Are Lactation Supplements Safe for Babies?

Breastfeeding your young one is the heartiest and deeply satisfying feeling ever. But even after hours of feeding, if your baby is still crying and cranky for more milk. The mothers are bound to wonder if their milk supply is enough to satiate the baby’s hunger, turning the feeling of euphoria into frustration and defeat. In the USA, 3 out of 4 new moms abandon nursing their baby’s completely or partially within the first few months. Though there are many other reasons for this, one of the main is that mothers fear that their milk production is not enough. Lactation supplements like Pumping Queen are known for boosting milk supply in the most natural and safe way.

Lactation Supplements

Galactagogues is the stuff that every lactation supplement contains. It’s basically the ingredient that helps increase milk supply. Fenugreek, Fennel, Milk thistle, Goat’s Rue, Alfalfa, Shatavari Root, Blessed thistle and Anise are some of the most used galactagogues.  Common lactation supplements include herbs, teas, brownies, cookies, shakes, smoothies and capsules. These are readily available in the market and online. But before starting any lactation supplement, always consult your doctor so that he can rule out any other problem that is causing trouble for the baby to get his fill. If low milk supply is the case, (which is less often because many mothers do produce enough milk to satiate their baby’s hunger) then your lactation consultant will suggest you the best lactation supplement along with the appropriate dosage.

Does Lactation Supplements Really Boost Milk Supply?

Galactagogues have been a go-to for mothers whenever they needed to increase their milk supply. Although the science behind these, how they work and how well they work is still vague and painfully under researched, still lactation supplements on the market are loaded with them so something is right. In a study conducted in 2018, 122 mothers used a famous galactagogue called fenugreek and it really did significantly increase their milk supply. Another study done on 50 women, 25 were given a super cocktail of galactagogues like ginger, fenugreek and turmeric and the other 25 women took a placebo. Voila! The mother who took the galactagogue cocktail has a whopping 49% increase in their milk production.

Researchers and scientists are still not sure why these galactagogues work, maybe due the phytoestrogens that are similar to estrogens hormones of humans. But whatever the reason is, these herbs are entrusted by many women for centuries and are now also getting acknowledged by doctors, FDA and other pharmaceutical giants.

Recommended dosage of lactation Supplements   

If you want to see the magic of these galactagogues in your life then you must take them within the recommended dosage for the best results. Many of these galactagogues are available in their raw forms like leaves, seeds, stems that can be used for making teas and other things. But using them like that can mix up their recommended dosage which can make them under or over perform. The ideal and the most suitable form is to either get yourself a lactation supplement from a well reputed company like Milky Mama, which have all kinds of lactation supplements, with their ideal doses written.

Before jumping the gun always keep your lactation consultant in loop and consult him before starting any lactation supplement. Most common and recommended dosage is a 610 mg capsule but it can be altered according to your needs.

Are These Lactation Supplements Safe for the Babies?  

Anything that the mother takes in her diet is bound to enter the breast milk in some amount. Same is the case with lactation supplements; they enter the breast milk for example, if the mother takes fenugreek then the milk, urine and sweat of both the mother and baby will smell like maple syrup. Which is fine as long as your doctor knows that you are taking fenugreek otherwise it can be mistaken for maple syrup urine disease. But if the lactation supplement is taken in moderation according to the recommended dosage then the effect is only positive.  

Some galactagogues cause GI symptoms such as diarrhea, upset stomach and flatulence in mothers so it’s very much likely to pass onto the baby. Herbs that increase milk supply if not taken in appropriate doses can cause overabundance of milk supply causing fussiness, gas and green watery stools in infants. Herbs like fenugreek which are common in lactation supplements, have blood thinning effect, it lowers blood sugar levels and can also intensify peanut allergy so be sure to use them under the supervision of the doctor only.

Be sure of

When taking lactation supplements to increase your milk supply, mother s must only bur supplements from well reputed companies only. Many companies are unregulated and produce low quality supplements so beware. Milky Mama has the best, most amazing products that increase milk supply in the safest way for both mother and baby.