subject: A Comprehensive Guide to Herbs and Breastfeeding [print this page] A Comprehensive Guide to Herbs and Breastfeeding
You've heard there are herbs that can help stingy milk, and you know there are herbs you shouldn't use while breastfeeding. But what if you don't know your Pimpinella anisum from your Borago officinalis? Now there's a book to make it all easy for you. Filled with herbs, breastfeeding tips and advice from Mama, Earth Mama Angel Baby's A Comprehensive Guide to Herbs and Breastfeeding is an essential reference for careful mamas who want to safely harness the goodness of herbs.
Excerpts from A Comprehensive Guide to Herbs and Breastfeeding
Melinda Olson started mixing organic herbal products for friends in her Oregon kitchen many years ago. Knowing that herbal remedies can be safe and effective for pregnancy's many common discomforts, she is an expert in the benefits and dangers of plant medicine for pregnant women and babies, and continually balances her trust and care of traditional herb wisdom with evidence-based research.
Years of organic gardening, a passion for herbs and a need to find safe products for mamas and babies naturally led to founding Earth Mama Angel Baby, an industry leader in safe personal care for pregnant women and their babies. Earth Mama Angel Baby supports mamas and babies through the entire miraculous birth process, offering nature's perfect solutions to perfectly natural pregnancy discomforts.
Helpful Herbs for Healthy Breast Milk Production
Breastfeeding is the natural way to nurture a new baby, but sometimes the Milk of Momness needs Mother Nature's help to flow freely. Galactagogues (galact' or 'galacto' is the Greek prefix that means milk, and the suffix 'agogos' means flow) are nature's herbal gifts to lactating women, and have been used for centuries to help increase milk supply. Herbal galatagogues can help stingy milk flow from healthy mama to healthy baby. (Read the list here.)
Herbs to Avoid During Breastfeeding
Like the foods we eat and the medicines we take, some of the constituents in herbs are secreted in breast milk and are, therefore, ingested by a nursing baby. Some of the herbs on this list are included because they contain constituents that may be harmful to the mother or baby. Other herbs should be avoided because they are traditional antilactagogues used during weaning and can reduce breast milk production. (Read the list here.)
If you can't find reputable organic herbs, or don't know your tincture from your tisane, a blended galactagogue tea is probably your best bet. Sipping a soothing cup of tea is a great way to relax and take care of yourself, and encourages your incredible body to do what it naturally knows how to do.
Everyone wants the best for their baby, from breast milk's disease fighting antibodies to its reputation for lowering risk of ear infection, asthma and childhood obesity, and nothing matches the bonding and precious together time that breastfeeding provides. With herbal help from Mother Nature, low breast milk is no reason to quit.
