Is it possible to use yarrow while breastfeeding? Yarrow: beneficial properties and contraindications

"I don't have enough milk"

This is exactly the statement you can hear from many mothers. And without a doubt, it is one of the most common experiences a woman has during breastfeeding. But often these are just mother’s speculations that have no basis in reality. Therefore, before highlighting the folk remedies with which you can increase lactation, let’s consider the signs by which it is easy to recognize whether there really is a problem with a lack of milk:

• Insufficient weight gain may be a cause for concern. But this reason is relative: each baby is individual and may gain almost no weight in one week, but in the following days gain more than that, and such unevenness will be absolutely normal. Take into account the baby’s condition: if he is sick or feels unwell, it is logical that he will not gain weight so rapidly. Therefore, the optimal weight gain indicator would be an increase per month.
• If you notice a decrease in the daily volume of breast milk, this will most likely indicate insufficient lactation.
• The restless state of the baby can be the cause of many phenomena. It is also a signal to the child that his mother’s milk is not enough and he is not getting enough.
• A healthy baby who receives enough nutrition in the form of breast milk during the first months of life urinates at least 6 times a day, and the urine is either pale yellow or colorless. If this is not the case, think about whether your child has enough milk.

All of these reasons together should prompt you to think about whether hypogalactia is occurring and, if present, look for ways to increase breast milk production.

How to get rid of a cough?

What to do if mommy starts coughing? Can I take any medications on my own? Before treating a nursing mother for a cold and using antitussive medications, you should consult a doctor. You may not always be able to choose the right medications on your own.

The cough can be wet or dry. In the first case, mucolytic compounds are prescribed, for example, “Gerbion”, “ACC”. If a dry cough is accompanied by wheezing in the bronchi, then you need to use Lazolvan or Ambrobene. These agents help thin mucus and gently remove it from the respiratory tract. When a dry cough is caused by throat irritation, the doctor recommends taking antitussive compounds: Codelac, Gerbion, Sinekod. But at the same time, it is necessary to compare the expected benefit for the mother and the possible risk for the baby.

Causes of the problem

When a mother becomes convinced that lactation is reduced and feeding becomes inadequate, she is always concerned about the reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon: what did she do wrong? But the woman is not always involved in the situation: sometimes hypogalactia is provoked by external factors. Among the possible causes, doctors identify the following:

• The quality and quantity of breast milk is directly affected by the completeness of the mother’s diet. A woman must consume a full range of vitamins and nutrients, otherwise her milk supply will decrease.
• Stress and lack of sleep are a mother’s frequent companions during the first months of her child’s life. Many women perceive them as absolutely natural processes characteristic of all mothers. Meanwhile, this is a huge harm to the body, which reacts with hypogalactia.
• Mom's milk factory operates according to a simple law: the higher the demand, the higher the supply. This means that the more often the baby suckles at the breast, the more milk is produced. If you combine breastfeeding with formula or avoid feeding at night, you will most likely encounter less milk.
• Sometimes only an endocrinologist can open his eyes to the cause. There are diseases of the thyroid gland that are accompanied by insufficient production of breast milk.
• Even some medications can provoke the phenomenon. Culprits may include diuretics, androgens, and progestins.
• After some time, you and your baby should develop a feeding routine. The rules can be dictated by the child, who will ask to eat at a certain frequency. And sometimes the main one in this matter is entrusted to the mother, who decides to feed the baby “by the hour.” But if the regime goes astray, the lactation process may also be disrupted.

It is not necessary to look for the entire list of these reasons: sometimes only one factor can become the reason for a decrease in milk supply.

What antibiotics can a nursing mother take?

What medications can nursing mothers take for a cold if it is caused by a bacterial infection? In such a situation, self-medication is unacceptable. It is strictly forbidden to use antibiotics on your own. Be sure to consult a doctor. Before prescribing this or that medication, the doctor will definitely conduct a number of tests. When breastfeeding, preference is given to the penicillin series or macrolides. The question of the possibility of continuing breastfeeding is decided individually.

Correct menu

Most health problems can be eliminated by carefully reviewing your diet. And if you came to this page in search of methods on how to quickly increase breast milk lactation using folk remedies, we advise you to start with the menu. Often, these measures to get rid of the problem are limited.

