Breastfeeding
Also known as: Breast Milk, Lactation
Recent Insights
Date fruit consumption appears to be useful for promoting and increasing breast milk quantity in breastfeeding mothers. Date fruits may be an alternative galactagogue.
Breastfeeding Date Fruit Galactagogues
Gua sha therapy may be more effective than hot packs with massage for reducing breast pain.
Breastfeeding Gua Sha
Breast massage eases pain and symptoms in breastfeeding problems.
Breast Massage Breastfeeding Mastitis
Chamomile consumption may stimulate abundant milk production and increase lactogenesis in lactating women.
Breastfeeding Chamomile Galactagogues
Related Topics
Research Articles
Published research studies are articles that present the findings of original research that has undergone a peer-review process and has been made publicly available in scholarly journals, books or other media.
Nutraceutical and phytotherapeutic support in pregnancy
2022 Jan International Review of Neurobiology Dillard DM
In the chapter that follows, herbal supplements regularly used during pregnancy, including German and Roman chamomile, echinacea, garlic, ginger, lavender, lemon balm, mallow, marshmallow, the mints, psyllium, and witch hazel, are reviewed for available evidence.
Review ArticleThe Effects of Date Fruit Consumption on Breast Milk Quantity and Nutritional Status of Infants
2021 Nov 01 Breastfeeding Medicine Modepeng T, Pavadhgul P, Bumrungpert A, Kitipichai W
Randomised Controlled Trial Breastfeeding Date Fruit GalactagoguesDate fruit consumption appears to be useful for promoting and increasing breast milk quantity in breastfeeding mothers. Date fruits may be an alternative galactagogue.
Effects of Dietary Modified Bazhen on Reproductive Performance, Immunity, Breast Milk Microbes, and Metabolome Characterization of Sows
2021 Nov 15 Frontiers in Microbiology Jian Geng, Weicheng Jin, Jingyou Hao, Mohan Huo, Yuefeng Zhang, Chunmei Xie, et al.
Metabolic pathways, protein digestion and absorption, and biosynthesis of amino acids were enriched in the colostrum and transitional milk. Our findings provide new insights into the beneficial effects of MBP, highlighted by the changes to the microbiota and metabolomic profile of breast milk from sows fed with an MBP-supplemented diet. Thus, MBP should be considered as a potential dietary supplement for lactating sows in pork production.
Animal Study Breastfeeding Ba Zhen Tang
Use and experiences of galactagogues while breastfeeding among Australian women
2021 Jul 01 PLOS One McBride GM, Stevenson R, Zizzo G, Rumbold AR, Amir LH, Keir AK, et al.
The incidence of side effects appeared higher for women taking pharmaceutical agents compared to herbal galactagogues. However, a number of side effects were still reported by women using herbal or food-based galactagogues, suggesting they are not completely benign.
Galactagogues Breastfeeding
The Effect of Acupressure, Acupuncture and Massage Techniques on the Symptoms of Breast Engorgement and Increased Breast Milk Volume in Lactating Mothers: A Systematic Review
2021 Feb International Journal of Pediatrics Hajian, H., Soltani, M., Seyd Mohammadkhani, M., et al.
Systematic Review Breast Engorgement BreastfeedingResearch Insights
Insights are moderated by the Research Hub team and offer an at-a-glance overview of interesting research findings.
Date fruit consumption appears to be useful for promoting and increasing breast milk quantity in breastfeeding mothers. Date fruits may be an alternative galactagogue.
2021 Breastfeeding Medicine The Effects of Date Fruit Consumption on Breast Milk Quantity and Nutritional Status of Infants Modepeng T, Pavadhgul P, Bumrungpert A, Kitipichai W
Randomised Controlled Trial Date Fruit Galactagogues
Breastfeeding mothers who received 10 date fruits/day had an 11% increase in breast milk quantity from baseline to week 2, and a 23% increase from baseline to week 4, (both p < 0.05). The breast milk quantity of the breastfeeding mothers who received date fruits was significantly higher than that of the control group (p < 0.05). However, there were no differences in infant nutritional status.
Gua sha therapy may be more effective than hot packs with massage for reducing breast pain.
2020 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Treatments for breast engorgement during lactation Zakarija-Grkovic I, Stewart F
Systematic Review Gua Sha
In this version of the review, 21 studies involving 2170 breastfeeding women were analysed. A range of interventions for the treatment of breast engorgement were tested. These included: cabbage leaves, various compresses (ginger, cactus/aloe, hollyhock), massage plus cactus and aloe compress, acupuncture, ultrasound, acupressure, scraping therapy (Gua Sha), cold breast‐packs, electromechanical massage, Oketani breast massage, and medical treatments (serrapeptase, protease, oxytocin). Six studies used individual breasts as the unit of analysis making it difficult to evaluate the true effect of the studied intervention. Due to the heterogeneous interventions, we were unable to pool results in meta‐analysis; hence, a qualitative analysis resulted in the following findings.
The effectiveness of galactagogues in enhancing breast milk production has limited evidence.
2020 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Oral galactagogues (natural therapies or drugs) for increasing breast milk production in mothers of non‐hospitalised term infants Foong SC, Tan ML, Foong WC, Marasco LA, Ho JJ, Ong JH
Systematic Review
The effectiveness of oral galactagogues for enhancing milk production in non-hospitalized breastfeeding mother-infant pairs was assessed through a review of 41 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The trials included 3005 mothers and 3006 infants across various countries. The certainty of evidence was generally low due to biases, heterogeneity, and imprecise measurements. Pharmacological galactagogues like domperidone and metoclopramide showed potential for increasing milk volume, though evidence was limited. Natural galactagogues, such as fenugreek and moringa, demonstrated potential benefits for infant weight and milk volume, but substantial heterogeneity necessitates cautious interpretation. More high-quality RCTs are urgently needed to establish galactagogue efficacy and safety.
