Low On Breastfeeding Milk Supply, Try These Galactagogues To Boost Your Supply.

 

Breastfeeding is beneficial to both mother and baby, and while having a baby is a joyous occasion; the ability to bond with involves breastfeeding. However, when the mammary glands don’t produce enough milk for your baby, it can be worrisome for a lot of moms.

Am I producing enough milk? Is my baby getting enough milk, or sometimes the common, why am I not producing sufficient breast milk for my baby, and what can I do about it?

Galactagogues

Milk production is a natural calculated cycle whereby the body produces just enough milk as a baby consumes. Babies that suckling less should have mothers that produce less milk and vice versa, but alas, that is not the case.

Though nature is perfect, it does need some help to boost its impact on our life. Galactagogues have been in existence is the beginning of childbearing, while herbal galactagogues have been employed for ages in different cultures to boost breast milk production, there has been no substantial evidence from the science world exactly how this is said to improve lactation in nursing mothers.

Galactagogues in history

Malt Beer

Yes, beer is said to be an anti galactagogue, but in his book Infant Feeding and its influence on life (1869), Charles Routh, a British ob-gyn wrote about beer been a good galactagogue which totally goes against what we knew.

But before his study became public our grandmothers added a bit of alcohol in drinks for nursing mothers to boost breast milk. Charles, however, suggested that nursing mothers should be given one ounce of beer with an equal quantity of cream every few hours as an effective galactagogue.

In Africa, Nigeria, some galactagogues used are fermented millet, corn or sorghum blended with ginger, and made like custard, which was administered to the nursing mother. Although there is no record on how it boosts breast milk production, a warm glass in the morning and evenings are helping women feed their babies full.

Like Charles Routh, African nursing mothers are also consume a local drink called palm wine to help the lactating mother produce more breast milk for their babies.

Other cultures placed the nursing mother on a 40 days special diet to boost breast milk supply while some tribes in Africa make spicy soups with local herbs to increase milk supply.

Countries like Bangladesh restrict giving water to the mother for the first few days after childbirth because they believed that water makes the women swell, but Pakistanis add fenugreek seeds to milk for the nursing mother to drink for milk supply.

Herbal Galactagogues

There are numerous herbs and spices used by mothers across the globe. They are ingested as leaves, flowers, roots, teas, soups, or seeds during lactation to improve milk supply. While some of these galactagogues don’t have scientifical evidence, their effectiveness in boosting milk production has landed them on this list.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is the oldest known spice asides from ginger and garlic, which are also acclaimed galactagogues and aid lactating mothers increase milk supply. Fenugreek is the main spice in Middle Eastern dishes and a well-known spice for lactating mothers. As a member of the family Leguminosac, which also includes plants like peanuts, soy, and chickpea (all of which are also galactagogues), fenugreek is distinct in helping lactating mothers.

Some believe that because fenugreek can cause sweat increase when consumed that it can also affect the production of milk too. Although no scientific fact supports it yet, it is the best herbal galactagogues on the market with a rich past.

Umbel Seeds

Umbel seeds are a small cluster of flowers with a tiny stem attached to a larger stem used in France as a galactagogue; they are a combination of anise, caraway, cumin, dill, lovage, and fennel which is believed to have an affinity for breast.

Although no scientific support, experience has shown that the combination when consumed does increase milk supply and let-down in lactating mothers.

A study testing the effect of umbel seeds in rats as part of a controlled diet resulted in the rats growing larger mammary tissues meaning more milk supply.

Furthermore, their estrogenic property is another reason why they are classified as galactagogues.

Alfafa

Lactating cows that feed on Alfafa had increase milk supply for their young. Alfafa plays well into galactagogues because of its stimulating factor and estrogen property that helps increase the volume of breast tissue and boosting milk supply on lactating mothers. The herb is also rich in fiber and healthy antioxidants that lower cholesterol and aid digestion.

Blessed Thistle

One reported effect of blessed thistle is that it can boost breast milk production in lactating mothers. It’s thought to work by making more of the milk-producing hormone prolactin. According to a 2016 review, blessed thistle is commonly used as an herbal galactagogue.

Galactagogues Medication

Many prescription drugs are helping lactating mothers with the apparent problems of milk production, but two stands out among them – domperidone and Metoclopramide.

Domperidone has been on the market since 1978. Although never approved by the FDA citing concern of overuse in lactating mothers, it is a successful galactagogue in Canada. It has also undergone several and extensive research which has proven that domperidone is effective in increasing milk supply.

Metoclopramide is another galactagogue for lactating mothers, though it hasn’t undergone the extensive research as domperidone, it is a powerful galactagogue. However, women who have used it complained of some side effects.

Regardless of all the various galactagogues helping lactating mothers, there is yet to be a confirmative study that aims to describe the reason behind low milk supply in women, nor is their one that discredits the use of herbal/prescribed galactagogues in lactating mothers.

However, several reports and herbalists do emphasize the fact that these galactagogues should be taken in small portions to avoid any adverse side effects.

Furthermore, galactagogues are part of a healthy diet, and when foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients are included with soups and teas, a nursing mother should have no problem producing sufficient milk for her baby.

If you have never used any galactagogues, speak to your doctor or a lactation consultant for advice on whether you need any and which is best for you.

A few of the herbs mentioned above are specially formulated and included in our organic mother’s milk tea. Take a look here.