We’re very pleased to share an abridged excerpt from the new book, The Virtual Breastfeeding Culture: Mother-to-Mother Support in the Digital Age, by Lara Audelo.

Have you benefited from the power of online mom-to-mom breastfeeding support?  Tamara’s story below is a testament to this power in making breastfeeding work.  

Tamara’s Story

Somehow through a mix of my own upbringing and arbitrary standards forced on women to be “better” or “best,” I went into motherhood with expectations that reality slowly crushed, sending me into a chasm of self-doubt. Then people — strangers — reached through the Internet and pulled me out.

It took us seven months to get pregnant for the first time, and after two active, healthy trimesters I experienced preterm labor at 27 weeks. I was rushed to the prenatal intensive care unit and given fluids and medication to stop my contractions. My husband watched the monitor with a stoic face, almost willing the contractions to stop. I remember asking him how big a baby is at 27 weeks, and his answer was, “Not big enough.”

That was the first time my heart swelled with the enormity that is motherhood. I think for most people, it happens the moment their baby is born. For me, that day was my introduction. It was heavy and scary, and I felt like my body was failing to do something that seemed effortless for other women. That prayerful day turned into ten weeks of strict bed rest and tocolysis. The days were long and fear-filled. With nothing but time on my hands, I paged through the bibles of natural birth and breastfeeding. I dog-eared pages on latch and positioning, practiced Kegel exercises, and tried not to focus on my weakening body and spirit.

Early in the morning just past 37 weeks gestation, my water broke. I leaked fluid from ruptured membranes for 12 hours without a single contraction, and as the intravenous Pitocin began to drip, my granola dreams for an un-medicated birth slipped away. I held on tight, almost to a fault, as induced back labor worked against my body, which was so weak after being confined to a hospital bed for the last 10 weeks. I got an epidural and delivered a healthy baby boy, who was placed on my chest smelling of tears and musky clay. Looking back on that moment, it was not joy that I felt; it was relief. His safe arrival was my biggest accomplishment to date.

Within minutes of his birth, I had nurses with blue gloves manipulating my breast into my son’s tiny mouth. I felt clumsy and awkward as he refused to suckle. Over the next two days doctors, nurses, and lactation consultants bustled in and out of our room watching him cry, monitoring his climbing bilirubin, and commenting on his rapid weight loss. I remember one nurse rolling in a hospital-grade breast pump. She hooked me up to two small cups and told me to pump so that I could feed my baby colostrum. I turned up the pump and sat crying over those empty cups until I had abrasions on my areolae. I was given nipple shields, a supplemental nursing system and breast shells. My feelings of failure culminated with my husband finger-feeding our hungry baby formula, doctor’s orders.  I had been a mother for less than 48 hours, and already I felt like I had failed him. People were examining me as if I was auditioning to be a mother: watching me struggle with nursing, with sleeping, with balance. I remember once we had our son home, I was trying to bring him to the breast before supplementing with pumped milk, and my mother said, “none of my babies ever cried like that.”…

I felt like both my pregnancy and birth expectations had slipped away, and I refused to give up on nursing. After a particularly frustrating day of trying to get my son to latch followed by finger feeding him milk and pumping every two hours, I posted a Facebook status about how hard it all was.  A friend I hadn’t talked to since high school messaged me with her story and offered me help and support. Then another message came in, this time from a college friend, again commiserating with how consuming it all is at first, but encouraging me nonetheless. People I hadn’t talked to in years, even blog comments from people I had never even met–all cheering me on. These women were sharing their stories and encouraging me to nurse my baby.

I found a local La Leche League meeting, and was so embarrassed to attend with a baby who screamed at the breast. I sat through the meeting with my tiny infant in a room full of strangers telling their stories. I was amazed as they shared so many of the same feelings that had kept me so isolated. Meeting after meeting, I watched and shared, and learned not only to breastfeed but to be a mother.  I found a weekly Twitter chat on Thursday nights called #bfcafe. Women used this hashtag all week to ask questions and share anecdotal stories and pictures of their breastfeeding journey. The women behind the hashtag–they lifted me up too.

My firstborn latched after 11 weeks and went on to nurse for 25 months, when he self-weaned. Those online messages, La Leche League meetings, Twitter chats, and blog posts got me through eight months of biting, chronic milk blisters, growth spurts, and multiple nursing strikes. At the same time, these strangers, friends, and strangers-turned-friends celebrated a love for nursing. They modeled parenting at the breast and helped me to revel in a motherly confidence that grew with each feeding.

We suffered a miscarriage when my son was a little older than a year, but became pregnant for a third time last Fall.  My firstborn weaned half way through my second trimester on his own terms. With this pregnancy, a lot of fear came flooding back surrounding my miscarriage, preterm labor, birth trauma, and nursing difficulties. I read through forums on the La Leche League website, reached out to friends who had a second child, and prepared myself and my body, for birth and breastfeeding.  I found a doula, talked to lactation consultants, and shared my fears online. I reached far and wide, and got back nothing but love and support in return.

I birthed my second son naturally in three hours and with only three pushes, in a hospital with the help of my husband and our doula. My body successfully carried a baby to 39 weeks, and I bravely and confidently gave birth to him on my own terms. They say you don’t get a medal for birthing naturally, but you actually get more. I have never felt more powerful, confident, or feminine than I did on that day. I put him to my breast and he nursed without hesitation from his very first feeding.  My firstborn made me a mother, and my second child made me an even stronger one. Each time I nurse, I am hit with an instant wave of motherly love and vulnerability that comes with seeing your children grow. In succeeding at this primitive task, I have gained not only two secure and healthy boys, but also a mothering self-efficacy that can never be taken away.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about being a mother and about nursing my children. I have reached out to friends and strangers. I started sharing my journey through my writing. I shared my struggles, my triumphs, and my love for breastfeeding with the World Wide Web. I gave personal and intimate details of my postpartum anxiety, my birth stories, my miscarriage, and our weaning ceremony. I shared it all unapologetically, not because I am an expert on motherhood, but because I discovered that reading other women’s stories is a vital piece to navigating the journey. I wanted to give back a small portion of what was given to me.  I’ve supported, without judgment, women who nursed for six days and women who nursed for six years. I have shared my breastfeeding story over and over until that pain went away, and then I did everything in my power to help other mothers never have to feel the way that I did because I wasn’t alone–and I never failed. I am so grateful to the women who reached out to me, and if I have helped one person nurse one baby during one moment of weakness, I’ve done enough.

We don’t live in an age where upon giving birth, we can be swept underneath a red tent by our elders to learn by example how to nurse, love, and care for our children, but we do live in a time where honest, supportive, and knowledgeable women can be found at any moment of the day or night with just the click of a mouse. Just log onto Twitter while you are feeding an infant, bleary-eyed at 3 a.m.; someone else across the country is staring at her phone doing the exact same thing. The two of you are instantly connected. Reach out and share the journey.

Not sure how to take Motherlove products* to increase your milk supply?  Here are our answers to some common questions:

How much of my Motherlove product should I take?

Liquid Extracts
Under 175 lbs: 1 ml – 4 times per day
Over 175 lbs: 2 mls – 3 times per day

Capsules
Under 175 lbs: 1 capsule 4 times per day
Over 175 lbs: 2 capsules 3 times per day

How should I take this product?

These products can be taken with a small amount (1-2 oz.) of liquid. For maximum effectiveness, avoid drinking liquids 15 minutes before or after each dosage.  Drinking more liquids than specified with each use may dilute the herbs in your system.

How long will my Motherlove product last at the suggested amounts?

This depends on dose and body weight.  Here is the approximate time each product size will last:

60 caps 10 days – 2 weeks
120 caps 20 days – 4 weeks
2 oz. 10 days – 2 weeks
4 oz. 20 days – 4 weeks
8 oz. 40 days – 8 weeks

How long should I use Motherlove liquid extracts or vegetarian capsules?

