Like conventional drugs the safety of herbs in pregnancy and lactation is not well documented in humans. Although many herbs are considered ‘safe’ to use not a lot is known about how, or which plant constituents pass into breast milk, and into the baby. Toxic and poisonous herbs should be avoided, as should oral doses of pure essential herbs. If in doubt, consult a herbal practitioner who is a member of the New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists (NZAMH) for advice.
The American Academy of Paediatrics guidelines for drugs in lactating women categorises drugs in the following way, and this classification system can also be applied to herbs:
ND – no data available
C - Compatible with breastfeeding
CC – Compatible with breastfeeding but use caution
SD – Strongly discouraged in breastfeeding
X - Contraindicated in breastfeeding
The following list is taken from respected herbalists Kerry Bone and Simon Mills book The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety*:
Herbs compatible with Breastfeeding – Category C
Bacopa, bilberry fruit, black haw, blue flag, boswellia, bupleurum, burdock, butchers broom, calendula, German chamomile, chaste tree, chickweed cleavers, codonopsis, corn silk, couch grass, cramp bark, cranberry, cranesbill root, dandelion, devil’s claw, dong quai, Echinacea, elder flower, euphorbia, evening primrose oil, eyebright, false unicorn, fennel, fenugreek, fringe tree, garlic, gentian, ginger, ginseng, globe artichoke, goats rue, golden rod, gotu kola, grindelia, hawthorn leaf and flower, horsetail, hydrangea, lavender, lemon balm, licorice, lime flowers, marshmallow, motherwort, mullein, nettle, passionflower, prickly ash, raspberry leaf, rehmannia, rosemary, saw palmetto, shatavari, Siberian ginseng, skullcap, St Mary’s thistle, thyme, turmeric, white horehound, wild cherry, withania, zizyphus seed.
Herbs compatible with breastfeeding but use caution – Category CC
Aloe, bladderwrack, buchu, California poppy, cascara, cat’s claw, celery seed, crataeva, hops, horse chestnut, kava, meadowsweet, myrrh, pau d’arco, peppermint, senna, shepherd’s purse, St John’s wort, tribulus leaf, valerian, wild lettuce, yarrow, yellow dock.
* Mills, S and Bone, K (2005) The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone: Missouri
