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R E S E A R C H A R T I C L E Open Access
Perspectives and attitudes of breastfeeding
women using herbal galactagogues during
breastfeeding: a qualitative study
Tin Fei Sim
1
, H Laetitia Hattingh
1
, Jillian Sherriff
2
and Lisa B G Tee
1*
Abstract
Background: Some herbal galactagogues have gained reputation and recognition by the public and health
professionals as alternative approaches to increase breast milk supply. This study explores the perspectives and
attitudes of breastfeeding women towards the use of herbal galactagogues while breastfeeding, their experiences,
and why and how they have chosen an alternative option over conventional treatments to enhance breastfeeding
performance.
Methods: This exploratory research was conducted through in-depth semi-structured interviews with women living
in Perth, Western Australia, who were using one or more herbal galactagogues during breastfeeding. Purposeful
and subsequent snowball sampling methods were employed to recruit participants. All interviews, facilitated by an
interview guide, were audio-recorded, then transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative
data to construct themes and subthemes.
Results: The perspectives and attitudes of the 20 participants are classified under three main headings: i) use of herbal
medicines during breastfeeding, ii) available herbal medicines resources, and iii) level of breastfeeding support received.
Throughout the interviews, participants described how their perseverance and determination to breastfeed, as well as
concerns over breastfed infants’safety with conventional treatments, influenced their choice of therapy. A sense of
self-efficacy and autonomy over their own health needs was seen as influential to their confidence level, supported
self-empowerment and provided reassurance throughout the breastfeeding journey. There was also a desire for more
evidence-based information and expectations of health professionals to provide credible and reliable information
regarding the use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding.
Conclusions: This study has enhanced our understanding of the perspectives and attitudes of breastfeeding women
towards the use of herbal medicines, in particular galactagogues, while breastfeeding. The positive attitudes of
breastfeeding women identified in this study highlight the need for further research into evaluating the safety and
efficacy of commonly used herbal galactagogues, whilst the negative views on breastfeeding education should be taken
into consideration when implementing or improving breastfeeding-related health policies.
Keywords: Herbal galactagogues, Breastfeeding women, Lactation, Perspectives, Fenugreek
Background
The use of complementary and alternative medicines
(CAM), including herbal medicines, amongst the general
population is increasing worldwide [1-3]. Garlic, green
tea, aloe vera, chamomile and echinacea are commonly
used herbs with potential medicinal properties [3,4]. Previ-
ous studies have highlighted the popularity of these herbs
and herbal medicines amongst the general population as
well as breastfeeding women [5-9]. Some herbal medicines
including galactagogues have indeed gained some repu-
tation and recognition by the public and some health
care providers, for example naturopaths, as alternative ap-
proaches to enhance breastfeeding performance [9-11].
* Correspondence: L.Tee@curtin.edu.au
1
School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth,
Western Australia, Australia
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
© 2014 Sim et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain
Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article,
unless otherwise stated.
Sim et al. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2014, 14:216
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/14/216
A recent prevalence study in Western Australia
which involved surveying women who were breastfeed-
ing in the previous 12 months, revealed that 59.9% of
the 304 survey respondents reported the use of at least
one herbal medicine whilst breastfeeding, with the top
ten most commonly used being fenugreek (Trigonella-
foenum-graecum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), dong
quai (Angelica sinensis), chamomile (Matricaria chamo-
milla), garlic (Allium sativum), blessed thistle (Cnicus
benedictus), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), fennel
(Foeniculum vulgare), aloe vera and peppermint [5]. The
same study reported that 24% of respondents were using
herbal medicines for the purpose of increasing breast milk
supply and to promote breastfeeding performance, regard-
less of whether participants had been diagnosed with insuf-
ficient milk supply or not [5]. Fenugreek was the most
commonly used herbal galactagogue during breastfeed-
ing amongst the survey respondents. Other commonly
reported herbal galactagogues included blessed thistle
(Cnicusbenedictus), fennel (Foeniculumvulgare), goat’s
rue (Galegaofficinalis), nettle (Urticadioica), black-
thorn berry (Prunus spinosa), and shatavari (Asparagus
racemosus)[5].
Despite the many efforts to facilitate breastfeeding,
some women may still experience difficulty with breast-
feeding due to numerous factors. For example: many so-
cietal and environmental factors such as cultural norms,
hospital, home, work and community environments have
been shown to impact on the rate of successful breast-
feeding [12]. Another commonly reported reason for
unsuccessful breastfeeding or early weaning is perceived
low or insufficient breast milk supply [13]. Poor breast-
feeding technique or latching leading to ineffectual milk
removal, deficient mammary gland tissue and maternal
hormonal imbalances can all contribute to insufficient
supply of milk [14,15]. Once these issues have been ad-
dressed and other strategies have been followed, such as
education about techniques by lactation consultants, and
milk flow remains insufficient, galactagogues could be
trialled [16].