Each mother’s needs are different. Some women are able to use these products for a short time to increase their breast milk supply.  Other women, once their supply increases to the desired level, are able to decrease the amount or number of doses per day to maintain the desired supply of breast milk. Many women are able to stop taking the product altogether as their bodies are able to maintain an adequate milk supply. Some women may need to use Motherlove’s lactation products the entire time they are nursing to maintain their milk supply. We encourage women to use the amount that best meets their baby’s needs.

When should I expect to see an increase in milk supply?

Most women see an increase in breast milk supply with the More Milk Plus products within 1-2 days.  It does take longer – usually 2-3 weeks -  to see an effect when taking Goat’s Rue to support mammary tissue development.

What should I do if it is not working?

Be sure you are taking the correct amount for your body weight according to the suggested use on the label, as well as our recommendations above on water consumption.  There are certain herbs (including sage, parsley, and peppermint) and medications (such as over-the-counter decongestants) that can lower milk supply.  Try to avoid these while breastfeeding. Some lactation consultants also warn that some forms of hormonal birth control may lower breast milk supply.  It’s also possible that you would benefit more from a different Motherlove product.  As there can be many causes of low milk supply, we recommend working with a lactation consultant to help you with your particular breastfeeding situation.

*Not sure which Motherlove product is right for you?  Check out our guide to choosing the right Motherlove product for your needs.

Alyssa talked with Tanya about what it’ s like to breastfeed an adopted baby or a baby born via surrogacy.  They discussed inducing lactation, latching and attaching, and even the baby’s need to grieve the loss of their birth mother.  Alyssa shared her own experience nursing her adopted daughter.

You can listen to this interview using the player below, with Quicktime, or download it from our free iTunes store!

Power pumping (also called cluster pumping) is pumping in a series of ten minute sessions – ten minutes pumping, ten minutes off – over the course of an hour, one session each day.  It’s typically used when mothers experience a temporary dip in supply, not as a means of establishing a new milk supply.

The theory is that power pumping simulates a baby’s behavior during a growth spurt, when they feed more frequently and often in a cluster-like manner.  Alone or in combination with other measures to increase supply (more frequent and effective feeding at the breast, use of galactagogues, skin-to-skin, etc.) it may increase milk supply over time.  Mothers may find that initially they collect little milk during these sessions, but over time their milk supply will catch up with the increased demand.  Moms report that it can take as long as one week to see an increase in supply.

Moms who have low milk supplies are often advised to pump after each feeding for the same purpose, but many find the routine of feed-pump-feed-pump around the clock to be unworkable.  One nice thing about power pumping is that it can be done at any time – including when the baby is sleeping.  So some moms power pump during naps, and some (whose babies are going to bed earlier than they do) pump in the evening after the baby is asleep.  Some mothers also power pump several times a day over weekends (described by some as Power Pumping Boot Camp), when care of the baby is shared with a partner.

Pumping is not the most entertaining way to spend an hour, so some moms have gotten creative.  This mom described how she synchronized her pumping with a TV show, pumping during commercials and resting during the show.  She would also rent a movie and pump during one scene and rest during the next.  And here’s a radio strategy: pump during one song, rest during the next!

While there is no research specifically on this practice, some moms report significant increases in milk supply.

There are many species of nettle, but stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is probably the best known.  It’s native to much of the world, and has long been used as to increase milk supply, as a food, and as a treatment for a variety of health problems.

Nettle has dark green serrated leaves and short hairs that cause burning and blistering when touched. It achieves this sting with hollow hairs which inject histamine and other chemicals when contacted.  It grows in moist soil, usually near streams and ditches.

Even though it may sting when gathered without gloves, stinging nettle is an excellent spring green in teas and meals.  As a food, nettle is a rich source of iron, calcium and folic acid, vitamin K, and supports the kidney and adrenals.  As a tea, it blends well with other herbs like mint and lemon balm, and its nutrients are important during pregnancy, so it’s a great one to drink when you’re expecting.  It makes a wonderful substitute for spinach in any dish, such as lasagna filling.  You’ll find some wonderful looking recipes online.  Cooking nettles removes the stinging chemicals from the plant; they should never be eaten before cooking.

Nettle is an herb worth using on a regular basis. This spring tonic is loaded with nutrition and strengthens many body systems. It’s used as a treatment for arthritis, anemia, skin problems, urinary tract infections, small kidney stones, hay fever symptoms, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and even as a hair rinse to control dandruff and make hair more glossy.

The German Commission E lists no contraindications, drug interactions, or side effects for nettle.  The American Herbal Products Association considers stinging nettle Class 1:  safe when used appropriately.

As a galactagogue, Nettle is most effective as a tincture, as the dried form is difficult to take in sufficient quantities.  Stinging Nettle is a herb included in many of our formulas, including More Milk Plus, More Milk Plus Alcohol Free, More Milk Plus Capsules, More Milk Special Blend, More Milk Special Blend Alcohol Free, More Milk Special Blend Capsules, More Milk, More Milk Two Alcohol Free.

Sources:  Wikipedia, The Nursing Mother’s Herbal.  Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

It’s a traditional practice in Japan and some other Asian countries, and it’s used in a number of different forms here.  But what is it, and why do it?  And is it necessary?

In Japan breast massage is practiced to increase breastmilk quantity and “quality.”  There, it is performed by specially trained midwives as a paid service.  According to La Leche League, “most Japanese people still believe that breast massage is essential for the mother to produce enough milk.”

In the U.S. breast massage is far less known, and takes multiple forms, all performed by the mother.  Some mothers know of a “massage-stroke-shake” method of assisting the milk ejection reflex developed by lactation consultant Chele Marmet.  In this method, mothers massage their breasts with a pressure and motion in a manner similar to those used in a breast exam.  “Alternate massage,” another technique sometimes recommended here, involves massaging and compressing the breast when the baby pauses between sucking bursts.  “Hands on pumping” is another method combining the use of a breast pump and breast massage to increase pumping output.  And of course massage is also often used to help resolve plugged or engorged areas of the breast.

But what does breast massage do?  A few studies have tried to answer this question, and have found that breast massage:

• Increases oxytocin but not prolactin
• Increases milk production in women who are pumping for preterm infants.
• (As alternate massage) Increases breastmilk intake and weight gain
• Alters milk composition in late term lactation, but not early term lactation, by increasing milk solids, including fat (though there are some questions about these findings)
• Reduces engorgement

The finding that massage has an effect on hormones makes sense, since we know that touch of many kinds increases oxytocin.  And we might take our cue on this from babies, who actually massage their mothers’ breasts on their own!

But is breast massage necessary?  In the normal course of breastfeeding, breast massage is likely not necessary for mothers to produce plenty of milk.  For mothers who are having difficulty with specific issues such as milk supply, pumping, milk ejection, plugged ducts, or engorgement, it’s one of a number of tools available which they might consider.  Of course, massage should be used concurrently with the basics of establishing milk supply:  frequent and effective feeding, and good attachment to the breast.

Now let’s think about how that term applies to the first food, breastmilk.  In order for babies to have access to this all important food, their mothers need access to support for breastfeeding – everything from breastfeeding help to employer support to supportive attitudes about nursing in public.

Kimberly Seals Allers, award winning journalist and author, set out to investigate places where breastfeeding rates are low and infant mortality is high, to see if these places are in fact “first food deserts,” where the support necessary to make breastfeeding possible is lacking.

The result is a project called “Be First Food Friendly.“  Tanya Lieberman spoke with Kimberly about her research and the advocacy work that has resulted from it.

You can listen to this interview with the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download it at our free iTunes store!

These formulas are carefully composed to address different causes of low milk supply and different situations.  They use combinations of herbs to balance and enhance their effects.

Which ones is right for you?  Here’s our guide to determining which Motherlove product will meet your needs:

My milk supply has dropped.  This may have happened because of a separation, illness, pumping, going back to work, or another reason.

