Does Mother’s Milk Tea Work? Side Effects, Benefits and Reviews

As you may know, breastfeeding moms are always on the hunt for ways to increase their milk supply and the question we need answered today is “does Mother’s Milk Tea work?”

I will also be sharing my tested and truthful opinion on Mother’s Milk Tea.

Not only that, but you will be learning everything about this and other lactation teas that will help you use this convenient lactation aid to your benefit.

Sippy, sippy mama!

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What is Mother’s Milk Tea and How Does it Taste

Mother’s Milk Tea is an herbal tea that uses traditional lactogenic herbal ingredients to increase milk supply in a breastfeeding mother.  

It is sweet in flavor with a subtle bitter note and a strong licorice taste that some women dislike.

You can make a hot cup of Mother’s Milk Tea taste better by adding in some honey or lemon to jazz it up to your liking.

Another tip for how to make Mother’s Milk Tea taste better is to drink it cold and add in some sweet apple juice to cut the bitterness.

Sounds like a refreshing summer drink perfect for a breastfeeding mom!

Does Mother’s Milk Tea Increase Milk Supply?

It is believed that the traditional galactagogues found in Mother’s Milk Tea (listed below) are to thank for it’s popularity with breastfeeding mothers and the reason it is said to increase milk supply.

You may be asking, what is a galactagogue?

A galactagogue is any food, medication or herb that induces lactation. In fact, there are many foods for breastfeeding that are extremely effective at increasing milk supply.

I even have a large selection of lactation smoothie recipes I suggest you also check out today. They are super yummy, nutritious and easy to make!

Mother’s Milk Tea Benefits

Beyond the obvious advantage of increased milk production some women claim to receive through drinking Mother’s Milk Tea, there may be other benefits to note as well.

Find some Mother’s Milk Tea benefits below:

• Helps with postpartum depression.
• Can help babies with colic.
• Nettle and Alfalfa are high Iron and can help alleviate iron deficiencies.
• The herbs in Mother’s Milk Tea are galactagogues responsible for improving lactation.

Have a look at Milk Dust, the purest and most delicious lactation protein powder you can buy!

When to Start Drinking Mother’s Milk Tea

The best time to start drinking lactation tea is after the birth of your baby.

Even though a mother’s milk supply is usually enough to provide for her baby, which is regulated at first by hormones and then by supply and demand, the best way to increase a low milk supply is by increasing feedings or by removing more milk more frequently with the help of breast pumping.

How Much Mother’s Milk Tea Do I Need to Drink?

It is recommended to drink at least 3 cups of Mother’s Milk Tea per day to see the lactogenic effects you are hoping for.

In my experience, I was drinking at least 5 cups per day. I would brew one almost every time before a pumping session.

I found that drinking a cup right before I planned to fully empty my breasts would help me pump more milk.

Furthermore, staying hydrated when you are breastfeeding is crucial.

It is always recommended to focus on your water intake as the top breast milk boosting practice you adopt.

How Quickly will Mother’s Milk Tea Work?

It is believed that Mother’s Milk Tea should start working within 24 hours of taking it. However, for some it can take up to 72 hours before any positive results are noticeable.

And again, these figures are based on you drinking 2-3 cups per day.

How Long Does Mother’s Milk Tea Stay in Your System?

Herbal teas can be found and purchased almost anywhere. This leaves us to believe that they are thoroughly studied and tested, but that’s not always the case.

In fact, herbal teas are not currently regulated by the FDA. Which means, there are no prominent studies on how long Mother’s Milk Tea stays in your system. 

This is just another reason why it is important to work with a health care provider before taking herbals of any kind while breastfeeding.

Mother’s Milk Tea Ingredients:

Fennel 

This common and ancient herb is known for it’s impressive breast milk boosting capabilities. Fennel has a sweet and anise-like or licorice flavor. It is thought to bring about more milk in lactating mothers because of it’s estrogen-like properties. (source)

Anise

Here is yet another licorice flavored herb with lactogenic properties. The reason being, is because Anise seeds are a Phytoestrogen. Which means, they have they same estrogen-like effects as Fennel. (source)

Fenugreek 

This herb seems to be the v.i.p. of lactation aids. There aren’t many lactation supplements you can find that don’t include Fenugreek.

Fenugreek has been used for centuries by lactating mothers.

Which means, it’s reputation as the ultimate galactagogue has stood the test of time.

It has been observed that mothers notice an increase in breast milk production within 24 – 72 hours after starting the herb. However, it can take up to two weeks for some women to notice a positive difference.

Coriander

Coriander is a purported galactagogue, but has never received any scientific validation of this claim. It is generally considered safe, but there have been instances where this herb has caused substantial damage when taken in heavy amounts. (source) 

Blessed Thistle 

Known as holy thistle, this herb has been used since the Middle Ages to treat the plague. Now days, Blessed Thistle is mostly used to increase milk supply. 

Blessed Thistle is believed to stimulate the hormones prolactin and oxytocin. Prolactin is responsible for increasing breast milk production and oxytocin enables release of milk from the nipples. (source)

Mother’s Milk Tea Side Effects

Since Mother’s Milk Tea has Fenugreek, it is known that this herb can cause gastro intestinal discomfort. This includes, gas, diarrhea, upset stomach and even nausea. (source)

If you begin to experience any of these of side effects from drinking Mother’s Milk Tea, it is best to ease off it or remove it from your lactation aid’s list all together. 

