Nursing
Breastfeeding offers many benefits to your baby. Breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients to help your infant grow into a strong and healthy toddler. Some of the nutrients in breast milk also help protect your infant against some common childhood illnesses and infections. It may also help your health. Certain types of cancer may occur less often in mothers who have breastfed their babies.
Women who don't have health problems should try to give their babies breast milk for at least the first six months of life. Most women with health problems can breastfeed. There are rare exceptions when women are advised not to breastfeed because they have certain illnesses. Some medicines, illegal drugs, and alcohol can also pass through the breast milk and cause harm to your baby. Check with your health care provider if you have concerns about whether you should breastfeed.
If you are having problems with breastfeeding, contact a lactation consultant.
NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Felter's Materia Medica on Nursing
The recent bark of Alnus serrulata, Aiton (Nat. Ord. Betulaceae). A shrub of the United States east of the Mississippi River. Common Names: Tag... / ...s poisoning. We have observed rapid cures with it. It stains the skin. It is also a useful wash for nursing sore mouth of mothers, and should be given internally at the same time. Internal. A good rem... / ...are best displayed in pustular eczema and recurrent crops of boils. Passive haematuria is sometimes controlled by its astringent action. 1
The dried juice of the leaves of several species of Aloe: (1) Aloe Perryi, Baker; (2) Aloe vera, Linné; (3) Aloe ferox, Miller. (Nat. Ord.... / ...it. Applied to a denuded surface it operates the same as if taken internally, and administered to a nursing mother it purges the sucking child. By its stimulating action upon unstriped fibre, as of th...1
The dried ripe fruit of Pimpinella Anisum, Linné (Nat. Ord. Umbelliferae). Egypt and Western Asia; cultivated in Southern Europe. Dose, 5 to 40... / ...ef of nausea, flatulency, and the flatulent colic of infants. Anise imparts its odor to the milk of nursing mothers. It is an ingredient of Paregoric (Camphorated Tincture of Opium), and is largely us... / ...hot water is more agreeable and effective for older children and adults. The oil (1 to 5 drops) on sugar may be used by the latter, if desired. 1
The recent root and leaves of Baptisia tinctoria, Robert Brown (Nat. Ord. Leguminosae), a perennial shrub-like plant, indigenous to North... / ...rs, inflammations with full or swollen and dusky tissues, and tendency to destruction, aphthous and nursing sore mouth, mercurial gingivitis, sore nipples, and ulceration of the cervix uteri, with fou... / ...healing of the ulcerated surfaces. In all of the local disorders mentioned, baptisia should be given internally as well as applied locally.1
The dried leaflets of (1) Cassia acutifolia, Delile, or of (2) Cassia angustifolia, Vahl (Nat. Ord. Leguminosae). (1) Eastern and central Africa;... / ...t does not produce after-constipation, as does rhubarb and some other laxatives; and it may purge a nursing infant when administered to the mother. Senna is neither sedative nor refrigerant, but if an... / ...woman, and for children. It may be given in water, or the readyprepared lozenges may be used, the patient partaking also of plenty of water.1
Physician's Therapeutics Memoranda on Nursing
Solution of boric acid, 20 grs. to fl. oz., applied to nipple after nursing; glycerite of tannin; silver nitrate carefully applied; solu tion of cocaine, (4 grs. to fl. oz.) just before nursing when very painful (to be carefully washed off, of course, before the child is put to the breast); ichthyol ointment; cacao butter.2
References
2) Nelson, Baker & Co., 1904, Physician's Handy Book of Materia Medica and Therapeustics, Detroit, Michigan.