Breastfeeding Support
Ayurveda calls breast milk Stanya. This page covers the evidence on galactagogues (substances believed to raise milk supply) and when to get urgent help.
Our Ayurvedic care is complementary. It works alongside your obstetrician, midwife, paediatrician and lactation consultant, never in place of them.
Visit us in Sector 75, Noida
C8, 5th Floor (Medical Floor), C-Tower, Spectrum Mall, Phase 1, Sector 75, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301How We Help
Dr. Hemlata Soni, our Chief Ayurvedic Consultant, focuses on women’s health and postnatal care.
- Consultation. We review feeding, diet, sleep and medicines, and assess your natural constitution (*Prakriti*). The first Ayurvedic consultation is free, at our Sector 75 clinic.
- Diet. Warm, easy-to-digest meals with enough fluids. See the Ayurvedic diet consultation.
- Rest. Shared night feeds, short daytime rests and a simple routine. See the Ayurvedic lifestyle consultation.
- Herbs, only where suitable. Shatavari (*Asparagus racemosus*), a root with a long history of use in Ayurveda, may be discussed after we review your feeding, medicines and history, as one part of a wider assessment.
- Gentle massage. After your assessment, Abhyanga (a warm oil massage) may be suggested. Keep oil off the breasts and nipples unless your doctor or lactation consultant agrees, and never massage a red, hot or painful breast.
Precautions & When to See a Doctor
Seek urgent care for:
- A red, hot, hard or painful breast, especially with fever, chills or feeling unwell, which can mean a breast infection (mastitis)
- A baby who is not gaining weight, feeds poorly, has very few wet nappies, is hard to wake, or has yellow skin or eyes
- Signs of dehydration: very dark or scant urine, dizziness or a racing heartbeat
- Heavy bleeding that soaks through pads quickly, chest pain or breathlessness
- Low mood that does not lift, or feelings of hopelessness
- Confusion, seeing or hearing things that are not there, or any thought of harming your baby: call 112 now
If you are in crisis or thinking of harming yourself, call Tele-MANAS 14416 (free, 24×7) or 112 now.
Do not stop prescribed medicines, including antibiotics, without speaking to your prescribing doctor. Stop any herb that causes a rash, itching or stomach upset, and never give herbs to your baby without your paediatrician’s advice. We do not advise Panchakarma (intensive cleansing therapies) while breastfeeding.
Who Should Not Take Herbs Without Advice
- Mothers with liver or kidney disease
- Mothers taking blood thinners, diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid or mental-health medicines
- Mothers whose baby is premature, unwell or not gaining weight, who need a medical check first
- Mothers who become pregnant while breastfeeding: tell us before taking any herb
Learn More
Tap a topic to read more.
What the Evidence Shows
The evidence is limited and mixed. Traditional use is not proof of benefit.
- A 2020 Cochrane review of oral galactagogues, both natural and drug-based, found they may increase milk volume in mothers of healthy term infants, but the authors were very uncertain about the size of the effect [1].
- A 2013 review of five herbal preparations found that five trials reported more breast milk. However, poor trial design meant the authors did not recommend herbs [2].
- A 2025 randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that Shatavari root extract improved milk volume. The authors suggest it may be a safe, effective galactagogue [3].
- Two single trials of specific products also reported benefits. Ayush-SS granules (2025) significantly improved exclusive breastfeeding at six months in mothers with insufficient lactation [4]. Shavari Bar (2022) gave a higher mean total milk volume expressed, 64.74 ml compared with 49.69 ml on placebo, and the authors noted no adverse events in either group [5].
These are encouraging but limited: each trial tested one product, not herbs in general.
Herb Quality and Safety
Herbs can interact with medicines, so list everything you take. Safety data are limited, and long-term effects are not yet known [1, 4]. Some Ayurvedic medicines contain detectable lead, mercury or arsenic: a 2008 study found this in one-fifth of Ayurvedic medicines bought online, whether made in the US or India [6]. Buy only from trusted sources.
Prepared by the AyurSoul Healthcare team from the published research listed below. Medical review by Dr. Hemlata Soni, BAMS is in progress. This page is for education and does not replace individual medical advice. Medical disclaimer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you assess low milk supply?
We check feeding technique, diet, sleep and medicines first, and work with your lactation consultant or paediatrician when needed. Some trials of specific herbal products report more milk, but the evidence is limited and mixed, so we cannot promise any result.
Is Shatavari safe while breastfeeding?
Safety data are limited, and long-term effects are not yet known. Tell us and your doctor before taking it, so it can be checked against your medicines.
Should I stop my medicines while breastfeeding?
No. Do not stop or change a prescribed medicine without speaking to your prescribing doctor, who can check whether it suits breastfeeding.
Do I need a lactation consultant too?
Often yes. A lactation consultant can check latch and feeding, and your paediatrician can check your baby’s growth. We work alongside them.
Clinical Research
6 studies: 1 systematic review / meta-analysis, 1 systematic review, 3 randomised trials, 1 narrative article.
Show the 6 studies
Numbers in the text refer to this list. Each study is labelled by type: systematic reviews and randomised trials are stronger evidence than pilot studies or single case reports.
- Foong SC, Tan ML, Foong WC, et al.. Oral galactagogues (natural therapies or drugs) for increasing breast milk production in mothers of non-hospitalised term infants. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2020. Systematic review / meta-analysis PubMed
- Mortel M, Mehta SD. Systematic review of the efficacy of herbal galactogogues. Journal of human lactation : official journal of International Lactation Consultant Association, 2013. Systematic review PubMed
- Ajgaonkar A, Debnath T, Bhatnagar S, et al.. Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus Willd) root extract for postpartum lactation: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2025. Randomised controlled trial PubMed
- Saxena U, Ota S, Rajput S, et al.. Clinical evaluation of Ayush-SS granules in exclusively breastfeeding mothers with insufficient lactation: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. International breastfeeding journal, 2025. Randomised controlled trial PubMed
- Birla A, Satia M, Shah R, et al.. Postpartum Use of Shavari Bar® Improves Breast Milk Output: A Double-Blind, Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study. Cureus, 2022. Randomised controlled trial PubMed
- Saper RB, Phillips RS, Sehgal A, et al.. Lead, mercury, and arsenic in US- and Indian-manufactured Ayurvedic medicines sold via the Internet. JAMA, 2008. Perspective / narrative article PubMed