can beer increase my milk supply

Can Beer Increase My Milk Supply?

I live where you live. So chances are that you’ve seen the same posts in Facebook mom groups asking how to boost milk supply. You may also have seen the recommendation to drink a (dark) beer to help with your supply. I’m sure those posts had you thinking, “is it true? Can beer increase my milk supply?” Well, we are here to settle that once and for all. Curious? Keep reading.

Can beer increase my milk supply?

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but no, beer does not increase your milk supply. Not even a dark beer. In fact, beer can actually do the opposite. The alcohol in beer has a diuretic effect. This means that it increases your urine output (all of a sudden those long bathroom lines at college frat parties make sense!). When you urinate your body, obviously, loses fluids. Whenever your body is lacking adequate hydration your milk supply will drop.

So why are moms saying that drinking a beer boosted their milk supply? The brewers yeast is the key. And, you can get brewers yeast without the alcohol! That’s right, you can buy brewers yeast on its own and add it to….cookies! And, as you may or may not know, oatmeal is another food that can support a healthy milk supply. Plus, who doesn’t love cookies?!

Using Brewers Yeast to Support Milk Production

If you decide you want to try to use brewers yeast to support your milk supply, we recommend adding it to cookies (along with some flax meal – ground flax seed – for an extra boost!). In cookie form you won’t taste these supplements. I recommend adding 4 tablespoons of brewers yeast and 4 tablespoons of flax meal to teach of these recipes to get the benefits, but you can certainly adjust depending on your body, baby, etc.

I do want to make sure I tell you that sometimes brewers yeast and flax can cause an increase in gassiness (in both you and your baby). I would recommend increasing your water intake when consuming these cookies as well as starting with just 1-2 cookies a day to see how your body, and your baby, react. The dough can be frozen for quick cookies any time (I recommend rolling it into balls, freezing that on a cookie sheet, and then transferring to an airtight container for freezer storage).

Our two favorite recipes are:

 

Important to Know

I want to make it abundantly clear that these supplements are, in no way, necessary for breast milk production. Your body will make breast milk on its own without these foods. Some women feel they need a little boost or want to do more, and that is totally valid. We want to make sure you have the resources you need if you decide that you want to try to boost your supply. As always, our blogs are for informational purposes only. They do not contain medical advice and do not take the place of consultation with your medical provider.

Other Blogs You May Like

Breast Milk and Alcohol – What Every Breastfeeding Mom Needs to Know
Common Breastfeeding Myths Busted by a CLC
Tips for Building a Breast Milk Stash