A Mother's Garden of Galactagogues: A guide to growing & using milk-boosting herbs & foods from around the world, indoors & outdoors, winter & summer:

Many birthing families are starting to garden, indoors and outdoors, in large and small spaces, in containers, and on countertops.

This book explains the value of growing your own milk-boosting plants, the "living medicine" that is women's heritage. "Breastfeeding is natural, innate to being human. But in the West, we have taken the natural out of breastfeeding by asserting that a woman's body should function like a machine, independent of what we eat, and in spite of thousands of years of lactation-diets used around the world."

Many mothers report that after receiving the guidance of a lactation consultant, a lactogenic diet helps them reach their optimal supply. Many such reports are found in the reviews for Jacobson's book Mother Food, here on amazon.com

The truth is that women have been using lactogenic food and herbs since time immemorial. Our Paleolithic foremothers discerned which plants most potently supported their milk supply and they relied on this support through times of drought and food scarcity. Breastfeeding--but also the plants that support lactation--ensured the survival of our species.

We in the West once had this knowledge, too. Sadly, it was lost during the centuries after the fall of Rome, known as the Dark Ages, when medical and herbal know-how came under the jurisdiction of the Church. Women's herbs were generally considered to be evil and were associated with witchcraft and magic, including the herbs for lactation.

Later, as medical schools formed in Europe, the medical profession was held by men who had no first-hand experience with lactation. They were puzzled by breastfeeding difficulties but did not study the use of herbs, which were still associated with witchcraft.

As we entered modern times, medicine remained a man's profession and the use of lactogenic herbs and foods--though used to promote milk production in dairy cattle--was dismissed as being relevant for women.

Humans evolved together with plants and have always lived close to the natural world. What we eat does matter.

This book helps us remember all that we lost, for instance, that common weeds such as purslane and dandelions are used to boost milk supply, as are many other plants that grow in our gardens, yards, fields, meadows, and forests.

We learn as well about studies from China, India, Iraq, Iran, and Jordan, that show how these plants actually build the mammary tissue. Why have we in the United States not researched the effect of lactogenic foods on breast development and milk production?

For breastfeeding mothers, simply knowing which specific herbs, weeds, flowers, trees, vegetables, and fruit support milk supply can build our connection, joy, and gratitude with nature, and help us nurture our children.