We recommend our More Milk Plus formula.  It’s Motherlove’s most popular product, and the best-selling breastfeeding supplement in the US. It contains fenugreek, blessed thistle, nettle, and fennel seed. This combination helps most women increase their supply within 24-48 hours. Available in a grain alcohol or alcohol-free liquid extract; and as a liquid extract concentrate in vegetarian capsules. Not for use during pregnancy.

I need to increase milk supply, and I have PCOS, insufficient glandular tissue (breast hypoplasia), have had breast surgery, or am an adoptive mom:

We recommend our More Milk Special Blend formula, which contains the herbs in More Milk Plus blended with goat’s rue, an herb that helps to build mammary tissue. Specially-formulated at the request of lactation consultants, this product can help increase breast milk supply for women who have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), did not see an increase in breast size during pregnancy or have suspected or confirmed insufficient glandular tissue (breast hypoplasia), have had previous breast surgeries, or for adoptive mothers.  Increases in milk supply are seen after 2-3 weeks of use of this product.  Available in a grain alcohol or alcohol-free liquid extract and as a liquid extract concentrate in vegetarian capsules. This formula is not for use during pregnancy.

We also have a Goat’s Rue extract (single herb).  Goats rue is not contraindicated during pregnancy, as is fenugreek and blessed thistle, which are included in More Milk Special Blend.  Lactation consultants have used it in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy with women who know from previous pregnancies they have serious difficulty producing milk.  Available in a grain alcohol base, and as a liquid extract concentrate in vegetarian capsules. Discuss product use with a healthcare professional before using during pregnancy.

I need to increase milk supply, but I cannot take fenugreek:

We recommend our More Milk formula, which has blessed thistle, nettle and fennel but does not contain fenugreek for those who may be sensitive to its potential side effects (usually gastric upset that may occur in either mother or baby).  Not for use during pregnancy.

I’m pregnant and nursing, and need to increase my milk supply:

We recommend our More Milk Two formula, which contains raspberry leaf, nettle and alfalfa – a nourishing combination of herbs that is specially formulated to safely increase the breast milk supply of pregnant breastfeeding mothers. Alcohol-free and safe for use during pregnancy.

I prefer or need to take only Fenugreek, or that is what my lactation consultant recommended.

We recommend our Fenugreek extract. This single herb extract is most recommended by lactation consultants to quickly help increase breast milk supply. Available in an alcohol-free liquid extract. Not for use during pregnancy.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This product is not intended to diagnose, great, cure, or prevent any disease.

Alfalfa is a many-branched plant with square stems and leaves composed of three leaflets.  It has blue to purple flowers turn into spiral coiled seedpods.  Alfalfa grows to a height of up to three feet, and its deep taproot sometimes stretches more than 50 feet.  This root system  brings up many minerals, including trace minerals, from the soil, and also makes it drought resistant.  It’s a tough plant whose seed system allows it to re-grow many times after being grazed or harvested.

Its English name derives from an Arabic term for “fresh fodder,” and it has been cultivated by humans since at least the 4th century and used in herbal medicine for an estimated 1,500 years.  It’s used in agriculture as a forage crop for cattle and as hay, and in particular for high producing dairy cows due to its high protein content and highly digestible fiber.  It’s fed to dairy goats to help them produce more milk, as well.

Alfalfa is rich in chlorophyll and vitamin K, which promotes clotting.  It’s also high in protein, calcium, other minerals, and vitamins in the B group, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E.

The leaves and flowers make a mild tasting, nutritious tea that stimulates the appetite and aids digestion.  Alfalfa is used for a wide range of ailments including kidney conditions, bladder and prostate conditions, high cholesterol, asthma, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes.  The National Institutes of Health rates  it as “possibly effective” for lowering cholesterol.

Alfalfa is used commonly to increase breast milk, often in combination with fenugreek, marshmallow, and blessed thistle. Fenugreek and blessed thistle are contraindicated during pregnancy, but alfalfa is an herb that can be taken while pregnant.

According to The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk, alfalfa should not be taken by mothers who have lupus or other autoimmune diseases, as the L-canavanine contained in it may exacerbate symptoms. 

Alfalfa is an ingredient in our More Milk Two Alcohol Free, our breastfeeding product for women who are nursing a toddler while pregnant. The alfalfa used in Motherlove products is certified organic and thus not genetically modified.

Sources:  The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk, The Nursing Mother’s Herbal, Low Milk Supply, Medline Plus,  Wikipedia.  Image credit:  Wikimedia Commons

That’s why we think you’ll enjoy this podcast with the author of Breastfeeding Take Two:  Successful Breastfeeding the Second Time Around.  Tanya talked with Stephanie Casemore about the complex emotional experience surrounding breastfeeding after a challenging prior experience.

The author, Stephanie Casemore, also answered some questions on this topic for a post on our blog.  It was a popular topic!

You can listen with the player below, with Quicktime, or download it at our free iTunes store!

Note:  If you’re an African American nursing mom living anywhere in the country and interested in donating breastmilk for this research, please contact Beth Punska at (413) 545-0813, or email her at epunska@vasci.umass.edu. More information is also at the

If you’re not nursing, please consider joining the Love/Avon Army of Women, and select “breast milk study” when asked how you heard about it!

You’ve heard it many times before:  breastfeeding and breastmilk gives your baby important nutritional and immunological support.

But could breastmilk hold the keys to preventing and treating breast cancer?  And could African American moms’ breastmilk be especially important?

It’s clear that African American women have a different pattern of breast cancer than other women.  The U.S. Office on Women’s Health reports, “Research has shown that African-American women are more likely to get a form of breast cancer that spreads more quickly.”

In spite of this difference, black women are also underrepresented in some important research which could get to the bottom of breast cancer risk, prevention, and treatment.

What is this research?  It’s being done by Dr. Kathleen Arcaro at the University of Massachusetts, and it uses breastmilk to assess breast cancer risk.  We’ll explain.

Breast cells are key in breast cancer research, but they’re really hard to get.  You can get a limited number through biopsy or extracting nipple aspirate (ouch!), but neither of these methods sound like much fun to most women.  They also have limitations: breast biopsies only yield cells in a very small area of a breast, and nipple aspirate produces very few cells for analysis.

Enter breastmilk.  It’s been clear for some time that ductal breast cells naturally slough off into breastmilk.  The cells in breastmilk of course come from all ductal areas of the breast, and they’re plentiful – an average of 30,000 per milliliter.

Until very recently the presence of these cells in milk was only an interesting footnote in the literature.  But with the advent of DNA analysis, scientists can now extract DNA from these cells and look for patterns of “methylation” – methyl groups that attach to key parts of our DNA which are thought to regulate its functioning in important ways.

For example, if a methyl group attaches to your tumor suppressor genes, it can essentially turn them off – kind of like you would a light switch.  This leaves us more vulnerable to the growth of tumors.  In a cancer-prone area of our bodies like the breast, their function is critical.

Knowing this, Dr. Arcaro began looking for breastmilk donations about ten years ago.  Spreading the word through lactation consultants and others (and occasionally stopping a mother on the street), she found many mothers enthusiastic to donate their milk in the name of breast cancer research.  Many viewed their milk donation as a way of fighting the disease which had taken the health and sometimes lives of friends and family members.

Dr. Arcaro’s research has already yielded some important results.  She has found that certain patterns of methylation are correlated with a higher risk of breast cancer.  These findings may pave the way for a personalized breast cancer risk profile for each woman.  It also may lead to new treatments to reverse methylation and prevent breast cancer.  Amazingly, some of the first generation chemotherapy drugs are in fact “anti-methylating” agents – drugs which can actually remove methyl groups from your DNA, allowing your DNA to function properly in the fight against cancer.

But Dr. Arcaro has a problem: the vast majority of her samples have come from white women.  Her goal is to uncover findings that apply to all women. To ensure her findings applicable to women of all races – and because the differences in breast cancer between races needs to be investigated in its own right – she has been working to recruit African American women to donate breastmilk samples.

African American moms can play an important part by donating your own milk for this effort.  It’s easy, quick, and makes a big difference!  Dr. Arcaro’s lab sends moms a kit, a questionnaire and consent form, and moms send it back with their milk.  They’ll send participants $25 in thanks for their time and effort.

