If you are an expectant mother or have recently given birth, you’ve probably heard that making and eating bone broth while breastfeeding can be beneficial.
While the innumerable benefits of bone broth can be helpful for everyone, they hold a special place of importance, especially during postpartum and while breastfeeding. From helping heal the tissues and reducing muscle soreness, to providing plenty of nutrients and fluids, bone broth can do a lot!
But how does bone broth help breastfeeding moms in specific? Is it really a good food to increase milk supply? How easy is it to make and have? Get all your questions and more answered right here. Read on…
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Does Bone Broth Increase Milk Supply?
In simple words, yes. Bone broth has been found to increase milk supply in moms who are breastfeeding. While there are no direct studies on bone broth and breastfeeding, this elixir is packed with nutrients that can help you recover from childbirth faster, and can give your body the energy it needs to produce breast milk.
Not only is bone broth safe for breastfeeding, but it is also a good way to keep yourself hydrated and keep your fluid intake high.
Plus, it is an excellent source of healthy fats, which is again, needed to support the 24% increase in calorie needs of a mother who’s breastfeeding. It is thought that all of this is what gets your body producing more breast milk.
Read More about Breastfeeding Foods that Increase Milk Supply
6 Benefits of Coconut for Breastfeeding
5 Ways Oatmeal can Help Breastfeeding
Want to boost milk supply the easy way? You have to try this protein powder I’m loving called Milk Dust. It’s the only protein powder designed specifically for breastfeeding moms to help curb sugar cravings, boost nutrients and help you make more milk. The best part is it’s dairy free, gluten free, plant based and GMO free!
5 Ways Bone Broth Helps Breastfeeding Moms
Is bone broth good for breastfeeding? It turns out, yes. It can offer help help postpartum and while nursing in 5 important ways that helps produce more breast milk.
1 – It is Deeply Hydrating
The simplest way bone broth can help a mom who’s breastfeeding is by offering hydration.
It can be easy to get lost in the never-ending tasks of bringing a new baby home and caring for it, and you might forget to eat and drink lots of water to keep your energy levels up.
This, in turn, can actually have a direct impact on your milk supply.
Sipping on some bone broth will help rehydrate your body and give it that extra fluid it needs to support milk production. Find more drinks to increase milk supply here.
2 – It is a Rich Source of Collagen
Collagen is a crucial protein that holds a special place of importance for mothers who have recently given birth. There’s a considerable amount of tissue damage and stretching that happens during birth, and that’s exactly when collagen can come in and help.
The collagen in bone broth can heal your damaged tissue, improve its elasticity and strength, and also reduce joint and muscle soreness and pain, which are common post-birth.
Did you know, the healing bone broth can also boost a new mom’s bone mineral density and replenish the nutrients lost during pregnancy and childbirth? Think of it as the complete wholesome food that supports postpartum recovery.
Also try our ultimate lactation smoothie with collagen!
3 – It is Nutrient Dense
Bone broth is, not surprisingly, one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, which makes it a great addition to your breastfeeding diet.
It is made of three key ingredients- bone, marrow, and connective tissue- each of which has a protein known as collagen that turns into gelatin when cooked.
A bowl of this broth can give your body a good dose of micro and macronutrients like calcium, phosphorous, sodium, magnesium, potassium, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, iron, selenium, zinc, and vitamins A, B2, B12, and E.
Learn more about what to eat when breastfeeding here.
4 – It Benefits the Digestive System
One of the best benefits of bone broth is the fact that it is very easy to digest. In fact, it is actually soothing to the digestive system.
Its collagen content is what helps heal the inner lining of the digestive tract, which in turn, ensures optimal nutrient absorption and flourishing gut microbiota. In this study, bone broth was shown to help reduce inflammation and reduce symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis.
And guess what – a healthy gut is directly linked to stronger immunity- in this case, for both- the mother and the baby.
Read more about the best foods for postpartum recovery and healing here.
5 – It is Easy to Make
Growing a baby for 9 months, giving birth, and then being solely responsible for its care and nourishment while functioning on a major lack of sleep and rest can be exhausting. Whipping up a nourishing and healthy homecooked meal at that point can seem like a daunting task.
Thankfully, it is actually incredibly easy to put a bone broth together. It just takes a few simple steps and minutes of kitchen time if you use the slow cooker or instant pot.
Plus, you can batch make it, and use it in so many different ways- it is really versatile- which makes it a big plus for postpartum and new moms!
Check out our breastfeeding freezer meals ebook for some easy meal ideas using bone broth!
Easy Method to Make Homemade Bone Broth
To make your batch of bone broth, just use any leftover bones that you might have from your whole chicken and any bone-in meat (lamb, beef, or even fish) that you use, or just buy some from your local butcher’s shop.
Add the bones along with some garlic cloves, chopped herbs and vegetables of your choice, lots of water, and season it with salt and pepper, or any other seasonings you prefer to a slow cooker or instant pot. Also adding an acid like apple cider vinegar or lemon juice can help extract the nutrients from the bones.
Cook in the slow cooker on low for 12-24 hrs. For the instant pot use the “broth” setting or custom on HIGH for 120 minutes.
Ways to Include Bone Broth Into Your Breastfeeding Meals
It’s easier than you think to include bone broth in your weekly breastfeeding meal plan.
While you can always get good quality bone broth online or from your local supermarket, there’s just something different about making a fresh pot yourself- that way, you can control the ingredients you are adding in.
- The simplest way to enjoy bone broth is to have a steaming hot cup or bowl on its own- just like that, or with a dash of sea salt and turmeric. (This one you can buy is soo good for sipping!)
- You can also use the broth to add more flavor to any of your meals- your pasta sauce, your curries, and stews.
- Try this chicken soup for breastfeeding to maximize the benefits of bone broth while nursing.
- Bone broth can also be used as a base for any these breastfeeding soups you’re making- it can add tons of flavor and the added nutritional boost.
- You can use broth to replace liquid when making rice and quinoa.
Loved how easy it was to make and include bone broth into your meals? You might also want to check out and add some of these other healthy breastfeeding foods that support you on your milk making journey.
More Recipes for Breastfeeding You Will Love
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33 Lactation Recipes for Making More Breast Milk
More Breastfeeding Resources
Here at Birth Eat Love our goal is to make healthy eating easier for busy Moms during postpartum and breastfeeding.
Homemade breastfeeding snack recipes – this ebook has some great recipes that are low in sugar and dairy free for boosting milk supply.
Wondering what foods you can eat that will help increase your milk supply? This post has 11 real foods that you can eat today to make more milk and includes recipes, supplements and product suggestions.
Do you have a colicky or super fussy breastfed baby? There are some foods you may be eating that could be making your baby uncomfortable. Read about a few foods to avoid while breastfeeding here.
Looking for breastfeeding recipes that can help support your milk production? Here are 9 breastfeeding soups that you can make in the slow cooker or instant pot.
Interested in making freezer meals so you can have easy dinners? Check out this freezer meal ebook that has 12 recipes specifically designed to support breastfeeding and postpartum recovery.
Tired of trying to decide what to eat while breastfeeding? Reduce the thinking and stressing about meal time with this simple breastfeeding meal plan.
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