Get Home Apothecary with Angie Goodloe MP3 course Free!

I am in the process of moving my 2 blogs to one website. I don't want anyone to miss out. In the meantime I want to post all of my herbal events (herb walks, articles, news) on my facebook fan page. There is only one problem. For some reason I have an easier time getting people on my personal page and no one knows about my fan page! To inspire people to move over to the fan page I wanted to offer a free gift! If you are already a fan- you will be receiving access to the course as well on April 26th:)

Become a fan on my facebook page (via the 'like' button) between now and April 25th and I will hook you up with the Home Apothecary course on April 26th! http://www.facebook.com/AngieGoodloe

The Home Apothecary MP3 audio is nearly 3 hours of instruction! All you need to do if you are interested in the Home Apothecary lesson is sign up at my fan page before the deadline of April 25th- and on April 26th I will send everyone on my fan page information on how to access the course.

If you missed it the first time, you can check out the entire course HERE I am not sure if John will ever offer this course again, so grab this portion while you can!

Join my fan page and get the course on April 26th!

Here is a summary of the Home Apothecary lesson:

Tips for integrating herbal medicine into the home

Administering herbs to kids

Great "kid herbs" to have in your apothecary

The best books and resources

Contraindications

Suggested dosage for children

Tips for the busy parent

Remedies covered include....

Tinctures

Freezing fresh herbs in ice cube trays

Herbal pops

Honey

Syrups and elixirs

Powders and making "candy" or "tablets"

Puddings and thick drinks

Tea blends

Infusions

Decoctions

Herbal Baths

Vapors and steams

Poultices

Compresses

Salves and infused oils

A 2 part lesson nearly 3 hours long!

Easy Bath herbs

I love baths! Ever since I can remember, if things were not going my way I would escape into the bathtub, I would stay there until I was a complete raisin! My mom used to call me a 'water baby' because I loved the water so much. Some of my best insights have 'came to me' while I was having a nice soak in the tub. Many times too, I would leave the tub with my problems going down the drain... literally.

When a friend or client is stressed I ask them if they can work in a bath (preferably with herbs!) I often tell moms with older kids, tell your kids "no interruptions unless it is an emergency" (a real one, like someone is bleeding or there is a fire) ignore all the door pounding, the 'mom can you ____" and the occasional screams- we are talking 40 minutes tops- what could happen (wink). As far as moms with babies- jump in as soon as the nap starts- if you are lucky you can get a 20 minute bath in!

You are actually bathing in a giant cup of tea- it is divine!

Just one more way to learn about and connect to the plants.

I am a little sore lately. I am not sure if I discussed this before, but topical herbal remedies can be just as effective as internal - or even better use them together!

Throw some herbs in a sock, tie the top to the faucet and let the bath water run through, when the bath is done running, let the herbs float in the tub (make sure the top is tied, you don't want a lot of loose herbs clogging the drain), or use the herb filled sock as a bath scrub!

I love, love, love to drink herbal tea (like chamomile- or other relaxing herbs ) and simultaneously use them in my bath!

It is especially nice this time of year when it is chilly- and muscles ache from either inactivity or jumping into a new exercise routine (I am talking to you New Years resolution folks!)

You can use the same herbs you would use for teas.. or even better, if you are clearing out your shelves getting ready for the spring harvest, you can use those herbs that are not quite as strong as you would like for your bath instead of composting them!

I like relaxing herbs most of the time, but you can also use stimulating herbs in the morning (Rosemary is nice for this). This is a great jump start to the day!

I just started practicing yoga, and I found a rosemary bath right after is an awesome way to move forward with my day!

So try it!

Get creative!

I like mints, comfrey, Valerian, hops, lavender, calendula, oats- just off the top of my head.

Let me know what you think:)

Amazing Art By Jesse Wolf Hardin! Updates

Notice the beautiful new header! Thank you so much Wolf for the awesome portrait of me, my daughter Ella; Strong, Fiery, Deliberate, Wild pony! and my son Wyatt; Gentle, Smart, Happy, Spunky cub!

Now would also be the perfect time to mention that Anima is offering some great new correspondence courses- check out their offerings here!

In other news, look for more blog posts, updates on the herbal list, and a new course especially for Moms after the first of the year! The new course I am working on will be all about mothering; balance in the home, self care, inner work and setting the example (and herbal remedies!).

In the meantime Ella's 3rd Birthday is coming up on the 21st! We will be having a small celebration at our home. I have been working on needle felting some handmade gifts of some of Ella's favorite animals, and Tony is working on a wood handmade play kitchen and play stand!

