Oatmeal, brewer’s yeast, lactation cookies and traditional foods: what the evidence says, what a breastfeeding diet needs, and what matters more for supply.
Many foods are said to increase milk supply, from oatmeal to fennel to fish soup. The honest answer is that no food has strong proof of raising milk supply. Most rest on tradition and a few small studies. Good food still matters: it gives you the energy and nutrients to keep feeding, and some traditional foods are simply nourishing meals. But what raises supply most is removing milk more often and more fully, by feeding or pumping. See How to Increase Milk Supply.
What food can and can’t do
Your body makes milk from what you eat and what it has stored. Unless you’re eating far too little, your milk stays nourishing even when your diet isn’t perfect. Cutting calories sharply can reduce supply, though, so this isn’t the time for a strict diet. Most breastfeeding mothers need roughly 330 to 400 extra calories a day, about two healthy snacks.
Popular “lactation foods” and the evidence
- Oatmeal. The best-known milk food. There are no good studies showing it raises supply, but it’s filling, easy to eat one-handed, and gives iron and fiber. Evidence: tradition.
- Brewer’s yeast. Rich in B vitamins, and common in lactation cookies. No reliable studies show it raises supply, and it can cause gas. Ask your clinician first if you take medicines or have a yeast allergy. Evidence: tradition.
- Lactation cookies. Usually oats, brewer’s yeast and flaxseed with plenty of sugar. They’re a tasty snack, not a treatment. Evidence: little to none.
- Fennel. Used as a seed or tea in many cultures. A few small studies suggest a possible effect, but they’re weak. Avoid concentrated fennel oils and supplements. Evidence: small studies.
- Barley. Barley and malt are linked to milk in folk advice, perhaps because of a fiber called beta-glucan. Alcohol-free barley foods are fine to eat; beer isn’t a milk booster. Evidence: tradition.
- Garlic, flaxseed, dates and leafy greens. Nutritious foods often named on milk lists, with no good evidence for supply. Evidence: tradition.
Herbs such as fenugreek and moringa are often taken in larger, medicine-like doses and can have side effects. See Mother’s Milk Tea: Does It Work, and Is It Safe?, Moringa for Breast Milk Supply, and Lactation Pills: Side Effects and Safety before trying them.
Traditional milk foods around the world
Many cultures share the idea that a new mother should eat warm, rich, easy-to-digest meals. In Chinese tradition, that means soups such as fish soup and pig’s trotter soup, often with ginger, during the first month after birth; see Chinese Postpartum Confinement. In the Philippines, mothers eat chicken soup with malunggay (moringa) leaves. Green papaya soup is common in parts of Southeast Asia, and oats and barley in Europe. These meals give protein, fluid and warmth. Their effect on supply hasn’t been tested well.
What a breastfeeding diet really needs
- Regular meals and snacks, with protein, whole grains, fruit and vegetables.
- Fluids to thirst. Keep water nearby while feeding; drinking extra beyond thirst doesn’t add milk.
- Fish, 2 to 3 servings a week, choosing lower-mercury fish such as salmon, sardines and cod.
- Iron, if you lost a lot of blood at birth. Low iron has been linked to lower supply in some studies, so ask your doctor about a blood test.
- Your prenatal vitamin, if your clinician recommends continuing it. If you’re vegan, ask about vitamin B12.
Your baby’s doctor will usually recommend vitamin D drops for your baby as well.
Foods and drinks to limit
- Caffeine: up to about 300 mg a day, roughly 2 to 3 cups of coffee, is generally fine. Newborns and premature babies clear it more slowly.
- High-mercury fish: avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, bigeye tuna and tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico.
- Alcohol: not drinking is safest. Alcohol can also reduce the milk your baby gets.
Foods that may lower milk supply
Large amounts of sage, peppermint and parsley, especially as strong teas or oils, are traditionally used to dry up milk. Normal cooking amounts are fine. Strong peppermint tea or mints all day are worth cutting back if supply is a worry.
What matters more than food
If you’re worried about supply, put your energy here first: feed or pump 8 to 12 times a day in the early weeks, get the latch and pump fit checked, and add a power pumping session if your supply has dipped. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) can help. To check whether supply is really low, see Signs of Low Milk Supply.
Call your baby’s doctor promptly if your baby has fewer wet diapers than expected, isn’t gaining weight, looks more yellow, or is unusually sleepy or hard to wake for feeds.
Where Breastfeeding Support fits
The Breastfeeding Support herbal pouch is a sealed external pouch for mothers, worn over the navel, or at the lower back after a cesarean birth, with nothing to eat or drink. It’s a traditional wellness routine to use alongside your feeding plan. It isn’t a treatment for low milk supply and doesn’t replace frequent milk removal, lactation support or your baby’s checkups. Breastfeeding safety studies haven’t been done, so review the ingredients with your clinician, and keep pouches away from your baby.
Quick answers
What foods increase milk supply fast?
None reliably. Feeding or pumping more often works faster than any food.
Does oatmeal increase milk supply?
It’s a popular tradition without good studies behind it. It’s still a healthy, filling breakfast.
Do lactation cookies work?
There’s little evidence. Enjoy them as a snack if you like them.
Can eating too little lower my supply?
Yes, cutting calories sharply can. Eat to hunger and lose weight slowly.
Do I need to avoid spicy or gassy foods?
Usually not. Most babies are fine with what you eat. If you notice a clear pattern of reactions, talk to your baby’s doctor.
Reviewed October 2026. Author: Qingcai Wang, MD, PhD, developer of the Five Essences external herbal-pouch formulations, with a commercial interest in their sale. General education only; continue your medical and lactation care.
Sources: CDC, Maternal diet and breastfeeding; CDC, Breastfeeding your newborn; NHS, Is my baby getting enough milk?