For African American who are not nursing, Dr. Arcaro still needs help!  She’s  urging participation in the Love/Avon Army of Women – a project aiming to recruit one million women to sign up to participate in breast cancer research (if they choose to do so).  Having African American women well represented in the breast cancer research is key, for her research and many others.’  So Dr. Arcaro hopes women will sign up for the Army of Women (and be sure to select “breast milk study” in the drop down menu to help track the impact).

Dr. Arcaro’s lab is one of the few in the world which is consistently investigating the secrets breastmilk holds for our understanding of breast cancer.  You can learn more about Dr. Arcaro’s work, and see if you or mothers you know might qualify for one of her studies, at the website of the UMass Breastmilk Lab, and follow the lab on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Blessed Thistle (Cnicus Benedictus, also known as St. Benedict’s thistle, holy thistle or spotted thistle), may have gotten its name from its use as a tonic by monks in the Middle Ages.

Its use dates to the 16th century for treating a variety of ailments including fever, anorexia, dyspepsia, indigestion, and even the bubonic plague.  It is considered a hormone balancer, and some value it as an emotional ally to uplift spirits.  It’s one of the best herbs, along with milk thistle, to support liver health and promote bile.  It’s even used in some bitters formulas and as a flavoring for Benedictine liqueur.

Not to be confused with Milk Thistle, Blessed Thistle has fuzzy leaves and stems with yellow flowers and grows to about two feet in height.   It is native to Europe and considered a weed in parts of North America.  It’s a member of the Asteraceae family.  Its thistle is not considered edible.

Blessed Thistle is a “bitter” that aids digestion, and is approved by the German Commission E for indigestion and loss of appetite.  It is not recommended for use in pregnancy.  It is also widely recommended, especially in conjunction with fenugreek, to increase breastmilk supply.

Blessed Thistle is an ingredient in these Motherlove products: More Milk Plus, More Milk Plus Alcohol Free, More Milk Plus Capsules, More Milk Special Blend, More Milk Special Blend Alcohol Free, More Milk Special Blend Capsules, More Milk

Sources:  The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk, The Nursing Mother’s Herbal, Low Milk Supply, Medline Plus,  German Commission E, Wikipedia.  Image credit:  Wikimedia Commons

Tanya spoke with Lisa Marasco, co-author of The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk and expert on hormones and milk supply about PCOS, diabetes, thyroid, obesity, endocrine disruptors, and many other topics.  Lisa answered a number of reader questions, as well.

You can listen to this podcast using the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download it at our free iTunes store!

But there are some herbs which are healing when used externally, but are not safe for ingestion.  One such herb is Comfrey.

We often hear from mothers who have questions and concerns about the use of comfrey in breast compresses and nipple creams, so we thought we’d share this information to clear up some of the confusion.

Comfrey is an herb recognized for its value as both a fertilizer and a healing herb.  It’s native to Europe, grows in damp, grassy locations, and has a bell shaped flower often in a blue or purple color.

Comfrey has long been valued for its ability to reduce skin inflammation.  It is also thought to stimulate cell growth and repair.  One of Comfrey’s nicknames is “knitbone” because it was traditionally used to aid the healing of bone fractures.

While healing when used externally, Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can cause veno-occlusive disease if used internally.

The Botanical Safety Handbook, published by the American Herbal Products Association, classifies Comfrey as Class 2a – for external use only, Class – 2b not to be used [internally] while pregnant and Class 2c not to be used [internally] while nursing (parentheses ours, for clarification).  In 2001, the US Food and Drug Administration advised makers of dietary supplements containing Comfrey to remove their products from the market and label products that contain Comfrey ‘for external use only.’

Comfrey has great value as a healing herb, but should not be included in any product that could possibly be ingested by a baby.

Image credit:  Wikimedia Commons

Breastfeeding made the news quite a bit in 2012.  And this year also saw a number of advances in support for breastfeeding moms.  Here is our round up of the year’s highlights!

Federal pumping law upheld.  The Affordable Health Care Act contained some important advances for nursing moms, and these were in jeopardy due to court challenges to the law.  The Supreme Court upheld the law this summer, letting stand the requirements that many employers accommodate nursing moms wishing to pump at work.  The law was also the basis of the mandate that insurance companies cover, at no charge, breastfeeding support and pump rentals, starting in August of this year.

Time Magazine features a 3-year-old breastfeeding on its cover.  Setting off a furious debate, Time Magazine featured a photo of California mom Jamie Lynne Grumet nursing her 3-year-old son Aram as part of its story on attachment parenting.  For more on extended (or “long term,” or “full term”) breastfeeding, see our podcast interview with the author of Breastfeeding Older Children.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) adopts stronger breastfeeding policy.  Calling it a matter of public health, not a lifestyle choice, the AAP published its revised breastfeeding policy.  Among the highlights:  exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for 6 months (not 4-6 months as previously written), the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (the foundation of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative) are endorsed, and the WHO growth charts are promoted.

Photos soldiers breastfeeding in uniform highlight challenges of military moms.  While photos of two mothers nursing in Air Force uniforms was deemed inappropriate conduct by the military, they succeeded in raising awareness of military mothers’ breastfeeding challenges.  One of the mothers explained:  “I’m proud to be wearing a uniform while breastfeeding. I’m proud of the photo and I hope it encourages other women to know they can breastfeed whether they’re active duty, guard or civilian.”  For more on this topic, see our podcast interview with the author of Breastfeeding in Combat Boots!

Breastfeeding rates have largest jump in a decade.  The CDC reported this year that rates of breastfeeding initiation and breastfeeding at 6 and 12 months rose by about 2 percent.  Breastfeeding initiation increased from 74.6% in 2008 to 76.9% in 2009 births, representing the largest annual increase over the previous decade.

Beyonce breastfeeds baby Blue, and breastfeeding has its first celebrity event.  Beyonce won the hearts of nursing mothers everywhere when she breastfed in public and encouraged other moms to do it.  Breastfeeding had its first celebrity event promoting breastfeeding and toxin-free living this spring, with hosts Kelly Preston, Laila Ali, and Jenna Elfman.  See our 2012 celebrity round-up for more!

Baby Friendly hospitals on the rise.  According to the CDC, the number of Baby Friendly Hospitals in the U.S. tripled, and thanks to a CDC grant program, and many other initiatives ranging from Mayor Bloomberg’s in New York City to Kaiser Permanente’s in California, there are many, many hospitals in the Baby Friendly queue.

Facebook continues to ban breastfeeding photos.  The latest issue in the long standing problem of Facebook deleting breastfeeding pictures belonged to The Feminist Breeder, whose account was suspended when she posted a picture of her daughter taking a break from nursing and swiping a piece of bacon from her plate.  It violated no Facebook standards, and her account was later reinstated, but it highlighted this problem once again.  For more on this issue see our podcast interview on Facebook vs. The Leaky Boob!

Joint Commission to hold large hospitals accountable for exclusive breastfeeding rates.  Here’s a late breaking piece of good news: the Joint Commission will soon be requiring large hospitals to report on their exclusive breastfeeding rates.  Not sure why that’s a big deal?  Check out this post!

California passes first breastfeeding employment discrimination law. In September, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 2386 (Allen) which prohibits discrimination in employment and housing on the basis of breastfeeding or conditions related to it (pumping at work, for example).  For more on this complex subject see our podcast interview on the topic!

It is not more surprising to be born twice than once; everything in nature is resurrection.  — Voltaire

Motherlove was born in Rist Canyon, in the mountains west of Fort Collins. The beginnings of the company and our family beginnings are one and the same. My mother started making the products we sell today from herbs and plants she gathered around our house when she was pregnant with me. If she needed another salve or tea, she found the plants and made it. My sisters and I grew up playing in the forest and helping her gather herbs and raise the food we ate. In those days, we lived a pretty secluded life, and I joke that the reason I’m so close to nature is because those same plants were my best friends. The first Motherlove products were made in our kitchen and given to friends, then given to some of their friends and eventually sold in a few local stores. The company grew as did my sisters and I from those plants and that very special place in the canyon.

