Herbs That Support Lactation (Other Than Fenugreek!)
Having a baby on Maui is a dream come true for so many women. After making it through pregnancy, labor, and delivery comes the post-partum phase, where you feel like a walking contradiction: full of love for your newborn, yet feel sad and heavy as you deal with new physical and hormonal changes.
Being a new mother is no easy feat, as you navigate breastfeeding and rearranging your life to a new routine (or lack thereof). Learning to breastfeed is one thing and can range from easy to stressful. Navigating herbs, supplements, and foods that benefit lactation and breastfeeding is a whole new challenge. Thankfully, herbs have been used by traditional cultures to support lactation and breastfeeding safely.
Here are some of my favorite non-fenugreek options to promote healthy lactation while ensuring safety for your baby (and side benefits of nourishment and nutrition!)
1. Oatstraw
Call it an old wives’ myth, but consuming oats is a well-known tip in the breastfeeding community. This could be because of how nutritive they are, providing iron and other vitamins and minerals. The Doctrine of Signatures in traditional herbalism states that an herb’s properties suggest what it can be useful for – in this case, “milky” oat tops may have clued us to the potential lactation benefits of oats.
2. Fennel
This is a traditional Ayurvedic herb considered a galactagogue, an herb that increases breast milk quality and quantity. Research suggests that fennel contains phytoestrogens which help to increase prolactin levels, the hormone that stimulates milk production. One small study showed that women who drank fennel tea produced more milk than a control group that did not consume fennel. (Nipperandco.co.uk)
3. Anise
Similar to fennel, anise has bioactive compounds that may contribute to lactation support via mammary gland development and milk duct growth. It also has phytoestrogenic properties, which may increase prolactin levels.
4. Blessed Thistle
This bitter herb has been traditionally used for liver health, women’s reproductive health, and appetite stimulation. Encouraging more consumption of nutritious food is a sure way to benefit lactation. Blessed thistle, like the herbs listed above, also has phytoestrogenic properties to stimulate prolactin.
If you are a new mom on Maui and interested in herbal support, please feel free to contact me. I also provide soothing acupuncture treatments to support a balanced nervous system.
Sending healing & nourishing Qi,
Meghane
