Breast Milk Supply & the Holidays

With the holidays approaching, I wanted to share some ways to ensure that your breast milk supply stays supple during what can be a very stressful time; in light of the current pandemic situation, the stress can be compounded.

Many times we hear that herbs such as sage and or peppermint can decrease a nursing mother’s milk supply. We do find that if Mom is taking in a lot of sage, it may possibly decrease breast milk supply. With that being said, it is perfectly safe to enjoy a helping of turkey stuffing on Thanksgiving. It is possible that if you’re eating days worth of leftovers you may see a slight decrease in your milk supply, but generally it’s okay to go ahead and enjoy the day and treat yourself to some of your holiday favorites for dinner.

This is definitely the time of year for wonderful beverages such as peppermint mochas and or lattes. Again, an occasional treat for yourself is perfectly acceptable. I would warn you not to have a “Starbucks” every single day that might contain peppermint, as it is well known that there are certain teas and supplements that contain sage and peppermint to help a lactating woman dry up her milk! Those dosages are recommended in much higher quantities than what you would be getting in a serving of turkey stuffing or the occasional peppermint specialty drink, but it is something to be aware of nonetheless.

Personally I find the holidays to be very stressful between work, household chores, holiday shopping and meal preparation. I find that I get much more tired out than usual. Please keep in mind that we need to do self-care during the holidays. You’ll want to make sure that you’re taking in plenty of fluids to stay well hydrated and rest whenever you can. Don’t forget that your body is healing from giving birth and you’re also working very hard to make breast milk for your baby. You need to take care of yourself too! Give yourself a few moments each day to just sit quietly and relax, even if it’s just when you’re waking up or going to sleep. What does self-care look like for you?

If you have any questions or concerns about your breast milk supply you are always welcome to call to speak with one of our Lactation Consultants for tips and tricks to increase your supply. Baby’s Sweet Beginnings is staying open for normal business hours with the exception of the holiday weeks and you can check those hours on our website.We at Baby’s Sweet Beginnings hope that you can take some time for yourself and your new family to relax and enjoy this holiday season!

Thank you for continuing to support our small business!

Polly Thomas, IBCLC & Owner of Baby’s Sweet Beginnings