It’s been difficult to talk much about the summer of 2012. The High Park fire destroyed almost 89,000 acres, including the land where we grew up. Our family is one of the very lucky ones – the house we know as home is still there. Many families are not so lucky and are faced with rebuilding from literally nothing.  When they say that fire is the ultimate test, they’re not joking. Knowing what our friends and neighbors are going through, it feels trivial to complain about the loss of our childhood haunts and the plants my mother loved.

The raw emotion and trauma the entire community faced during the fire and in the months after is difficult to verbalize. We could all see the fire and smell the smoke for weeks. From the meetings where we sat listening to damage reports, often next to someone as they learned their home was gone, to those first trips back up the canyon and assessing damage and then deciding what to do next has been devastating.

But amid all the chaos and heartbreak there has been a thread of reaching out and joining together. The annual mountain festival had exceptional importance this year. The fund raising efforts for Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department to rebuild the fire station that burned during the fire have been wildly successful.  Throughout the community of Fort Collins there has been an outpouring of love to help those affected by the fire with a multitude of fund raising events and volunteer clean-up and rebuilding projects.

And in the spirit of The Rist, the rebuilding is largely focused on sustainability. From ways to make the new homes more likely to survive another fire to energy efficiency and green materials, organizations such as NoCo Rebuilding Network are providing education and grants to help the community grow and renew itself. This network has brought together building professionals, local businesses and nonprofits to help provide direct grants to survivors in the rebuilding efforts using safer, smarter, and stronger as the pillars of their organization.

It will take years to rebuild and restore a sense of new normal. The forest, streams and wildlife have been altered forever. The trees my sisters and I knew as friends will never again hide a little family member during a game of hide and seek or provide refuge during a time of turmoil. But we’re starting to feel the hope that nature brings as it renews and grows again, and the spring will bring the first signs of what’s to come. Everyone in The Rist will heal and grow and renew in their own time, and because the spirit of the earth and her renewal is strong in our community, we will all be stronger. I choose to remember The Rist as I knew it as a child, but I know that in time, there will be new life to love and slowly our friends and neighbors will create new places to call home.

As other families and communities have struggled with natural disasters recently, it reminds me all that life’s most important lessons are learned from nature and the earth. Her ability to renew and grow again after the most shattering events is not an accident. From the lessons of my mother, often the most healing herbs are really just weeds that grow in the harshest of conditions. So to use this metaphor, perhaps seeing beyond the weed to the inner strength of the plant is the greatest healer of all.

–Silencia Cox

Breastfeeding had its first ever celebrity event promoting breastfeeding and Motherlove was proud to be a sponsor!  Held in partnership with Healthy Child, Healthy World, the event at Jenna Elfman’s featured celebrity hosts Kelly Preston, Laila Ali, and Jenna Elfman.  Host Jenna Elfman said, “Education and awareness are the first steps.  No one can do everything, but everyone can do something, and every action counts.”

Beyonce says, “I lost most of my weight from breastfeeding and I encourage women to do it; It’s just so good for the baby and good for yourself.”  She nurses baby Blue in public, too.

After stating that she wouldn’t breastfeed, Snooki breastfeeds baby Lorenzo, says she loves it, and tweets that it helped her lose weight.

Pink talks about breastfeeding her 13 month old, calling in to a radio show while breastfeeding, and says she’s willing to fight over nursing in public.

Jessica Simpson says “Sometimes I worry she’s not getting enough, but it’s been an amazing experience.”

Mayim Bialik, (whom we interviewed for a podcast!) responds to Time Magazine’s breastfeeding cover photo:  “I breastfeed my 3-year-old because he’s not done breastfeeding, and I’m not ready to tell him not to. … [I]t is still a tremendous source of discipline, and of bonding, that occurs between a mother and a child.”

Selma Blair says, “We all have nipples. I don’t care who I offend; my baby wants to eat. If I can’t get a cover over me quick enough, so be it.”

Isla Fisher says the secrets to her weight loss are breastfeeding – and Spanx!

Kourtney Kardashian says, “Even at night when I’m getting up to nurse her, I love that my house is quiet and we have moments of just me and her breastfeeding in her little pink room.”

And don’t forget Hugh Grant posing with a breastfeeding fan!

Check out our links below for a (partial) list of the latest evidence on the effects of breastfeeding on mothers’ and babies’ health, the constituents and functions of breastmilk, and new insights in breastfeeding practice and policy.

Breastfeeding associated with these health outcomes in babies:

Reduction of depression in adulthood

Less snoring, behavioral problems

Reduced risk of celiac disease

Better gut health through complex sugars

Halt to the “Allergic March” from eczema to asthma?

Reduction of  childhood obesity, even for children with the “obesity gene” (multiple studies)

Reduction of risk of anger and irritability in adults

Reduction of severe vomitting (hypertrophic pyloric stenosis)

Higher intelligence as adults

In combination with skin-to-skin, life saving for 450,000 preterm infants around the world

Breastfeeding associated with health outcomes in mothers:

Deterioration of breast aesthetics

Multiples studies on improved heart and metabolic health

Reduction of risk of breast cancer for women who have “breast cancer gene” mutations

Properties and function of breastmilk:

Complex sugars adjust to baby’s needs over time, promote a wider range of bacteria

Cancer fighting properties of breastmilk, including newly identified components

Newly discovered breastmilk component neutralizes HIV

Melatonin in breastmilk promotes better sleep

Breastfed babies can metabolize perchlorate, reducing accumulation in their systems

Complex sugars related to reduced risk of HIV transmission through breastmilk

Wet nurses might be able to reverse genetic diseases?

Breastfeeding practice and policy

Milk coming in late puts breastfeeding at risk

Cesarean birth without labor associated with breastfeeding problems

Music makes mother produce more – and fattier – milk

Maternal caffeine intake doesn’t affect babies’ waking

The act of breastfeeding, not the milk, is what protects against obesity

The movement of babies’ hands during breastfeeding has a purpose

Pumping method affects milk composition for preterm infants

Some obese women struggle with breastfeeding, but new research says it’s not all about physiology

Mothers fairly accurately recall how long they breastfed

Depo-Provera shots may cause breastfeeding problems

Women who take antidepressants are less likely to breastfeed

Less than 2% of low income moms meet their breastfeeding goals

Breastfeeding moms lose income

Breastfeeding is on the decline across East Asia 

Mothers in Africa could flash-heat breast milk to reduce transmission of HIV

Evolution of meat eating allowed a shortened duration of breastfeeding

Donor milk yields slower growth in preemies

Breastfeeding (as well as bottle feeding) requires that we log lots of hours in one or more position, and if those positions set us up for pain we’re sure to feel it!

We asked, Debbie Roberts, an occupational therapist and author of “Preventing Musculoskeletal Pain in Mothers,” in a recent edition of Clinical Lactation, to describe some of the more common positions which cause nursing moms pain, and what they can do about it.*

What are the most common areas where nursing moms may end up with musculoskeletal pain?

Nursing moms may be predisposed to develop musculoskeletal pain in their neck, shoulders, forearms, wrist and low back.  Pregnancy and the postpartum period place unique strains on a woman’s body.  Some of these stressors are related to physiologic changes and others are related to new child care demands.  Picture how pregnancy changes a woman’s posture:  abdominal and pelvic floor muscles tend to get overstretched and weak, while anterior shoulder muscles, lumbar paraspinals and hip flexors tend to get short and tight.  As a result, a postpartum woman may have a tendency to sit, walk or nurse in a slightly kyphotic posture ( picture her neck, upper back and shoulders flexed forward, or rounded).  A kyphotic [hunched upper back] posture can lead to neck, shoulder and low back pain.  Postpartum women may also be predisposed to joint pain due to ligament laxity (ligaments that surround and support joints may be overstretched and weak).  Sleep deprivation and pre-existing medical conditions can also pre-dispose nursing moms towards having musculoskeletal pain.  For example, hypothyroidism may predispose a postpartum woman towards developing carpal tunnel syndrome.

