Hi, Jay!

I think that you have given the mom good advice, but if she wants to use
herbs, *in addition* to pumping frequently, resting, eating well, etc.,
while it may not be necessary at this time from our point of view, I don't
think there is any harm, either. I have found that sometimes when moms
really, really believe that a certain intervention is what they need, as
long as it isn't harmful, that it is better to go along with it so they
will relax and because, otherwise, you risk them not really "hearing" your
message. So does this make sense?  You could tell her that you don't
think the herbs are truly necessary at this time but let her know what
she could acceptably use if she wishes.

I have this situation come up sometimes with pregnant women in my
midwifery practice who want info on herbs to make the pregnancy go
smoother, etc. I readily recommend herbs as a first step in some
situations and try to let women know when this option is appropriate. I
tell women that I don't routinely recommend any herb to "treat"  pregnanc
because I believe that pregnancy is a healthy normal state. However, I let
them know which ones they can use safely if they choose, as some women
seem to "need" an intervention of this sort for their peace of mind rather
than for a physical problem.  Childbearing and breastfeeding are both
influenced heavily by the mom's level of confidence in the process, and if
using an herb or other intervention causes no harm but increases the mom's
confidence because she believes in it so strongly, then I see no point in
fighting it as long as the mother has been given adequate information to
make an informed choice.

Hope this helps,

Ione Sims, CNM, ARNP, MSN