It varies. Although herbs and herbal products are sometimes referred to as “natural,” they are not always secure. Before utilizing herbs, especially herbal teas and essential oils, it’s crucial to consult your healthcare practitioner because they can be highly potent.
Herbs can enter breast milk, just like prescription drugs do, and may have an impact on both you and your baby’s milk production. (The idea that sage, parsley, or peppermint will make you produce less milk is a hoax.)
Herbs are not subject to FDA regulation, unlike over-the-counter and prescription medications, thus there is no assurance of their safety, potency, or purity. Even professionals are unsure of which herbs are safe for nursing infants because very few have been thoroughly researched to determine their impact on nursing infants.
There isn’t much evidence to support the safety (or efficacy) of these herbs in nursing mothers and infants, despite the fact that they have been used for centuries to increase a nursing mother’s milk production. Examples include fenugreek and fennel.
Another popular plant to take with caution is echinacea, which is believed to prevent or treat colds. Some specialists advise mothers to stay away from it when breastfeeding due to a lack of safety data. Additionally, goldenseal, which can be poisonous in even moderate dosages, is frequently used alongside echinacea.
Before using any herbal therapy, be prudent and speak with your doctor.
The majority of herbs that are used to season food, such cumin, rosemary, and cilantro, are safe to incorporate in your diet on a regular basis in moderation. However, some, such as sage, can be harmful if you ingest them in high or concentrated doses, such as when taking medicine or drinking tea.
You should be aware of some interactions between plants and medications as well as between herbs and other substances. For further information, speak with your physician or pharmacist.
Instead of sites that are marketing herbal products, look for trustworthy, impartial websites while studying herbs online. Good sources include the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, MedlinePlus, and LactMed.
All herbal teas should only be consumed moderately and with caution. Teas include concentrated herbs. Choose teas that have a complete ingredient list. For instance, ginger or German chamomile tea are regarded as safe options; nevertheless, avoid any teas containing goldenseal.
Which herbs should nursing mothers avoid?
Herbs Not To Use While Breastfeeding
- Alder Buckthorn (Rhamnus Frangula) is a berry and bark with laxative, intestinal irritant, and anthroquinones glycosides secreted in breast milk properties.
- Hepatotoxic phyrrolizidine alkaloids produced in breast milk; alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria).
What vitamins should nursing mothers avoid?
Herbs and supplements to stay away from when nursing:
- Latex of aloe.
- Ashwagandha.
- Berberine/goldenseal (berberine is a compound found in goldenseal)
- Bilberry.
- White cohosh.
- Butterbur has ingredients that could harm the liver (Chojkier, J Hepatol 2003)
- Angelica sinensis dong quai (National Library of Medicine 2018)
What can I do to strengthen my immune system while nursing?
You need all the energy you can get as a nursing mother, and if you can avoid becoming ill, all the better.
A healthy lifestyle is your (not so) secret weapon for increasing immunity, especially when breastfeeding, despite the fact that there is no miracle cure.
Research has shown that nursing is the most effective strategy to strengthen your baby’s immune system. For mom’s health as well, it’s very great. According to research, nursing can hasten your return to your pre-pregnancy weight and speed up your uterus’ recovery following birth. Additionally, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, anemia, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other illnesses are less likely to strike breastfeeding mothers.
1. Maintain a healthy diet
A balanced diet will help your body fight off colds, the flu, and other ailments. Pick any of the following foods to boost your immunity:
Can you take echinacea and zinc while nursing?
- The suggested daily intake for breastfeeding mothers is 12 mg. The tolerated top limit for individuals is 40 mg, according to the NIH.
- Zinc can aid in the immune system’s ability to combat bacteria and viruses, according to the NIH.
- Ross advises customers to look into purchasing Garden of Life Raw Zinc. It’s vital to remember that even if this product’s zinc content is below the adult upper limit, breastfeeding is not advised while using it. Before adding more zinc to your multivitamin, see your doctor.
