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(this post is sponsored by Oat Mama. All opinions are always my own)
- 20+ Things I Did To Boost My Milk Supply
- 10 Ways To Increase Milk Supply Naturally
- How To Increase Milk Supply While Pumping
- 10+ Herbs to Increase Your Milk Production
- 10 Foods To Boost Your Milk Supply
- Protein Powder to Increase Milk Production
- 8 Things That Cause Your Milk Supply Drop | And What To Do About It
- What To Do When Your Milk Supply Drops After Returning To Work
- How to stop Supplementing with Formula
- How to Stop Supplementing For Working Mom
1.Fenugreek
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 1 tsp of whole seed steeped in 240-ml of water for 10-15 minutes, 2-3x a day
- Supplement form: 1-4 capsules (450-610 mg) 2-3x a day (here’s my favorite brand).
2. Fennel Seed
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
3.Blessed Thistle
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
- dried herb: 1 tsp steeped in 150 ml, drink 5-6x a day
- supplement form: 1-2 250-300-mg capsule 3x a day when combined with fenugreek, or up to 6 if used alone
4.Alfalfa Leaves
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 1-2 tbsp steeped in 150-ml water, drink 2-4 times per day
- Supplement form: 1-2 capsules, 4x a day
5. Black Seed (Nigella Sativa)
When to use:
Possible side effect:
Recommended dosage:
- Seed form: 1 tsp of crushed seed, steeped in 240-ml water, drink 5-6x per day
- Oil form: 1 tsp 3x a day
6. Goat’s Rue (Galega Officinalis)
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 1 tsp leaves steeped in 240 ml of hot water for 10-15 minutes, to be taken 2x a day.
- Supplement: Motherlove is a very popular brand that carries goat’s rue capsule, take 1 capsule 4x per day or 2 capsules 3x a day if weight is more than 175 lbs.
7.Vitex (Chaste berry)
When to use:
Possible side effect:
Recommended dosage:
- 1 tsp of ripe berries infused in 240 ml of water for 15 minutes, drink 3x a day.
- supplement: take 1 capsule (400 mg) 2-3x daily (this brand has the most positive reviews).
8.Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 1 tbsp of dried herb steeped in 240 ml of water for 10-15 mins, 2-3x a day
- Supplement form: 1-2 300-mg capsule 3x a day (Nature’s Way brand has 435-mg capsules, to be taken 2 caps twice a day).
9.Shatavari (Wild Asparagus)
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 2 tsp powder stirred into warm milk, 1-2x a day OR
- Supplement form: 1-2 500-mg capsules, 2x per day (Organic India is the most popular brand for this).
10.Marshmallow Root
When to use:
Caution:
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 1 tbsp of powdered root in 150-240 ml of cold water, let it stand for 30 mins and drink immediately.
- Supplement form: 2-4 capsules 3x a day
11.Red Clover Blossom
When to use:
Caution:
- Avoid fermented red clover
- Avoid usage with blood thinner or birth control hormone
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 1-3 tsp steeped in 240-ml of water for 10-15 mins, 3x a day
- Supplement form: 2 300-mg capsules 3x a day
12. Red Raspberry Leaf
When to use:
Caution:
May cause mild contraction if used in early pregnancy, always watch your body’s response.
Recommended dosage:
- Dried herb: 1 tsp steeped in 150-ml of hot water for 5 mins, drink 2-4x a day
- Supplement form: 3x 300 mg capsules, 3x a day
I especially love the red raspberry leaf from Traditional Medicinals.
It is organic and its tea bag is individually wrapped to ensure maximum freshness and avoid contamination. Even without added sugar, the tea tastes very refreshing and pretty similar to black tea.
::
Wheww…. what a long list…
I hope this list of herbs can help you to choose which one suits you the most.
Or, if you are a visual person, perhaps the infographics below will benefit you even more.
Pin this!
Some mothers take these herbs in combo, some take an all in one supplement (such as Motherlove More Milk Plus or More Milk Special Blend), some prefers tea (Earth Mama Angel Baby is one of the most popular and it has a decent taste).
If you prefer to prepare your own tea blend, I strongly recommend you to buy your herbs from a trusted source, such as Mountain Rose Herbs. They sell quality organic products and have great testimonials.
This list is not all inclusive. You can find more information on each herb (and even more herbs to explore!) from reading the following books:
- The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide To Making More Milk (my favorite, read my review here).
- The Nursing Mother’s Herbal.
- Mother Food: A Breastfeeding Diet Guide with Lactogenic Foods and Herbs.
And.. lastly, if you experienced a low milk supply with your previous baby, are currently struggling to make more milk, or want to prepare for a better breastfeeding journey with your next baby after a low milk supply episode, I strongly recommend you to join IGT and Low Milk Supply Facebook Group. Not only this group has a wealth of resources that will help you to plan ahead, you’ll find a lot of encouragement and moral support that you struggle to find elsewhere.
Rose Falcon says
I have been drinking an herbal product, healthy nursing tea to boost my low milk supply. It helped and increased my supply and now I can breastfeed my LO with filling his tummy.
Jillian says
Hello, I just bought black seed oil softgels after reading this but while attempting to research dose I’m seeing conflicting safety evidence for breastfeeding mothers, more on the side of unsafe and do not take! Although this article has it listed as one to take to increase supply refill rate. Help!
Rina says
Hi Jilian,
Each herb has its own benefit and side effect. You should do your own research before consuming any. This article was based on the Diana West’s book: The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk. Inside the book, it is explained clearly what dose to use, possible side effect, and safety of the herbs based on several sources (US FDA, Humphrey, American Herbal Products Assoc & Botanical Safety Handbook).