Choosing to breastfeed your baby is a commitment like no other. Being a mom requires so much energy and stamina, and breastfeeding only increases these demands. But with the incredible benefits that breastfeeding delivers, including providing antibodies to your baby, lower risk of asthma, type 1 diabetes, obesity and even sudden infant death syndrome, all of that effort certainly pays off. And mom gets benefits too in the form of lower risk for breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Keeping a steady supply of milk can have its challenges, especially if you return to work and need to balance pumping with a hectic schedule. Fueling yourself properly can take a backseat to deadlines and emails from the boss.
Snacks are important for nursing moms to be able to get the nutrients they need to keep their energy up and convert calories into nutritious milk for their babies. But you might be wondering whether there are certain foods you can eat to improve your milk supply. It turns out that naturally sweet dates are an excellent food for boosting milk supply.
A study done in 2021 found that breastfeeding moms who were given 10 dates each day were able to increase their milk supply by 11% in two weeks. Even more promising, the milk supply of the subjects increased even more to 23% from baseline to week 4. On top of that, the quality of the milk was significantly higher than that of the control group who were not given dates. If that’s not a sign to go snack on dates, I don’t know what is!
Other foods are often touted as galactogogues (foods that increase milk supply) for their ability to increase breast milk supply, but there’s no scientific evidence to support the claims. Still, there’s no harm in including foods like oats, nuts, beans and lentils, fenugreek and Brewer’s yeast which are often suggested to help boost supply. Every woman is unique and various foods may have a different effect on you than they do on your best friend.
You might be wondering if it’s OK to snack on dates since they’re so sweet. It turns out that the sweetness in these little fruits is 100 percent natural and dates are actually low-glycemic, which means they won’t spike your blood sugar. The carbohydrates in dates are released slowly, providing your body with sustained energy. And a serving of dates (about 3) also provides 3g of fiber.
A breastfeeding mom has high energy needs. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lactating women need between 450 and 500 extra calories each day to support their milk supply. If you’re active, make sure to get a baseline of 2000 to 2200 calories a day and then tack on that extra 450 to 500. Dates are an excellent way to get the energy you need in a delicious and nutritious package.
In addition to getting adequate calories and including lots of nutrient-dense whole foods in your eating plan each day, it’s also vital to get enough hydration while breastfeeding. Moms who are exclusively breastfeeding should aim to drink 16 glasses of water or other fluid (see below for more on that!) daily. That comes out to 128 ounces a day, which can seem like a daunting task, but water isn’t the only way to hydrate.
Here are other good sources of fluid:
To help you boost your milk supply in a fun and delicious way, here’s my Strawberry-Date Smoothie Recipe. You can use any milk you have on hand. I love it with whole milk, but if you prefer soy, almond or oat milk, those will all work too. You can also boost the protein in this smoothie by adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder, or add two tablespoons of peanut butter.
Serves 2
No extra sweetness is needed when you use naturally sweet dates in your smoothie. This frosty treat is a wonderful way to start your day or recharge your energy in the afternoon.
1 cup milk of your choice
4 ice cubes
6 strawberries, preferably frozen
3 pitted dates
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!
If you’re looking for even more inspiration, here are 9 other easy and fun ways to enjoy dates and boost your milk supply:
Frances Largeman-Roth is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, a New York Times best selling author and nationally recognized nutrition and wellness expert. She is a contributor to several publications including Today, Real Simple, SheKnows and Shape, and has appeared on numerous national TV shows, including The Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show, The Rachael Ray Show, and Good Morning America.
Frances is a mother of four and recently welcomed a baby at age 50 using IVF with a donor egg. She encourages women to take control of their health, fertility and longevity by eating well and staying active and encourages “positive nutrition” for overall mind/body health.
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