Breast Feeding and Unani Medicinal Plants with Galactagogue Potential

Abstract

Breast feeding is the best choice for infant health as breast milk contains the perfect amount of all nutrients required for the growth and development of the baby. However, surveys indicate that the majority of babies today are bottle-fed. Many mothers avoid breast feeding because they feel it is socially unacceptable, that it interferes with employment or social life, that it will affect their physical attractiveness, or because of fear of failure. The decision to breast feed or bottle feed a baby is a personal matter to be decided by the new mother, but breast feeding should be encouraged by education throughout pregnancy and puerperium. Breast feeding is economical, emotionally satisfying, promotes mother-infant bonding, and gives significant immunity to the infant. Thus, new mothers who wish not to breast feed should be encouraged to at least consider breast feeding their babies so that they can be prevented from malnutrition as children are the future of a nation and their health is central to global concerns and is intimately bound up with economic development and education. Keeping in view the advantages of breast feeding for the infant as well as the mother, an attempt has been made in this scientific paper to provide updated information on breast-feeding and treatment of deficient lactation (Qillat-e-Laban) with Unani herbal drugs having galactagogue (Mudirr-e-Laban) activity.

Keywords: Breast feeding, colostrum, galactagogue, Qillat-e-Laban, unani medicine