🤱 Ask The Expert | World Breastfeeding Week 2026

Some food and herbal products are labelled as “galactagogues”, which are substances used to increase milk supply. Everyone's reaction to galactagogues differ - what works for some mothers may not really work for others. What has the strongest effect on milk production is effective and frequent milk removal either via direct latching or pumping. In simple terms: the more effectively milk is removed from the breast, the stronger the signal to your body to produce milk. A balanced diet, adequate fluids and sufficient calories are important for your own health and wellbeing. If you enjoy the soups or your favourite lactation tea, go ahead — but you don't need to force yourself to consume something you dislike because you're worried your milk supply depends on it. If you genuinely have low supply, it's much more useful to identify why than to simply add more “milk-boosting” foods/herbs.