Fertility Herbs while Breastfeeding

Q: Hello there,

I read with great interest your article on StorkNet.com titled, Fertility After Forty, as I am now 40 and hoping to conceive my second child soon. An "amateur herbalist" friend of mine had recommended red clover to help boost fertility, and also dandelion for premenstrual water retention. After purchasing both of these herbs, I had second thoughts and have never used them. My concern is that I am still nursing my 2-year-old daughter and I can't find any information on whether these herbs are "safe" while breastfeeding. She only nurses mornings & evenings, so I could take them after she nurses if that would help minimize the effects to her.

My second question is about comfrey leaves. I've found "comfrey leaves" and comfrey root at my favorite local herb stores, but they are both the Symphytum officinale and not the S. uplandica that you recommend in your article. I've found S. uplandicum (labeled as Russian comfrey) leaves available online, but it says to not use while pregnant.

Can you shed any light on these issues for me? Many thanks!
S.

 

A: Hello S., I understand your concerns. Regarding the comfrey, I believe I have heard Susun say that what you buy through most herbal suppliers is trully the cultivated comfrey she says is safe, even though it is labeled S. officinale. As far as the warning on the internet, this is placed on most herbs. You need to choose which sources you trust because you will find conflicting advice... even amongst those you trust.

Dandelion as a food, or the root tincture, tea, or vinegar is safe for you while nursing little ones. In fact in Susun's Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, she recommends you ingest it as well as give it to your newborn when dealing with jaundice, with no warning of a limit to how much.

Red Clover blossom infusions I understand to be a wonderful galactagogue, meaning they help increase the quantity and quality of your milk. Therefore are actually recommended for nursing mothers :)

Please let me know if I can help further!

Blessings,
Karen Joy
wisewoman@herbshealing.com
www.wisewomanweb.com

 

Q: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer! Since writing, I decided to pick up a copy of Susun's book but haven't had a chance to read much. I'm glad to know that the comfrey I can get at my local market is the "safe" kind. Thanks again!
S.

 

A: You are welcome S., enjoy!!

write any time :)
Karen Joy

Comments

[carlie fender]

i am still breastfeeding my 1 year old. i want to take blue cohosh, tansy flower , and pennyroyal tea to bring on mestruation. is this safe for my nursing infant?

[KarenJoy]

Oh my, I would be nervous about this, but do not know for sure if this is safe or not. Before trying it I would find others with more personal experience or knowledge. Have you visited the "Wise Woman Birth Control" section of our forum, http://www.herbshealing.com/wisewomanforum.htm To my mind, anything that will end a conception is strong and potentially harmful, to mom and nursing babe.

There must be solutions since there must be others out there who wish to be sure they are not pregnant, while still nursing. If pregnancy is not a concern though, just a sluggish bleeding, I would consider gentler herbs like Yarrow infusion or sage tea, both of which may dry your milk up a bit though.

Karen Joy

[Jane]

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[Round and Brown]

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[Herbs and Supplement]

Breast feeding is very important for babies. It is the healthiest milk. Having foods that helps the milk production is a very big help. This is a big help for every mother.

[Fertility Spell]

It is good advice to check out your supplier. The FDA standards do little in this area. However, from what I know on herbalism it should be safe.

[Medical Supplies]

According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, infertility is diagnosed after one year of not being able to achieve pregnancy. Even with so many people lined up to register at baby stores manufactures & suppliers, it's estimated that about 6.1 million American couples experience infertility each year. That's about 10 percent of the reproductive population.

[Zephyr Harper]

If I have had a period since 6 months postpartum, and am partially breastfeeding my 18 month old Sun. He does not breast feed throughout the night anymore, so for 10-12 hours after I put him to bed, I don't nurse him again until he wakes up in the morning. My husband and I have also been trying to conceive for the last 3 months and have not achieve pregnancy. We are wondering, even though I have a normal 28 day cycle and have sex during my peak days, could it be that we can't conceive because of the partial breastfeeding that I've been doing? I got a prolactin blood test the other month and my gyn/ob said it's fine. However, my husband thinks it's because I'm breastfeeding "so much."

[Kim]

Hello Zephyr,

Breastfeeding can prevent menses from starting up again, but since you are having periods, no, your breastfeeding would not be a concern.

Kim
Wise Woman Team

[Zephyr Harper]

Thanks Kim. We're pregnant since last writing you. I started taking red clover, nettles, red raspberry tea leaf tea infusions every day and I guess that did the trick.

[Kim]

Wonderful news!

blessings,
Kim
Wise Woman Team

[Melissa Cole]

I am a long time fan of Susan's work and I love reading the blog posts now that I get them through Facebook. I am a lactation consultant in private practice and have a very holistic approach to my work. I love supporting mothers with nourishment and herbs and other holistic approaches for all phases of lactation. I did want to add to one of the above replies that stated, "Breastfeeding can prevent menses from starting up again, but since you are having periods, no, your breastfeeding would not be a concern." In some mothers, they may have a menstrual cycle but the hormones of lactation may in fact impact the length of the luteal phase, etc and may make conceiving more challenging. When a nursing mother is having trouble conceiving oftentimes herbal support is all that it takes, acupuncture can be great too. And of course, if you have questions about herbs during lactation or other issues, seeking out a holistically minded lactation consultant can be a great addition to your self care plan.