Then the holidays are right around the corner!

Blessings everyone!

Growing plants that attract wildlife

Check out my article in the July issue of American College Of Health Science newsletter!

Find it on page 4 How to help children discover the wonders of nature: Growing plants that attract wildlife

Recent photos~ growing like weeds!

Herbal Medicine Chest for busy moms- Happy Mother's day!

Check out my post over at the American College Of Herbal Studies!
It was a pleasure being a guest blogger! Enjoy Herbal Medicine Chest for Busy Moms

My home on earth day-

zig zag road

The Sandy River
The park we often walk to from our house
My home on Earth Day. Me and the kids at my favorite coffee shop Mountain Moka

The kids and I just got back from our morning outing - thought I would share some pictures.

New Blog for Green Mamas! Authentic Mama

Here is the blog Authentic Mama

I finally started a blog on my own server
It is just for moms it is called Authentic Mama


Don't worry I am still going to be blogging about herbs on this blog.

Just wanted to share just in case some of you green mamas are interested!

The Kids - Survived the 'Arctic Blast'

Here are some recent shots of the kids- the above shot was taken after the 'Arctic Blast' that made it impossible to get out of our street for 5 days (no snow plow- 3 ft of snow on the street) Of course I ordered a camera and it could not be delivered due to the snow storm so I was unable to get any really good shots of the deep snow:(

Preserving the harvest - First Foods For Baby

I will be spending most of the day steaming, freezing and food processing fruit and vegetables from my Dad's garden. Not only will they be handy to grab out of the freezer for dinner dishes and sauces this winter, a lot of the vegetables will be used for Wyatt's baby food.
Wyatt won't be ready to eat baby food for a few more months, but when he is, it will be nice to know exactly were his food came from and that it is free from pesticides and additives. I don't feed the kids anything I would not eat myself ( such as pre canned baby food) It really is not that hard to make your own food from local sources, all it takes is a little planning ahead.

Getting Started

Buy your food from local farms, grow your own, or buy organic.

If you are processing large amounts of food and want it pureed to freeze for later (to add to sauces and for baby food), you may want to use a food processor. However, you really don't NEED all the fancy equipment especially in the beginning when baby is only eating one teaspoon of food at a time - all these foods can be mashed by hand with a fork- baby food only needs to be pureed for about 6 months- you can get inventive without all the machinery:) The food processor is handy if you are busy and want to plan ahead, it is all a matter of personal preference.

Steaming

If you are going to be steaming lots of vegetables in one day, make sure you change the water or the bitterness from the water will leach into the next batch of veggies you are cooking.

Steam food such a broccoli and squash for about 5 to 7 minutes before freezing or pureeing.

Roasting

Butternut Squash can be cut in half and roasted in the oven on a cookie sheet at 400 for about 45 minutes. When they are done roasting you can either puree them for baby or put a little butter and cinnamon on them and eat them yourself - Yummm!

I like to puree foods such as avocado and banana right on the spot- these fruits are so soft it can be done by hand with a fork on a cutting board -these are great first food by the way:).

Fruit can be frozen or pureed fresh.


Tips: Feeding babies first foods

Know the foods that are common allergens!

Good First Foods

From http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/allergy.htm

Many commercial baby foods as well as foods targeted to babies and toddlers contain allergenic ingredients!

If your baby has a food allergy or your family has a serious history of food allergies - read the labels when purchasing commercial baby food!

A few examples:

• Cheerios (wheat, soy protein)
• Instant Infant Cereals (soy)
• Stage "2", "3" and Toddler Meals (wheat, soy, casein (milk protein), albumin (egg)
• Gerber "Puffs" (wheat, soy)

Babies don't need anything added to breast milk or formula before 4-6 months so don't believe anyone who tells you to add rice cereal to milk to "hold them over".



Below is an excerpt from the article In the Kitchen With Baby by Cythia Lair

"Have you checked out the taste and texture of commercial baby cereal? Pour some commercial rice cereal in a bowl. It has no smell. The taste is the very definition of bland. The cereal is made from refined rice that has been processed and precooked. Refined grains have nothing to offer but carbohydrates. Whole grains, on the other hand, contain not only carbohydrates but also protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, essential minerals, and life. The germ is still intact. If you put a whole grain in water, it sprouts. If you put commercial baby cereal in water, it makes paste. Why train your baby to want this? By pre-toasting organic whole grains, grinding them in a small electric grinder, and cooking the grains with water, you can create a fresh, delicious, nutrient-dense cereal with taste, texture, and aroma.

