The Effect of Fenugreek Seed on the Signs of Breast Milk Sufficiency and Weight Gain in Infants at First Month after Birth

For optimized growth of infants, WHO has recommended that infants should be exclusively breastfed for six months and must be continued in added to complementary feeding for two years. Insufficient production of breast milk is one of the most reasons that terminate breastfeeding. We aimed to investigate the effect of fenugreek seed on signs of milk production sufficiency in female infants at the first months after birth, in medical health centers in Bojnourd. This research was a double-blind clinical trial with control group. Overall, 44 mothers and female infants were randomly assigned to experiment, group, treated with 6 gr fenugreek seed powder, three times a day with food and control group treated with placebo. At the birth and during 4 wk, the signs of breast milk sufficiency were evaluated through measurement of growth parameters and daily follow up forms measuring number if wet diapers, frequency of defecation and breastfeeding time. Before intervention, there was no significant difference between two groups. The weight of infants which their mothers were treated with fenugreek seed, increased significantly from 3248. 96±331. 32 to 4985. 87±1220. 10, head circumference increased from 34. 61± 1. 23 to 38. 85 ± 1. 86. Number of wet diapers from 5. 96 ± 1. 50 to 7. 97 ± 1. 2, frequency of defection from 1. 26 ± 1. 85 to 2. 41 ± 0. 85, breastfeeding time 1085 ± 2. 03 to 14. 86 ± 2. 03 which was significantly different with control group (P< 0. 001). Fenugreek seed improves the signs of breast milk feeding sufficiency in comparison with placebo.