What are some ergonomic principles nursing moms should know?

Ergonomics is a big topic but a few important ideas can be summarized as follows:

First: neutral positioning for spine and joints refers to a balanced, comfortable position that avoids musculoskeletal strain.  This may vary slightly between individuals.

Second – conserve your energy and rest before you get too tired.  Standing uses more energy than sitting.  A neutral spine position may feel more restful.

Third – protect your joints – avoid bending or using your wrist in awkward positions (especially when carrying something heavy or for an extended period of time); protect your low back – avoid bending at the waist with straight legs. If you must carry something heavy, keep the object close to your body and keep your forearms/wrist straight.

Picture the amount of joint stress that a mom would experience if she tried to carry a gallon of milk and a heavy grocery bag with one hand and an infant strapped in a carrier with the other hand.  Ouch! This would really strain her wrists, forearms, fingers, shoulders and back.  To protect the joints in her hands, Mom should make multiple trips and should take the baby out of the heavy carrier.  Now picture Mom, leaning forward to nurse.  She’s likely in a slightly kyphotic position, with the baby’s heavy head resting in the web space of her hand.  This position puts stress on the mom’s neck, back, shoulders, forearms, wrist and fingers.   In contrast, imagine how mom’s posture changes if she’s sitting in a semi-reclined position and brings the baby up to her breast or if she brings the baby up to her breast.  When semi-reclined or lying on her side, a nursing mom is more likely to have her spine, forearms and wrist in a relaxed, neutral position.

Some moms end up with carpal tunnel pain.  What would you suggest they do to relieve this pain?

Carpal tunnel pain is due to entrapment of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel.  Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome may include numbness, pain, sensory changes and loss of grip strength in the hand.  First, it’s important for the mom to see her primary care provider.  She needs to have a diagnosis and plan of care to accurately treat her symptoms and to ensure that she gets long-term follow-up.  Her primary care provider may in turn recommend an occupational therapy or hand therapy consult.  Under the care of an MD and therapist, treatment options may include: using NSAIDs (non-steroidal-anti-inflammatoy-drugs) for short-term pain management; use of a custom-made hand splint; home exercise and stretching program; and recommendations for modifying specific activities in the “mom’s” daily routine.

In the meantime, a mom who is experiencing carpal tunnel should avoid prolonged, extreme wrist positions, especially if it involves gripping an object tightly.  And get plenty of rest.  If a mother finds it too painful to hold her baby with her forearms, laid-back or side-lying positions may provide some relief.

* This post is provided for educational purposes and is not intended as medical advice.  If you are are experiencing musculoskeletal pain – especially if it is negatively impacting sleep, daily activities and/or mood – please discuss it with your primary care provider.

This book is a welcome addition to the growing library of children’s books about breastfeeding, and is the only current one about the topic of weaning.

Want to see more children’s books about breastfeeding?  Here’s our complete list!

If so, you know that they can be painful and frustrating.  So we thought we’d share some of our favorite herbal remedies* to support the quick resolution of plugged ducts.

But before we do, here are the basic recommendations for resolving plugged ducts:

• Empty the affected breast frequently by nursing.  If it is too painful to nurse, pump or express milk by hand while in a warm shower or tub, or hang your breast over the sink and run water over it as you gently massage toward the nipple.
• Feed on affected side first.
• Massage your breast gently toward the nipple while nursing.
• Try different nursing positions, including (as funny as it sounds) a “dangling” position over the baby.
• Check to see if there is an obstruction to milk flow at the nipple.  A bleb (milk blister) or a plugged nipple pore can prevent milk from flowing.
• Apply heat and/or cold.  Try heat before nursing or expressing, and cold in between to reduce inflammation. Warm, moist heat applied with a compress, a “rice sock,” or hot water bottle will help unplug the ducts, and cold from an ice pack or frozen peas will ease swelling.
• Make sure your bra , clothing, or pressure from your hand is not causing a restriction in milk flow, and see this list of other causes of plugged ducts.
• Rest, to help your body prevent a plugged area from developing into an infection.
• If you have fever, chills, red streaks on the breast, or extra fatigue you may have a breast infection (mastitis).  The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine recommends:  “If symptoms of mastitis are mild and have been present for less than 24 hours, conservative management (effective milk removal and supportive measures) may be sufficient.  If symptoms are not improving within 12–24 hours or if the woman is acutely ill, antibiotics should be started.”

Here are some ways herbal care can help to resolve plugged ducts.  Use herbs in addition to, but not as a replacement for, the measures described above.

• Make an herbal breast compress.  Herbs that work well in a breast compress are anti-inflammatory and reduce swelling (comfrey, chamomile, calendula, lavender), increase lymph circulation and drainage (cleavers, burdock root, yarrow), and draw out infection (slippery elm, marshmallow root).  Mullein leaf relieves pain. Pour boiling water over the herbs and steep 10-15 minutes.  When cool enough to touch, apply herbs as a poultice, or dip a cotton cloth in the warm infusion, wring it out and wrap around the breast and under the armpit.  Keep the poultice on until it cools.  Reapply throughout the day.  If infection is present, a clean poultice or cloth should be used every time.
• Try a grated potato on the breast to draw out inflammation. It can be mixed with hot water or applied cold, whichever feels better.
• The Nursing Mother’s Herbal recommends adding oats, marsmallow root, or fenugreek to a warm massage bath – enough to make the water “slippery.”  This will help reduce friction on the skin when massaging the breast.
• A home remedy that has been used successfully to unplug ducts is to drink a small amount of undiluted apple cider vinegar.
• For frequently recurring plugged ducts, some recommend a supplement of soy lecithin.  The Nursing Mother’s Herbal also recommends reducing saturated fats in your diet and increasing consumption of unsaturated fats such as olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids.
• If the plugged area progresses into an infection, there are additional herbal care remedies for mastitis.

*This information is provided for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.  See your health care provider for medical advice on this topic.

We think it might sounds like Dr. Jen’s Guide to Breastfeeding, a new book by the popular and always down-to-earth pediatrician Dr. Jenny Thomas.  Dr. Thomas is a practicing pediatrician and lactation consultant.  She is the Chief of the Chapter Breastfeeding Coordinators for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Chair of the Wisconsin Breastfeeding Coalition, and a fellow of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.  In 2009 she won the AAP Special Achievement Award for work advocating for state law to protect nursing mothers.

Dr. Jenny talked with Tanya about why she chose to focus on breastfeeding, her “steps to breastfeeding success,”  why she gives out “got breastmilk” t-shirts to mothers who breastfeed for a year or more, how and why to talk with your pediatrician if you feel you’ve been given poor breastfeeding support, and more.

You can listen to the podcast using the player below, listen with Quicktime, or listen and download at our free iTunes store!

Genetically modified cows produce ‘human’ milk
Goats to produce human milk
Chinese produce human breast milk using genetically modified dairy cows

The frequent news about cows and other mammals producing human milk is enough to make you wonder if it might be possible for scientists to replace you and your milk.

But let us explain how science will never be able to create a cow, goat, sheep, or other mammal that can produce human milk or confer the health effects of breastfeeding.

Here’s why:

A few pieces don’t make a puzzle.  Reports of other mammals producing “human milk” usually focus on a few components of breastmilk – things like lysosyme, lactoferrin, and alpha-lactalbumin.  These are all important parts of breastmilk, but human milk contains hundreds of components, and some constituents haven’t even been identified yet.

We don’t even know what the completed puzzle looks like.  Of the components of human milk that have been identified, we’re still figuring out exactly why they’re there.  It’s only recently, for example, that we’ve figured out why some complex sugars called oligosaccharides exist in human milk, since we’ve known for some time that they’re indigestible.  (We now know that they are a form of prebiotic, fueling important probiotics in the baby’s gut).  We’re just beginning to understand the function of a number of cancer-fighting components, and we’ve only recently discovered that breastmilk contains stem cells.  So, these cows are producing a milk that is a far cry from human milk, in part because we’re just beginning to understand how human milk works.

