Yesterday there was a post in Spanish from Carlos Gonzalez in Barcelona,
evidently in response to one I did not see on diet making a difference in milk
production.  His basic points were very good and very well-taken: that
maternal diet has been shown not to have much of an effect on milk production;
and that usually when mothers  "don't have enough milk" it's because they
doubt their milk supply, or that doubt is planted by others, and they start
giving bottles, thus starting the downward spiral with which we're all so
familiar.  Depressing if it's true, as he says, that this is the case with
half the mothers in Spain.

He also expresses doubt and concern over the use of galactogogues.  He states
that fenugreek contains coumarin; and that he worries that it could affect
blood clotting.  While acknowledging that it usually doesn't cause a problem
because of the small dose, he worries that a mother, thinking that because
it's natural, she can take an unlimited amount, could have serious sequelae;
or, that even a small dose could affect a mother with a pre-existing blood
clotting problem.  I have never read this about fenugreek.  Being a "non-
herbal" person, fenugreek has been the one herb I have felt safe recommending.
Does anyone have any information about this?

Carlos also mentions in passing that there is a scientific study validating
beer as a galactogogue.  Anyone know about this?  Carlos, esta alli?  Miriam
Levitt RN, IBCLC