Although certain herbs have a long history of being
used as galactagogues, scientific evaluation is lacking to
verify the clinical efficacy of most of these herbs [9].
However, many women continue to use herbal galacta-
gogues based on anecdotal evidence [9,10]. Research
into the potential impact on successful breastfeeding
and perceived efficacy or psychological benefits of herbal
galactagogues would provide insights into the use of
these galactagogues as alternative options for breastfeed-
ing women who wish to increase their breast milk sup-
ply. Gaining an understanding of breastfeeding women’s
perspectives, why and how they have chosen to use
herbal galactagogues over conventional options to in-
crease breast milk supply, their experiences and the
factors or indicators that influenced their breastfeeding
performance, will provide insight into the potential value
of herbal galactagogues and identify research gaps to
guide direction of future studies.
This study aimed to obtain an understanding of the
perspectives and attitudes of women towards the use of
herbal galactagogues whilst breastfeeding. The study also
aimed to explore why women have chosen alternative
remedies to promote breastfeeding and what factors
were influencing their decision-making. A better under-
standing of their unique needs and perspectives will
enrich our knowledge in the area of CAM and in turn
benefit women who need to use medicines during
breastfeeding.
Methods
This study was approved by the Human Research
Ethics Committee of Curtin University (approval num-
ber HR85/2012).
Study design
This study involved exploratory research conducted
through in-depth semi-structured interviews with
women who were using one or more herbal galactagogues
during breastfeeding to increase breast milk supply and fa-
cilitate breastfeeding. An interview guide with a mix of ten
closed and seven open-ended questions was used during
the interviews to obtain information regarding the pattern
of use of herbal galactagogues, and explore the perspectives
and attitudes towards the use of these medicines during
breastfeeding, as below:
–Questions one to eight focused on documenting the
pattern of use and types of herbal galactagogues,
dosage forms and administration, reasons for use
and source of recommendation,
–Questions nine to 11 focused on exploring the
perceived efficacy and safety based on participants’
personal experience,
–Questions 12 to 17 (including sub-questions) focused
on participants’general perspectives and attitudes
towards the use of herbal medicines during
breastfeeding, role of health professionals and
the availability of information or resources.
Participants and recruitment
Breastfeeding women living in the Perth Metropolitan
area were invited to participate. All participants had to:
i) be 18 years or older, ii) be breastfeeding or have
breastfed in the previous 12 months, and iii) previously
have used or were using one or more herbal medicines
as galactagogues during breastfeeding to increase breast
milk supply or to improve breastfeeding performance.
Participants were not required to have been diagnosed
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with insufficient milk supply and could have been from
any cultural or ethnic background.
Purposeful sampling and subsequent chain or snowball
sampling methods were used to recruit participants, specif-
ically targeting breastfeeding women who visited naturo-
paths or who had used herbal medicines. Purposeful
method of sampling was considered most appropriate as it
allows careful selection of cases which are information-rich
to facilitate comprehensive qualitative data to be collected,
which in turn improves credibility and reliability of the re-
search findings [17].
Participants were initially recruited from naturopathic
clinics with a focus on CAMs use and breastfeeding
where posters with details of the study were displayed.
The study was also advertised to the wider public
through promotion in local health and parenting papers
and the Curtin FM 100.1 Perth radio station. Interested
women were encouraged to contact the researcher to ex-
press their interest. Subsequently, a snowball sampling
method was adopted for further recruitment where par-
ticipants were requested to share the study information
with other breastfeeding women. Through the snowbal-
ling effect, two community pharmacies with a focus
on breastfeeding and naturopathy were identified and
approached for participant recruitment purposes. Study
posters were subsequently displayed at the pharmacies.
Portney and Watkins [18] commented that sample size
determination in qualitative research is based on experi-
ence, judgment and the research purpose. According to
these authors [18], “samples that are too small will not
support claims of having reached a point of data satur-
ation. Samples that are too large will not permit the in-
depth analysis that is the essence of qualitative inquiry”.
Based on a similar galactagogue study involving 23 par-
ticipants in British Columbia [14], a decision was made
to initially recruit up to 20 women and through the data
analysis determine whether a point of saturation was
reached, when no new themes emerged. Guest et al. [19]
studied the variability and degree of data saturation in
qualitative research and reported that data saturation
took place within the first twelve in-depth interviews.
Twenty participants were therefore considered sufficient
to reach data saturation, as no new themes had merged,
whilst also enabling in-depth analysis.
