Sage is a well-known medicinal plant that willingly grows almost throughout Russia. Its name in Latin means "to be healthy." It fully expresses the essence of this plant. Its leaves and inflorescences are used to make tea and tinctures, which help out with many ailments. And today we’ll talk about the features of the use of sage during breastfeeding.
At all times
Medicinal plants are widely used by herbalists for healing. And just in every family there are traditions of herbal medicine, which are carefully stored and transmitted through generations. Sage has been used by humans for millennia. He was necessarily included in most drug collections. But young mothers often ask therapists if sage can be breastfed. Today we will try to answer this question.
Plant property
Sage leaves contain a large number of healing essential oils, acids and other beneficial substances. Sage has a positive effect on sex hormones and conception. The possibility of taking it during pregnancy is not excluded. Many, remembering this, decide to accept it after its completion. But sage during breastfeeding is recommended to be taken only after the baby is one year old. That is, when breast milk ceases to be vital. We’ll talk about this in more detail below.
Sage has a tonic effect on the heart muscle, hematopoiesis and nervous system. It is indicated for exhaustion and loss of strength. But does a long pregnancy and childbirth not fit this description? It turns out that sage during breastfeeding should be shown to every mother to restore strength. But do not take the time and consult a specialist. He will explain that the plant does not harm mom and baby, but it reduces milk production. Therefore, the younger the child, the less desirable it is to take decoctions and infusions of this plant.
The healing power of the plant
This is a southern plant, which is nourished by the life-giving properties from the sun itself. It is worth noting that in nature there are more than 500 varieties of this plant, but only one variety is suitable for medical purposes. The healing power of the plant is concentrated in the leaves and stem. This is primarily a large number of vitamins of groups B, C and A. In addition to this, there are many trace elements in the composition. These are potassium and fluorine, calcium and magnesium, sodium and manganese. It is distinguished by a high content of flavonoids and phytoncides, fatty and essential oils, tannins and alkaloids. But therapists do not recommend drinking sage while breastfeeding.
Local action
Sage has healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Infusions and decoctions of this plant are used not only for oral use in the treatment of respiratory, urinary tract, liver, stomach, intestines. Raw materials are an excellent assistant for stomatitis and oral ulcers, tonsillitis and toothaches. With a sage broth, you can quickly heal wounds and burns. Therefore, speaking about whether sage can be breastfed, it is necessary to clarify what exactly you are going to treat and in what ways.
Hormonal herbal medicine
Of course, every woman is unique, and the effect of the medicinal plant on her body will be different. The main danger when using sage during HB is a decrease in milk production. But for one, this will mean the termination of breastfeeding, and for the other, simply a decrease in the number of expressions.
A broth of sage during breastfeeding is used to stop lactation. As it accumulates in the body, the production of prolactin, i.e. the hormone that is responsible for the production of breast milk, is inhibited.
Effects on the body of the child
This is one of the few drugs that can not be reproached for toxic effects. It is safe for breastfeeding. It is proved that sage during breastfeeding has no effect on the baby. Therefore, in some cases, he is an excellent assistant. Doctors usually recommend it in the following cases:
- With hyperlactation. Excess milk is no less a problem than its absence. Constant pumping and a feeling of overcrowding in the breast prevent a woman from enjoying this amazing stretch of life. Sage tablets for breastfeeding are a convenient and safe way to regulate milk production. When it becomes enough for the child, and the mother no longer experiences a feeling of overcrowding in the breast, sage therapy is stopped. In most cases, a second course is not required.
- If the child is already one year old, the therapist can also recommend sage to his mother. Breastfeeding is the choice of every woman. Someone weaning the baby from the breast a year, others patiently wait until one and a half or even two years. Planned cessation of lactation is another reason for using sage. With regular intake of herbal infusion, milk production begins to decline.
Alternative to medication
Today, in a pharmacy, every mother can buy drugs for the planned cessation of lactation. These are hormonal drugs that inhibit the production of prolactin. If you take infusions of herbs regularly, then you can achieve a similar effect, but without side effects. In addition, taking medications to stop lactation, you can no longer give the baby a breast, while when using a herbal medicine, feeding can be gradually reduced so that the rejection occurs as mildly as possible for mom and baby.
There are numerous reviews of mothers that confirm the presence of a cumulative effect. At the same time, many people like the mild effect, as well as the fact that the plant is not a wholly analogous to steroid hormone. Sage does not cause a sharp hormonal adjustment, due to which the decrease in milk production does not occur immediately, but gradually.
How to use
There are a number of rules that allow you to achieve an excellent result. In order for weaning to take place painlessly, it is important to properly organize the process:
- Chest empty. It is recommended only to slightly express the milk so that there is no feeling of its overcrowding.
- The plant is taken in the form of infusion or decoction. The most convenient is the express option, that is, sage in the form of tea bags. Dip two sachets in a glass and pour boiling water. Use only after cooling. If dry grass is used, then you need to take a tablespoon in a glass. Pills are another convenient form that can be purchased at pharmacies. In this case, you just need to drink it with water.
- The maximum daily dose of the drink is 500 ml. They do not drink it right away, but throughout the day. This broth will relieve heaviness in the chest, as less milk will flow.
Therapy duration
For each woman, it will be individual, but a single dose, as in the case of hormonal drugs, will be clearly not enough. The infusion is taken regularly for a week, and then carefully monitor the condition of your body. Usually one or two weeks is enough. After this, you can stop taking sage. If milk production stops earlier, then the course of treatment can be interrupted. It is worth emphasizing once again that sage broth is not toxic and does not harm the child.
Decoction Recipes
The successful completion of lactation depends on the choice of methodology. There are ready-made bags for brewing, which you only need to pour boiling water. But to make a drug on your own is not difficult:
- Infusion. You will need dry sage and boiling water. A tablespoon of dry grass should be poured with a glass of boiling water. Let it brew and divide into four parts. Drink 15 minutes before meals 4 times a day.
- Decoction. To do this, take an enameled pan and pour a tablespoon of grass into it. Pour a glass of boiling water and let it boil for 10 minutes. After that, turn it off and let it stand for another 30 minutes.
- Oil extract. If you met sage oil on sale, then feel free to take it. You need to take it at 5 drops per day, on an empty stomach.
Set of measures
In some cases, this will be enough to make the milk disappear, but for most women it will only cause a decrease in the amount of milk. In order to completely abandon breastfeeding, you must additionally adhere to the following recommendations. The effect of sage during breastfeeding has been studied well enough to be able to take this drug calmly. It does not harm either the mother or the child. What rules should be followed?
- With a planned weaning, the child already eats any food. Therefore, the frequency of feedings should be reduced. First, the breast is offered to the baby in the evening and at night, then - only once, at night.
- It is required to minimize the amount of fluid consumed, especially with warm tea at night. This is necessary in order to minimize the tides.
- If soreness and tension appear in the chest, then you can slightly express the milk until the condition is relieved.
- With fever and pain, cold compresses can help. But if the temperature does not drop for more than two days, then you need to see a doctor.
Instead of a conclusion
Sage is a great helper that should be in every medicine cabinet. It is suitable for pregnant and lactating mothers, as it does not have a harmful effect on the baby. But you need to take into account its ability to reduce milk production. Therefore, if the child is small, then it is better to temporarily abandon the use of sage. And if you have already approached a planned excommunication from the breast, then this medicinal plant will be an excellent help.