Your milk is a personalized product.  Even if science could create a match for many of the major ingredients in human milk, it still wouldn’t hold a candle to the milk you make without even thinking about it.  The reason:  the milk you make for your baby contains antibodies against pathogens you have been exposed to.  If your friend, who has a cold we’ll call Virus Q, sneezes on you, your lungs will take in that virus, and your lymphatic system will send a message to your breasts to make milk with antibodies that protect your baby against Virus Q, exactly.  It works the same way with bacteria you take in by mouth.  To make a cow, sheep, or goat which could do this is just not possible, because they’re not exposed to the same stuff as you and your baby.

Your milk is alive.  Human milk direct from the source is a “live” fluid, containing millions of live cells carrying out their respective duties in your baby’s system.  Live white cells, called leukocytes engulf pathogens and T-memory cells can live for years and provide long term protection.  Any manufactured, packaged, and shipped product is not alive, and can’t provide this kind of benefit.  Of course, if you pump and freeze your milk, the cells in your milk aren’t alive.  But a remarkable amount of protection survives pumping, freezing, defrosting, and even pasteurizing.

Your milk changes all the time, depending upon your baby’s needs.  Human milk constantly changes to meet the needs of individual babies.  The milk you made on day 1 of your baby’s life is different than what you made on day 10 or will make on day 100.  The milk you make in the morning is different than the milk you make at night (fattier, and filled with sleep inducing neucleotides), and the milk your baby gets at the beginning  of a feeding (full of brain-building sugars) is different than the milk he gets at the end (full of “good fats”).  Anyone who has pumped milk will notice that at times there is a thick layer of cream at the top and at times there is a thin one – another adjustment for hour-by-hour needs of your baby.  A thin layer may mean that you haven’t fed for a while and your body knows that the first priority is to hydrate your baby – hence a higher proportion of water.

Even more ways breastmilk is tailored to you and your baby.  And the list goes on:  Some components of your milk are specific to your (the mother’s) blood type.  What you eat determines the flavor of your milk, and helps introduce the flavors of your family’s diet to your baby.  Preterm milk is differently composed than full term milk.  Your milk even reflects your genetic material.

There’s power in the act of breastfeeding itself.  In our fascination with the impressive composition of breastmilk, we sometimes lose sight of the fact that some of its power derives from the act of breastfeeding itself.   The act of breastfeeding properly forms a child’s palate, requires an interaction that supports a child’s social and emotional development, elicits the release of hormones which help mothers fend off postpartum depression.  And the act of breastfeeding is probably why breastfed babies are less likely to be obese and overweight as children.  Research has found that, when comparing breastfed and bottle fed babies, bottle fed babies are at higher risk even when the bottles contained breastmilk.  Why?  Probably because it’s not the milk but the method of feeding:  breastfed babies control their intake, bottle fed babies’ intake is controlled by the person feeding them.

And it’s about your health, too.  Making milk offers mothers protection against a number of diseases and health conditions.  Among them are breast cancer, ovarian cancer, Type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression.  And research is accumulating showing that breastfeeding is important to long term weight, blood pressure, heart health, diabetes, and the whole constellation of problems called metabolic syndrome.  It might even give you better breast aesthetics than if you have a baby and don’t breastfeed!

Today, we’re focusing on a versatile herb that features in a number of our products:  fennel.

You may know from eating the plant in a salad or garnish that fennel is a licorice flavored, feathery, aromatic herb. It grows to be several feet tall with umbels of small, yellow flowers that look very similar to a dill plant.  Its name derives from a Latin word for hay.

Fennel has many uses, from the culinary to the medicinal.  It features prominently in Mediterranean cuisine, used as a spice, eaten raw, cooked as a side dish, used in pasta and risottos, and used in vegetable and meat dishes, among other uses.

Its medicinal uses are similarly varied.  Fennel was found by the German Commission E to relieve mild indigestion and coughs.  The seeds can be chewed to sweeten breath and help a toothache, and a gargle will relieve a sore throat. Fennel is sometimes used as a colic remedy.  It’s even used as flavoring in some natural toothpastes.  You may have also seen fennel seeds offered as you leave Indian restaurants to help with digestion.

Fennel has been used for centuries to increase breast milk production, and it’s an ingredient in a number of our products, including: More Milk Plus, More Milk Plus Alcohol Free, More Milk Plus Capsules, More Milk Special Blend, More Milk Special Blend Alcohol Free, More Milk Special Blend Capsules, and More Milk.  We do not use fennel oil, but instead the whole seed extract in our products.

To prepare fennel tea, The Nursing Mother’s Herbal recommends combining 1-3 teaspoons of freshly crushed seeds with 8 ounces of boiling water, covering, and steeping for 10-20 minutes.  It can be drunk up to 5-6 times per day.  You can also use fennel in a compress to relieve swollen, tender breasts by putting crushed seeds in hot water.

The essential oil of fennel is not recommended for use during pregnancy or with infants and small children.  There are no known drug interactions with fennel.

Sources:  The Nursing Mother’s Herbal, Lowmilksupply.org, Wikipedia.  Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

This information is provided for educational purposes only, and should not to be construed as medical advice.  These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re pleased to share some ground breaking breast cancer research which uses breast milk to unlock the secrets of the disease.  And if you fit the criteria for one of the studies using breast milk, you may be able to donate your own!*

Dr. Kathleen Arcaro at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is an environmental toxicologist who analyzes breast milk for clues about breast cancer risk.  In spite of years of breast cancer research, we know little about the reasons why women develop it.  The most widely known risk factors – family history and inherited gene mutations – account for only a small number of the new cases diagnosed each year.

But breast milk might be able to help.  Some of your breast duct cells naturally slough off into your milk.  These cells are incredibly valuable in understanding breast cancer, and they’re also hard to get without an invasive procedure.  But you produce an average of 30,000 per milliliter every time you nurse or pump!

Scientists can now use DNA analysis to examine these breast cells for patterns of “methylation:” the presence of methyl groups which attach to key parts of our DNA such as tumor suppressor genes, and “turn them off,” rendering us less capable of stopping the growth of tumors.  Some forms of methylation, which is related to things like diet, smoking, exposure to toxins, stress, and exercise, can render us more vulnerable to breast cancer.

Since 2009, Dr. Arcaro has been investigating whether breast milk could reveal patterns in breast cancer risk by studying women who had or were planning to have a breast biopsy.  Her research has found that certain patterns of methylation are correlated with a higher risk of breast cancer.

This finding is important because it may allow mothers to one day get a personalized breast cancer risk profile. Even more importantly, the hope is that new treatments may actually be able to reverse methylation, dramatically reducing our risk of breast cancer.

You may have known that your breast milk is amazing for its nutritional and immunological properties, but now you know how it’s a weapon in the war on cancer, too!

* Dr. Arcaro is currently looking for milk camples from 1) African American nursing mothers living anywhere in the country, OR 2) nursing mothers of any race living anywhere in the country who have had a breast biopsy or are expecting to have one, OR 3) mothers of any race living anywhere in the country who have had breast cancer and are now nursing.  To participate, see Dr. Arcaro’s donation page.  If you don’t qualify for one now, please check Dr. Arcaro’s website at another time, as her criteria do change over time.

If you don’t qualify to participate but want to be involved (whether you’re nursing or not), you can register for the Love/Avon Army of Women, which will put you on a list of people willing to be contacted should another opportunity arise.  Dr. Arcaro would appreciate it if you’d select “breast milk study” when asked how you heard about the study.

In this interview, Catherine Watson Genna, author of Supporting Sucking Skills in Breastfeeding Infants, discusses the types of tongue tie, what it’s like to nurse a baby with a tongue tie, what it’s like for the baby to have a tight frenulum clipped, and where to turn for help with a tongue tied baby.