Can I consume elderberry while nursing?
1) Mothers who are breastfeeding have not been researched. When attempting to do real double-blind scientific research on expectant or nursing mothers, many ethical issues arise. The dearth of information about herbs in this group is primarily due to this.
2) It is unregulated, and it is unknown what goes into commercial preparations.
Secret components and varying concentrations of active substances can be found in proprietary blends. Mothers who are nursing need to be well aware of their diet.
3) The elderberry plant has larger concentrations of some harmful substances in some regions. The precise nutritional makeup of elderberries varies depending on the plant variety, the freshness of the berries at harvest, environmental factors, and climate. As a result, different products may include different concentrations of the active compounds as well as various plant materials other than the real berries. Unripe berries, bark, leaves, and roots are examples of additional plant parts that include lectins (which can induce gastrointestinal issues) and cyanogenic glycosides (can release cyanide, a poison). The formulation is unknown, and the bark, roots, leaves, and unripe berries have the potential to emit a considerable amount of cyanide. Small to moderate amounts of this are not thought to be an issue for adults, but if breast milk is used to feed a baby, it could be hazardous.
4) It is unknown if heating the product sufficiently destroys the harmful components to make it suitable for nursing. All elderberries must be cooked before eating, and heating safely gets rid of the majority of the berries’ harmful ingredients. For stray bark or leaves that might find their way into the mixture in commercial formulations, this is not the case. Again, nursing mothers must be completely aware of their diet.
5) A few store-bought syrups also include additional possibly harmful chemicals. Many widely available brands contain potentially harmful ingredients like bryonia, which raises major safety issues even in modest doses and has never been tested on nursing moms.
A more secure method is:
The Infant Risk Center states that homemade elderberry syrup made exclusively from fresh, ripe berries is probably safe. Because it’s difficult to know if dried berries were ripe, it’s better to stay away from them when nursing. Since elderberry products are not FDA-evaluated, Dr. Hale advises speaking with a herbal expert before consuming while nursing.
While we constantly advocate for less exposures to potentially harmful substances and urge the use of natural solutions whenever possible, it’s vital to keep in mind that natural does not always equate to safe. This article’s focus is on children and babies because it’s especially crucial to keep this in mind. Although no negative effects have been observed, it is best practice to avoid using elderberry syrup while breastfeeding until reliable research has been done to support its safety.
Which herbs reduce milk production?
Typical herbs that reduce milk production include:
- Sage.
- Peppermint.
- Oregano.
- Parsley (in large amounts)
- Spearmint.
- Thyme.
- Rosemary.
Why should nursing mothers stay away from strawberries?
Foods that cause severe allergies can go into your breast milk. According to MedlinePlus, strawberries are a highly allergenic fruit, which means that if you consume them and then immediately nurse your baby, they may result in an allergic reaction. Ask your baby’s pediatrician if you should avoid strawberries if you have a family history of strawberry allergies. Skin rash, diarrhea, congestion, and fussiness are all indications of an allergic reaction. Call his doctor straight away if your infant exhibits any of these signs after you consume strawberries.
Summary of Use during Lactation
Human milk naturally contains vitamin C, which is an important milk antioxidant. For infants under 6 months of age, the recommended daily intake of vitamin C is 40 mg, and for nursing women, it is 120 mg. [1] High daily dosages of up to 1000 mg raise milk levels, but not to the point where the newborn is at risk for health problems, and they are not a reason to stop breastfeeding. To meet the recommended amount or make up for a known shortfall, nursing mothers may need to supplement their food. Prenatal vitamin maternal dosages of vitamin C at or close to the recommended amount have no effect on milk levels.
Holder pasteurized donor milk (62.5 degrees C for 30 minutes) has vitamin C levels that are lower than those found in fresh milk and lower than those found in unpasteurized milk.
