A natural galactagogue: fenugreek increases breast milk in nursing mothers – remedies for women in lactation.
Fenugreek can be used as a natural galactagogue to promote breast milk and help child nursing women. Today, a lot of women in lactation are not able to provide enough breastmilk to nurse their babies. The reasons of why women have less breast milk than before are still unknown. But I believe that modern diet is one of the reasons.
Fenugreek seeds are often used to increase milk supply in lactating women. There is a report that describes using fenugreek as fodder for dairy cows to increase milk production. And there are also studies that shown fenugreek increased human milk production. An Egyptian study reported an increase in breastmilk production by as much as 900% with fenugreek.
Fenugreek is available in health supplement market in capsule and tea forms. You may also add fenugreek seeds to your daily diet as a spice. Traditionally, fenugreek seeds made in gruel, given to nursing mothers increase the flow of milk.
How to make fenugreek gruel
Ingredients: White grain rice – 1 cup, Fenugreek seeds – 1 teaspoon, Salt – as per taste, Water – 8 to 10 cups.
Directions: Wash rice and put it in a large pot. Add water, fenugreek seeds and salt. Bring it to a boil and simmer for about 1 hour. Stir well, and let it cool to lukewarm. Then serve.
You can add pork (or mutton, beef, chicken), garlic, ginger, cumin, curry, onion, milk to the gruel. If you do not like salty gruel, you can use sugar instead.
How to make fenugreek tea
Method 1: Soak 0.5 grams (1/8 teaspoon) of crushed fenugreek seeds in 1 cup of cold water for 3 hours. Strain before drinking.
Method 2: Boil 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds in 2 cups of cold water for 10 minutes, strain, and re-add water to boil again for 15 minutes. Mix the first and second extracts together. Drink a cup, two times a day.
You can sweeten the tea with sugar or honey.