Commercial baby food is convenient, it’s true. But the price for this convenience is high. Besides paying companies to blenderize food and put it in jars, you also pay them to dilute the food with water and sometimes to add starchy fillers such as tapioca, rice flour, and modified cornstarch. Even the companies producing organic baby food sometimes use fillers. Such additives lower production costs and help mask off-flavors"

Here is Cythia's recipe for homemade whole grain baby cereal

When your baby does show signs he/she is ready for solid foods, introduce one food at a time for 3 or 4 straight days- that way if your baby does have food sensitivities they will be easy to spot.

If your baby does not act ready to eat solids stop for a few weeks and then try again later if the baby seems ready- no rush.

Use local and organic foods- or grow your own (of course without pesticides)

Begin with a small amount of food (only about a teaspoon) once a day- when you are introducing first foods you can mix your pureed food with breast milk so the taste is more familiar to baby.

After several weeks of successfully eating your baby can then graduate to organic healthy protein such as organic plain yogurt, egg yolks (whites can be a common allergen so start with the yolks), organic butter, and homemade soup stock.

Talk to your baby, model for your baby (tasting the food yourself) and have fun!!!

Resource Cythia Lair

Lemon Balm & Milky Oats postpartum

Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis was one of the plants I had in my garden this year. Because of being so far along in my pregnancy, and my back problems acting up, I was not able to really go crazy with planting herbs in the garden this year. I did however have some lemon balm growing out there amidst the lovely weeds. I went ahead and tinctured up some fresh lemon balm 95% alcohol 1:2.
I was smart enough to order some milky oats ahead from jim mcdonald (he makes the ~best~!) so I would have them at the ready after Wyatt was born. Milky oats has been great for me, it has helped support me through my tendancy to go go go which can lead to burnout. Wonderfully mellow and soothing- I love it!
I have found the combination of milky oats and lemon balm have been an excellent ally for me postpartum. Although milky oats is great as a simple, adding the lemon balm really made a difference for me this time around. I like to use less of the lemon balm 2-5 drops, and a little more of the milky oats- about 10-15 drops - 3 to 5 times a day.
This particular batch of lemon balm turned out to be extra spicy (which I love), and the cooling aspect goes well with my constitution. While relaxing, it isn't so much so that I feel tired and want to sleep all day. It really helped me to balance (it gives me that just right feeling) I feel relaxed enough that I can carry on my everyday tasks without feeling overwhelmed, yet still have the energy I need to take care of my newborn and toddler. I also have a tendancy to over-think things a bit, especially being a new mom. I have found this to help my brain to relax enough to focus. I also am the type to take on too much, feel overwhelmed and sometimes get snappy and angry (before even realizing that I have overdone it- fully believing that I can take on ~everything~ no problem). After all, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with a newborn and a toddler- and everything that comes with it. At night if I am really over thinking things and can't sleep (which is another thing I tend to do, causing insomnia), I like to add a little skullcap to the blend as well.
You can read more about postpartum herbs here

35 weeks pregnant not far to go......

Hello all! My posts will not be frequent here in the next few months. Getting close to the end of my pregnancy. Plan on enjoying the time with Tony, Ella and the new baby, It goes by so fast!

The pregnancy has gone very well. I have the usual heart burn, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, some back pain from an old injury & ligament pain. Other than that, no high risk signs, the baby moves frequently and seems like he is big for 35 weeks. I have had more than one comment "are you sure you are not pregnant with twins?" I am all belly, bigger than I was with Ella. I have had frequent Braxton Hicks contractions, especially after a lot of walking or other activity. A few nights back I had contractions every 5 to 7 minutes for about 4 hours. They are uncomfortable but do not increase in intensity- just a steady tightening and pelvic pain similar to menstrual cramping.

The peach twig tincture Kiva sent is working wonders for the heart burn. I found it is also very soothing, if I am supposed to have mood swings now, I haven't had any.

Enjoying nourishing myself with good food, herbal infusions and teas. Small frequent meals seem to work best for me right now since there is not a lot of room in there.

I am enjoying resting when I can. Ella is a hand full but likes to take at least one nap during the day.


Right now I am without a camera. We are planning on buying another soon. A real bummer because I have been on a few outings where I could have taken some really good plant pictures. Large leaved Avens is in bloom up here right now.

I will keep you all posted on my progress.

