Breastfeeding Problem

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Breastfeeding Problems

When things go right, breastfeeding can do a lot for a mother and child. The baby gets top-quality, natural nutrition. The mother bonds with her child in a very intimate way. And they’re both healthier.

Studies show that breastfeeding can boost a baby’s immune system and protect against future diseases. For the mom, it conserves the body’s iron stores and helps protect against bone loss and breast cancer. And there are even more immediate advantages: After a pregnancy, it can help a mother’s uterus return to normal size more quickly and help her get down to her prepregnancy weight faster.

Of course, things don’t always go right. Nipples can get sore. Milk ducts can become plugged. Breasts can produce too much or too little milk. The natural remedies in this chapter—in conjunction with medical care and used with the approval of your doctor—may provide relief from breastfeeding problems, according to some health professionals.

See Your Medical Doctor When... Your breasts become inflamed. You develop flulike symptoms, including a fever, when trying to breastfeed.

Acupressure

For lactation problems, gradually press both St 16 points on your upper chest for a couple of minutes three times a day, recommends Michael Reed Gach, Ph.D., director of the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, California, and author of Acupressure’s Potent Points. The points are located directly above the breast tissue in line with the nipples, between the third and fourth ribs. (For help in locating these points, refer to the illustration on page 564.)

Aromatherapy

Start each day by slowly sipping an eight-ounce glass of water spiked with a drop of fennel essential oil, recommends San Francisco herbalist Jeanne Rose, chairperson of the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and author of Aromatherapy: Applications and Inhalations. “At night, after nursing, you can also rub the breasts with a fennel massage oil,” says Rose. “Use one drop of fennel oil in a teaspoon of olive oil.” (Olive oil is available in most health food stores.)

For information on preparing and administering essential oils, including cautions about their use, see page 19. For information on purchasing essential oils, refer to the resource list on page 633.

Ayurveda

If your breast milk is scanty, try this mixture of almond milk and herbs, says Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc., director of the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He says to soak ten shelled almonds in water overnight. Then peel them, put them in a blender, add a cup of hot water or hot milk and puree them. Pour the almond milk into a glass and stir in a pinch each of gin ger powder, cardamom and saffron and a teaspoon of date sugar (available in most health food stores) or honey. Dr. Lad says to drink this twice a day, morning and evening, to help strengthen the quality and quantity of your breast milk.

If you have too much milk, Dr. Lad recommends pumping the excess and massaging painful breasts as needed with warm castor oil. He also suggests that women with pitta or kapha doshas drink three to four cups of pomegranate juice daily to regulate lactation. (Vata women should avoid pomegranate juice, says Dr. Lad, since it can aggravate that dosha.) Pomegranate juice is available in most health food stores. (For more information about the doshas of Ayurveda, see “All about Vata, Pitta and Kapha” on page 28.)

If a baby is not nursing well, he may be allergic to something the mother is eating, Dr. Lad says. All nursing mothers should avoid eating meats, canned foods and hot, spicy dishes, says Dr. Lad. “Avoid beans, too,” he advises. “They cause colic.” The best diet for a nursing mother is a simple, bland vegetarian menu. Dr. Lad adds that you can also “take the baby to an Ayurvedic practitioner, find out the baby’s prakruti and follow that diet.” (For more information on prakruti, see page 30.)

Flower Remedy/Essence Therapy

Women who have difficulty breastfeeding may be experiencing some ambivalence about the process, says Patricia Kaminski, co-director of the Flower Essence Society, a Nevada City, California, organization that studies and promotes the therapeutic use of flower remedies/essences.

“Women who find breastfeeding embarrassing or repulsive on some deep level may benefit from the essence of Alpine Lily,” she says. “Mariposa Lily is good for women who are just very anxious and need a little help bonding with their babies.”

For mothers whose milk is insufficient, the essence Mugwort may stimulate the flow, adds Kaminski.