Data collection
Prior to conducting the interviews, an information sheet
about the research and what the interview would cover
was provided to participants. For the face-to-face inter-
views, participants were requested to sign a consent
form prior to conducting the interviews. An electronic
copy of the participant information sheet was emailed to
participants who had provided their email contact and
requested a telephone interview. In cases where email
contact was not available, the content of the participant
information sheet was read to the participant over the
telephone and verbal consent was obtained before the
interview. Participants were given ample opportunity to
ask questions and were reminded that the study was
completely voluntary and that they could withdraw at
any stage without prejudice.
Taking into consideration the variability between par-
ticipants and at the same time ensuring that the topic of
discussion could be thoroughly covered, the interviewer
(TFS) followed a flexible and discrete approach through-
out the process. Transgression from the interview guide
was necessary in some instances for example when the
interviewee mentioned an issue not necessarily address-
ing the questions in the guide, but still considered rele-
vant to the topic. All interviews were audio-recorded
and subsequently manually transcribed verbatim.
Data analysis
The transcripts were analysed using descriptive and
qualitative approaches. Participants were de-identified
and codes were used in the analysis (the first interviewee
was BW1 for Breastfeeding Woman 1). This paper re-
ports on the qualitative findings of this study, using
thematic analysis as described by Boyatzis [20]. In order
to achieve thorough understanding of the themes, con-
tents of the transcripts were read repeatedly by the pri-
mary investigator (TFS). The emerged ideas or topics
along with their supporting quotes were documented.
These topics were then grouped and reclassified as sub-
themes. The process continued until all subthemes were
regrouped to form major overall themes. Throughout
the process of analysis, project supervisors (LT, LH)
provided input and reviewed the themes to ensure
reliability.
Results
A total of 20 breastfeeding women living in the Perth
metropolitan area who were using herbal galactagogues
were interviewed between October 2012 and April 2013.
All interviews were conducted on a one-to-one basis:
ten face-to-face at a place convenient to the participant
and ten via telephone. Of the 20 participants, one was of
Middle-Eastern descent, two were of Asian descent, and
the other 17 were of Caucasian descent. Interviews
ranged between 18 to 78 minutes with a median dur-
ation of 34 minutes. All participants had used fenugreek
during breastfeeding, with three of them having used a
combination of fenugreek and blessed thistle, and seven
having used naturopaths’own ‘lactation tincture’con-
taining a combination of herbal ingredients.
Table 1 provides a summary of the themes and sub-
themes that emerged during data analysis with the major
themes being: 1) reasons for the use of herbal medicines
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during breastfeeding, 2) the need for herbal medicines
resources and 3) the level of breastfeeding support
identified.
Use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding
Participants reported four main reasons for the use of
herbal galactagogues, namely perceived insufficient milk
supply, diagnosed insufficient milk supply, as a supplement
and as part of the tradition. Besides those who had been
diagnosed with insufficient milk supply by health profes-
sionals, all other participants embraced the “just-in-case”
approach to use herbal galactagogues prophylactically in
order to avoid breast milk supply issues. Five subthemes
about the use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding
were identified as discussed below with selected quotes to
assist with explanation of the concepts.
Perseverance and determination to breastfeed
All participants seemed to have adopted the ‘breast is
best’philosophy. These women acknowledged and ap-
preciated the health, physical and psychological benefits
of breastfeeding to both mothers and infants.
“…how much it helped my bonding with my baby
and even just a general satisfaction from it,not only
satisfaction but also I would say the benefits were
much higher”.(BW 1).
Recognition of the importance and significance of breast-
feeding was identified as the main facilitator to develop
perseverance and a determined attitude to breastfeed:
“… basically I was just trying to get him back to the
breasts and don’t want to stop breastfeeding him,so
it’s to try and increase the supply because there is a
need there”.(BW 11).
All participants were familiar with the recommenda-
tion of the Australian Dietary Guidelines 2013 to breast-
feed exclusively for the first six months of an infant’s life
[21]. Taking into consideration the advantages of breast-
feeding along with endorsement from their health pro-
fessionals, perseverance and determination played a vital
role in successful breastfeeding as the women were pre-
pared to take all required actions to avoid the use of
infant formula as much as possible.
“Breastfeeding is not easy,definitely not. You need to
persevere and you need to be absolutely patient with
everything that you do. You need to have very high
patience level and you need to feel comfortable and
confident doing it”.(BW 20).
An underlying theme was observed when women
described their strong mental will to breastfeed.
“I mean honestly,if drinking snake oil would make me
have more breast milk I would have done it,anything
that helps!”(BW 3).
“I certainly am not opposed to the idea of using herbs
to support breastfeeding. Really,I don’t care what it is,
as long as I can tolerate it and it helps,I am willing to
try anything”.(BW 18).
Confidence, self-empowerment and reassurance
There seemed to be a relationship between the women’s
breastfeeding confidence level and duration of exclusive
breastfeeding. Even in the absence of milk volume measure-
ment, one participant described how the use of herbal
galactagogues promoted her confidence and fostered self-
empowerment to breastfeed.