Secrets Talking With Flowers

My Grandma Johnson taught me wonderful lessons and traditions. She loved to write poetry. Grandma would make me handmade books of poems with cut out pictures. I can still feel the love, time & intention she put into these books when I pick them up to re-read them once again. She sent me many cards and letters, they always seemed to arrive just at the right time & and she always knew exactly what to say. Grandma had wonderful healing medicine. There is something about having hand written letters and poems, people don't handwrite letters much anymore. The internet, text messaging and phones in this busy life have shifted priorities. I feel blessed to still have these letters and poems. I just ran across this one today as my Mom and I were cleaning out one of our dusty old bins from storage. Grandma wrote this poem in 1980.

Secrets

When I was young and my brothers worked
I played alone, you see
And often times pretended that,
The flowers could talk with me

The daisies with their faces bright
As yellow as the sun,
Always kept their secrets
and would never tell a one.

The violets would shyly whisper
My lover would be true blue,
Then hide their little faces
In leaves all wet with dew.

The roses were as bold as brass
Their heads a flaming red;
And many a secret we exchanged
Before it was time for bed.

But if I wrote them here, for all to see
A secret no longer they would be;
So its much more fun to keep them hidden
and locked away
In the golden memories of yesterday-

Copy write Sally Leslie Johnson 1980

Celebrate National Wildlife Week with your family!

National Wildlife Week april 19th-27

Green hour encourages parents to give their children a "green hour" each day. Time for unstructured play and interaction with the natural world. The green hour website has tons of ideas and inspirations to support families who want their children to connect with the earth. Check it out!

This years theme is get outdoors! This week you and your kids should watch and record the wildlife you see. (You can download a watch list that has flora and fauna local to you! And if you're in need of a thorough wildlife resource be sure to check out enature.com.)
Meet outdoors and share your stories with others!

Here are some great sites for wildlife ID/ getting outdoors for parents and kids

Wildflowers

Bugs

Urban Birds

Kids Gardening

Looking for Green minded holistic child care? Check out Holistic Nanny
Enjoy!

Baby Wipes Solution, Oil, Salve- Make your own

Baby Wipes Solution
You can make your own baby wipes solution! I use a strong tea or infusion & add some herbal oil to distilled water. There are a lot of herbs that are good for your babies skin, you can use chickweed (picture above growing right now in early spring!), chamomile, comfrey, calendula, and many others. Plantain & chickweed are common weeds found here in the pacific Northwest, I am using this infusion for my babies wipe water right now because I have a lot of the herb on hand, when my calendula blooms I will be using that as well. I also add some oil to the solution (about 1/8 cup to a few cups distilled water/ infusion), almond oil, sesame or olive oil can be used, if you want to get real fancy you can even add a little vitamin E & /or jojoba oil. Some people like to add a little vinegar, a few drops of essential oil, and/or baby soap. I don't use the soap or essential oil because my daughter has sensitive skin and I do not want the residue or irritation.

After you make your solution you can store a few wipes in the solution, beware they could mold if you keep to many in wipe water for too long. You can use a squirter bottle or spray bottle with your solution in it, spray on each dry wipe as needed, this will prevent your wipes from turning moldy. The solution should last at least a few days.

Herbal Oils
You can make your own infused oil and add this to your distilled wipe water. One way to make your oil is to determine the herbs you want to use. You can simply loosely fill a mason jar with your herbs and cover with the oil/s. Store a room temp out of direct sunlight for 1 or 2 weeks. (Be aware that more delicate plants like chickweed can spoil faster than other herbs) Strain your herbs and store in a cool dark place, most will keep for at least a year, if they start smelling funky it means they are rancid, discard and make a new batch. Another alternative is to use a crock pot or double boiler (this is especially good for roots), infuse your herbs for a few hours (or longer) on medium heat, if you are using a double boiler make sure the water on the bottom does not evaporate while you are infusing your herbs.

What to use for Cloth wipes?
I take recycling one step further, for my wipes instead of buying the baby wash cloths or purchasing other types of cloth wipes I use some old sweat pants that were thin (softer than the wash cloths!) One pair of sweats cut up equal quite a few good sized wipes! You can also use older cloth diapers cut into smaller squares. Some suggest using paper towels, I am trying to cut back on waist, help the environment & as an added bonus- save money- so I use cloth. I discard my wipes in the same bucket as the cloth diapers and wash them all in the same load.

Powder
Although not a local herb, I received some arrowroot powder from a friend. Sometimes it is nice to trade and barter! I have been using this occasionally on Ella's bum and it has been working nicely. I have been looking up some other powders and see that some add a little white clay, other powders and essential oils, I have not tried this on Ella because I avoid the oils. Here are some alternative recipes. Avoid Talc based powders! It is good to apply the powder to a "power puff" first before applying to babies bum vrs just sprinkling out from the container, so the powder does not get into the air for the baby to inhale.

