Hi Ann!  I could not take capsules well, either.  I always took my fenugreek as tea, made with a rounded teaspoonful of whole fenugreek seeds per cup of water that had been brought to the boil (not prepared tea bags, which do not contain much).  I usually added about a half teaspoonful of fennel seeds to this too, as fennel is another galactogogue and gave it a nice flavor.  I steeped this for no more than five minutes, as it would get bitter after that, which not only tasted bad, but hurt my stomach.  I drank at least a quart of this tea a day.  I usually added some honey while it was warm, drank one or two cups warm, with milk, then sipped the rest iced, throughout the day.  It actually makes quite a nice tasting tea, and taking it this way also helps assure adequate fluid intake.  

By my sixth adopted baby, even the tea was hurting my stomach, so I just didn't take herbs with her, and definitely made less milk.  However, later, after she was weaned,  I got the idea to try swallowing some seeds whole, to see if that would be easier on my stomach.  It was.  Since then, I have met a couple adoptive moms with reflux, who also had trouble with the capsules and tea, so I suggested swallowing whole seeds, and that worked for them.  I don't know what amount to use, really, but I would think no more than half what I used to make the tea.

Another adoptive mom I know boils the seeds for 20 minutes or so, then drinks the liquid and eats the softened seeds.  I never thought to eat the seeds that I had used for tea, but I suspect they would have been tolerable.

I couldn't find another way to take blessed thistle, as it makes a very bitter tea, even steeped for a short period of time.  Mother's Milk tea does have some in it, but I don't think it is enough to really do the job, without drinking an enormous amount of tea.  Perhaps your client will get enough help from fenugreek, and maybe fennel, that she won't need to worry about the blessed thistle.  

Best Wishes,
Darillyn

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