Can I have peppermint when breastfeeding?

Fragrant herbal teas are loved by many people. Nursing mothers are no exception. But can all herbs be used to make tea while breastfeeding? Will they, for example, have a harmful effect on lactation? This question also applies to mint, which is often added to tea, making it incredibly tasty and fragrant. It is worthwhile to understand this issue in more detail.

Opinion of specialists about mint during the period of GW

It often happens that when discussing a particular issue, opponents cannot come to a consensus in any way. The same is observed in the case of mint. Some doctors advocate the opinion that peppermint tea is contraindicated during breastfeeding. Others hold a different point of view. They believe that peppermint when breastfeeding a baby is not only possible to use, but even necessary, since it has a positive effect on lactation. In their opinion, mint can increase the amount of breast milk.

I must say that this plant exists in nature in various forms. In total there are 25 pieces. The most common are peppermint and curly mint. It is they who fall mainly in sight. In this regard, the question arises of whether they have the same effect on lactation, and how do they affect the baby’s health?

Menthol Peppermint

Many people know the use of toothpaste with menthol. And we all know this strong smell and fresh taste. This circumstance is due to the content of essential oil in mint. Many nursing mothers like to add mint to tea, without thinking about its possible effect on lactation:

Menthol in the body has the following types of action:

1. It leads to a decrease in blood pressure. This circumstance is completely unsafe for the baby. Menthol gets to him along with mother's milk. But it is not only able to reduce blood pressure, but also affect the heart rate. Sometimes it can even come to the point that it causes cardiac arrest.
2. Menthol affects hormonal balance. When a woman is expecting a baby, she undergoes an ultrasound examination to determine the sex of the fetus. If the presence of a boy is confirmed, then it is better to completely abandon the use of tea with peppermint. It is proven that it affects the production of sex hormones. Its action is to increase the production of estrogen related to female sex hormones. At the same time, the amount of testosterone, which is the sex hormone of the male body, decreases.
3. Effect on the production of breast milk. It is believed that menthol leads to increased lactation. Peppermint tea after use affects the vascular apparatus. After drinking mint tea, the vessels will expand. Naturally, the influx of breast milk is also increasing. This can only be observed if mom uses peppermint tea extremely rarely. But the same situation with the rush of milk is observed from any other warm liquid, and not just from tea with mint. With regular use of a mint drink, you can get the opposite effect. In this case, lactation may stop altogether. Moreover, drinking mint tea several times a day is offered to those mothers who need to complete the production of breast milk.

Prescription to stop breastfeeding

One teaspoon of dried leaves is brewed in 250 ml of boiling water.It is necessary to wait for the time during which the composition will be infused. It is enough to wait half an hour. After that, the drink can be consumed. You need to drink it 3-4 times a day. You can cook the entire daily volume at a time. A whole liter of drink is prepared, which is enough for the whole day. But you need to store it not on the table, but in the refrigerator. If for some reason this volume is not consumed per day, then the next day it can not be used. It should be poured and a new portion prepared.

Important! After consuming such doses of peppermint, the breastfeeding of the baby is stopped. Otherwise, it may be harmful to his health.

Everything needs a measure!

An old Latin aphorism says Est modus in rebus - there is a measure in things. This rule should be followed. It’s okay if a nursing mother decides to please herself with her beloved mint tea. Of course, if she will use it in reasonable adequate quantities. This will not affect her health and the baby. This will not affect the amount of breast milk.

Moreover, in reasonable quantities, mint, on the contrary, will have a beneficial effect. No wonder it has long been used in alternative medicine. It has the following effects on the body:

• Acts as an antiseptic.
• It has a sedative effect.
• Helps to eliminate a headache.
• Normalizes the digestive tract.

Brewing tea, you can partially get rid of menthol in the plant. This way really exists. Before brewing mint, its leaves should be placed in hot water for a while. After that, the tea will be equally tasty and aromatic, but menthol will be contained in it less. Despite this, even such tea should not be consumed often. But the use of toothpaste with mint will not affect lactation. The baby will not suffer either. On the contrary, the use of hygienic brushing with mint toothpastes will only help strengthen tooth enamel.

Mint can be used in various forms:

1. Fresh leaves. A tablespoon of chopped leaves is brewed with a glass of boiling water.
2. Dry leaves. They can be purchased at the pharmacy. Of course, the best option would be if they are procured independently. It is necessary for this to learn how to properly prepare it. Collect the plant in the morning in dry, calm weather. It is better, of course, to do this in your own garden, which is safer. Dried leaves naturally in the air. It is necessary to store in paper or linen bags.
3. Pharmacy fees. When acquiring such a dosage form, it is necessary to pay attention to the list of ingredients included in the composition. It may happen that in it there may be such plants that a particular woman cannot use.
4. Briquettes with mint grass. In this form, mint is convenient to store and use. When cooking, follow the instructions on the packaging.

Curly Peppermint Safety

Curly mint is a good alternative to peppermint. This type of plant is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding. If you use it in small quantities, then the baby will not have a negative effect on lactation and health. On the contrary, due to the content of cavron, it is useful to use it for breastfeeding. Undoubtedly, nursing mommy to use curly mint is not forbidden.

If there is no time to collect and harvest plants for future use, then you have to buy it at pharmacies. The package must indicate the type of mint. If this is not the case, then it is better to refuse to buy such products. If it is indicated that it is curly mint, then you can safely get it.

How can a baby react?

Some mistakenly believe that medicinal plants, by virtue of their naturalness, can not harm the body.Nothing like this. Even as they can, and sometimes, very pronounced. Firstly, it depends on the type of grass, and secondly, in what quantities it is used.

Any product can cause allergic reactions, even if it is included in the group of hypoallergenic products. Caution must be exercised not only in cases of peppermint inside, but also when it is added to the bathtub for bathing the baby. In effect, the effect may be similar.

Clever women are those mothers who, before consuming mint, seek the advice of a doctor. This suggests that such a mommy is not indifferent to her own health and well-being of the baby. Only a professional specialist is able to reach a verdict on the possibility of using mint by a specific woman. If approved, he will tell you how and in what quantities to apply it.

Video: useful properties and application of mint