Mothers taking fenugreek usually notice an increase in milk flow within 24-72 hours, though it should be noted that a daily amount of at least 3500mg is usually required to produce that effect. For some breastfeeding women it can take 2 weeks to see a change and if no improvement is seen even after that time an increased amount of fenugreek may be required.
Fennel's potential to aid in breastfeeding is due to its content of flavonoids and coumarins, which are groups of phytoestrogens, plant compounds which exert a balancing effect on female hormone levels. This action to benefit female hormonal balance has also made fennel a popular choice for breast enhancement formulations, and in European herbal tradition even taking fennel alone can encourage breast development. In any list of herbs for increasing a mother's milk or for promoting breast growth, it is likely that fennel will feature strongly.
Don Quai is used in traditional Chinese formulas. It has been proposed that Dong quai may contain "phytoestrogens" (chemicals with estrogen-like effects in the body). However, it remains unclear from laboratory studies if Dong quai has the same effects on the body as estrogens, blocks the activity of estrogens, or has no significant effect on estrogens. Dong quai (Angelica sinensis), also known as Chinese Angelica, has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicine. It remains one of the most popular plants in Chinese medicine, and is used primarily for health conditions in women. Dong quai has been called "female ginseng," based on its use for gynecologic disorders such as painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea) or pelvic pain, recovery from childbirth or illness, and fatigue/low vitality.
Female complaints such as infertility, menstrual cramps, poor lactation, breast tenderness related to breast feeding or menstruation and also to promote the growth of underdeveloped breasts, and to act generally as an anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, an expectorant for mucous membranes, particularly the bronchial passages, and as a general tonic to nourish the body.
Damiana contain alkaloids that have been subject of a variety of studies. Damiana may have the ability of affect progesterone detection which may explain claims that damiana supplementation can increase libido (importantly, many progesterone-binding extracts can have either a neutral or antagonistic effect instead of an agonistic effect). Damiana may help the increase of essential hormones to help breast enlargement.
For more than 2,000 years, the roots of this slow-growing plant have been valued in Chinese medicine. The two most commonly used species are Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer), which is mostly extinct in its natural range but is still cultivated. The ginsenosides that is present in the Panax species, which are believed to be active ingredients and have been studied scientifically. Several studies have examined the effects of ginseng (with or without multivitamins) on overall well-being in healthy and ill patients.
All these ingredients can be found alone or combined in many breast enlargement formulations. However, whether they will make a difference or not depends on their dosage as well.