Breastfeeding tea: What is it and does it work?

If you’re a breastfeeding mum, you’ll have probably experienced the worry of whether or not you’re producing enough milk for your growing baby.  With all this pressure put on us mums to provide enough milk, it’s no surprise there are several products on the market claiming to help boost our milk supply. One of the most popular products amongst breastfeeding mums is breastfeeding tea or lactation tea as it’s sometimes called.

As with everything we put in our body when breastfeeding, it’s important to consider if it’s safe, how it works, what’s in it and if it even works to boost our milk supply.

Read more: Foods to avoid when breastfeeding

What is breastfeeding tea?

This special kind of tea is a form of herbal tea: marketed as a supplement to help boost your breast milk production. Many breastfeeding women swap their usual cup of tea with a nursing tea, with many mums enjoying three to five cups per day.

It usually comes in tea bags or as loose leaf tea and is always caffeine-free. The tea leaves usually contain ingredients, including high-quality fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and blessed thistle, to name a few. These ingredients are often referred to as the galactagogues herbs. which in Greek translates to ‘bringer of milk’, and they have been used for centuries to help support the milk supply for breastfeeding mums.

Does it work?

The scientific evidence isn’t all that conclusive, and while some mums swear by it, the jury is still out on whether breastfeeding tea will improve a nursing mother’s milk flow.

Either way, getting more fluids into your system is a positive thing when breastfeeding (it can be very thirsty work!), and if a nice, warming cup of tea can help you relax as a new mum, then we think it’s a good thing!

Is breastfeeding tea safe to drink?

As with any herbal remedy or supplement, it’s always important to talk to your GP first before you start taking it, especially if you think you’re having problems with your breast milk supply, as something else could be causing this issue.