“…because this [fenugreek]works so quickly and it just
gave me that confidence straight away. It took away
that anxiety and stress”.(BW 6).
Many participants also mentioned the feeling of re-
assurance through the use of herbal supplements during
breastfeeding, which was especially important for first-
time mothers. Hence, the use of herbal galactagogue was
described as a method of reassurance in the context of
their own perceptions. The positive emotional impact
contributed to the success of breastfeeding practices
amongst the participants.
“I think it’s[fenugreek]worth trying. And as for me,
I certainly find that useful and reassuring that I have
Table 1 Perspectives and attitudes of women: major
themes and sub-themes
Major themes Sub-themes
1. Reasons for the use of herbal
medicines
Perseverance and determination to
breastfeed
Confidence, self-empowerment and
reassurance
Concerns over breastfed infants’
safety
Role and expectation of health care
workers
Parental and peer influence
2. The need for herbal medicines
resources
Information needs
Credibility and reliability of
information
Expectations of health professionals
3. The level of breastfeeding
support
Positive feedback
Negative feedback
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found something effective to increase my milk supply.
As a new mum,you just never know,you never know
what is coming,what problems you will encounter
and I certainly did not anticipate that milk supply will
be an issue. I have always thought that breastfeeding is
easy and will come naturally because everyone else does
it,and I wasn’t told about it being an issue”.(BW 12).
Concerns over breastfed infants’safety
A number of participants voiced their concerns over
breastfed infants’safety and the use of medicine by the
mother. These participants were cautious and apprehen-
sive over their decision on what to take or what to avoid
whilst breastfeeding, expressing their fear of it affecting
their infants’health.
“I really didn’t want to take anything harsh that could
affect my baby’s health,so I was more cautious over
what I take. I would say that because I was
breastfeeding,I was more cautious over what I take
and what I eat,and I think that using natural herbs
would be safer than using chemicals”.(BW 18).
Some participants associated the use of conventional
or “Western”medicines as dangerous or harmful to take
during breastfeeding. Limited awareness of potential side
effects and medicine knowledge had for some women led
to the refusal of conventional recommendations for treat-
ment of insufficient breast milk supply, for instance with
the prescription medicine domperidone (Motilium®).
“To me,it [herbal galactagogue]seems a lot safer,
because when I was on Motilium®, the way how that
works changes dopamine levels in the brain which
then increases milk supply and prolactin. That to me
has always felt like ‘Frankenstein’sort of thing. It
[fenugreek]just seems more natural. I am not
concerned about any transfer to my milk,because it’s
natural and it has been used for hundreds or
thousands of years,really,I think over time it would
have been tested and proven”.(BW 7).
Participants described their concerns over the use of
conventional medicine whilst breastfeeding. The general
perception of ‘herbal is natural, and natural is safe’was
identified. Many participants displayed a tendency to use
herbal alternatives during breastfeeding with the general
assumption that herbal galactagogues were safer alterna-
tives compared to other options.
“I think if you can avoid taking chemical
pharmaceutical drugs,then I would exhaust every
single herbal option before I go near any
pharmaceutical…because the herbal options are
usually much safer,they usually don’t cause any issues
in the baby. For me,in any situation I would exhaust
any homeopathic or herbal remedy before I went to
pharmaceuticals”.(BW 11).
Nevertheless, some women realised that natural rem-
edies may not always be safe and that they would still be
mindful and vigilant when choosing their therapy of
choice. As one participant commented:
“Given that it comes from nature,even though you
can’t quantify how much the active ingredient is in
there,I believe that it may be enough to cause any
problems. So in my opinion,if a herb or substance is
used whilst breastfeeding,as long as there is no or
significant adverse effect,or it can be incorporated to
part of your diet,then it should be okay…” (BW 1).
The decision and likelihood to use herbal options to
promote breastfeeding performance was at times linked
to women’s personal preference. Some of the partici-
pants appeared to have previously used herbal medicines
in managing other health issues separate to pregnancy
and lactation. In conjunction with the perception of
herbal galactagogues being “safer”, women preferred to
use the herbal alternatives during breastfeeding.
“Even before I was breastfeeding,I tend to choose
herbal,during pregnancy I tend to use herbal and that
carried through till I was breastfeeding,so that was
definitely my first choice”.(BW 8).
Role and expectations of health care providers
Breastfeeding women’s expectations of health care pro-
viders emerged as a prevailing topic of discussion in
these interviews. In the context of this discussion, health
care providers included doctors and specialists, midwives,
child health nurses, lactation consultants, naturopaths, as
well as community pharmacists. Besides health information,
expectations of participants centred on drug or product
knowledge, including options of alternative therapies, at the
same time respecting women’s decision or choice. Partici-
pants expected all health care providers to have an ad-
equate level of awareness and knowledge on the availability
of all different treatment options. Some of the participants
indicated a need for health care providers to be more open-
minded, supportive and prepared to provide alternative op-
tions should women wish to be able to choose. Participants
preferred to receive suggestions or options with informa-
tion about the available evidence in order to make an in-
formed decision.
