Breastfeeding Tea and Galactagogues

Breastfeeding is amazing once it’s established and working well.  However, at first it can be really hard – I remember crying alone at 3am while I expressed milk after a failed attempt to feed my daughter over 90 minutes. Not quite the magical mother moment that I was hoping for.

Whether it’s that your baby can’t latch properly, your milk doesn’t come in quickly, or you’re struggling with tongue tie, you may be looking for anything to help ease your breastfeeding journey.

There’s no magic potion to immediately increase your milk supply, and it’s extremely important to explore all options to increase your breastmilk supply. Try increasing feeds, on demand nursing, skin to skin, expressing. If your milk supply is still low, our tea may be able to help.

What is a galactagogue?

A galactagogue is a herb or food that can naturally support your milk supply.  Whilst there is extremely limited standardised and empirical evidence into the efficacy of herbs in helping lactation and milk supply, some key herbs have been used for centuries to assist women who are struggling, especially in India and the Middle East.

Fennel and Fenugreek in particular have been used by breastfeeding women for hundreds of years to increase milk supply. The seeds contain phytoestogens which mimic your female hormone, oestrogen.

Nettle and anise have also been linked as galactagogues (herbs that increase breast milk), but with all of these herbs hard and fast scientific evidence is limited.

Milk's Up Breastfeeding Tea

We’ve made our Milk's Up breastfeeding tea blend a savoury, warming cup – balancing the liquorice flavours of anise and fennel seed, with the curry like notes of fenugreek and aromatic punch of rosemary and citrus sweetness of verbena.  We may as well ensure that it is delicious and refreshing no matter whether it immediately get’s your milk up or not.  But so many of our friends have reported great success when using it, so we can only hope it will help you too.