Peppermint Tea?

[jnezmama02]

Has anyone ever drinken peppermint tea for digestive problems? 

What about for reducing milk production?  According to kellymom, it would only work if you drank a lot of it to reduce milk production. Emily has weaned from nursing during the day...but not at night. My breasts still fill up some during the day and are a bit uncomfortable still (though it's been over a week since she's nursed during the day). So, I thought I'd try it.  I guess I'll give a report after I try it.

[jnezmama02]

Ok, my grammar was off w/ that question. 

I've been drinking it for several days now. Since I'm dieting, I've been sweetening w/ splenda.  Let me just say that it is YUMMY!!!  It tastes just like peppermint candy. I haven't noticed any difference in my milk production. It still seems to be pretty high in mid-afternoon, even though I've been drinking 3-4 cups a day and it's been 2 weeks since Emily nursed during the day. uggh!

Oh well. I love the fact that this tea is freshening my breath. I drink it mostly after a meal and it's nice to have fresh breath, w/o the calories from a mint candy. And, it's also helps keep me from eating between planned meal/snack times b/c I don't want to mess up my breath (I hate bad breath). 

[JenBerry]

LOL, I've definitely used peppermint tea/tincture/herb as a digestive aid.  Heck, even Altoids will help in a pinch, since they're made with real peppermint oil.  It's supposed to help a lot with gas, but I use it just when I have an upset tum.

As for slowing milk production, I don't know.  I can't think of anything that would slow you down only during the day and not at night, too.  You could always use the good ol' cabbage leaf trick in your bra and make sure you take it out in the evening to give yourself time to produce before bed?  I don't know, I imagine that filling in the afternoon is just your body getting ready for night duty, and it should gradually go away with time.  But some mamas just produce milk so well that it takes longer.  A midwife I know told me that even after her kids weaned, it was a couple of years before she stopped leaking at every birth b/c her body was like "feed the baby!!" LOL

Here's hoping you level out soon!
Jen

[jnezmama02]

OMG, Jen, tha'ts so funny about the midwife leaking at births for a few years!

I'm not worried about my supply at night, as I was actually hoping it would start decreasing too b/c she's only nursing for a min or two to get to sleep and when she wakes up at night.  She nurses the most in the morning when she's just waking up...but even then, it feels like my body is still producing more milk than she wants/needs as my breasts still feel full when she sits up and asks for her sippy (sometimes I want her to nurse longer to relieve the pressure, but she fights me and seems ready to get on w/ the day). So, it would be nice to find something to reduce my milk w/o any ill effects to her when she does nurse (don't want her to get any side effects from meds or anything).

[JenBerry]

Ok, well that changes things.  Let me look in my herb info and see if there's something safe for you to take that will gently decrease your supply.

Later,
Jen

[jnezmama02]

Thanks, Jen. I've read something on sage tea, but not sure if it will work. Let me know what you find.

[JenBerry]

Ok, the midwife I took the herbal seminar from gave us a little book of all her tips for the childbearing year, and this is what she put under lowering milk production:

"I have used Sage in gelatin capsules, 2 "00" sized ones every 3-4 hours.  Women can feel when they wear off."

She also talks about a homeopatic rememdy called Lac Caninum, here's what she says: "This one really helps to dry up the milk!  Not needed often, but in some cases, like a fetal demise, it will save the woman one more painful think to have to deal with."  So that sounds a little more drastic than what you're looking for.

I would go with either sage tea of capsules and see how that works for you.  Hopefully you can find some sage caps at your local natural foods store, or else some dried sage leaves you can pulverize and cap yourself.  Unless you just love drinking herbal teas, in which case, have fun!

HTH, even though I only confirmed what you had already found.

Jen

[jnezmama02]

Thanks, Jen...this helps. Things seem to finally be easing off by themselves today, so I'm not feeling quite as much pain today as before. But, the sage will help for the morning.