Natural Breast Enhancement Forums

Hi ladies,

I am still breastfeeding my 1 year old daughter. She is attached to it and we both love the connection. I also read that weaning very gradually will prevent breasts from sagging. However, my breasts are already starting to decrease and I see loose wrinkled skin especially around the nipple when I am laying down. I have PCOS and had my blood work done recently. I had slightly elevated testosterone, normal estrogen, and low progesterone. The strange thing is my periods have been regular and I have dealt with irregular periods most of my life. Perhaps having a baby affected this. However, I was sad to hear that my testosterone was elevated. Does anyone know of anti-androgens, NBE herbs, and hormone balancing herbs that are safe to take while breastfeeding? I take Fenugreek and Fennel and Milkmaid tea to help keep my supply up (and hoped would help with NBE). However, it doesn't seem to be enough probably due to elevated testosterone. Please ladies, any suggestions and shared wisdom would be much appreciated! Feeling sad about the wrinkled loose skin decreasing breast size Oh and I do try massage, but probably don't devote enough time to it.

Hi Balance321,
Consider coconut oil,


Coconut oil-makes connective tissues stronger for that much desired softness and elasticity. superb antioxidant activities that neutralize free radicals and slowing down aging, aids in breast feeding, Coconut oil is nature's richest source of MCFAs."

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Coconut oil is a 5 alpha reductase-which means it blocks the most potent androgen DHT (dihydrotestosterone) from testosterone

And according to the study below, Lauric Acid, which coconut oil has @ 50%, it's effect is inhibition in the epithelium and stroma as follows: 51% and 42% (lauric acid)

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Why Coconut Oil Is So Good For Pregnant & Nursing Mothers
http://www.modernmom.com/c3443748-3b35-1...4a41e.html

Coconut oil contains large amounts of lauric acid, a powerful anti-microbial fatty acid that protects the immune system of the fetus and newborn. Pregnant and nursing mothers should eat coconut oil to increase the quality of the womb environment and breast milk” - Dr. Claudia Pillow

healthy diet contains mixtures of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The unique composition of human breast milk contains about 45 to 50 % saturated fat, about 35% unsaturated and 15-20%polyunsaturated. Lauric acid and capric acid comprise about 20% of total saturated fatty acids found in breast milk. Lauric and capric acid have potent antiviral, antibacterial, and parasiticidal (kills parasites) properties that support the immune system. These fatty acids offer the nursing infant protection from illnesses, viruses such as herpes and HIV, protozoa such as giardia lamblia, and bacteria such as chlamydia and heliocobater.

Coconut oil is high in saturated fat (but not cholesterol since it is from a plant) containing about 50% lauric acid. Other components of coconut oil include capric acid, caprylic acid, tocopherols and tocotrienols. (Vitamin E lipids that act as potent anti-oxidants that can help maintain healthy cell structure and function). A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that lactating mothers who eat coconut oil and other coconut products, have significantly increased levels of lauric acid and capric acid in their breast milk, creating milk rich in health promoting nutrients. Coconut oil is easy for an infant’s immature digestive system to absorb and utilize. It also provides energy in the form of medium chain fatty acids to help the baby grow and develop properly.



IDS 89 and its subfractions on 5 alpha-reductase activity in human benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Abstract
Extract from fruit of Sabal serrulata are used in the treatment of human benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Therefore, it is of interest whether this phytopharmacon has any influence on the androgen metabolism in the human prostate. It was found that the extract IDS 89 of Sabal serrulata inhibited dose dependently 5 alpha-reductase activity in the epithelium and stroma of human BPH, the mean inhibition being 29% and 45%, respectively. This inhibitory effect is mainly due to the saponifiable subfraction of IDS 89 showing a mean 5 alpha-reductase inhibition of 39% and 38% in epithelium and stroma, respectively. The inhibition was dose dependent and noncompetitive. At a testosterone concentration of 580 nM as substrate for 5 alpha-reductase, the main fatty acids of the extract IDS 89 gave rise to a percentual enzyme inhibition in the epithelium and stroma as follows: 51% and 42% (lauric acid), 5% and 0% (oleic acid), 43% and 34% (myristic acid), 2% and 0% (palmitic acid), respectively. The inhibitory effect of lauric acid was noncompetitive and dose dependent up to a concentration of 0.2 nM, the maximal inhibition in the epithelium and stroma being 52% and 45%, respectively. The nonsaponifiable subfraction, consisting mainly of phytosterols, showed a mean inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase in the epithelium and stroma of 15% and 10%, respectively. Finally, the hydrophilic subfraction, containing carbohydrates, amino acids, and polysaccharides, showed no inhibitory effect. The present in vitro studies suggest that the Sabal serrulata extract IDS 89 has an inhibitory effect on 5 alpha-reductase in the epithelium and stroma of human BPH. This inhibition is mainly due to the fatty acids of the saponifiable subfraction.

You can try topical tea tree oil, topical lavender, or peony. They convert testosterone into estrogen. Testosterone is believed to be affiliated with PCOS. Since you're breast feeding, you also need prolactin and progesterone herbs, such as hops, asparagus root, or fenugreek.

Anti 5α-reductase (stated above) is important too, to decrease DHT and other dihydro forms of hormones.


* Minor correction to what I wrote above. Fenugreek is good, but I read that it discourages breastfeeding.

Well, I will just chime in a little about this. I mentioned to my friend that it was inadvisable to consume caffeine while pregnant or breastfeeding. She is a coffee person, so she tried to get around this. Luckily, her body outright rejected her habit while she was pregnant! I was glad that her body protecting that baby and I even told her I wished her a barf session if she tried. She really is a dear to put up with me, at times. She found out after giving birth that drinking caffeine, meant more irritable baby, too. So I think that it is good you are taking considerations about what goes in.
A lot of us, as you may have seen have had some good success with just just massaging with certain things, so keep this in mind too as you consider topicals. I bought a certain product once that I massaged in about 4 times a day, as per instructions. I didn't take anything internally. I actually had to adjust this regimen when I realized that it altered my period. It turned out that the high concentration of estrogens (maca & PM) was too much for me to absorb 4 times per day. If you put it on your skin, baby experiences it, too. Or as my guy has mentioned, "Uh, what is that?" Oops! Boob cream no yummy sometimes. In fact, some of the creams I used, I avoided using around my guy! I didn't want him to wake up with boobs a bit down the line! Hahaha! Good luck! And big koodles for keeping in natural. My friend is finding out that a positive attitude and natural solutions can help a lot.
Oh, and as I got interested in NBE and in helping my friend with her issues with breastfeeding, I have run across some interesting sites. Here is one of them:
http://forums.llli.org/showthread.php?10...actagogues