Hey, Mom, Don’t Skip This Part
Hi, I’m Priya, mom of a baby boy born in December 2025. If you are here, you already know that
my baby gained consistent and above-average weight in the first two months, which usually
feels the hardest for a new mom. As crying peaks from 4 to 6 weeks, every mom’s heart
feels heavy and her mind is flooded with negative thoughts, often questioning her milk. But
trust me, your milk should not be questioned at such a time. You just need patience and the
right strategy to handle this phase and help your baby’s health stay on track.
As you all asked, I am sharing what I did and what food I ate to support my baby’s weight
gain during those hard times.
Table of Contents
This is exactly what I followed to support healthy weight gain in the first two months.
First, I focused on feeding practices because no food works without proper milk removal.
- I fed on demand, not on a fixed schedule.
- I ensured proper latch every time.
- I allowed full feeding from one side before switching.
- I did not rush feed.
- I avoided unnecessary top feeds.
- I held the baby upright after feeding to reduce spit-ups.
- I tracked wet diapers (10+) to confirm adequate intake.
Now coming to food. I did not use fancy supplements or expensive products. I followed
simple, home-based nutrition.I just focused on calorie sufficiency (»2100–2300 kcal/day),
supplements (iron, calcium) and protein consistency.
Here are the options I chose to keep up with my body needs.
PROTEIN Options I chose from:
Non vegetarian
Eggs (3 daily either boiled or bhurji or egg curry)
Chicken (chicken curry, oiled and roasted on tava once in a week)
Fish (you can have it in curry or fried form though I didn’t eat it)
Vegetarian
Soya chunks (Soya wrap n, Soyabean fried, soyabean curry)
Black chana (Boiled, curry with a lemon squeezed on it to enhance absorption)
Moong dal (Sprouted with lemon squeezed on it)
Masoor dal (Dal with 2tbsp ghee and lemon in it)
Peanuts (handful daily in poha, rice or just plain roasted without oil)
Minimum goal should be 1.2 — 1.5 g protein per kg body weight.
CARBOHYDRATE OPTIONS (Choose 3–5 daily
servings)
Purpose: Maintain 2000–2300 kcal/day for milk production.
Whole wheat roti (with ghee applied on it)
Paratha (with ghee/oil)
Plain rice / fried rice
Boiled sweet potatoes
Banana
Jowar/Bajra roti
If you love oats then you can add that too.
IRON SOURCES (Daily rotation)
Black chana
Any dal
Soy chunks
Green leafy vegetables (Spinach, methi, dill leaves)
Jaggery (small amount)
Chicken liver (best iron source, I used to have it once in a week)
DON’T DO THIS MISTAKE
Remember not to take any milk products that are calcium rich when you are having
your iron. For example; Palak paneer is just iron + calcium which has zero nutritional value
as calcium interferes with the absorption of iron.
CALCIUM SOURCES
Milk
Curd
Paneer
Ragi (ragi dosa , ragi chapati, ragi malt)
Sesame seeds ( ladoo)
Almonds
Correct Timing Strategy for taking your iron and calcium supplements:
Iron- Morning (Empty stomach preferred) with lemon water or vitamin C
Make sure they’s no dairy products for 2 hours
Calcium + Vitamin D at night after dinner. At least 2–3 hours after dinner.
Lifestyle habits that helped me:
- I rested whenever the baby slept.
- I avoided stress-based decisions at night.
- I used to track baby weight weekly at home. It also helped me to motivate and improve
whenever needed. - My husband supported me with household work so I could recover and feed without
exhaustion.
CORE ADVICE FOR BREASTFEEDING MOMS
(Beyond Food)
If you think your milk flow is low then do these:
Eat 2000 kcal/day
Increase protein
Increase feeding frequency (8–12 feeds/day)
Do NOT wait for long gaps
As milk production works on demand-supply principle.
One Breast Rule (Very Important)
I learned this very late but it was most important. Feed from ONE breast first and allow baby
to empty it fully. You can switch only if the baby is still hungry. And start next feed from the
opposite breast.
