Susun Weed provides information on herbs to help heal and nourish mom AND babe!
NOURISHING, TONIC, AND ANTI-INFECTIVE HERBSSafe Use of Herbs After a Cesarean:
Water-based infusions provide optimum benefit and greatest safety
Capsules are most likely to cause ill-effects and odd reactions
Avoid poisonous forms of herbs such as essential oils
Use tinctures diluted to treat acute problems
Herbs move rapidly into breast milk (10-20 minutes)
Simple Nourishing Herbs for Mother and Child After a Cesarean:
1. Nourishing herbal infusions:
2. Benefits of nourishing herbal infusions after a cesarean:
Nettle increases breast milk and helps replace blood loss.
Oatstraw improves sleep and strengthens the nervous system.
Comfrey leaf helps incisions heal and helps prevent scarring.
Red clover improves breast milk production and brings hormonal sanity.
Linden soothes and heals mucus surfaces and incisions; prevents colds.
Tonic Herbs for Mother and Child After a Cesarean:
1. Water bases:
Raspberry leaf (Rubus ideaus) to tonify uterus.
Aromatic mints - rosemary, lavender, and lemon balm - for digestion.
Avoid sage (Salvia officinalis) if breast feeding.
2. Tincture bases:
Astragalus (A. membranaceous) strengthens immunity, prevents infection.
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) to ease after-birth pain and prevent post-partum depression.
Herbs That Can Counter Infection After a Cesarean:
Echinacea (Echinacea augustifolia) to increase macrophages; counter bacteria.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) against all gram-positive and -negative bacteria.
Usnea (U. barbarata) to counter deep infection.
Poke root (Phytolacca americana) - USE WITH CAUTION.
THE EMPOWERED WOMAN PROMOTES HER OWN HEALTHBenefits to Being Pro-Active in Healing After a Cesarean:
Quicker healing for mom.
Less scarring of the incision site.
Better bonding between mom and babe.
Deeper sleep for mom and babe.
Fewer problems with infection at incision site and fewer infections for baby.
Bringing It Home:
1. Making nourishing infusions:
One ounce stinging nettle, quart of boiling water; steep 4 hours - for energy.
One ounce oatstraw, quart of boiling water; steep 4 hours - for patience.
One ounce comfrey leaf, quart of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain; rebrew with two cups cold water, bring to a boil; steep 4 hours, strain - to improve chances of a VBAC with next child.
One ounce red clover blossom, quart of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain - to prepare for the next pregnancy.
One-half ounce linden flowers, quart of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain; rebrew with two cups cold water, bring to a boil; steep 4 hours, strain.
2. Additions to infusions:
Honey (Note: do not give honey to infants younger than 12 months.)
Milk
The Israeli Public Health Ministry recommends against soy beverage for children under the age of eighteen (18); it's not good for mom either.
Ice
Juice (Note: problems with fructose)
3. Sources for buying herbs and tinctures:
Listed in my books and website.
For Further Information:
Visit www.susunweed.com
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, Ash Tree Publishing, Susun Weed
Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081
Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.