Breast massage eases pain and symptoms in breastfeeding problems.
2019 JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports Effectiveness of breast massage for the treatment of women with breastfeeding problems Anderson L, Kynoch K, Kildea S, Lee N
Systematic Review Breast Massage Mastitis
This systematic review assesses the effectiveness of breast massage as a treatment for breastfeeding problems. It focuses on outcomes like pain reduction, increased milk supply, and resolution of issues like blocked ducts and mastitis. While breastfeeding is crucial for infant health, rates drop, and complications like mastitis contribute. The review covers studies from 1980 to 2017, including six diverse studies. Although outcomes varied due to different interventions and small sample sizes, all reported reduced pain. However, lack of detailed technique explanation and training hinder replicability. This research is valuable for healthcare professionals, suggesting a need for standardized measurement tools and more robust trials.
Chamomile consumption may stimulate abundant milk production and increase lactogenesis in lactating women.
2017 The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine Chamomile reveals to be a potent galactogogue: the unexpected effect Silva FV, Dias F, Costa G, Campos MG
Case Report Chamomile Galactagogues
In the report, a woman accidentally discovered an unexpected outcome - an abundant amount of milk and high breast tension - a few hours after consuming chamomile. This observation has not been documented before and sheds light on a possible natural means of stimulating milk production. Regular consumption of chamomile during pregnancy and lactation is well-known for various reasons, but this galactagogue effect, that is the promotion of lactation, has never been reported previously. The woman’s case was carefully documented and analysed to draw a correlation between chamomile intake and this resulting effect.
The potential galactagogue effect of chamomile presents an interesting but unfamiliar aspect. This insight could be potentially useful for mothers struggling with breastfeeding,with the caveat being that the safety of this herbal product's intake without risk to mothers or newborns is still under scrutiny. The results are unexpected and novel, pointing towards a potential new benefit of chamomile tea for lactating women - stimulating lactogenesis. However, the conclusions are drawn from a single case and further in-depth studies are required to confirm this effect and to understand the underlying biological mechanisms at work.
Review Articles
Review articles summarise and critically evaluate the current state of research on a specific topic or field by synthesising multiple primary research studies.
Nutraceutical and phytotherapeutic support in pregnancy
2022 Jan International Review of Neurobiology Dillard DM
In the chapter that follows, herbal supplements regularly used during pregnancy, including German and Roman chamomile, echinacea, garlic, ginger, lavender, lemon balm, mallow, marshmallow, the mints, psyllium, and witch hazel, are reviewed for available evidence.
Review ArticleThe Effect of Acupressure, Acupuncture and Massage Techniques on the Symptoms of Breast Engorgement and Increased Breast Milk Volume in Lactating Mothers: A Systematic Review
2021 Feb International Journal of Pediatrics Hajian, H., Soltani, M., Seyd Mohammadkhani, M., et al.
Systematic Review Breast Engorgement BreastfeedingLink cannot be load —Rachael L 30 May 2022
This review included RCTs, non RCTs or retrospective clinical studies. —Ve-Vinn L 15 Oct 2021
Treatments for breast engorgement during lactation
2020 Sep 18 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Zakarija-Grkovic I, Stewart F
Systematic Review Breastfeeding Gua ShaGua sha therapy may be more effective than hot packs with massage for reducing breast pain.
Oral galactagogues (natural therapies or drugs) for increasing breast milk production in mothers of non‐hospitalised term infants
2020 May 18 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Foong SC, Tan ML, Foong WC, Marasco LA, Ho JJ, Ong JH
Systematic ReviewThe effectiveness of galactagogues in enhancing breast milk production has limited evidence.
Effectiveness of breast massage for the treatment of women with breastfeeding problems
2019 Aug JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports Anderson L, Kynoch K, Kildea S, Lee N
Systematic Review Breastfeeding Breast Massage MastitisBreast massage eases pain and symptoms in breastfeeding problems.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that involve people and are conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new treatments or interventions, such as drugs, medical devices, or behavioural therapies.
The Effects of Date Fruit Consumption on Breast Milk Quantity and Nutritional Status of Infants
2021 Nov 01 Breastfeeding Medicine Modepeng T, Pavadhgul P, Bumrungpert A, Kitipichai W
Randomised Controlled Trial Breastfeeding Date Fruit GalactagoguesDate fruit consumption appears to be useful for promoting and increasing breast milk quantity in breastfeeding mothers. Date fruits may be an alternative galactagogue.
Effect of fenugreek on breast milk production and weight gain among Infants in the first week of life
2020 Sep Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health Ravi R, Joseph J
The study concluded that fenugreek enhances breast milk production among postnatal mothers and facilitates birth weight of infants within the initial week of life.
Randomised Controlled Trial Galactagogues Breastfeeding Breast MilkPresentation Slides
Date fruit consumption appears to be useful for promoting and increasing breast milk quantity in breastfeeding mothers. Date fruits may be an alternative galactagogue.
Gua sha therapy may be more effective than hot packs with massage for reducing breast pain.
The effectiveness of galactagogues in enhancing breast milk production has limited evidence.
Breast massage eases pain and symptoms in breastfeeding problems.
Chamomile consumption may stimulate abundant milk production and increase lactogenesis in lactating women.
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Link cannot be load —Rachael L 30 May 2022
This review included RCTs, non RCTs or retrospective clinical studies. —Ve-Vinn L 15 Oct 2021