveness of breast milk.