It is most important to remember that Mother’s Milk Tea is an herbal supplement and herbs can always cause unpredictable side effects. These side effects can also cause harm to your breastfed baby through your breast milk. 

It is always advised to seek your doctor’s approval before taking in any herbal supplements while breastfeeding.

Side Effects of Fenugreek on Baby

The most common side effects moms notice when taking fenugreek for milk supply is the strong smell of maple syrup their baby exhibits. This odor also affects mom as well. I myself noticed this strange occurrence while taking the herb. 

Another possible side effect of Fenugreek to be aware of, is that it can make some babies gassy and fussy which can also cause an irregular baby poop color.

Fenugreek has been known to cause some GI discomforts in young infants since they have such delicate digestive systems. These stomach upsets may also affect mom.

Do also note that a classic sign of an increase in milk supply can also be a gassy fussy baby because of the abundance in foremilk. (source)

Lactation Teas Without Fenugreek

After learning how some breastfeeding moms and their babies experience negative and unwanted side effects from Fenugreek, it would be best to share with you some Fenugreek free lactation tea options.

I found three lactation tea options that do not use Fenugreek and you can shop for them all at Amazon.

Mother’s Milk Tea Reviews

So what are real moms actually saying about their experience with Mother’s Milk Tea and the effect it had on their milk supply?

Well, I sifted through dozens of reviews and the overwhelming trend was that it worked! 

The good majority of the moms who followed the recommended 3 cups per day said that it did in fact help them produce more breast milk.

Here are reviews you can check out for yourself via this link where I found them.

My Experience and Review of Mother’s Milk Tea

For me however, I’m not sure I can say with certainty that this tea worked wonders to help me produce more milk. As I explained earlier, I was pretty religious with my brewing, drinking up to 6 cups per day.

However, I will say that I was using this tea during the period of hormonal milk supply production. Meaning that I was still depending on postpartum hormones to produce the right amount of breast milk my baby needed.

That being said, I did also notice extra gas in me and my baby. Which caused me to forgo my experiment with the tea.

I assume this would have subsided with time. But as you know, you’ll try anything to relieve a gassy and colicy baby.

Where to Buy Mother’s Milk Tea

Conveniently, you can get Mother’s Milk Tea almost anywhere.

I have seen it at many different grocery stores. Of course, you can also order at Amazon and probably get the best deal.

Alternatively, Earth Mama Organics (whom I love!) also makes a lactation tea similar to Mother’s Milk called Milkmaid Tea.

Milk Maid Tea has similar herbal galactagogues as Mother’s Milk, but with the addition of a few extra. In the next chapter, we will be comparing the two to see which one might be the better option overall.

Milkmaid Tea Vs. Mother’s Milk Tea

How about a quick showdown between the two most popular lactation teas?

Let’s look at the differences in ingredients, maybe you will find that you like the looks of one over the other.

I’m seeing that the Milkmaid Tea also has the same five galactagogues as Mother’s Milk Tea. However, there are also a couple additional ingredients that is not found in Mother’s Milk Tea:

•  Red Raspberry Leaf 
• Orange Peel 
• Caraway
• Alfalfa

As you can see above, Milkmaid Tea has some additional galactagogues beyond the five ingredients we looked at earlier. I think it’s safe to assume that there could be a distinct flavor difference between these two lactation teas.

Keeping that in mind, if you were hesitant about he licorice flavor that Mother’s Milk Tea is known for, maybe it’s worth trying the Milkmaid Tea instead. 

To further compare the similarities between these two teas, you can also find Milkmaid at Amazon or at Earth Mama Organics where you may be able to snag a discount or upgrade your purchase and save!

Other Drinks That can Help Increase Milk Supply

You can also try other beverages with breast milk boosting claims.

Such as, Body Armor Drink for breastfeeding and milk supply benefits. Or, Starbucks’ Pink Drink to increase milk supply.

These drinks for breastfeeding moms are both high in coconut and that is believed to be extremely hydrating. Which in turn nourishes a mother’s cells to enable her blood to create a bountiful amount of breast milk for her baby.

Foods That Increase Milk Supply

While we are on the topic of foods that increase milk supply, here’s a quick and handy list of some to shop for next time you are at the store.

I’ll also attach an image below that you can pin to your Pinterest account for later reference.

• Flax
• Brewer’s Yeast
• Papaya 
• Yams
• Coconut 
• Nut Milks
• Oats

Anti-Lactogenic Foods to Avoid While Breastfeeding

Furthermore, you should also have knowledge of the foods to avoid while breastfeeding that have the opposite affect and actually cause low milk supply.

• Mint
• Cabbage Leaves (direct contact)
• Parsley
• Oregano
• Sage
• Yarrow
• Thyme

In Conclusion

How did I do to analyze the question, “does Mother’s Milk Tea works to increase milk supply?” Was there a sufficient amount of information provided to help you determine the answer?

At the end of the day, there unfortunately is no scientific study done on this topic. However, I think there is enough anecdotal evidence to provide you with enough faith to at least give it a try if you’re interested.

You may be one of the lucky women it works milk supply miracles for. Likewise, it may not do anything other than give you gas.

In the least, I hope you are able to take away more tools and resources to help you work out any milk supply issues you may encounter.