• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Peggy O'Mara

family • health • justice • culture

  • About
  • Family
    • Babies and Toddlers
    • Children
    • Tweens and Teens
    • Education
    • Reviews
  • Birth
    • Pregnancy and Birth
    • Breastfeeding
    • Postpartum
    • Childbirth Education
  • Living Well
  • Making Change
  • Food/DIY
    • Food/DIY
    • Holidays
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Writer’s Guidelines
  • Store
    • Toolbox for Normal Birth
    • Your Pregnancy: Week by Week
    • Reprints
    • Privacy Policy
  • Log in

Breastfeeding Soothers

December 17, 2019 1 Comment

Here are some natural soothers to support your body and spirit while you’re breastfeeding.

FENUGREEK TEA

More than 30 herbs are considered to be powerful galactagogues—agents that promote the secretion and flow of breastmilk. The best known is fenugreek. Numerous anecdotal accounts testify to the restorative powers of this herb and is commonly used to increase milk supply.

To make fenugreek tea:

  • Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds.
  • Steep for 5 minutes.
  • Strain and drink four or five times a day.

SHOULDER RELEASERS

Breastfeeding your baby gives you both so much, and yet it can also leave you with neck and shoulder tension. Here are two stretches that help relieve upper body tension.

  1. Stand erect. Reach your right arm up and over your head to cover your left ear. Pull your head gently toward your right shoulder as you keep your left shoulder even. Hold your head for a count of 10. Release and let your head float up on its own. Repeat on the left side.
  2. Clasp your hands behind the middle of the back of your head with your elbows flared. Bow your head toward your chest. Relax 30 seconds in this position. Raise your head slowly as you sit up. Take three deep breaths.

ROCK-A-BYE BABY

A rocking chair is a must for a new mother. Rocking not only soothes fussy babies, it also soothes mothers. Scientific evidence now documents the benefits of rocking, which stimulates the balance mechanism in the inner ear. Rocking assists an infant’s biological development and promotes the baby’s ability to be alert and attentive.

Rocking even burns a few calories, about 150 an hour. It will help you recover from childbirth more quickly. Here are some things to look for in a rocker:

  • Is the seat cushioned?
  • Is it very comfortable?
  • Could you sit in it for hours?
  • Are the arms of the rocker a comfortable place for you to rest your arms while holding the baby?
  • Does it have an even, steady, comfortable rock?
  • Is it attractive and do you like its style and design?

About Peggy O’Mara. I am an independent journalist who edits and publishes peggyomara.com. I was the editor and publisher of Mothering Magazine for over 30 years and founded Mothering.com in 1995. My books include Having a Baby Naturally, Natural Family Living, The Way Back Home and A Quiet Place. I have conducted workshops at Omega Institute, Esalen, La Leche League, and Bioneers. I am the mother of four and grandmother of three. Please check out my email newsletter with free tips on parenting, activism, and healthy living.

 

Related

Filed Under: Breastfeeding, Featured

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Peggy O'Mara says

    October 2, 2017 at 2:22 PM

    Here’s a comprehensive article, The Breastfeeding Mom’s Guide to Increase Milk Supply-2017 Edition (and 15 Best Foods to Increase Breastmilk at MakeYourBabyLaugh.com: http://makeyourbabylaugh.com/increase-milk-supply/

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Newsletter Sign Up

Get Your FREE Postpartum Checklist when you sign up for my biweekly newsletter.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Email

Top Posts & Pages

Birth in the Squatting Position
Birth in the Squatting Position
Homeopathy In Labor
Acupressure for Colic
Marijuana for Hyperemesis
Ayurvedic Postpartum
The Very First Birth Film
What is Natural Breastfeeding?
Birthing and Nursing Toys
Killer Fear: Adrenaline High
Little Passports

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Footer

About

peggyomara.com continues the journalistic tradition of thought leader, Peggy O’Mara, who has been curating exceptional editorial content for over 30 years. Articles on the site are carefully chosen to bring you provocative ideas, excellent writing, and moving photography, all to help you make better decisions.

Archives

Search

Categories

Babies and Toddlers Breastfeeding Childbirth Education Children Culture Education Family Featured Food/DIY Holidays Home and Garden In The News Living Well Making Change Movies Natural Family Poems Postpartum Pregnancy and Birth Recipes Reviews Tweens and Teens Uncategorized Videos

Recent

  • Halloween Candy Dilemma: Sugar
  • How to Cloth Diaper with Organic Cloth Diapers
  • How to Feng Shui Your Home
  • Families Need Direct Payments Now
  • Find Help with Breastfeeding
  • Philosophies of How Children Learn
  • Primer on Ayurveda for Healthy Digestion
  • Get Help for Postpartum Depression
  • The Lives Of Student Parents

Copyright © 2021 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in