But what I wasn’t prepared for were the challenges that accompanied breastfeeding. We see all over the place how natural it is, how beautiful and bonding it is… it seemed like the one thing that would be easy. My body was designed to make milk and my baby was designed to drink it. What could be so hard, right?
Well, it was hard. So hard. Why didn’t anyone talk about how hard it would be? Because piled on top of the hormonal shifts and sleepless nights was the fact that my body didn’t seem to know how to make enough milk and my baby didn’t seem to know how to drink it from me, and even when she did, I could always tell that she wasn’t getting enough and always seemed hungry. After about 3 weeks of half-nursing and half-formula to supplement for my lack of milk, I gave up and continued to formula feed her only.
At the time I didn’t really know about ear seeds, and even if I did, I certainly wouldn’t have thought to turn to them to help me.
But turns out, I could have; at least according to this 2012 research study which measured the impact vaccaria ear seeds had on promoting lactation in postpartum women.
Here’s how it went down:
107 women who were about to give birth were randomly divided into two groups for a research study on whether or not stimulating points on the ears can have an effect on lactation.
Vaccaria ear seeds were placed on 52 women at two points on the surface of the ears at one hour after childbirth. The points chosen were the Endocrine and Mammary Gland points. Those points on the ear were pressed for 1-2 minutes three times daily.
The control group which had 55 women were given routine hospital care without the use of ear seed or any auriculotherapy.
The rate of lactation volume from the control group was 27.3% while those with the ear seeds had a volume rate of 51.9% and had an earlier starting time of lactation.
This study concluded that auricular therapy with ear seeds is a better method to promote lactation for women who have just gone through childbirth. More lactation could be beneficial to increasing the success rate of breastfeeding. (It certainly would have been in my case!)
We’ve collaborated with leading childbirth educator and women’s health specialist Deb Davies, L.Ac. to create a comprehensive postpartum ear seed kit! In addition to including the two lactation promoting points from this study, it also includes auricular points for bleeding or menstrual discomfort, hormone balancing and pain following labor and delivery.
Click to learn more about Deb and this incredibly useful kit, specifically designed for new moms, up to two years postpartum!
