I cross referenced a few herbals on my bookshelf and I have not come across any of them saying that peppermint is an anti-galactagogue. I am not doubting that the person who made a comment on the blog read that about peppermint somewhere. I just was trying to double check on my end. All I can add is my direct experience with herbs and using them on my goats. I have used peppermint in teat sprays and udder oils for many years. I have never noticed it having any effect on milk supply/production. In the teat spray the peppermint is just one of the essential oils in the formula. Overall the goat is getting a very small dose of peppermint per spraying after milking only on the external teats. Now, I have used some very strong peppermint udder oils on goats that either had mastitis or a congested udder. In this case the carrier oil is infused with a good amount of peppermint essential oil and others such as eucalyptus. For the case of really treating an udder with mastitis, edema, or congestion, the peppermint is key. It truly helps cool things down and softens up the udder as well as performing as an antimicrobial. Even in these situations I have not observed a decrease in milk supply.

There are some herbs that immediately and significantly decrease a goats milk supply. These are some true anti-galactagogues: garden sage, goldenseal, too much tree bark and too many apples.

Thanks,
OmaLinda

Best information on this topic I’ve read all day. Thanks….

I had the incredible experience of going on a grand adventure this summer down the Tatshenshini river. The river trip was for 12 glorious days in SE Alaska. The Tat is a beautiful silt color as it is glacial melt AKA cold. The river banks are filled glacial views, chunks of ice, grizzly bears and alpine meadows.
The weather varied from hour to hour. And hot showers were no where in sight. At the beginning of the trip I figured at least every few days I would be able to get in a cold dip from a fresh water creek. Yeah, right! As the weather moved into the 50’s with fog and rain, my hopes of the clean cold dip were greatly diminishing. As my hopes were diminishing, my scent was increasing. I knew by day 9 that I was in trouble when I was having a hard time falling asleep in my tent related to my odor.
Here is where Essential Three and their amazing essential oils saved the day. I brought tea tree and lavender along with only the basics of packing. And they will definitely come with me on every camping/river trip from here on out. So if you find yourself in a smelly, wet, cold but amazing adventure, I recommend that you drop tea tree and lavender on a wet wipe and go to town. Also, I recommend dropping either or both on your pillow to help with the fragrance in your tent when the rain fly in on as well as dropping them onto your socks, boots, etc.

Thank-you E3,
Staci