More Milk Blend: Essential Oils for Increasing Milk Supply

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Breastfeeding is surprisingly stressful. If you’re anything like me, you probably expected it to be easy – after all, our ancestors have been doing it for thousands of years, so I assumed it would be instinctual. Not necessarily. Many new mothers struggle with breastfeeding; and one of the greatest concerns for breastfeeding mothers is low milk supply. There are many things a new mom can do to increase low milk supply. This more milk blend uses essential oils for increasing milk supply.

The following article should not take the place of medical advice. Always consult your doctor before beginning any herbal remedies. The following article contains affiliate links, meaning I will receive a small commission if you purchase something at no additional cost to you. For more information, see my full disclosure policy.

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It’s important to note that low milk supply can have many different causes, ranging from baby’s bad latch, positioning, tongue or lip tie among other things. It’s important to try to get to the cause of the problem if possible, rather than just treating the symptom (low milk supply). For that reason, I highly suggest seeking out the assistance of an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) to rule out any other problems. Unfortunately, sometimes no reason can be found. That’s where this recipe comes in handy.

I myself, struggled hardcore my first. It seemed like everything that could go wrong did. Bad latch, sleepy baby, tongue and lip tie… I ended up seeing four (yes, four) different lactation consultants multiple times to try to figure out what the problem was (see our full nursing story here). I took quite a few remedies to increase my supply, but this essential oil recipe was my favorite – plus it’s quick and easy to make.

Essential Oils for Increasing Milk Supply

Recommended essential oils for increasing milk supply:

Clary Sage – Clary Sage essential oil (not to be confused with Sage), is steam distilled from the clary sage flower. It has a deep, earthy herbacious smell and is often used in perfume making. The oil contains the chemical compound sclareol, which is thought to help balance estrogen in the female body. For this reason, it is thought it may also be beneficial during breastfeeding. Many sources recommend avoiding this oil during pregnancy (particularly the first trimester) as it can cause uterine contractions, though no studies have been conducted to confirm or refute that it may induce miscarriages. (Source)

Geranium – Geranium essential oil is typically steam distilled from the leaves of the geranium plant. It has a sweet, floral scent and is also often used in perfumes. It is thought it may also have estrogen balancing properties.

Basil – Basil essential oil is typically steam distilled from the leaves and flower bud of the basil plant. It has a spicy, herby smell. It is thought that basil may help balance hormone levels, including the hormone progesterone. Make sure to get common basil (Ocimum basilicum) and not lemon basil.

Fennel – Fennel essential oil is often recommended first by many other sources as a great oil to increase milk supply. It is typically steam distilled from fennel seeds. It has a sweet and spicy herbal scent. However, there are numerous safety concerns with fennel essential oil that may not make it suitable for use while breastfeeding. It may be toxic to the liver, may cause adverse drug interactions and is not recommended for use before or after surgery, among other things. Fennel seeds the herb may be a safer option if wishing to consume fennel. For this reason, I have not included it in my blend.

More Milk Blend

Ingredients

Good quality 3essential oils for increasing milk supply are important for both your health and your safety. My personal favorite brand is Simply Earth, (as I have linked below), but there are many, many other wonderful brands of oils that will work just as well.

- - 10 mL glass rollerball – like these
  - 1 Drop Clary Sage Essential Oil
  - 1 Drop Basil Essential Oil
  - 1 Drops Geranium Essential Oil
  - Carrier Oil such as Coconut or Jojoba Oil

Recipe makes 1 10 mL rollerball at a 1% dilution rate.

Add essential oils for increasing milk supply to glass rollerball. Fill to top with carrier oil. Shake to mix.

Alternatively, you can make a master blend bottle for diffusing. Simply fill bottle with equal parts clary sage, geranium and basil. Not recommended for use around newborns and infants.

To Use

Roll onto the side breast area as needed avoiding the areola and nipple. Wash off before allowing baby to nurse again. This blend is not recommended for baby’s ingestion.

I’ve found the best time to apply is after baby has nodded of during a nursing session. This gives the oils time to penetrate the skin and allows maximum absorption. I then will wipe the breast area to ensure that baby is not exposed to the oils.

Can also be used after a pumping session as well. Make sure that none of the pump parts however come into contact with the oils as you don’t want this blend to get into the breastmilk.

Have you struggled with low milk supply? What did you use to help increase your supply?

New to essential oils or just want to explore more? Simply Earth’s essential oil subscription box is packed full of all the oils and accessories you need to begin your crafting journey!

Comments

Emma says

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I initially struggled to get enough milk off to support my daughter and I was worried that I’d have to give up breastfeeding all together. However, a friend recommended Clary Sage and Fennel which are both on your list and I found that my milk supply increased in no time at all!

I can certainly recommend these essential oills, although I would like to see more research.