[2-4] The biochemical indicators of the lipid oxidation condition of donor milk are not diminished by holder pasteurization. [3] However, no studies have been done to evaluate the relative antioxidant contribution of donor milk’s vitamin C concentration to that of vitamin E following pasteurization. The amount of vitamin C in the milk is unaffected by the flash-heat method of treating breastfeeding to prevent HIV transmission, which involves bringing a container of expressed milk to a rolling boil in a water bath. [5]
Freshly expressed mature milk from hospitalized moms of term and preterm infants is not altered by freezing (-20 degrees C) for at least three months after being placed in the freezer.
[6] Vitamin C levels can drop by 15 to 30 percent when exposed to cold (-20 degrees C) for 6 to 12 months. Up to 8 months of storage at -80 degrees C preserves vitamin C levels; after 12 months, there is a 15% loss. [7]
Drug Levels
Mother Levels When women consume enough vitamin C in their diet, the average mature milk vitamin C concentrations range from 50 to 90 mg/L. [8-12] Supplementing with a daily multivitamin on a regular basis does not significantly enhance milk concentrations. [10,12-14] Compared to mature milk, the amount of vitamin C in colostrum is 10 to 20 mg/L higher. [15,16] Levels remain comparatively steady until 12 months after delivery, when they start to gradually decline and reach 30% of pre-delivery levels by 18 to 24 months following delivery. [8]
Blood and milk concentrations are correlated, and both are altered by a mother’s diet, especially in malnourished mothers whose milk concentrations react more strongly to changes in dietary vitamin C intake.
[17,18] Compared to mothers who do not smoke, mothers who smoke have decreased amounts of vitamin C in their milk, which is consistent with the harmful effects of smoking on vitamin C levels in human blood. [19,20]
During the first postpartum week, the vitamin C levels in milk from malnourished moms with insufficient vitamin C consumption range from 30 to 50 mg/L, while in mature milk, they range from 20 to 30 mg/L.
[15]
[16][19] The mature milk level is modestly raised to 40 to 60 mg/L when deficient women are supplemented with doses of 100 to 200 mg daily. [21,22]
Mothers in rural The Gambia, West Africa, saw an increase in blood and milk vitamin C levels during seasons of higher food intake from vitamin C-rich fruit. The maximum mango availability and consumption occurred from April to June, when milk levels ranged from 50 to 60 mg/L, whereas the highest orange availability and consumption occurred from December to February, when milk levels ranged from 40 to 50 mg/L. At other periods of the year, when consumption of these fruits was at its lowest, milk levels ranged from 20 to 30 mg/L. All through the year, mothers were also taking a vitamin C supplement that provided 35 mg of vitamin C each day. [17]
Only 17.7 mg/L (range 1.9 to 43.2 mg/L) and 21.7 mg/L (range 0 to 68 mg/L) of vitamin C were found on average in pooled and pasteurized donor milk from Canadian milk banks in Ontario and British Columbia, respectively.
[3,4]
Between seven and twenty weeks postpartum, fifteen breastfeeding moms who were in good health were given 250, 500, or 1,000 mg of vitamin C once day for two days. There was no discernible difference in the groups’ average milk concentrations, which ranged between 100 and 120 mg/L. The highest concentration recorded was 158 mg/L. [15] With this maximum amount, an infant who is exclusively breastfed would be predicted to consume roughly 25 mg/kg per day, which is comparable to the scurvy treatment dose and far below infant exposure levels that are known to be harmful. [23]
In a case study from the United States, a well-nourished mother who took 4,000 mg of vitamin C daily during her pregnancy and lactation had milk that was 105 mg/L on day 38 after giving birth.
[24]
Average mature milk vitamin C levels ranged from 120 to 130 mg/L in 15 preterm moms who gave birth to children between 27 and 35 weeks gestation, as opposed to 95 to 120 mg/L in 12 term mothers. Both term and preterm moms consumed enough vitamin C through their diets and supplemented with 60 to 270 mg of vitamin C daily. According to this study, term babies and preterm babies both have an equal risk of vitamin C insufficiency when given their mother’s milk. [25] The fact that these researchers tested both ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid in milk samples may be the reason why their reported values were higher than those in other investigations.