About Creams / Salves and Cloth Diapers.
You may have heard about some studies suggesting that the additives in some baby soaps/ creams etc may be unhealthy for your baby. Why not make your own!
You really don't want to use any cream or salve that has a fish oil base such as A&E or Desitin when using cloth diapers. You will get this fishy smell that you will never get out of your diapers! Of course you can make your own salve with the oils I mention above, just add a little beez wax to thicken over heat, here is a video that will walk you through the process.

Diaper rash issues?
Here is a good link on learning herbs
Another solution, let your baby go naked! Ella loves it, she runs around like a wild child! Good for infants too, provided they are warm enough of course. It works for some to keep a thick layer of salve on and frequently change (especially change poopy pants right away!) Also consider food sensitivities, dairy, wheat, citrus, soy, even garlic are common causes. Mom's make sure you are aware that the food you eat will pass through the breast milk, really read labels if you are eating preserved food, eliminate the above mentioned food that may be causing a reaction from your diet. If you are formula feeding you may want to consider a different formula if your child has frequent rashes. More on food sensitivities. If you are using disposable diapers, some babies are sensitive to the chemicals in some commercial brands, 7th generation makes a safer disposable. Be aware of the detergents you are using; additives can cause rashes. Also, if you are making your own &/ or buying baby salve with additives or essential oils, this residue can stay on your cloth diapers even after washing, this could cause a reaction.

DHA/ARA oils in infant formula reactions/ sensitivities

Many parents may see DHA and ARA on labels for infant formula and immediately think this is the best choice for their child.

The National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (NABA) contributed to a report written by The Cornucopia Institute on the novel oils DHA and ARA in infant formula. These oils appear to be marketing tools to tell mothers that formula is now "as close as ever to breast milk." These lab-produced, hexane-extracted algal and fungal oils have been linked to diarrhea, vomiting and other adverse reactions in some infants, but the formula companies are not sharing the possibility of side effects with parents. Some infants have suffered through months of diarrhea because their parents did not know that a simple switch to non-DHA/ARA formula would, in many cases, relieve symptoms within a day.

Below is a link to the full report.

A quick scan of the highlighted quotes and photo captions will give you a sense of the report's contents although I do encourage you to take the time to read it in its entirety. The report is available for free download at http://cornucopia.org/index.php/replacing-mother-infant-formula-report/

Reference: This is an excerpt from a message from Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC

she would like your help in finding infants and their parents, and inviting them to share their stories. If you know anyone who has been impacted, please ask them to email their story, in confidence, to The Cornucopia Institute, at cultivate@cornucopia.org.

Must have herbs for Postpartum

Sometimes holistic practitioners are so busy taking care of others they forget to take care of themselves. I am often guilty of this. My first pregnancy I really was not prepared for postpartum. It was all about the baby, I remember the first few nights I could not even sleep because I was busy watching her, occasionally putting my head on her chest to make sure she was still breathing. Nursing was every few hours, I was lucky if I had time to eat the right foods. Of course I was not prepared with any help, we were short on cash so Tony was working a few 24 hour shifts along with his normal 40 hour a week work schedule the first few weeks Ella was home. It was blissful just being with Ella, all I could think about was this little miracle that was my new companion. To be honest, I don't know what kind of fuel I was running on, maybe pure happiness, but it did eventually catch up with me. I ended up playing catch up and contacting some of my trusted herbal friends for advise when I was on the verge of burnout. jim mcdonald saved me with his milky oats tincture when I could not find any to order to make my own tincture (as if I could wait the 2 weeks!)- I was not prepared. I was even out of my trusted pregnancy bulk tea blend. Immediately, once I realized what was happening I started nourishing my depleted body. Hopefully this little list will help others have a few things on hand ahead of time. Besides the advise to take care of yourself spiritually, mentally, and physically, eat right, get enough rest, make sure you have adequate minerals, take time out for you, get family support, here are some herbs that you should think about having on had for your postpartum journey.

