Use fennel while breastfeeding

Fennel is a Mediterranean herb with yellow flowers, feathery leaves and a pleasant smell. It’s commonly used for flavouring purposes, but this herb has a lot of hidden value.
Fennel has similar properties as the hormone estrogens (Phytoestrogens), thus it’s considered to be a galactagogue.  A galactagogue is a food or drug that promotes or increases the flow of a mother's milk.
Fennel has been used for many purposes over the years, but is known for the following in breastfeeding communities.

• Increasing breast milk supply.
• Colic in breastfed infants (Fennel seed oil can be used for infants from the age of 2 weeks) Before two weeks of age, the baby can still benefit, because the active ingredients in Fennel pass through breast milk and help to relieve colic and gas symptoms in the baby. Video explanation below on page.
• One small study found an increase in fat content of breast milk when Fennel was introduced into the mother's diet.
• Many mothers have used a warm infusion of fennel seeds and marshmallow root to immerse the breast into, for the treatment of breast inflammation.

It is always best to consume Fennel in its natural form.
Fennel can be consumed as a:

• Vegetable. It can be eaten raw or cooked.
• In salads. Use the leafy fronds to add to a green salad. It adds a hint of liquorice to each bite.
• Soups. Fennel can be used with a lot of different vegetables and meats. A few popular soups made with fennel include chicken, pumpkin, roasted potato, or tomato soup.
• Stews. Try adding fennel to your next beef, fish or pork stew. It goes great with shallots and butternut.
• Herbs or Spices. Fennel leaves can be chopped and then used just like any other culinary herb.
• Pesto. Try fennel pesto with pasta or rub on meat before cooking. Use the fronds of the fennel in pesto. Garlic and pine nuts compliments the fennel.

You can also make a fennel tea!
Take two cups of water and add one of the following:

• Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds. Crush the seeds slightly to promote the volatile oils to be released.
• The fennel leaves can also be used to make tea. Chop the leaves in large pieces to promote the oil release.
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of chopped fennel root is also easy to brew tea with. The texture of the root can cause the brewing time to be a bit longer.

You can add more ingredients to suit your taste buds. Honey and lemon is always pleasant with tea.
Let the tea sit for no longer than 10 minutes. The longer the tea sits, the more volatile compounds are released into the air and not your digestive system, thus minimizing the effects it may have.
Add some juice to make a refreshing ice tea.
REMEMBER never to overheat the water, as it may result in the essential components of the fennel being destroyed.
Drink 1 to 2 cups daily. Try one first and then increase, if needed. 
Make photos of Mom drinking the fennel tea or making dishes with fennel, upload to the App. Write how you use fennel in cooking.