“I think it’s the attitude of people. So you know you go
and see the lactation consultant,and they don’t tend
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to,in my experience they don’t tend to believe that
herbs do very much. Even other health professionals
like doctors and pharmacists should be aware or
should know about the alternative options,so we can
make our own decision,that would have been very
helpful”.(BW 5).
One participant who showed preference to the use of
herbal remedies described her experience with health
care providers and discontentment after being diagnosed
with insufficient milk supply:
“It [using herbal galactagogue]is not talked about.
Not to boost subject,but no one takes these sorts of
things seriously I supposed. I think hospitals need to be
more open-minded and willing to talk about other
things other than just manufactured drugs”.(BW 2).
It was also noticeable from the interviews that involv-
ing breastfeeding women in decision-making regarding
their own health care creates a sense of autonomy which
increases the likelihood of adherence to therapy regard-
less of whether it is conventional or alternative therapies.
Many participants believed that information regarding
herbal medicines to support breastfeeding should be
provided in the information pack supplied at pre-natal
clinics.
There was also a perception that many health care
providers were not supportive of the use of herbal medi-
cines during breastfeeding, and were not knowledgeable
of the range of herbal products available and their evi-
dence in terms of safety and efficacy. Regular users of
herbal medicines believed that alternative options should
be made available to all breastfeeding women by their
health care providers. Some participants further com-
mented on the potential value of awareness in reducing
distress and anxiety during early days postpartum.
“I think people need to know that it does actually
work,not just some crazy hippy thing. Because
actually that was what I thought,I initially thought
that the herbs were for people who didn’t want to use
conventional medicines because they have issues with
big “pharma”or whatever,but honestly for me,it has
worked wonders,like far better than anything that
any doctors have ever recommended it to use. So I
just wish that more women actually are aware of it”.
(BW 7).
Despite the criticism about the lack of information
about herbal remedies from most health care providers,
some of the participants did report receiving information
and recommendations relating to the use of herbal med-
icines from these providers. A need for reassurance from
health care providers emerged as an underlying theme
as some participants elucidated their experiences and rela-
tionships with their trusted health care providers. Partici-
pants appeared to be comfortable with recommendations
from health care providers.
“I am certainly not opposed to the idea of using herbs
during breastfeeding,as long as I know and have
checked with my child health nurses and doctors or
even ringing up a pharmacist”.(
BW 12).
“I never even thought twice about taking it,I never
had any hesitation in it,because of the people who
have recommended it to me,like the lactation
consultants and the naturopaths. I know a naturopath
who is very cautious over what she prescribes when
you are breastfeeding,so I never thought twice. I don’t
know much of it or how much benefit it had,but I
have no problems taking it,I suppose it is a natural
herb”.(BW 10).
The need for research and evidence-based information
on the use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding was
identified by several participants. They expected health
care providers to be up-to-date with the latest research
data and be able to translate the information into their
daily practice.
“I guess the supplements out there just need more
studies. There’s lots of research that goes into
glucosamine and fish oil and all these that we think is
going to help us,but not for breastfeeding,it will be
nice to have that knowledge to know that it works and
it is safe”.(BW 3).
Parental and peer influence
The impact of peer and parental influence on breastfeeding
women’s decision and choice of therapy was discussed from
the perspectives of sources of recommendation and supply.
It was evident that some participants were more likely to
believe and follow certain recommendations if these were
made by parents or peers whom they could relate their ex-
perience to or women who had breastfeeding experience.
“[The best thing is]talking to people on the mothers
group page and the breastfeeding support groups,they
have all walked thought the journey,they understand,
and tried different thing and suggested different
options”.(BW 4).
Some participants described feeling stressed from par-
ents and peer pressures to breastfeed as the drive to
exploring all available methods to ensure successful
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breastfeeding. In these instances, potential psychological
or emotional benefits of using herbal galactagogues had
further benefits in terms of confidence and reassurance.
Available herbal medicine resources
Three sub-themes were apparent in the interviews
as participants described their views on the resources
available to them as breastfeeding women regarding the
efficacy and safety of herbal medicines.
Information needs
Despite their decision to use herbal galactagogues during
breastfeeding, the majority of the participants (17 of 20)
commented that there was a lack of resources available re-
garding the use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding.
Although these herbal medicines were widely available
over-the-counter in Australia, information regarding their
efficacy and safety during breastfeeding was perceived as
not being well established, or at least not made readily
available to them.