Nutritive Herbs
Milky Oats- Milky oats helped me tremendously postpartum. It gave me instant relief right when I was on the verge of burn out & exhaustion, not thinking clearly, moody, and just plain DONE. Milky oats are nourishing for the nervous system and can be taken over a long period of time. I noticed the effects immediately, feeling revived and rejuvenated, I wondered how I was functioning without it for so long!
Alfalfa- Alfalfa is packed with nutrients, it is one of the ingredients I use for my "pregnancy tea" which can continue to be consumed after the birth of your baby.
Gotu Kola- Commonly used in Ayruvedic medicine, combined in a formula with other nervines, it reduces nervous exhaustion while at the same time promoting mental clarity. Another benefit of Gotu Kola is that it is a connective tissue tonic, it is excellent to include in formulas to restore uterine and ligament tone.
Nettle- One of the best nutritive herbs, it is also included in the pregnancy tea blend. This herb can be used daily. This is a great herb to use to revive if you are feeling overall drained. Kiva talks about using the seeds for as well for adrenal exhaustion, something a lot of mom's may experience postpartum when they have too many things on their plate and don't take the time to take care of themselves. Packed with trace minerals and vitamins, it is one of the most useful herbs.
Red Raspberry- Another herb in the pregnancy tea blend, this herb is useful to use all through your pregnancy and postpartum. This is generally nutritive, helps to tonify the uterus, and blends great with other herbs in teas and infusions.
Rose Hips- Another great herb to add to your pregnancy tea and continue with postpartum. They are a great source of vitamin C and tastes great too!

Nervines
Milky oats (see above)
Catnip- This herb will come in handy for both momma and baby. Not only does it have a gentle relaxing effect, it will reduce colic in your baby both through the breast milk, used alone as a tea, or used in a "gripe water" formula. Catnip in a tea along with slippery elm, chamomile, fennel, and infant massage helped Ella with her colic symptoms tremendously.
Chamomile- Another great herb for both momma and baby, it is not only relaxing it is a natural antiinflammatory, and good for nervous tummies. So when your baby begins teething (before you know it!) chamomile is and excellent herb to have on hand to both relax you & your baby, and help with local inflammation of the gums of your baby. I like chamomile combined with lavender as a tea for relaxation for me (more than a few cups of lavender can be drying to some people however)
Lavender- Gentle and relaxing to the nervous system, it is good for insomnia, as well as milk production & the let down reflex, combined with other herbs such as chamomile, fennel, catnip.
Passionflower- I like this combined with other nervines in a night time tea, excellent for relaxation.
Lemon Balm- I like lemon balm combined with other herbs in a tea, gives a general over all good feeling:) I love the flavor. Calming effects will pass to your infant through the breast milk.
Motherwort- This herb is bitter, great for anxiety. I like this herb in tincture form. A uterine tonic, it will help with postpartum cramping & after pains as well.
Skullcap/ Blisswort- Here is another great herb that I wished I had had immediately postpartum, a few months ago I traded with Kiva Rose and was lucky enough to get some that she made and it is wonderful! I tend to over think things and loose sleep because I am on edge or excited, this herb really helps with this. For the mom's with so much on their mind, new changes, over stimulation, a touch of the blues, exhaustion from lack of rest, I think this herb is one of the most valuable. It will nourish & restore your nervous system Kiva has a great post that describes the wonderful attributes of this herb.
Vervain- This herb will help when you are irritable and on the verge of the angry "I've had it and I just might loose it" cry. Great to combine with the skullcap and or milky oats in tincture form. Good for the emotional mood swings of PMS when your moon starts again too. Safe to take over long periods of time.

Galactagogues
Blessed Thistle- Great to take in the first few weeks, it will help with uterine bleeding and mild irritability. It also will help with milk production. It's bitter, it is good to take in tincture form. Good bitter for sluggish digestion as well.
Dandelion- Another herb to be included in the pregnancy tea- great to take all through the pregnancy and postpartum. The leaf can be eaten in salads, stir fry, the root roasted can be used as a coffee substitute and the dried root can be added to your tea blends. Very nutritive. If you are constipated you can use as a tincture.
Fennel- Fennel tastes great, is good for digestion, and is good for milk production.
Fenugreek- Can be taken as a tincture or tea, a classic herb used for milk production.
Nettle (see above)
Vervain (see above)

Shakes, chills, sweats after birth
Aviva Romm recommends Ginger tea (fresh grated root) steep 15 minutes -with
2t-1 teaspoon each of Panax Ginseng and dried licorice root added (steep 15 minutes before adding to the ginger tea). Sip warm 2 cups daily.This is a tonifying blend good for chills and sweats.

Cinnamon tea 1/2 teaspoon powder to 1 cup water, sweeten with honey and add milk if desired.
1/2 to 1 cup per day.



You may have vaginal irritation, tears or discomfort from hemorrhoids right after birth.
Have some sea salt and herbs such as witch hazel, calendula, myrrh, lavender, yarrow, sage and rosemary to blend an infusion for a sitz bath- You can use a peri- rinse with the strained tea of your choice (plastic squeeze bottle) or an herbal tea compress (a warm wash rag with the tea) for any discomfort as well.

