In one of my post, I talked about some tips to increase breast milk production. One of the tips was “consuming fenugreek”. In this post I am going to talk more about what fenugreek is and how to consume it

The fenugreek is a plant has been used for thousands of years throughout the world to increase breast milk supply in lactating women both as an herb and as a spice. In ancient Egypt, the herb is called “hairs of the earth”.

Crushed fenugreek seed also appears to lower blood sugar and has been used as a treatment for diabetes in Ethiopia. Fenugreek is also a common ingredient in curry powder and adds a maple syrup flavor to artificially flavored maple syrup.

Now here are the ways you can consume the fenugreek

Buy the capsule or actual herb.
Buy fenugreek capsules at a natural health store, natural supplement store, or drugstore. Or purchase loose fenugreek spice from a reputable herbalist. Good, fresh fenugreek should smell somewhat like maple syrup and not smell acrid.

Here is the fenugreek capsule dosage:
Take 4-7 grams a day. This means 2-4 610 mg capsules three times daily OR 1/2-1 teaspoon of the spice (powdered fenugreek seed) dissolved in water, juice or milk three times daily OR 1 cup of fenugreek tea 2-3 times per day. You may start at the lower dosage for a few days and then work up to the maximum dosage if called for.

Results will be seen within 1-3 days. Continue to take fenugreek seed for several days. Nurse or pump or express breast milk, eliminating as much milk from your breasts as you can to build your milk supply.

You may try going off the fenugreek when you feel your milk supply has increased sufficiently to feed your baby. If your breast milk production lowers again, even with the baby draining your breasts completely, resume taking fenugreek seed in the same dosage as before and keep taking it.

Tags : breastfeeding moms, breastmilk, diet while breastfeeding, fenugreek

Now that you have not experienced PMS and menstruation for about 9 months, you begin to wonder, when will I start my menstrual cycle? I lost blood recently but how to differentiate if it’s a menstrual blood or blood from shrinking womb? …read more to find the answer

How soon you will get menstruation after childbirth depends on how frequent and how long you breastfeed your baby.

Breastfeeding mums:
Breastfeeding has been proven to delay the return of your periods. As long as you’re still breastfeeding day and night, it can take up to a year before youhave to buy tampons again. If you’re lucky enough to have a baby who sleeps through the night from an early age, your periods will probably return sooner - typically in three to eight months. The same applies if you’re supplementing with formula. In other words, the more often your baby feeds, the longer it may be before you get your periods again.

Non-breastfeeding mums
If you’re formula-feeding your baby, you might start menstruating again as soon as a month after delivering your baby, or it could take two to three months.

Tags : breastfeeding moms, period after childbirth