How to Breastfeed Better using Herbs and Supplements

Many mothers today are choosing to breastfeed and for good reason; numerous short and long-term studies indicate that breastfeeding will improve baby’s IQ, aid in digestion, reduce the probability of ear infections, and decrease baby’s chance of becoming overweight later in life, along with a myriad of other benefits. A breastfeeding mother also reduces her chances of getting breast and ovarian cancers. While it is clear that the benefits of breastfeeding are quite remarkable, nearly every nursing mother runs into obstacles, luckily, there are some great herbs and supplements to help the nursing mother and encourage the continuation of breastfeeding.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baby
• Money
• A consultation with your doctor, nutritionist or lactation consultant to determine specific amounts of herbs and supplements

1. Use Fennel Seed to Soothe Baby’s Stomach:
   A member of the Parsley family, this age-old herb has been used for centuries for an array of ailments and has diuretic, antispasmodic, and analgesic properties. However, what Fennel Seed is most known for is soothing colicky babies. While breast milk is much easier for an infant to digest than formula, occasionally a mom may eat something that does not agree with her baby and pass it through the breast milk. If a nursing mother consumes Fennel Seed, it too will pass through the breast milk and into an infant’s stomach where it can really help to settle things down. Fennel Seed aids in digestion and alleviates the sharp gas pains infants may experience. Fennel Seed will also enhance the amount and quality of breast milk mom produces. A great way to get a good amount of Fennel Seed into a nursing mom’s diet is through drinking Fennel Tea, which comes conveniently packaged and can even be found in organic varieties.

2. Use Milk Enhancing Herbal Extracts to Increase Milk Supply:
   Experts think that around 15% of nursing moms truly have a low milk supply and even moms with normal milk supplies will experience temporary shortages now and then because of stress levels and poor nutrition and hydration. These types of supplements often come in liquid form and are very powerful because they use a concoction of milk enhancing herbs such as fennel, thistle, and nettle leaf in extracted form which gives a mother exponentially more exposure to a herb than if she were to consume it in dried form.

3. Take DHA Supplements:
   Great for pregnant women and nursing moms alike, DHA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that is needed for proper brain function throughout life. However, DHA is particularly critical for babies inside the womb and during the first two years of a child’s life, as their brains are developing at an astonishing rate. Breastfeeding is a wonderful way to provide a baby with the nutrients they need, but the quality of breast milk is somewhat dependent on a mothers diet and studies show that the typical American woman’s diet is sorely deficient in DHA. Since most natural sources of DHA (such as shell fish, salmon, and tuna) often contain worrisome levels of mercury for a pregnant or nursing mom, a DHA supplement is a great option.

Tips & Warnings

• Breastfeeding is agreed upon by nearly every expert as being the best way to feed a new baby and the World Health Organization whole-heartedly recommends breastfeeding for at least a full year and there after as long as both mom and baby are comfortable with the nursing relationship. Herbs and supplements such as the above outlined can be taken to help a nursing mother continue to breastfeed during periods of time when she may have a low milk supply and could feel discouraged and can enhance the great nutritive and soothing properties that breast milk naturally offers.

[smilesatme1]

on 9/27/2008 Good tips