Have a good massage oil, have your partner give you a rub down( the Kava Kava massage oil would be great! )

Resource: Natural Health after Birth Aviva Jill Romm 2002

The gift of emotions and pregnancy hormone changes

Often in the US people view emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety and other mood swings as weaknesses. I now view this time of changing emotions during pregnancy as a gift. In my first pregnancy with Ella I was hit with these emotional ups and downs, it took me a while to really recognize the meaning of it all. At first I felt guilty for "acting like a crazy hormonal b#%*#" and really found myself apologizing to others for my "bad" behavior. Things from my childhood raised their ugly head, things I had forgotten- buried emotions burst to the surface and some days I would just cry. This happened only a few times before I realized, hey I need to listen to the message here! In the process of my pregnancy new boundaries were set with family members and friends that should have been done long before the pregnancy. People in my life that I "tolerated" before all of a sudden it was not a priority to have them a part of our lives. Like everyone else I have friends, family and acquaintances that have major problems, however they do not cross the line and bring it into our home and I do not become a part of it. I realized that everything that has happened to me throughout my childhood was a lesson~ I could do things differently as a mother. There was a time of deep sadness where I wondered how some of the things that happened to me as a child and a young woman could have happened, then I realized they did the best they could with the knowledge they had. I realized that I had learned from those experiences & I could do better! I learned to listen to my body even better than I had before. My empathy for others was increased when I felt the miracle of motherhood. All of this was such a gift, learning to view these subtle changes in my own emotions made me be a better mother and wife after Ella was born. Learning to be more in touch with my own emotions helped me to recognize subtle changes in Ella's emotions as an infant. This helped my marriage as well, 'nipping things in the bud' early on and talking about them helped to take care of frustrations before they got too out of hand resulting in an angry screaming blow out.
Now I am in the 14th week of my second pregnancy. I rest when I want to. I took a break from work & studies & I returns calls when I feel like it. Others think this is highly unusual for me, usually I tend to go full speed toward any goal, work, or project, ignore burnout and keep going, but hey- for once I am taking my own advise and listening to my body. I ask for help when I need it and take warm baths. The swinging emotions are back but not quite as strong because a lot of the BS from the past that needed to be resolved was dealt with during the last pregnancy. When problems do arise I deal with them to the best of my ability, however I have no problem with drawing the line. I have been taking time to really reflect, listen to my body and my baby, learn from the beautiful lessons of motherhood. New fears have came up with this pregnancy such as will I be a good mother of 2? How will Ella react? I have been journaling about this and really trying to reflect for the answers, and part of me knows that the answers will come as time passes and I will do just fine. Instead of feeling guilty about the intense feelings I have been experiencing, I let myself experience them, learn what I can and move on. I realize that not everyone is going to be in my "mode" and they may judge- I say let them think what they want, change is never comfortable for most people.
I also try to listen to my body in other ways as well and realize some of the symptoms I have may be due to lack of rest, diet deficiencies or food sensitivities. I have also been experiencing herbs in a new way with new symptoms & experiences in this second pregnancy. I am learning so much in this entire process and I feel so blessed!

Pregnancy Tea and getting back in the swing of things

Well as you can see it has been a while since my last post. Don't worry, I am beginning to get back in the swing of things. I decided to take a break from the computer, now tackling my literally hundreds of emails on my return. You see I have not been feeling well, nausea, head aches, exhausted, crampy.......anyway we are expecting again! I am enjoying my Pregnancy tea Rose hips, Dandelion root, Raspberry leaf, nettles, spearmint, oats, and Alfalfa. I have a history of high risk/ early miscarriage and complications. I also made a tincture of False Unicorn, wild yam, partridge berry and a little cramp bark- I have a separate cramp bark and wild yam tincture I take when I feel the cramping coming on. I am also taking my pre natal, extra calcium magnesium, vit D, and fish oil, my diet is great - ironically I am craving steamed vegetables, soups & salads, not anything weird like ice cream or pickles. My husband insists I go the high tech hospital way at least until the the pregnancy has been shown to be "normal" and not high risk~ at that time I would like to switch to a midwife and try water birth if possible. We had an early scare because they did not see anything on the first ultra sound, the fear was an ecotopic pregnancy may be possible because of my past history. That was ruled out however when 2 days later a gestational sac was there and normal HCG level increases. I go back next week to confirm normal development has continued. The whole thing has taken an emotional tole coupled with exhaustion, and trying to talk myself out of fear of the past repeating itself. Going the high tech way also has a rigid, cold feel about it that I don't particularity like, although I do really like my Doctor, she does take the time to talk with me, is very understanding and warm, and is not anti herbal remedies.
Look forward to some new posts in the next few days including Kiva's blog party (late sorry about that)

Blog Party - What plant got me started in all this?

