Hi. I'm new to the board. I'm a 37yo normally size A or AA. Right now I'm breastfeeing and am a very small C (I'm only this large because the herbs I'm taking, all of which are also lactation herbs so it's safe for baby, have given me some growth).

I'm quite frustrated. I noticed tingling and 1 week of daily growth, and then it went away and I can't remember what I was doing to make it happen!

Here's the story: I started taking fenugreek to help with milk production. I was taking a number of other herbs for other health issues. I attributed the tingling and growth to the fenugreek, not to the other herbs. My baby was having diarrhea, and I eliminated the other herbs, and the growth stopped. I can't get it to come back. I know the different herbs I was taking, but sometimes I started and stopped certain ones.

The max I might have been taking was:
fenugreek
fennel
nettles
red clover
blessed thistle
red raspberry

I know for sure I was taking the first four, but blessed thistle and red raspberry I'm not sure about.

I've started taking them all again, but only in low amounts because my baby still has some diarrhea if I take too much of them (she's older so she can tolerate them in small amounts now). I'm not experiencing any growth at the moment. Is it possible that I could be taking too many? That by taking the blessed thistle and red raspberry, when I'm not *sure* that's what I was taking at the time of growth, tha I might be *hindering* growth?

Or is my best plan to just keep taking them all, and slowly increase the amounts as my baby grows and can tolerate it?

Thanks for your advice!
Kyrie

I don't know if anyone can answer this question for sure, as most of the herbs say not to take while nursing, and in the past we have encouraged others to wait until they stop nursing before starting NBE, just out of concern for the overall health of the baby. I do realize that they have teas and other formulas for nursing monthers that have the same ingredients we are taking, but I was always under the impression they were low doses......

In my opinion I would say to wait until you are done nursing before pushing more herbs, so they don't have any adverse reactions with your baby, or clear everything with a doctor if you are serious about growing while still nursing. I do realize as I stated earlier, that the mothers teas have these herbs, but I really think they are a lower quantity of herbs.


Maybe someone else can be of more help.

I have to agree with Henri on this, if you want to take single NBE herbs at your own dosages I would wait until you are finished breast feeding.
In the meantime you could drink the breast feeding teas, as they have been tested they should be safe and they will have the dosages figured out so they don't harm your child.
As many of these are hormonal herbs I would definitely not try and make your own dosages or take those herbs separately as they may cause long term damage to your child.
Wait with the NBE until you have weaned your child off, women who have nursed are meant to grow better than others anyway, so be patient and wait for the right time for both you and your baby.

Everything you take passes over to the baby through your breastmilk. You don't want your child full of plant estrogen. It might do some real damage to it's reproductional system. You are not meant to do NBE during nursing!

I agree with Henri, Lisa & Tessie. If you want to take something, stick with the breastfeeding teas, but cut out all the other additional herbs until you wean your baby. Please remember that what you takes passes to the baby as well and the fact that the baby is getting diarrhea as you increase the herbs tells you something right there - not good for babies!!!!!

I also strongly agree with the others regarding the use of the herbs while still nursing...I would say, not a good idea at all. The others have all said the obvious reasons so I won't repeat. Especially orally administered herbs...I think the soap (PM)is probably safe and PERHAPS MAYBE topicals used in moderation (sprays, creams, serums etc.). Just wait till baby is off the breast.

Deborah

Well,im not mining my words on this one.
And don't all start with the lets b nice thing, cos this has done me!!!

You are how old? 37yr old and have lessend your herbs becuase your baby has dioriah, how bloody thaughtful of you.
honerstly unless you really are behind the back door then what are you doing
unberbloodyleavable

1. Stop the herbs immediately
2. Take your baby to the doctor to be checked up
3. Don't put your child at risk ever again
4. Get a brain - Try ebay

Oh plase, who are you to lecture to anybody? And without information even, get a brain yourself.

I'm not so sure that anything in the herbs really affects the milk composition, but I wouldn't risk it. Kyrie, I'd advise you to get off NBE as well.

So i am not even gonna comment on the whole baby taking Your herbs through breastmilk. do you realize that your 'growth' will deflate when you STOP nursing. stop, and resume when your body is yours and you are only nourishing yourself. good luck.

Moon, being a medical student you should know that EVERYTHING a nursing mother eats or drinks is passed through to the baby with the breast milk.

Telling someone to stop the NBE immediately isn't lecturing, it is being concerned about the health of a baby. And no one in their right mind would take risks with their childs health like that. I can tell that you haven't had any kids yet or you would understand this.

I am in complete agreement with the above messages.

"get a brain" comments from anonymous poster is most unwelcome, the question would not have been posted if they really didn't know what to do.......Mocking is never as effective as educating.

kat
ps? see thread about this coward among us ladies, and let me know what you think of the suggestion.:)

Stop taking the herbs and just use mother's milk tea as many times per day as the box directions tell you to. Anything above that may not be safe for your baby.

Welllllll....
I personally have taken all these herbs...

fenugreek
fennel
nettles
red clover
blessed thistle
red raspberry

While pregnant and nursing. They are nourishing herbs, and can be used safely in SMALL amounts. That is the Key. SMALL amounts.
Nettle I took as tea for calcium. Red Clover and raspberry, and uterine tonics to get my womb back in shape. Fennel and fenugreek to enhance milk production. None of my babies ever had diarrhea from the herbs, but they did have diarrhea from time to time when I wasn't eating right, like too much sugar, or spicy foods.
Check out Susun Weed "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year" for amounts and safe herbs.
And why not focus on giving your baby the best milk possible with a herbal tonic...like

Wish Garden's
Goat's Rue Lactation Aid (link below)

http://www.wishgardenherbs.com/index.php?load=pregnancy&group_id=7#Milk%20Enrichment%20Lactation%20Aid

And you will be inadvertantly helping the tone of your breast, because it has supportive breast herbs...just keep to the dosage on the bottle.

The tingling you felt...may have very well been milk production or "let down" because...to me they feel exactly the same. Now I know my tingling is not let down, because I have no milk in my breasts. I have nursed five children. Sometimes I had tingling, sometimes I didn't.
Anyway, its been said before, but your focus should be on bonding with your child right now. Right now your boobies belong to that baby, and what comes out of them should be wholesome and healthy. No large amounts of anything.

I didn't ever take blessed thistle while nursing.
Also, your "growth" was probably due to more milk in the breast at the time. Baby's saliva "communicates" with your nipple, and your body responds by producing in the milk what the baby's body is needing (ie extra calcium etc.)
Your breasts are going to fluctuate the entire time you are nursing. Baby may not drink as much one day, so then boobs are bigger. Next day, boobs may be smaller cuz baby ate more, and you didn't have as much milk.

Taking too much herbs can cause you to lose your milk altogether.

I would not suggest topicals at all while nursing, unless it is olive oil or something like that for cracked nipples. Susun Weeds book has some info on stuff to use topically. PM cream, and even the soap IMO wouldn't be a good idea. Again, the baby will get those in its mouth!!!