Herbs and Breast Feeding - How to increase your breast milk supply

Ayurvedic Herbs can increase breast milk production. Besides medicinal plants, there are lifestyle suggestions that were known in the ancient system of holistic medicine. Herbs have been a staple part of life for us as human beings. Unfortunately the more modern our world becomes the more distant we become to what’s been naturally provided to us on this earth in order to successfully sustain life. Opposing drugs is not the focus of this article, but rather an approach to increasing breast milk production naturally through the use of herbs. Using herbs to increase breast milk can have positive effects for you and your nursing baby.

There are two popular herbs that are being used regularly to help nursing mothers overcome how to increase breastmilk production. Those two herbs are Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle.

Fenugreek:

* Fenugreek is a common galactogogue. A galactogogue is a substance that increases secretion of milk. Fenugreek usage dates back to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The primary use of this herb was to combat problems that women were often faced with, one being breast milk production in mothers who found it hard to produce adequate breast milk for their baby.
* Fenugreek seed sold today is usually ground into a powder and placed into capsules. This form of Fenugreek can be purchased for a reasonable price at local herb stores.
* The normal dosage for Fenugreek is 3 capsules taken 3 times per day.
* Fenugreek primarily helps mothers to produce more milk by stimulating the glands that produce sweat. Being that your mammary glands are essentially sweat glands, it’s no mystery how this herb is able to assist towards increasing breast milk production.
* Fenugreek works best when breast milk has been emptied completely from each breast, which can be accomplished by breast feeding or using a breast pump.
* Results vary from person to person, and may take some trial and error to see if the herb works to increase your breast milk supply.

Blessed Thistle:

* Blessed Thistle works by stimulating the mammary gland, and is considered to be one of the best herbs to increase breast milk production.
* It’s recommended that you take Blessed Thistle along with Fenugreek to achieve maximum results.
* The recommended dosage is 3 capsules 3 times per day. Blessed Thistle is also sold in the form of a tincture which can be taken 3 times a day, 20 drops each dose. Some tincture preparations have labels that state nursing mothers should avoid consuming the product mainly because it contains alcohol. There is no need to worry as the alcohol is in such minute amounts that it will only show up in small amounts in you breast milk.

Other herbs that may help to increase breast milk supply are:

* Fennel Seed – helps promote menstruation and increase mothers milk production
* Chamomile – has relaxing properties and helps stimulate the production of breast milk.
* Alfalfa – this herb is rich in amino acids that are essential to the body which some mothers may be deficient in because of their diet.
* Most of the above mentioned herbs can be purchased in capsule form or as a tea.
* Goat's Rue- The leaves stimulate development of mammary glands, and increase breast milk production and flow.
* Shatavari - is traditionally used by women for overall health and vitality and it promotes lactation.

Aniseed : Aids digestion and promotes mother's milk production for nursing mothers.

Caraway : This herb has galacagogue properties. Used to aid mother's milk production and aid digestion disorders.

Below are herbs to avoid if you are having milk problems or if you want to increase breast milk production.

* Aloe spp.
* Black cohosh
* Buckthorn
* Cascara sagrada
* Cocoa

Treatments for common breastfeeding problems, including using herbs, such as fenugreek and blessed thistle to increase your breast milk supply.

Read out Pregnancy calculator. Also check out for homemade face masks and home remedies for sore throat

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