Since I have not written any posts so far specifically on homeopathic remedies, I thought it would be fun to share something about a group of remedies I often use in my clinic: the mother milk remedies. I use these remedies especially a lot for nursing mom’s and their babies, but the use of these remedies ranges a lot further. Recurring tonsillitis, allergies, skin complaints, and the (emotional) effects of bullying & abuse are just a few conditions that patients have been helped with through the milk remedies.

In this blog post:

• When are milk remedies indicated?
• Some examples of different milk remedies
• Two acute milk remedies you can use at home for nursing problems or for glandular inflammations (eg tonsillitis)

Although most people will think of plants and minerals when thinking of homeopathy, any diluted and succussed (meaning shaken not stirred.. haha) material can serve as a homeopathic remedy. For detoxing or treating side effects of medication, even drugs and vaccines can be used as remedies!

One of my favorite groups of remedies, however is the mother milks. Yes, I do mean mother milks as in plural, because not only do we have Lac Humanum (latin for “human milk”) and Lac Maternum (latin for “mother milk”), we have lots of milk remedies of all types of animals ranging from goats milk, to dogs milk, to lion’s milk (brave person that obtained that). Even plain old cows milk is a remedy!

The main theme of the milks has everything to do with the bond between mother and child, and nurture.

The main theme of the milks has everything to do with the bond between mother and child, and nurture. In many cases people that need one of the milks either have not bonded fully with their mother, or in an unhealthy way. Now you may think, “ah, so like with adoption or with abusive mothers?”. Well yes, but also much less severe looking cases!

Think for example about the baby who’s mother’s milk took a while to come in. Milk being a soother, the lack of milk may have caused the baby to not feel secure for a moment and not bond fully to mom. Because in order to become independent you first need to have bonded properly, this baby may grow up to be a very clingy toddler and nobody would have connected it to the lack of bonding in those initial days.

Here is another example. The teenager that is given too much responsibility taking care emotionally of mom during a divorce. If child/parent roles are reversed even in the smallest way, it can affect the extent to which the teenager grows up to be a balanced adult. Even an unwanted pregnancy or a scary birth can cause bonding between mother and baby to be partial or out of balance.

Even an unwanted pregnancy or a scary birth can cause bonding between mother and baby to be partial or out of balance.

In my day to day work as a homeopath I don’t tend to have patients that just walk into the consultation and share their bonding troubles with their mom. More than often they are actually unaware of the partial or unhealthy bonding with their mother. Most of the women even love their mothers very much!

So how do I know if someone needs a milk remedy? It is usually their symptoms that point me in that direction. Here are a few examples that make me wonder about a milk remedy for patients:

• Breast issues ranging from soreness before menstruation to inflammations to breast tumors
• Milk allergies or strong dairy aversions
• Milk not coming after giving birth
• Difficulty conceiving or recurring miscarriages
• History of being bullied or abused (not necessarily by mom!)
• Strong sense to nurture everyone around them except for themselves; eg women that make it their profession to care for children or fight for their rights etc.

I bet that you either are one of these women or you know at least one!

Most of these women will benefit from Lac Humanum (remedy from milk of one mother) or Lac Maternum (milk from several mothers) but sometimes the milk of a particular animal is better indicated.

Women that have the typical milk remedy symptoms and characteristics but especially love their freedom and independence and can get a little snappy for example, may do well on cat’s milk (Lac Felinum).

Others that are particularly responsible, controlled, dignified and prideful may do better on lion’s milk (Lac Leoninum).

Those that are particularly responsible, controlled, dignified and prideful may do better on lion’s milk

Women that have suffered from abuse, feel worthless and tend to be very servile may be in need of dog’s milk (Lac Caninum). Especially when a woman calls themselves a “bitch” or that other women are “bitchy” or “bitches”, I will definitely consider Lac Caninum! See how even someone’s language could point towards a remedy?

Here is my favorite: Lac Equis (horse). Horse milk has something about being broken and/or blocked, wanting to break free and run. Horses you see, are “broken” (not really though, just a term!) when they are trained to be ridden. Horses in the wild are free and can run anywhere they want, but when owned by humans are fenced in. Every now and then I need this remedy myself when I feel like I get tangled up in emotional conversations and cannot communicate what I like and instinctively want to run from it. If I have been dreaming about horses in a particular period, I use that as a warning sign that I may need a good dose of it!

With all these examples, you are probably getting the pattern and can draw beautiful pictures yourself of the remedies as cow’s milk, wolves’ milk, or dolphin’s milk (still not sure myself how they got that last one?).

While reading this post you may recognize yourself and strongly feel that you need a milk remedy. I recommend for you to then have homeopath pick the right one for you to guide you through the healing process. If you are considering treatment, I would love to speak to you.

Two of the milk remedies I can however recommend wholeheartedly as acute remedies for you to try at home.

1. Lac Caninum

In a 30c Lac Caninum can be a life saver when you have glandular issues that won’t go away after trying every remedy in your home kit. If your complaint is a recurring one and comes up after an emotional upset or not expressing yourself, and especially if the glands in your throat and neck feel better for warm drinks, this may be your remedy!

2. Lac Defloratum

The other great acute milk remedy is for when your milk has not come in when trying to nurse, or if you are producing very little: Lac Defloratum, or cow’s milk. One of my patients once had only 20ml per feeding available for her 4 day old baby but after taking Lac Defloratum 30c only once, that amount shot up to 80ml that same afternoon!
If for some reason lac Defloratum does not do the trick, try Urtica Urens in 6c.