At the kind request of one of the list owners, I'm reposting this because I neglected to include a subject line the first time (oops, again)... Milk Thistle and Blessed Thistle (aka Holy Thistle) are not the same thing as some people believe. MIlk Thistle is Carduus marianus and does promote milk FLOW. Blessed Thistle is Cnuicus Benedictus and is believed to milk production. The theory behind the difference stems (no pun intended) from the fact that Milk Thistle is a demulcent whereas Blessed Thistle is an expectorant in terms of historical uses. I have had moms report using both successfully. There are few negatives for either, with the caveat that the source of herbs is a very important issue (pesticides, purity, method of drying, processing, storage, etc). Fennugreek and Thyme are also successful galactogogues. Email privately if you would like more information on this topic or a list of reputable suppliers. Chris : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC email: [log in to unmask] : ) : )HSR & Health Educational Consultant voice/fax: 541 753 7340 : ) : ) **CHANGE THE WORLD, NURTURE A CHILD!** : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : ) : )