Many mums struggle with low milk supply. To remedy this, some choose to make certain changes – from changing latching positions to switching their diets.
We know that vegetables like Moringa leaves and even oats and nuts can help increase milk supply.
But we might have to add a surprising new dish to the list! Crispy pata (a whole deep-fried pork leg or shank, including the knuckles). Yes, you read that right. The beloved Filipino dish can be more than just a staple of family gatherings, it can also help breastfeeding mums struggling with poor supply.
Tinka Herrera Dan, a mum to a month-old baby girl has been breastfeeding since she gave birth.
“My baby got hospitalised and wasn’t able to latch for a day,” Tinka tells us in an interview. “My supply got pretty much decimated from that and the stress and worry.”
To help boost supply, she pumped every two hours, got a massage from a lactation consultant, drank lots of water as well as coconut juice, and took three Moringa capsules daily. She also ate lots of protein and fat, upon the advice of her doctor.
“For my first meal after giving birth, he highly recommended the crispy pata (pork knuckles)”
“My doctor recommended eating lots of protein and fat, as soon as I gave birth! He said breastmilk is made of mostly fat and protein, so best to consume that.,” Tinka told us. “For my first meal after giving birth, he highly recommended the crispy pata (pork knuckles).”
Screenshot courtesy of Tinka Herrera Dan
“This is because breast milk is at least 50 percent fat. Any fat will do except for trans fat. Crispy pata (pork knuckles) is just one choice,” explained her doctor, Martin Manahan from Makati Medical Center, in a Facebook comment.
Screenshot courtesy of Tinka Herrera Dan
“This is because breast milk is at least 50 percent fat. Any fat will do except for trans fat. Crispy pata (pork knuckles) is just one choice…”
“And fat makes you thin. The problem with fat is that it’s called fat. Fat is essential for life and hormones and breast milk,” he further explained. “It does not cause heart disease because consumption of it lowers inflammation.”
It turns out that the unconventional health tip helped boost her supply. “I felt like a winner!” gushed the first-time mum.
“When my supply got low because my baby was sick and couldn’t latch, I was pumping every two hours, even throughout the night, for three days. I was more tired than I had ever been in my life but I learned that motherhood makes you realise you’re so much stronger and more resilient than you think you are,” shared Tinka. “You’ll do anything for your baby no matter how exhausting it is.”
Tinka’s experience is truly amazing! But before you go ahead and gorge yourself on fatty, fried dishes, make sure to consult your doctor first, mums! In your quest to boost milk supply and to nourish your baby, make sure you also make your own health a priority.
Do you know of any other unusual foods that can help boost milk supply? Let us know in the comments below!