“I don’t think there is much out there,at least they
weren’t easily available. If it wasn’t for my friend
at mothers’group,I wouldn’t have known to take
fenugreek”.(BW 12).
“…I think we can do with a lot more information and
make it more widely available so that people who are
in need of it can use them”.(BW 8).
The majority of participants expressed a need for ac-
cessible evidence-based information and more research
to be conducted to facilitate safe and effective use of
medicines during breastfeeding to promote successful
breastfeeding and avoid unnecessary early cessation of
breastfeeding.
“If it was proven medically and endorsed,more
people would be able to use that [herbal
galactagogue], instead of just giving up breastfeeding
when they feel the supply is low or grabbing the
first bottle of formula”.(BW 18).
In addition to the general need for further research, a
need for research specifically conducted locally was also
identified to facilitate the application of findings to the
Australian health care context. As herbal preparations
exist in various brands and dosage formulations through-
out the world, some participants found it impractical to
relate to information or studies conducted overseas.
“I think it’s better if we have our own,because
obviously in all countries the culture is different,
obviously you can’t do research in every single country,
but I think I will be more incline to believe it if it was
from Australia rather than from overseas. Also
different countries have different brands,which to me
in my case,different brands gave me a different effect.
So like for example if you see a brand from an
American website,but then you may not get it in
Australia. I think it is really important to have an
Australia sort of research around it”.(BW 7).
Credibility and reliability of information
Many participants relied on the internet or their friends
and family for information, advice and recommendations.
Unknown credibility and reliability of information accessed
from the internet was highlighted during the interviews.
Although many participants questioned the trustworthi-
ness of information obtained from non-accredited sources,
they were left with no other option but to use the internet.
“Most of the stuff you get from the internet,I am just
always worried about reliability,and the more you
read,you tend to trust it more,which may not
necessarily be a good thing sometimes”.(BW 5).
Participants further cited the need for reliable informa-
tion to be endorsed by organisations such as the Australian
Breastfeeding Association (ABA).
“I had to rely on [internet]forum discussions and word
of mouth to make up my mind whether a herbal
product is suitable for me or not. So if it was endorsed
by a medical [group]or I know the Australian
Breastfeeding Association is not a medical,but if it was
endorsed more medically in some way or another,it
might be more helpful,people might be able to use it
more”.(BW 17).
Along with the general perception of the lack of easily
accessible reliable information, one participant who was
both a health professional and a mother of an eight-month
old at the time of the interview, described her views on the
information resources. Inconclusive information was seen
as confusing and further posed a dilemma:
“If there is something available,I find that it is usually
inconclusive. There is just not enough data and they
[the resources]leave the ball to the mothers’court to
decide whether they want to take it. I feel like there is
no conclusive information as such regarding herbal
medicines during breastfeeding”.(BW 1).
From the perspectives of some participants, reliance
on parents or close family members and friends for breast-
feeding-related information was considered sufficient.
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“I only went to where my mum told me,so I personally
never looked into safety and efficacy of herbal
medicines during breastfeeding”.(BW 1).
Expectations of health professionals
In general, health professionals were viewed as reliable
sources of information. Besides voicing their need for
additional research studies, participants also demon-
strated a desire for written and verbal information from
their health care professionals with regards to the use,
safety and efficacy of herbal medicines during breast-
feeding. It appeared that some participants perceived
that there was a lack of health professionals’awareness
about the availability of evidence-based information re-
garding use of herbal medicines during breastfeeding.
Participants expected information related to the use of
herbal medicines to be provided in a leaflet or pamphlet
format by their health professionals.
“The info packs that you get from the hospitals and
pamphlets from nurses don’t have much information
about herbal remedies for use during breastfeeding.
Like I mentioned earlier,if I had known the presence of
fenugreek for example,I would have tried that with
my first child and may have a better or easier time
with breastfeeding”.(BW 6).
Acknowledging that there is a lack of available infor-
mation, participants believed that health professionals
should endeavour to provide guidance. Information on
herbal options during breastfeeding should be made
readily available to all breastfeeding women as suggested
by some participants.
“At least on what’s available,I mean there might not
be a lot of information available,but at least to guide
us on where to look out for information”.(BW 5).
Despite expecting health professionals to have ad-
equate levels of knowledge, participants had varying ex-
pectations of different health professionals:
“I find people who are working in natural health are
more comfortable than people who are working in
main stream health,they are more hesitant to
recommend stuff,they have a more complex…Imean
they couldn’t really say whether something was safe or
not”.(BW 8).
In the context of reliable information resources, com-
munity pharmacy was perceived as an easily accessible
health destination and pharmacists were recognised by
participants as overall medicine experts.
“…the few times when I had questions about
medications during breastfeeding,I called up the
pharmacies and they were fantastic”.(BW 9).
