Who wouldn't be seduced by the idea of passion fruit and acai with creamy coconut milk? This refreshing, ice-cold, heavenly potion is the newest trending drink from Starbucks — the Pink Drink. With all the myths and remedies surrounding breastfeeding moms, some may believe the Pink Drink is a tool to help milk production. Will the Pink Drink increase milk supply?
The Pink Drink is a combination of Starbucks’ Strawberry Acai Refresher and iced coconut milk, topped with strawberries. The pretty pink color and creamy consistency makes it look and taste refreshing, but drinking it to help increase your milk supply probably won't be useful.
Breastfeeding moms are often prescribed galactagogues (sounds like they're from outer space), which are foods or supplements that claim to increase milk supply, according to Kelly Mom. And because there are so many opinions and remedies that people throw at you when you're breastfeeding, you end up willing to try stuff because you're worried your baby's not getting enough milk. When I was breastfeeding my kids, I was constantly questioned if my babies were getting enough and whether or not I was producing enough milk.
I was offered remedies like cumin, and milk thistle, but what I realized was that the more I breastfed, the more milk I produced, and that whether I ate something or not didn't make much difference.
Breastfeeding USA and the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine explained that there is not enough research to suggest that using galactagogues helps increase milk supply, and that they should not be used as a first line of remedy in boosting milk production.
According to the website for Dr. Sears, the most important steps in increasing your milk supply are increasing your feeding frequency and breastfeeding for longer periods. The website suggested that you can help increase milk production by trying methods like double nursing, switch nursing, and nap and nighttime nursing.
From my experience, when it comes down to it, breastfeeding is about simple supply and demand, as long as there are no underlying medical complications with you or the baby. The more your baby suckles and feeds, the more cues your body receives to produce more milk. If you nurse infrequently, your body gets the message that it doesn't need to produce that much milk, lowering your milk supply.
So as much as you'd like to believe that the pink drink will help increase your milk supply, the truth is that foods and supplements aren't truly the primary answer. Feeding more frequently and letting your baby spend more time at your breast, while you sip your refreshing Pink Drink just for enjoyment and relaxation, might be the way to go.