It is backed by the science fact which states that the Foremilk is watery and it adds
to the baby hydration needs and hindmilk is calorie dense as it has fats which helps
in baby weight gain. So, when you switch breasts too early, it reduces fat intake
resulting in low weight gain.
You don’t have to listen to those who tell you to offer both breasts in every feed unless your
breasts are soft after feeding and your baby is gaining proper weight.
Mistakes that you shouldn’t be making:
Trying to diet early postpartum.
Health conscious moms start dieting in order to get back to their pre pregnancy body. It can
prove dangerous for you and your baby so please eat enough and rest even more. Stress
free moms make better milk.
Drinking excessive water thinking it increases milk (it just keeps you hydrated).
It doesn’t mean you’ll keep your water intake low. No. Drink more because more than 50
percent of your milk is just water. I drank water consistently throughout the day, especially
after feeding.
Timing feeds strictly instead of feeding on demand.
Don’t rely on the clock to tell you that your baby needs milk. To be honest, I feed my baby
8-10 times a day even now.
He cries, I feed.
He’s in pain, I feed.
He’s happy, I feed.
He took a shower, and I feed.
Just keeping in mind I don’t overfeed. I feed him only if he accepts it without force.
Stopping breastfeeding during peak crying weeks (6–8 weeks)
These are the weeks when babies usually cluster feeds. Which means the baby asks for
feed back to back and moms get tired. I stayed strong in those times and offered feed to my
baby everytime he asked.
Skipping night feeds in initial month
It was just me and my husband doing the night walks with the baby. Actually, it was just my
husband alone doing the night walks so that I can rest after every feed. At least 3 feeds in a
night are important. Yeah night hours are sensitive but important for your baby whose body
is just coping up.
We used to feed at 12am, then 3am and 6am. Alarms were set and every feed was counted.
I think when seriousness is shown in hard times then the baby grows.
Not resting/stressing
Milk supply is regulated by hormones so dear moms rest enough please. And say goodbye
to stress at least for your baby.
If we two can do it then you can also do it better.
THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT
Dear moms, do NOT judge your milk supply by baby cries, breast softness, or pump output.
Instead check for weight gain, number of wet diapers in a day and baby alertness during
feeds.
If your baby is crying it doesn’t mean he is not getting enough milk. So a wrong judgement is
root for unwanted negativity and stress.
And always remember that milk supply does not drop suddenly in a healthy mother
eating enough calories. It drops gradually with chronic undernutrition and infrequent
feeding.
So I would like to sum up with;
Eat enough and feed often.
Here is The List Of Milk Supply Supporting
Foods (Galactagogue List)
Here’s the list of food items that you can choose from to add to your routine.
Methi (Fenugreek) – Increases milk supply fast.
Oats – Improves supply (iron support).
Jeera (Cumin) – Enhances milk flow + aids digestion.
Saunf (Fennel) – Supports prolactin + reduces baby colic.
Ajwain – Improves milk let-down + reduces bloating. You can add it in ladoos or
while making dal as I did.
Garlic – Improves milk taste + increases feeding duration.
Desi Ghee – Increases milk fat (better weight gain).
Milk + Almonds – Adds protein + healthy fats (richer milk).
Black Sesame – High calcium + iron (supports production).
Moringa – Clinically shown to increase supply.
Coconut – Adds healthy fats (higher milk calories).
High-Protein Foods (dal, paneer, eggs, chicken) – Essential for milk production.
Start your mornings by choosing from these magical options:
- Overnight soaked fenugreek
- Cumin (jeera) + Ajwain soaked water (drink the boiled water, removing jeera and
ajwain) - 5 soaked almonds
- Oats breakfast
Important clarification: I did not eat any magical food, lactation powder, or miracle
supplement. Milk production works on demand and supply. Proper latch plus frequent
feeding is the real foundation. Food supports the mother. Feeding technique supports the
baby.
This is what worked for me. Every baby is different, but right decision-making makes a
significant difference.
Breast milk quality is naturally optimal. Quantity increases mainly with frequent
feeding + proper latch. So, no food works without this.
A baby grows well when you celebrate motherhood.