Level of breastfeeding support
A multidisciplinary team consisting of a diverse group of
health care providers including doctors, pharmacists,
child health nurses, midwives and lactation consultants
was seen by participants as contributors to the current
health care system. Many of the health care providers
were mentioned throughout the interviews when partici-
pants described their experiences and understandings
with “health care”and “breastfeeding support”. Despite
her perception of insufficient information available re-
garding the use of herbal medicines during breastfeed-
ing, one participant acknowledged the level of assistance
and support provided:
“I would say there is certainly a lot of help out there,
I mean a lot of breastfeeding help. You have the
child health nurses,midwives,lactation consultants,
chemists,doctors and all to help and ask questions
if you need to,butIdon’t think there is enough
information out there about use of herbal
medicines”.(BW 15).
Despite some positive experiences, participants high-
lighted several areas for improvement. Immediate postpar-
tum and early parenthood were viewed as challenging and
may be associated with anxiety, stress and confusion in
some women, which may impact on their ability to take
in any information. According to some participants, in-
depth practical information regarding breastfeeding
were not provided until immediate postpartum. Al-
though some pre-natal classes may have touched on the
subject, the level of breastfeeding-related information
was viewed as insufficient to enable a full understanding
and anticipation of the potential breastfeeding-related
issues which women may encounter. Hence, partici-
pants suggested that breastfeeding and related informa-
tion be part of the focus during pre-natal classes or
information sessions to avoid confusion during the lac-
tation stage.
“Before birth,because that’swhenyouwantto
learn as much as possible about what’sgoingto
happen when the baby comes because you have
no idea. But after baby arrives,you are so consumed
and you don’t pay attention to what’s happening
around you. Especially,Ididn’t really remember
anything during the first week. So doctors and
nurses could have told me things but I wouldn’t
remember,but information should be available
before birth”.(BW 2).
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Many of the participants were not aware of insufficient
breast milk supply being a potential issue before the baby
was born. Besides the provision of breastfeeding-related
information during pre-natal classes, participants further
suggested that potential issues with insufficient breast
milk supply and information on options available to
boost supply, including herbal galactagogues and non-
pharmacological therapiesshouldbemadeavailable
prior to delivery. Pre-natal classes and visits to health
care providers were proposed as the most appropriate
avenues. This valuable information was perceived as
potentially useful and expedient when discussed before
the birth of their infants, especially for first-time new
parents.
“I only found out that [fenugreek]after it [low milk
supply]became an issue. We are told the importance
of breastfeeding and all that,but not really about
being aware that supply could be an issue. So,if this
was discussed earlier on before delivery,we can
prepare and start taking some supplements,rather
than addressing it way down the track when you
realized that you have a supply issue”.(BW 9).
“Most mothers will be going to prenatal classes before
the baby is born. They do explain breastfeeding but
they don’t go through the different things that you can
do to help the situation. They sort of tell you this is
how you should breastfeed to get the attachment right
and things like that,but not really like the issues that
could come with it. They can prepare themselves if it
didn’t happen the way it was meant to”.(BW 15).
“Sometimes it is so,you are so sleep deprived,when the
baby arrived,you are thinking,I am just trying to keep
my head above water,so it’s great to have information
out there before the baby arrives,or particularly with
your first baby. I think maybe they should have given
you a little bit more information on breastfeeding and
other options out there if you have problems with
supply,as well”.(BW 16).
To avoid confusion, it is also crucial that all health
care providers across the multidisciplinary team are up-
to-date with recommended guidelines to ensure consist-
ent and dependable information be delivered.
“Idon’t think that there’s,this is my opinion,there
isn’t a massive amount of support or in hospital for
my first baby. I was told different things in regards to
breastfeeding,different ways,it was just confusing,so I
had to work out how it would work for me,and that’s
very common in first time mum. They are told different
things and ended up feeling very confused”.(BW 16).
Discussion
Although many previous studies have examined the per-
spectives of women towards the use of medications during
breastfeeding, most had focused on the use of conventional
medications [22]. To address the research gap, this study
focused on the perspectives and attitudes of this population
towards the use of herbal galactagogues.
All of the participants of this study appreciated and
valued the benefits of breastfeeding and supported the
‘breast is best’philosophy. Participants showed a positive
attitude towards breastfeeding and were willing to make
efforts necessary to ensure the success of breastfeeding,
including the use of herbal medicines to promote breast-
feeding performance. For most participants, the strong
desire to continue to breastfeed accompanied by recom-
mendations from family and friends had led to the use
of herbal galactagogues during breastfeeding.
The potential psychological or emotional impact of using
herbal galactagogues during breastfeeding should not be
underestimated. As evident in this study, confidence and
self-empowerment emerged as an over-arching theme
throughout the interviews, especially when participants de-
scribed their positive experiences. This finding was also ob-
served in a similar study conducted by Westfall, who
highlighted the positive feedback provided by her partici-
pants despite the lack of scientific evidence for most herbal
galactagogues’efficacy [14].
