Last week was World Breastfeeding week, so I want to discuss two important remedies that are to do with breastfeeding: Lac Humanum, and Lac Maternum.
Both of these remedies are made from human breastmilk, but there is one key difference. Lac Humanum was made from the breastmilk of one woman, and Lac Maternum from the breastmilk of 9 Women at different stages of their breastfeeding journeys, from day 3 to 10 months.
Lac Humanum has a theme about finding your place in the group, figuring out who you are and the ability to be assertive and have your needs as important as those of others.
Lac Maternum’s theme is more about your incarnation in this world, disconnection between spiritual and physical body and a confusion of the mind.
When we consider these two remedies and the breastmilk that they are sourced from, we can look at why the themes are different.
Breastmilk changes as a baby grows. As a newborn, it is colostrum for the first feeds, not milk. Colostrum is full of substances that support immunity including IgA, growth factors, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory cytokines. When the milk “comes in”, the components change, and some immune factors will decrease, while others will increase – this may be called transitional milk. The milk will change again around 4-6 weeks and then is considered mature. While after that the major components in human breastmilk won’t change, it is a dynamic substance that varies over the day, and even the time of the year. Breastfeeding is about much more than nutrition – immune support, comfort, and connection are all tangible benefits of breastfeeding.
When we consider that Lac Maternum is from 9 different points of this breastfeeding journey, we can understand how it is more than just finding yourself. As baby grows through the stages from birth to toddler, they are coming into this world, incarnating as a person and gaining a sense of themselves in comparison to the world around them. Lac Humanum, as a single point, (and probably from a breastfeeding mother of an older baby) instead has already come into the world and instead is learning about separation from Mum and that they are their own person.
Lac Humanum does have difficulty with feeling isolated or feeling accepted, and can be quite indifferent to what is around them. They feel lonely and may feel like they have not friends – but be averse to company.
Lac Maternum is more social and wanting company of others, while they can also have similar feelings of difficulty with their place in the group, it is less pronounced and they can be more tranquil or emotionally balanced.
Lac Humanum can also have issues with their self worth, and show a lack of confidence. This is followed with difficulty concentrating and brain fog, difficulty concentrating, and they may feel like all their senses are numb, they are spaced out and even their tongue doesn’t function right. Conversely Lac Maternum has heightened senses, they are sensitive to smells, dust, light and touch.
Another key point for Lac Humanum is irritability, particularly over a lack of mothering, and this may come on after the birth of their own child.
Both remedies can have energy fluctuations, either being more tired, or having more energy, and can be restless.
Lac Humanum has a wide variety of physical symptoms, with dull, pressing, pulsating or stitching headaches, tired, irritated eyes, clear runny nose, sneezing and nasal obstruction and blocked or painful eyes.
There can be most ulcers and cold sores, dry and tickling throats causing a cough. Lac Maternum can have a hammering, throbbing or pressing headache, dry eyes that are sensitive to light, and also have a stuffy or runny nose, and congestion up to the ears.
Lac Humanum have an increased appetite and particularly crave sweets, starchy foods and rich food, and be thirsty. They may also have nausea, heartburn, bloating and burp a lot. On the other hand, Lac Maternum is more likely to have a smaller appetite even with an increase in energy. They can also have nausea and be thirsty, but are more likely to crave stimulants, chocolate and coffee (although could also be averse to them). Lac Maternum may have bloating and cramping in the abdomen, but not the burping and heart burn of Lac Humanum.
There are many more symptoms listed for Lac Humanum, and while the Lac Maternum picture appears to be smaller there are plenty of crossovers. I have prescribed both remedies at different times, and consider them important remedies to have in my toolkit.
I do recommend reading more in a specific Lac Materia Medica if you need to compare the two, but do consider the difference in the themes, and whether it is a problem with figuring out how you relate to others (Lac Humanum), or whether it is more to do with being present and having more awareness of the world around (Lac Maternum).
Reference for this post is The Lacs: A Materia Medica and Repertory by Patricia Hatherly