Homeopathic medicine, treatment and remedies for Lactation problems

The following are some of the homeopathic remedies that are used for the management of lactation problems:

• Lac Caninum
  Common Name: Dog’s milk
  Symptoms: Lac caninum is best suited for people who experience irregular pains on the alternating sides of body and extreme weakness. It helps to reduce difficulties in lactation by treating galactorrhoea and helping dry up milk when a woman cannot feed the baby. It also helps reduce other symptoms like:
  • Swelling in breasts
  • Pain in breast before menstruation, which becomes better after menstruation
  • Severe mastitis with even a little bit of jarring

Symptoms become worse in the morning time of one day and the evening of the next day. They become better after drinking cold drinks and in cold weather.

• Silicea Terra
  Common Name: Silica
  Symptoms: This remedy is best suited for people who experience pus formation. They are extremely sensitive to cold, which worsens in winter season. It helps reduce lactating issues by healing sore nipples and insufficient milk production. It also promotes relief from the following symptoms:
  • Nipples drawn inwards
  • Ulcers on nipples
  • Fistulous ulcers on breast
  • Blood-containing discharge from the vagina every time the child is nursed
  • Hard lumps in breast

Symptoms become worse in the morning, during menstruation, after lying on the left side, and in the presence of cold weather. They become better in the presence of in warm and wet weather, and after wrapping one's head.

• Thyroidinum
  Common Name: Dried thyroid gland of the sheep
  Symptoms: This remedy is best suited for people with a pale skin tone. It helps reduce problems during lactation by treating inadequate milk production. It also provides relief from the following symptoms:
  • Fibroid and other tumours in the breast
  • Vomiting during pregnancy
  • Fibroids in the uterus
  • Increased weakness
  • Fatigue with a tendency to faint
• Calcarea Phosphorica
  Common Name: Phosphate of lime
  Symptoms: Calcarea phosphorica is best suited for children who are anaemic and are flabby, weak and irritable. It helps reduce lactation problems by treating the problem of faulty and sour-tasting milk. It also helps reduce the following symptoms:
  • Pain and pressure in the uterine area after nursing for a long time
  • Salty taste of milk so the child tends to refuse
  • Getting sexually excited during lactation
  • The infant wants to nurse often and vomits easily
  • Irritability

Symptoms become worse in cold weather, in damp places and in the presence of melting snow. They become better in warm and dry weather and during the summer season.

• Aceticum Acidum
  Common Name: Glacial acetic acid
  Symptoms: This remedy is primarily indicated in people who are lean, weak and pale. It helps reduce lactation problems by reducing bad tasting milk production. It also helps reduce the following symptoms:
  • Engorged breasts with pain
  • Bluish, sour-tasting, poor quality and transparent milk
  • Anaemia in the mother
  • Nausea during pregnancy
  • Bleeding after childbirth
• Bryonia Alba
  Common Name: Wild hops
  Symptoms: This remedy works best for those who are irritable and experience tearing and stitching type of pain that worsens after moving. It helps reduce suppressed lactation and also benefits the following symptoms:
  • Breast pain along with a sensation of heat in breasts
  • Hardening of the breast
  • Pain in the breasts during periods
  • Abscess in the breast
  • Milk fever (a metabolic disease in which calcium levels reduce in the body)

Symptoms become worse in the morning, in hot weather and after eating. The person feels sick and faint after sitting. They become better after resting, on lying down on the painful side,and with the application of pressure.

• Medusa
  Common Name: Jelly-fish
  Symptoms: This remedy is best suited for people with a puffed face. It is especially effective in reducing galactorrhoea. Additionally, medusa is helpful in the management of:
  • Vesicular eruptions on the breast
  • Numbness and burning sensation of skin
• Calcarea Carbonica
  Common Name: Carbonate of lime
  Symptoms: This remedy is best suited for people who tend to be mentally and physically tired due to overworking. It helps reduce lactation problems by drying up the breasts while weaning the baby off milk. It also benefits the following symptoms:
  • Swelling and heat in breasts
  • Excess milk production
  • Tenderness and swelling in the breasts before menses
  • Inadequate lactation with swollen breasts

Symptoms become worse in humid weather, after physical or mental exertion, and while standing. They become better after lying on the painful side and in dry weather and climate.

• Asafoetida
  Common Name: Gum of the stinkasand
  Symptoms: This remedy is best suited for people with bone caries, pain during the night-time and deep ulcer formations. It helps reduce lactation issues by treating the low milk supply. It also helps reduce the following symptoms:
  • Non-pregnant women with breasts filled with milk
  • Oversensitivity of the breasts
  • Deficient milk production

Symptoms worsen at night-time, while taking rest, with warm applications and lying on the left side. They become better in open air and after applying pressure or moving.

Homeopathic remedies are made from highly diluted natural substances. The therapeutic activity of these might alter easily due certain external factors. To avoid this and to achieve faster and better recovery, homeopathic doctors recommend their patients to follow certain dietary and lifestyle guidelines while undergoing homeopathic treatment. These include:

Do’s:

• Satisfy the urges of drinking and eating foods of your desire without any hesitation, however, within reasonable limits.
• Set the room temperature and select your clothing as per your comfort.

Don’ts: 

• Do not over-exert your mind.
• Do not get emotionally excited.

Homeopathic remedies are prepared using natural substances that work by stimulating the healing mechanisms in the body. 

A review article published in the Breastfeeding Medicine journal included different therapies to treat hypergalactia or excess milk production in breastfeeding moms. The article mentioned that homeopathic remedies including lac caninum 30C, ricinus communis 30C and pulsatilla pratensis 30C, when given twice or thrice per day, in the form of pellets (5 pellets) help reduce milk supply. Other than gastrointestinal intolerance due to the lactose added in the pellets, there are no side effects noted with the use of homeopathic medications for hypergalactia.

However, more studies are still needed to confirm the benefits of homeopathic remedies in the management of lactation problems.

Homeopathic remedies are highly diluted preparations that are prescribed as per the health and physical and mental characteristics of a patient. As a result, they usually do not produce any side effects. However, they should not be taken without the guidance of a qualified homeopathic professional.

Problems with lactation can occur due to a number of causes such as breast infection, insufficient milk production and pain in nipples or an inability of the baby to latch properly. Conventionally, the conditions are treated using rest, medications and warm compress. Homeopathic remedies help address the problem by virtue of their natural healing properties, making them a safe yet effective option to reduce problems during lactation. Make sure to take these remedies only after consulting a qualified doctor.