Title: To Decrease the Flow of Milk
Categories: Info
Yield: 1 Text

Rosemary Gladstar tells this story: A vibrant young mother came to visit me one day while I was working at the herb shop. She was having a very difficult time producing a sufficient flow of milk for her infant child. She was quite willing to try the herbal teas I suggested. After a few days she returned to say that in spite of regular use of the teas, her milk flow remained scanty. I was puzzled, as the herbs were generally quite helpful to women in her situation. Upon further questioning, she revealed to me that as part of a very conscious attempt to eat well, she was eating quantities of dark-green leafy vegetables. I asked her if she was including parsley in her diet. I had guessed correctly. She had read that parsley was an outstanding source of vitamins and minerals. Since it was plentiful, inexpensive, and tasty, she was eating fairly large amounts of it. At any other time, this would have been great, but parsley is one of the main herbs used to halt the flow of mother's milk. As soon as the young woman stopped eating parsley, her milk flow increased substantially.

Sage is the other herb used with excellent results to decrease or stop milk production. These herbs are especially useful when weaning your child, and during some breast infections such as mastitis (Please don't assume a breast infection requires you to stop nursing...talk to a qualified lactation consultant or La Leche League counselor first. Rarely does a breast infection mean you must stop nursing, although your doctor may tell you otherwise. Remember that very few doctors have breastfed and that they may not have been taught correct information about breastfeeding, since the average doctor in America today went to medical school during a period when breastfeeding was not largely encouraged.).

However, you should avoid both sage and parlsey if you do not wish to decrease your milk flow.

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