One of the many things included in the new mommy package I got at the hospital was breastmilk tea, full of all sorts of herbs that are meant to help stimulate the production of milk. I honestly wasn’t even considering drinking this stuff because it smells like black licorice…something I cannot stand. But while in the hospital, I got bored and gave it a go – and I found that it actually does smell worst than it tastes. Dump a few spoons of sugar in it and drink it down in a couple swallows when it’s mostly cool and you’ll hardly taste a thing. 🙂 And it actually does seem to make a difference or I certainly wouldn’t bother.
Because the tea is mostly natural herbs (many of which you could grow yourself,) you can make your own mixture if you want. I looked around for the ingredients here a bit and had a little trouble finding everything, so I just ended up buying the tea in bulk online – 1 kg for 20 euros including shipping. Might seem like an insane amount of tea – but since you’re supposed to drink 3-6 cups of it a day, it goes pretty quickly.
I found a recipe online which seemed promising. I even have nettles growing in my backyard. But the other stuff was a bit more complicated, especially the fenugreek.
- One part blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus), aka mothermilk thistle, contains B-complex, calcium, iron and manganese. It is used for aiding digestion.
- 2 parts nettle (Urtica dioica). Nettles strengthen and support the whole body. Throughout Europe, they are used as a spring tonic and general detoxifying remedy. Rich in chlorophyll, iron and calcium, nettles increase breast milk and energy.
- Two parts red raspberry leaf (Rubus ideaeus). High levels of calcium, magnesium and iron.
- One part fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare). It increases the flow of milk.
- One-quarter part fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed. Fenugreek is an adjunct milk increaser. Chemical components of fenugreek seed include iron, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin C, phosphates, flavonoids, saponins, trigonelline and other alkaloids. High in fiber and protein.
Crush the fenugreek and fennel seeds. Mix ingredients and add 2 teaspoons to a cup of gently simmering water. Simmer for 10 minutes because of the leaf matter that is present.
One could also put together their own blend of ingredients using another combination of the following which are found in Mother’s Milk Tea Proprietary Blend: sweet fennel seed, anise seed, coriander seed, spearmint leaf, lemongrass leaf, lemon verbena leaf, althea root, blessed thistle herb, fenugreek seed.
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