It is not surprising that women who had used herbal
galactagogues during breastfeeding had accepted and
adopted an integrative and holistic approach for their
own healthcare. Many studies have demonstrated the ac-
ceptance and practice of integrative healthcare amongst
the general Australian population [23-26]. Some women
who had used herbal galactagogues during breastfeeding
used herbal medicines prior to pregnancy and lactation.
Consistent with previous research on perspectives of al-
ternative health care users, this finding demonstrated
that some women chose alternative therapies to gain au-
tonomy and a sense of control over their own health,
and that the decisions are accustomed to their values
and beliefs [27-31]. The sense of empowerment when a
breastfeeding woman actively seeks out and adheres to
an alternative regimen plays a positive role in her breast-
feeding journey. As perceived insufficient milk supply is
one of the major causes of premature cessation of
breastfeeding, the use of herbal galactagogues provides a
sense of empowerment and self-efficacy which may aid
in overcoming the issue [32].
Some of the participants were concerned about ad-
verse effects and the risk of harming their infants with
the use of conventional medicines. Despite this concern,
considering the popularity and acceptance of integrative
or holistic healthcare in the general population, some
women may be likely to opt for alternative options,
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for example herbal remedies, to promote breastfeeding
performance. Previous dissatisfied experience with
conventional treatments may also encourage the use of
alternative therapies whilst breastfeeding [27]. Due to
the potential of misperception by some women that
herbal remedies are always safe, the public should be
encouraged to consult health professionals prior to
using any medicine whilst breastfeeding.
Consistent with the literature and previous findings,
breastfeeding women identified the need for more in-
depth information, including scientific evaluation of the ef-
ficacy and safety of herbal galactagogues and other herbal
medicines during breastfeeding [22,28,33]. Women expect
health professionals to have adequate knowledge and to be
willing to offer advice and discussion over alternative ther-
apies to promote breastfeeding performance. By acquiring
up-to-date knowledge and involving women in decision-
making, health professionals may help to promote compli-
ance and success of breastfeeding-related therapies. Further
research into the safety and efficacy of herbal galactagogues
and ongoing education about CAMs will enable health pro-
fessionals to be equipped with the knowledge to meet the
expectations of the public.
Although none of the questions in the interview guide
was designed to address this topic, breastfeeding women’s
perspectives on the current health care system and the lack
of breastfeeding support provided emerged as a common
focus of discussion by some participants as they described
their experiences before, during and after delivery. A mix of
positive and negative feedback were noted from the narra-
tive conservation during the interviews.
Limitations
As the nature and process of recruitment involved recruit-
ing participants from naturopathic clinics initially, and all
participants self-volunteering to be interviewed, there is a
possibility for some degree of bias in the sample selection.
Recruiting participants from naturopathic clinics increases
the likelihood of recruiting women with similar positive
perspectives and attitudes towards the use of herbal galac-
tagogues. Participants of this study were self-selected and
hencearenotlikelytobeatruerepresentativesampleofall
breastfeeding women in Australia, nor a representation of
all breastfeeding users of herbal galactagogues. As with all
qualitative studies, a known limitation is the challenge in
attempting to generalise findings to the wider population,
as at times, the findings may be unique only to the specific
participants [34]. Nevertheless, this study has enhanced our
understanding of women’s perspectives and factors which
may influence their choice of therapy whilst breastfeeding.
Conclusions
This qualitative study provides insight into the perspectives
and attitudes of breastfeeding women towards the use
of herbal galactagogues. The positive attitudes of herbal
galactagogue users should prompt health professionals and
researchers to further explore this topic whilst the negative
views regarding timing of education on breastfeeding and
inconsistency of information should be taken into consider-
ation to improve services for breastfeeding women. Further
research into the safety and efficacy of herbal galactagogues,
including clinical trials and case reports, are urgently re-
quired to provide research-based evidence to inform health
professionals and breastfeeding women.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Authors’contributions
TFS conducted and analysed the data as part of her PhD degree. TFS, JS and
LT were responsible for the design of the study and developed the interview
guide. TFS and LH were responsible for data analysis. TFS, LH, JS and LT all
contributed to writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the
final manuscript.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank all women who participated in the study and all
colleagues who provided advice on the design of the study and the
interview guide.
Author details
1
School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth,
Western Australia, Australia.
2
School of Public Health, Faculty of Health
Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Received: 27 February 2014 Accepted: 20 June 2014
Published: 2 July 2014
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doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-216
Cite this article as: Sim et al.:Perspectives and attitudes of breastfeeding
women using herbal galactagogues during breastfeeding: a qualitative
study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2014 14:216.
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