Are Herbal Supplements Safe and Effective for Increasing Breastmilk Supply?

Breast Milk is the best nutrient dense milk for your baby which has many health benefits for your baby and by feeding your baby, even mothers reap a lot of benefits. Nursing your infants after birth is almost done by every woman and it’s something everyone does with full responsibility because they know they’re giving them the best nourishment and proper meal through their breast milk.

Though it’s a natural occurring process, many lactating mothers face issues while feeding, like latching problems, weaknesses, newborn impairment and most of all lack in milk supply, which leaves their baby hungry and irritating. Mothers get worried, run to the doctors for formula milk or follow advice from experienced women and elders in this context to improve milk supply.

Here comes the use of herbal lactation supplements because there are many herbs that are known for increasing milk supply effectively. You can generally buy them from shops such as pharmacies, supermarkets and health food stores too.

They are often so common herbs which are found in our kitchen cabinets and we just need to introduce them in our daily routines to boost milk supply. However, you should be careful about these herbal medicines while breastfeeding your baby.

What are Herbal Supplements?

Herbal medicine is the study of pharmacognosy, which is the basis of traditional medicines. All those products, medicines and oils that are obtained from botanicals or plants, which are used for the treatment of different diseases or to maintain health are known as herbal supplements or phyto medicines. They are plant sourced supplements that are used internally and externally both.

These supplements aren’t new and have been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes. They come in all forms, dried, powdered, chopped, or put in a capsule or in liquid too. You can easily swallow them as a pill, brew them as a tea, sometimes added to bath water or even used in aromatherapy. They are known for their healing properties for many centuries.

What Herbal Supplements Should I Take to Produce More milk?

The herbal lactation supplements which help improve milk supply are also known as galactogogues. They help not only improve milk quantity but also its quality and good flow of the milk and stimulates breasts. Some famous herbs are following:

A-Fenugreek seeds

They have phyto-estrogens like properties that enhance the milk supply greatly. You can have them as brewed tea or in powder form too.

B-Brewer’s yeast

It’s a very effective galactagogue rich in many vitamins and minerals, that not only help improving milk supply but also is very good for mothers as well. It helps overcome baby blues that often newly turned mothers suffer from.

C-Milk thistle

Just like its plant that has veins in it, it helps a great milk flow of the mother’s milk and increase its supply as well.

  The FDA and herbal supplements

FDA considers these herbal supplements as a food and not a medicine so they don’t regulate it. Unlike medicines, these supplements don't get through any testing process, their manufacturing isn’t registered, and labeling standards or regulations aren’t the same as formulated medicines in the market.

This also means that the ingredients, dosage, and production of these supplements don’t undergo monitoring for quality and consistency. However, that doesn’t mean you can have them any time you want or can have them on your own. Talk with your health care provider before taking them.

Herbal supplements and interaction with breastmilk

There are many concerns around the unregulated use of herbal and traditional medicines in breastfeeding. All the foods and herbs we consume do pass in the breast milk of the mother and therefore, their good and side effects both get into it. Many aren’t even scientifically proven to be effective or safe either.

They can even hinder with prescribed medicines, giving adverse reactions and serious health problems due to drug interaction. So it is advised to pregnant and nursing mothers to do some research before consuming any such thing, or it's even better to consult a lactation adviser who can tell you better about right doses and combination of these herbal lactation supplements.

If you want a better and effective alternative to lactation supplements then you must be trying some lactation treats like lactation cookies, emergency brownies or smoothies. Who can better offer and make these treats than milky mama who have a wide variety of these lactation treats that helps increase milk supply and are healthy for the newly turned mother as well. There are no safety concerns and health risks regarding them and their ingredients are found in our kitchens.

Conclusion

Herbal lactation supplements may help increase your milk supply and yes many elders and midwives swear on their effectiveness too. A doctor or lactation consultant can best advise you about its dosage, safety along with lifestyle changes and medication. You can even visit Milky Mama sites for better safe and healthy options to increase milk supply.