• The most important criterion for a proper diet for a nursing mother is a sufficient amount of fluid. To improve lactation, you need to drink at least 2 liters of water or herbal tea daily.
• The leaders in the list of products that increase the amount of milk will deservedly be milk and fermented milk foods. Their daily norm is 1 liter.
• Separately, in the “dairy kitchen” we would like to mention cottage cheese. Eat 150 g of product per day.
• You should definitely include 200 g of lean meats in your daily menu. The task code-named “increase lactation” will be handled perfectly by weak meat broths or soups.
• The quality of lactation is also affected by the mother’s love for hard cheeses. The daily dose of the product is only 30 g.
• It is known that any nutritious diet necessarily includes a sufficient amount of fresh vegetables and fruits. Mom's diet, of course, will be no exception: make sure to include 300 g of fruits and 500 g of vegetables in your daily menu.
• Don’t forget about oils: the amount of butter is 20 g per day, and vegetable oil is 25 g.

Such a healthy menu will have a positive effect not only on increasing lactation, but also on the health of the mother’s entire body as a whole.

But all these dietary adjustments will be useless if you consume:

• alcohol;
• products - strong allergens (in particular chocolate, nuts, citrus fruits, caviar);
• in excess of foods high in carbohydrates (for example, bread, sugar and confectionery);
• hot spices.

Never forget that everything your mother eats will certainly end up in breast milk. Therefore, love the products from the first list, and exclude the “pests” from the second list from your menu.

People's Doctor

If the diet does not help or you think that this is not enough, it makes sense to pay attention to folk remedies to improve lactation. We have listed the most popular and safe methods to help a mother who is faced with this problem.

1. Regular carrots can increase lactation. This miracle property of the vegetable is due to its ability to produce prolactin. So, to prepare an effective folk remedy, grate a medium-sized orange root vegetable. Dilute the gruel with a glass of milk or half a glass of cream. The resulting medicine can be used 3 times a day.
2. Among the folk remedies for increasing lactation you can always find cumin. It is used to prepare an effective drink. Just pour 1 tsp. plants with a glass of boiling milk. Let the product brew for 2 hours and drink it 20 minutes before meals.
3. Dill can also increase the amount of breast milk. To prepare the infusion, pour 1 tbsp of boiling water into a glass. l. crushed dill seeds. The infusion time for this recipe is also 2 hours. The dosage of the product is half a glass, and you need to drink it twice a day.
4. The popular fennel infusion is prepared in a similar way. In this recipe, you also need to pour a tablespoon of the plant with a glass of boiling water and let the product brew for 2 hours. After this time, the infusion should be filtered and taken 2 tbsp. l. before meals 3 times a day.
5. The list of folk remedies for lactation would be incomplete if we did not tell you about a week-long course of treatment using chamomile flowers. The recipe is very simple: pour 1 tbsp. l. plants 200 ml. sweet boiling water. Drink a glass of the product 3 times a day for a week.
6. If you are reading our article during the summer season, you can use an excellent folk remedy - dandelion leaves - to increase lactation. Pour boiling water over them or place them in cold water for half an hour: this will relieve the plant of unwanted bitterness. Make a healthy salad using dandelion leaves combined with sour cream.
7. Ordinary tea can improve breast milk production, and it doesn’t matter whether you like a black or green drink. The only mandatory conditions will be to add milk to tea and a low strength of the drink. Drink tea about half an hour before feeding.

Mothers' love for various folk remedies is often due to their safety. But you must not lose vigilance in their use: first try a new remedy in a minimum dosage and monitor the baby’s reaction for 3 days. If everything goes well, then the folk remedy is right for you.

Yarrow during pregnancy and breastfeeding

The use of any potent herbs is contraindicated for an expectant mother, including yarrow. The grass is poisonous, and when consumed, the amount of estrogen in the body increases. This can lead to miscarriage, premature birth and disturbances in the formation of the fetus.

During lactation, the use of drugs based on bloodstone is not recommended. Allergenic substances enter the newborn's body with mother's milk and can cause stomach cramps and cramps. And although the plant has pronounced lactogonic properties, it is better to avoid taking it.

Yarrow is not contraindicated for external use: it can be used to treat burns, wounds, and used as compresses and enemas for hemorrhoids.

Benefit

A few more important recommendations

The problem of deteriorating lactation today is not new and not at all rare. But this also has its advantages: pediatricians have long developed several effective recommendations for mothers with reduced milk production:

• before feeding, massage the mammary glands clockwise with light stroking movements;
• A shower massage will also help activate and increase milk production: move from the nipple to the sides;
• breastfeed the baby at the baby's first request;
• do not take a night break: feeding at this time guarantees complete and high-quality milk production;
• Mom’s peace and happiness is another guarantee of healthy lactation;
• During feeding, provide skin-to-skin contact with the baby;
• Pay attention to special gymnastics for the mammary glands.