Wow, plants mean so many different things to me I cannot pinpoint one that got me started. Plants have been my ally in so many ways. My stinging nettle post is a good example, as well as my musings about going and collecting plants with my family. I remember as a child when things first started to get really stressful in my home with my family, my mom would bring me chamomile tea at night to sooth my nervous stomach and help me sleep, I used to call it "pee tea" because of it's yellow color (give me a break I was only about 5 lol) This gave me comfort, even if it was only for a little while. Behind my house was a woods where I would spend hours getting to know the plants and eating wild foods. When I was around 8 the book The Clan Of the Cave Bear came out by Jean M Auel (you can read about some of the herbs used in the book here), this book is what really got me more interested in herbs for healing purposes, and I knew this is what I wanted to do. Herbs were used in my family, but sometimes things are taken for granted, and this book really helped me put it all together, got me excited about herbs and healing. I could relate to the book because Ayla the main character, was a strong girl and an outsider that others did not understand. The medicine woman took her under her wing to spite what the others in the clan thought, this very much reminded me of my own life and my Grandmother. I had a lot of problems and dysfunction in my immediate family, I was lucky to have my Grandmother to go to for support & healing. My Grandmother was spiritual, loved to cook, garden, quilt, sew, write poetry and tell stories around the table. She was born in 1905 up in the mountains of Arkansas, she attended school in a one room school house, she lived miles away from any hospital or paved road, there were no doctors, the doctors were the "granny women" ( this is what they called women home herbalists/midwives in Arkansas) . This was a simple time when people still used horse and buggy to get around, used herbs for medicine, & the houses had no electricity or indoor pluming. I used to love to hear her stories about her times in Arkansas. After she got married, she left Arkansas, her and my Grandpa traveled and worked the fields for a living with their children in tow, not only was a doctor financially impossible, but impractical (they lived in berry shacks temporarily as they traveled from crop to crop). She took the lessons she learned from her mother and the mountains of Arkansas and applied them to her own family. She had many children and grandchildren, she acted as the family "traveling nurse" (her education? Good old fashioned mountain medicine) she would be there to assist anyone after surgery or childbirth( she herself gave birth to 10 children at home) She was the spiritual adviser, nurse, teacher and mother for the whole family. She would make me toys that she had sewn herself and her quilts still keep me warm at night. I remember standing on a stool in the kitchen helping her cook using fresh vegetables out of the garden, drinking tea, and helping her tend to her flower garden. She loved to write so we would often play word games. She would send me loving and inspiring hand written letters & poems that would always arrive just at the right time when I needed healing medicine~ I received countless letters, one I pulled out of the stack I have reads- Sept 9- 1985: " I don't get to see you nearly enough but I love you just the way you are and that is the way God loves us too. Stay sweet and be true to yourself" Great advice for someone entering the 8th grade in a new school. In my crazy teens, days would go by and I would not go see my Grandmother, when I did finally make it over, it was as if I never left, she welcomed me with open arms, an open ear, and something warm and soothing to eat and drink. She has a quiet strength about her that was her medicine she gave to me. I knew I was safe, loved and understood. She was the ultimate medicine woman. So I guess what I am trying to say is it was not only the plants that got me started in wanting to be a "medicine woman" it was my Grandmother. Her quite patience & wisdom, her practice of old ways instilled in me, taught me to take the time and see the plants & learn from them & her qualities as a healer showed me what medicine was really about. My Grandma had a lot of grandchildren and great grandchildren, she chose me to take under her wing and pass on this wonder domestic art, I plan to pass this on to my own daughter, and hopefully someday she in turn will pass it on as well.

Women healed the sick by ministering to their souls as well as their bodies. They mobilized patients’ hopes and restored their confidence; their role was psychological, spiritual, and physical. While none of their techniques could match the power of today’s antibiotics and other tools of modern medicine, domestic medicine was more effective than it has been given credit for. At a time when little else was available, women maintained the health of their families and neighbors with home remedies, prayer, ritual, and love. That was no small achievement.

Quoted from the above article http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/mowihsp/articles/Ozarks.htm :

View the blog party at Gaia's Gifts!