Flower essences are available in some health food stores and through mail order (refer to the resource list on page 635). For information on preparing and administering flower essences, see page 37.

Food Therapy

Eat more nuts, seeds and whole grains, because they’re rich in essential fatty acids and the vitamins and minerals that can relieve the pain of breastfeeding problems, says Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California. “You might also want to avoid cruciferous vegetables,” he says. “Some babies won’t drink milk from mothers who eat a lot of cruciferous vegetables.”

Herbal Therapy

Fennel is a well-known folk remedy that can help first-time mothers increase their milk production, says San Francisco herbalist Jeanne Rose, author of Jeanne Rose’s Modern Herbal and several other herb books. “We don’t really know why it works—it may stimulate hormone production—but it does help get the milk flowing.” She recommends starting each day by drinking a cup of fennel seed tea. You can make the tea yourself, she says, by simmering one teaspoon of fennel seeds in one cup of hot water for three to ten minutes. Strain out the seeds, then drink a cup of the tea (first letting it cool to a drinkable temperature, of course).

Homeopathy

If you’re eating right and getting enough rest but you’re still having difficulties producing milk, worry, anxiety and stress may be compounding your dilemma, according to Maesimund Panos, M.D., a homeopathic physician in Tipp City, Ohio, and co-author with Jane Heimlich of Homeopathic Medicine at Home. To relieve stress-related breastfeeding problems, Dr. Panos advises taking two tablets of ignatia 6X three times a day until your milk production begins to increase. If stress isn’t a problem, she suggests trying Calcarea phosphorica in the same dosage. You should notice a boost in your output in a few days, she says.

If you suspect that you have a plugged milk duct or an inflamed breast, see your doctor. But you can also try Phytolacca 6X three or four times a day until you begin to notice improvement, Dr. Panos says.

Ignatia, Calcarea phosphorica and Phytolacca can be purchased in many health food stores. To purchase homeopathic remedies by mail, refer to the resource list on page 637.

Imagery

Think about picking up your baby and cuddling him in your arms. Then picture your child easily taking hold of one of your breasts and putting enough of the nipple in his mouth so that it’s comfortable. See your baby sucking firmly without any problems. Envision your breast milk spurting into your child’s mouth with every suck. Look into your baby’s eyes and see absolute contentment, says Barbara L. Rees, R.N., Ph.D., an imagery expert and professor of nursing at the University of New Mexico College of Nursing in Albuquerque. She suggests doing this exercise for about 10 to 15 minutes every day.

Massage

A three-part massage of the breasts can help relieve soreness and engorgement, says Elaine Stillerman, L.M.T., a New York City massage therapist and author of Mother Massage: A Handbook for Relieving the Discomforts of Pregnancy. Here’s how she says to do the massage: Rub a small amount of massage oil or cream between both hands to warm it. Then rub either one or both breasts. Make large circles around the outside of the breast, but avoid directly touching your nipple or areola. Do this for several minutes. Now massage one breast at a time, using the fingertips of one hand to make small circles all around the outside of the breast. After several minutes, repeat the same stroke on the other breast. Then place both hands flat on either side of the areola, with your thumbs pointing toward your head and your fingers pointing toward your waist. Slowly slide your hands away from the areola until you reach the edge of the breast. Be sure to avoid the sensitive areola region. Turn your hands slightly to cover a different portion of the breast and repeat. Do this for one to two minutes, then massage the other breast. Stillerman recommends massaging yourself once a day when your breasts are sore or engorged.

Vitamin and Mineral Therapy

To heal nipples that are sore from breastfeeding, you can prick a vitamin E capsule with a pin and rub the liquid over tender areas, suggests Julian Whitaker, M.D., founder and president of the Whitaker Wellness Center in Newport Beach, California. “It’s very soothing, and the vitamin helps heal any skin cracking you may have.” Clean off any excess liquid vitamin E before the next feeding.