In the interview Cathy mentioned two useful sites for mothers of tongue tied babies:

• Catherine Watson Genna’s pictures of tight frenula (“Is my baby tongue tied?”)
• Low Milk Supply’s list of health care providers who will perform fretonomies

You can listen to this interview using the player below, listen with Quicktime, or download it from our free iTunes store!

A new book does a nice job of clarifying these concepts and describing how to use them to make breastfeeding easy and comfortable.

Baby-Led Breastfeeding, by the authors of Baby-Led Weaning (see our podcast with author Gilll Rapley on this method of introducing solid foods), is a new breastfeeding reference book based on the newest understanding of our babies’ oldest behaviors.

Baby-led breastfeeding is about understanding and following a baby’s innate feeding instincts.  It means working with – and not against – these instincts to make breastfeeding easier and more comfortable for you both.

Some feeding instincts the authors describe include:

“[At birth,] drawn by the unique scent produced by the glands around your nipples (which is similar to the smell of your amniotic fluid), your baby will instinctively press her feet and knees into you and push herself toward your breast.  This instinct fades gradually in the first few weeks.”

“When they are near the breast, babies bob their head around and use their hands in a kneading action to orientate themselves and figure out how to best approach the nipple.  This behavior is a crucial part of the feeding because it allows babies to get to the breast and position themselves so that they can attach easily.”

“When he can feel or smell that he is near the nipple, a baby will naturally start to open his mouth and stretch his tongue forward.  This is known as rooting, and it’s part of his preparation for scooping up the breast to feed.”

“[A lying back position] is the position that will make best use of your baby’s feeding instincts when he is new.”

Some early feeding cues: “moving his eyes under his eyelids; moving his head and stretching his neck; making gentle wriggling, squirming, and waving movements, clenching and unclenching his fists; opening his mouth and making rooting movements; making sucking noises or smacking his lips; murmuring, squeaking, whimpering, or giving little cries; sucking his fists/clothes/blanket or your t-shirt/sweater.”

These concepts are the most useful in establishing comfortable and effective attachment to the breast (latch) and breastfeeding positions.  But they’re also very useful in solving breastfeeding problems, such as refusal to breastfeed, weaning from a nipple shield, and transitioning from bottle to breast.

For more information on Biological Nurturing (Laid Back Breastfeeding) and Baby Led Weaning, see our podcasts:

• Biological Nurturing (Laid Back Breastfeeding), with Suzanne Colson
• Baby Led Weaning (solids), with Gill Rapley

Experiencing morning sickness, or dreading it?  You’re not alone: more than half all pregnant women experience nausea in the first trimester of pregnancy. 

Here’s our guide* to using herbs, nutrition, and other therapies to manage nausea during pregnancy.

What causes morning sickness?

Morning sickness is caused by the rapid change in hormonal levels that occurs during the first weeks of pregnancy.  This change often results in nausea.  There are a some women who never feel any morning sickness at all, and most women begin to feel better at the beginning of the second trimester.  If you have severe and/or long-term nausea, if it’s accompanied by fever or pain, or it it continues well into the second trimester, be sure to consult your health care provider.

What can I do? 

Herbs: The following herbs are recommended if experiencing morning sickness.

• Ginger: recommended for both morning sickness and sea sickness. Drink ginger tea or “ginger beer,” or take ginger capsules (ginger tea with milk and honey will also help raise blood sugar.) Note: do not use excessive amounts of ginger.
• Raspberry and mint tea
• Slippery elm: made into a nutritious gruel, is easily digested. You can also buy slippery elm lozenges to suck on.
• Peach leaf tea
• Wild yam root tea or tincture in water
• Sucking on ice cubes made with any of these teas throughout the day may feel better than drinking cups of tea.

Nutrition: Eat small frequent meals with complex carbohydrates. Avoid high fat and junk foods. Eat a protein rich snack before you go to bed. Low blood sugar in the morning can cause morning sickness, so eat something before you get out of bed. Drink plenty of liquids and remember that it may be easier to drink a nutritious broth for some of your meals. Take B complex vitamins, especially vitamin B6.

Homeopathy: Natural Healing For the Pregnant Woman by Elizabeth Burch, lists many symptoms of nausea along with specific remedies for each. Common remedies for nausea include ipecac, sepia, nux vomica, and arsenicum. Only take these remedies in a homeopathic form, and consult a homeopathic practitioner for a personalized care plan.

Flower Essences: Flower essences work on the emotions. They are made by placing flowers in a clear bowl filled with spring water, and infusing them in sunlight for several hours. The finished water is usually preserved with brandy or some other type of alcohol. Bach flower essences are probably best known because of Edward Bach’s work in discovering their use on healing emotions. Mimulus and Scleranthus are two flower essences used for morning sickness.

Aromatherapy: Aromatherapy involves using a plant’s essential oils. These oils are normally very strong, and should not be taken internally without supervision. Oils can simply be sniffed or used in a spritzer to relieve nausea, stress or headaches.  Drops can be put on a handkerchief to inhale and use as a compress. Add a few drops of your favorite scent to a massage oil. Citrus smells help relax queasiness, so it may also be helpful to smell lemon slices.

Acupressure: Acupressure works by stimulating the energy meridians of the body, thus alleviating stress, increasing circulation, and relieving nausea and headaches. The acupressure points that control nausea are on the wrist crease, in line with the little finger, and in the hollow between the collarbones. Press and rub on these points throughout the day. Acupressure wrist bands are available in most drug stores for dealing with nausea and sea sickness.

Relaxation: Fears or apprehensions you may have of parenthood can cause stress. There are many ways to relieve this and other types of stress, so take the time to find those that work best for you. Quiet time alone, reading, and exercise can help. Fresh air also does wonders to relieve nausea, so get outside and breathe or keep the windows open to encourage air circulation. Daily meditation is very helpful — bring your focus to a place of calm and centeredness, repeating “I am peace.” Lay comfortably on the floor or bed and release any tension you have in your body. Start at your feet and work your way up your body, tensing and releasing all your muscle tension. Be sure to release all that you are holding onto in your belly. There are also relaxation and meditation tapes and digital recordings available for purchase.

Visualization: Is there anything in your life that is making you “sick to your stomach?” Visualize yourself moving through it and letting go. See yourself as the radiantly healthy being that you are, creating a perfect vehicle for the soul that has chosen you to be its mother. You are part of a miracle!

More Information:

• Natural Healing For the Pregnant Woman by Elizabeth Burch
• The Natural Pregnancy Book, by Aviva Jill Romm
• The Whole Pregnancy Handbook, by Joel Evans
• Mothering.com:  Natural Remedies for Morning Sickness
• About.com Alternative Medicine:  Natural Morning Sickness Remedies
• American Pregnancy Association:  Morning Sickness

*This information is presented for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.  Consult your health care provider for care appropriate to your needs.

Child care providers need to know many things, from how to handle (and conserve!) breastmilk, to how to make the environment welcoming for nursing moms at pick up time.  Support for breastfeeding in child care centers is important enough that even First Lady Michelle Obama has promoted it!

Fortunately, there are a number of resources online to help inform our care providers.  Here are some worth sharing.

Practical information for parents:

• Kellymom.com offers practical advice for parents and links to resources for providers.
• La Leche League International has a page on preparing child care providers to care for a breastfeeding baby.
• Dr. Sears offers some practical advice on working with caregivers.
• Workandpump.com offers answers to the common question, “how much milk should I send to day care?“
• The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine offers milk storage guidelines.

Resources to share with your child care provider:

• The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has an outstanding free resource kit for child care providers called “Ten Steps to Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care.” 
• The Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition offers a sample breastfeeding policy for child care centers, based on the Wisconsin resource kit.
• The New York State Department of Health has resources for child care providers, including a self assessment tool to help them determine how breastfeeding-friendly they are.  They have a “breastfeeding friendly day care” certification program and list them by county.
• The Texas WIC program offers a set of training tools for child care providers.
• The Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute has a poster child care providers can post explaining how they support nursing moms and children.