In healthy breastfeeding women between 1 and 6 months postpartum, maternal administration of 500 mg of vitamin C and 100 IU of vitamin E daily for 30 days boosted biochemical indicators of milk antioxidant activity in comparison to no supplementation.
[26]
Baby Levels. As of the modification date, no pertinent published information had been discovered.
Effects in Breastfed Infants
Sixty healthy nursing mothers between one and six months postpartum were given either no supplementation for 30 days or 500 mg of vitamin C and 100 IU of vitamin E once daily. Babies of moms who took supplements exhibited higher levels of biochemical indicators of antioxidant activity in their urine. Clinical results weren’t disclosed. [26]
The average blood plasma ascorbic acid concentrations of 18 preterm infants, seven of whom were less than 32 weeks gestational age, who were fed pooled, Holder-pasteurized donor milk starting during the first three days of life decreased from 15.5 mg/L at birth to 5.4 mg/L by one week of age and to 4.1 mg/L by three weeks of age. The potential for postnatal growth may be compromised because the 1- and 3-week levels were subtherapeutic (6 mg/L) and suggestive of insufficient intake. [27] Although this study was carried out before improvements in the provision of parenteral nutrition and enteral milk fortification for preterm infants, more recent studies indicate that preterm infants receiving donor milk may experience health issues due to inadequate vitamin C intake from pooled, pasteurized donor milk. [4]
Why should you stay away from chocolate when nursing?
Due to theobromine, a stimulant similar to caffeine, chocolate consumption is restricted while nursing. Up to 300 mg of caffeine or comparable stimulants, such as theobromine, per day can be consumed without harm by nursing women. Theobromine concentration per gram of processed milk chocolate is 2.4 mg.
How can I treat a cold while nursing?
Pamela Poe, a lactation specialist at Mon Health, and Craig Herring, an ob-gyn, offer their advice on how nursing women can battle colds while maintaining their milk supply.
To treat unpleasant cold symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and sore throat, it can be tempting to turn to over-the-counter medications.
However, treating cold symptoms may cause breastfeeding women to hesitate. You need to think about the medications that are safe for the infant as well as whether or not they will influence your ability to produce milk.
Fortunately, before turning to pharmaceuticals to relieve discomfort, Mon Health Lactation Specialist Pam Poe says there are a number of natural solutions you can consider.
Although there isn’t a miracle cure, Poe believes that nursing women can find many natural, drug-free solutions to help with symptoms.
And mothers might be relieved to learn that there are a few over-the-counter cold medicines that are thought to be safe to take while breastfeeding, according to Dr. Craig Herring, Mon Health OBGYN.
The majority of cold medications do, in fact, transfer into breast milk, but only in very, very little levels, according to Dr. Herring.
There are therefore many safe cold remedies available that nursing mothers can take to alleviate their symptoms, even though there are some drugs out there that they may want to avoid.
Poe claims that most anti-cold medications that pregnant women are permitted to take are generally safe to take while nursing, but you should always check with your doctor first.
Poe provides a list of safe natural and pharmaceutical cold cures for nursing women, including:
- To clear up congestion, take a warm bath or breathe in steam.
- Spray some saline in your nose.
- Warm broths, soups, and other drinks that are hydrating and calming for a sore throat should be consumed.
- Warm tea with lemon and honey is a soothing natural remedy.
- Use a humidifier with chilly mist.
- For a sore throat, gargle with salt water.
- Remain hydrated.
- Get lots of sleep.
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
Use with caution, advises Poe, as pseudoephedrine and other decongestants may negatively affect milk production.
Decongestants may also make some nursing infants agitated or fussy, according to certain research.
Dr. Herring also advises breastfeeding mothers to exercise caution when using the following substances and cold remedies: