GALACTAGOGUES
This is the name we give to those food, herbs and medication use to boost your low-milk-supply. Food and herbs are considered as Line 2 treatment to a Low-Milk-Supply. Line 3 treatment will be any medication.
It is important to see a professional prior initiation of treatment to identify the main problem and correct it. If not, the boost that you may experience with the treatment line 2 or 3 will be only temporary. After this you may experience a regression to the prior LMS and then you will be left without a choice.
Should I try a galactagogue?
Find out if you really have LMS. It is important to answer the following questions with honesty.
- Is your baby gaining enough weight? =>* If your baby is gaining weight well, you have plenty of milk.
- If your milk supply really is low, find out why? Are you breastfeeding 8 -10 times a day? => *Not breastfeeding often enough is the most common cause of low milk supply. Try breastfeeding more frequently for a few days.
- A lactation consultant can help you with this.
- When low milk supply is due to not breastfeeding often enough or a baby who is unable to suck well, taking a galactagogue along with good breastfeeding or pumping at least every 2 to hours can help boost your milk supply.
- A lactation consultant can help you with this.
- Is your baby able to transfer milk from your breast to his/her mouth? => *If your baby is not latched on the breast right, he may not be able to get enough milk. Galactagogues can help your milk supply, but you will need to fix his latch.
- A lactation consultant can help you with this.
- When low milk supply is caused by problems in your body such as breast surgery or a hormone problem, galactagogues may help a little but cannot fix the main problem.
- A lactation consultant can help you with this.
What are the food herbs considered as galactagogues?
Foods: High-fiber foods and grains such as oats (not instant), barley, lentils, brown rice, beans, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) peas, pumpkin, quinoa seeds, and coconut. Calcium-rich foods such as sesame, flax seeds, almonds, sunflower and dark green leafy vegetables (Asparagus, spinach, green beans), lettuce, carrots, garlic, beets, borage, ginger and in rare cases Avocado. Molasses sweet potatoes,
Fruits: such as apricots, dates, figs, cherries and cooked green papaya.
Soups: chicken broth/soup/stock, made from Torbangan or Mulunggay leaves (moringa),.
Herbs: Some of the most common cooking herbs include anise, black-seed, caraway, coriander, dill, basil, cumin, fennel, dandelion, fenugreek and vervain.
Non-food herbs: include alfalfa, blessed-thistle, milk-thistle, nettle, goat’s rue, red clover and shatavari. Some companies also make special blends.
It is not recommended to try all of them at once. It is advice to try one type every week. Each person is different, and herbs may start acting with a delay time of 5 -14 days. In best case scenarios. It is important that you speak to a LC prior this.
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