Herbs and Medicine and Breastfeeding

This post came from a presentation I did in the Breastfeeding Mamas group that meets at Carroll Pharmacy in Trussville earlier this week. Several people mentioned they wanted some notes, so I thought I would put my notes up on my blog. I have said it before I am not a lactation specialist, I am a pharmacist. So many things breastfeeding related that I talk about may be just from my experience or information gathered from the reading I do, but this stuff is actually my area of expertise...Medicine and supplements.
*This is not an extensive list, but hopefully includes most of the most common ones.

Helpful Herbs for Increasing Supply

Blessed Thistle: an herb that can stimulate secretion of saliva and gastric juices that can also help increase breast milk (Not to be used during pregnancy*).


Fenugreek: Maybe the most common herbs used to increase milk supply.Can cause maple syrup odor (Not to be used during pregnancy*).

I will mention that you do have to take a lot of Fenugreek. The usual recommended dosage is three capsules three times a day.

*I told the mamas in my group that I thought it was important to mention that some of these herbs should not be used during pregnancy. Just in case there is an eager mom-to-be out there that thinks she may want to get a jump start on her milk supply before the baby gets here. These can cause uterine contractions and can be dangerous to a pregnant mama.

Milk Thistle: Liver protecting seed (interesting fact: sometimes used for mushroom poisoning) and a recent study showed women who took it had a significant increase in milk vs. placebo
Maybe worth a try?

Goat’s Rue: Don't worry...this doesn't come from a goat. It's named this because its milk producing properties were first noted to increase milk in goats. Now days its used by farmers and nursing mothers to increase milk. As if you already didn't feel part of a dairy farm :)

Fennel Seed: Also used in goats and breastfeeding women. Can be used as a digestive aid that can help to soothe a colicky BF baby and ease postpartum discomfort. (Maybe double triple bang for your buck??)
Breastfeeding moms can take the fennel seed themselves and pass the benefit along to your baby. It is also considered safe to give fennel straight to the baby.

Red Raspberry Leaf: very nutritive herb that is high in minerals that are helpful for milk production and strength in postpartum and BF women.

Non-Herbals for Increasing Supply

Even though I don't think these drugs are used too much anymore, and they require a prescription from your OB-GYN, I wanted to include because you may hear about them when researching how to increase supply. There is a girl in our support group that has tried metoclopramide and it was recommended to another girl by a lactation consultant, so you definitely may hear about these.

Metoclopramide (Reglan): intended to treat a variety of stomach issues, but it has a side effect of increasing prolactin level= more milk. If you do any research on this drug you will read about some pretty rare, but scary side effects. Just like any drug, everyone will react differently. If it is something you are considering I would definitely talk with your doctor or pharmacist about the risk vs. benefits. For what its worth, I will say that as a pharmacists and a mom... if it was my last resort to be able to breastfeed my baby I would probably give it a try!

Drugs That Can Cause a Decrease in Supply

Estrogen birth control pills
**Pharmacist Service Announcement: Most of the time when you are breastfeeding and want to go back on a birth control pill, your OBGYN will put you on a progesterone only pill or "mini pill". These are less effective than the traditional "combination" birth control pill, and they need to be taken pretty close to the same time each day (like within a three hour window). Also, if you are using breastfeeding as a method of birth control, it becomes less effective the less you nurse, such as when you introduce solids or have to supplement with formula...

Pseudophedrine and other decongestants

Antihistamines
These last two on the list makes for a very inconvenient cold and flu season.
My recommendation to breastfeeding mamas (including myself) when you find yourself with a head cold that comes with a stuffy or runny nose is don't take anything (probably not what you wanted to hear). You can do saline nose spray or other sinus rinse products. I just don't think it is worth the risk.

What do I take?
I take Fenugreek 500mg three capsules three times a day and a lactation blend that includes everything listed in the helpful herbs section above. I can tell a difference when I don't take them, so I guess they are working :) I don't wanna take any chances, so I am going to keep with it! Can't hurt, right???

I'm Back!

I wrote this post on November 19th and never posted it. I thought I would post it before starting a new one :)

So, I was doing so good with my blog...until I moved into a new house, moved into a new pharmacy, and HAD A BABY! A lot has happened over the ~18 weeks since I last blogged, most importantly....

This girl princess came into our lives on September 19th and 12:17pm at a whopping 9lbs and 13 oz! I can't believe how fast time has gone by and that she will be two months old tomorrow!! When I think back, I can't believe everything I have been through and accomplished since becoming a mommy... Attempted (unsuccessful) version, c-section, breastfeeding, milk not coming in, baby that wasn't gaining enough weight, colic/stomach issues, hip dysplasia, hip brace, and now going back to work!! As crazy as its been, this has been the most amazing experience of my life!
I want to say that I am writing this blog for a couple of reasons, first as a way to be able to look back and remember these times in my life and the other main reason is I hope by sharing my experiences as a Mommy and a pharmacist, I am able to help other people in their own journeys.
So I want to go back to when I was about 34 weeks pregnant, I go in for a regular doctors appointment and the doctor is feeling my belly. (Let me also mention that this is the first appointment I go to by myself!)  I point to a spot (at the VERY top of my stomach) and ask her if that is a "booty". I wasn't convinced that was what it was, I knew if it was in fact a "booty" it was the hardest booty I had ever felt, but I was hopeful that I was just a dumb FTM  (first time mom) and I really didn't have a head at the top of my uterus at 34 weeks pregnant. The doctor looked at my concerned and told me she thought it may be a head, and sent me straight to ultrasound. Of  course I was upset... called Justin and he told me he was on his way to meet me at the doctor. So, Justin comes in to the ultrasound room and it is confirmed that we in fact have a breech baby :(. We go back to see the doctor and she tells us that we have two options.
1. Go ahead and schedule the c-section
2. Attempt an external version (This is where the doctor tries to manually turn the baby from the outside. A "procedure" that I would be admitted to the hospital and monitored for, just in case the baby didn't tolerate it or they put me into labor).
Immediately I knew I wanted to try the version, I DID NOT want a c-section and I was going to do everything I could to avoid that. So, I scheduled the version and started watching YouTube videos on how they do them and actually watched some women have them attempted.
So, fast forward 2.5 weeks later to 36.5 weeks pregnant and I was going in to be admitted to attempt my own version. Well long story short...two doctors tried to move Ella Mae in a 180 degree turn by pushing on the outside of my stomach. If your curious as to what this looks like check out the aforementioned YouTube videos. All I can say as my experience did not look like the YouTube videos. Those women must have been drugged or something :) IT HURT REALLY BAD! Am I glad I did it...yes! Would I do it again...probably (maybe not knowing she was so big)...
Anyway, after the attempted version I stayed in the hospital most of the day being monitored for contractions... I had some, but nothing regular so they let me go home and we scheduled the c-section for 39 weeks...
TO BE CONTINUED :)