Is Dill safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what NIH LactMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's authority on medicines and breastfeeding, reports about Dill. This is a summary of that source — not our own verdict.
Effects on the breastfed infant
A study compared 3 groups of women. One group of 20 nursing mothers consumed 30 mg of d-carvone in 75 grams of hummus every third day for 28 days (10 exposures) at about 2 hours before a "usual" nursing time. A second group of 20 nursing mothers followed the same regimen, but their hummus contained no d-carvone. A third group of 8 mothers received the d-carvone flavored hummus, but were exclusively formula feeding their infants. After this 28-day period, both groups of breast-fed infants showed greater acceptance of d-carvone-flavored mashed potatoes than the formula-fed infants who preferred the unflavored potatoes. The authors interpreted these results to mean that breastfed infants are more receptive to a wide array of flavors than formula-fed infants.[ 7 ]
Effects on milk supply
A convenience sample of 60 women whose infants were admitted to the neonatal ICU were given either nothing (n = 30) or dill seeds tea (containing 1 tablespoon of dill seeds, 200 mL of water, 1 tablespoon jaggery (unrefined sugar), and half a tablespoon of cow ghee) daily in the morning for 5 days. Mothers responded to a questionnaire related to suckling sufficiency using a Likert scale. A statistically significant improvement in lactation was reported among the women given the dill seed tea.[ 5 ] However, the lack of randomization, blinding and a placebo control diminish the validity of this study. A commercial preparation containing wild asparagus 2 grams, dill 1.5 grams, cumin 1 gram, and cardamom 0.5 grams (Ayush-SS granules, Central Council for Research Ayurveda Siddha, India) per dose was studied in a randomized double-blind trial in Indian mothers whose infants were experiencing insufficient lactation . This dose was given twice daily for 12 weeks beginning when full-term infants failed to regain their birth weight by 14 days postpartum, exhibited a weight gain of less than 20 grams daily between days 15 and 90 of life, or had fewer than six urinations per day. A per-protocol analysis (dropout rate 22%) found that at six months, 74 of 106 (70%) infants in the Ayush-SS group were exclusively breastfed, compared to 47 of 105 (45%) in the placebo group. After 90 days, 81 of 106 infants (77%) in the Ayush-SS group gained at least 20 grams per day compared to 44 of 105 (41.8%) in the placebo group. Maternal perceptions of insufficient lactation were lower in the Ayush-SS group (15% vs. 58%). All of these differences were statistically significant. No severe adverse events related to the intervention were observed.[ 8 ] The study was well designed and performed, but no intent-to-treat analysis was performed.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Twenty mothers consumed 30 mg of d-carvone in 75 grams of hummus every third day for 28 days (10 exposures) at about 2 hours before a "usual" nursing time. Breastmilk samples were obtained 2 hours after ingestion on the first and last days of carvone intake. Carvone was detectable in the milk of 18 mothers. Average carvone concentrations in breastmilk were 2.5 mcg/L and 3.8 mcg/L on the first and last days of sampling, respectively. However, these values did not differ statistically, and the combined average carvone concentration was 3.2 mcg/L. A control group of 20 women who did not ingest d-carvone had no detectable carvone in their breastmilk.[ 7 ] Eighteen lactating women were given 100 mg of d-carvone mixed with lactose and talc in a capsule on 3 test days. Milk samples were collected every 2 hours for 8 hours starting at the time of ingestion. Carvone was detected in milk at all collection times, with the average concentrations of 1.3 mcg/L at 0 hours, 7.2 mcg/L at 2 hours, 5.6 mcg/L at 4 hours, 4.3 mcg/L at 6 hours and 2.7 mcg/L at 8 hours after the dose. The average peak carvone concentration in milk was 10.5 mcg/L. Carvone metabolites were not detected in any milk samples.[ 11 ] Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Source: NIH LactMed (National Library of Medicine).
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.