Title: The Final Countdown and Postpartum
Categories: Info
Yield: 1 Text

The last few weeks before your due date are an excellent time to prepare your body for the actual birthing process. Do an inventory of your herbs and herbal remedies and stock anything you may need for birthing and immediately afterward. Along with herbal remedies and teas, it's nice to include in your "birthing kit" some of the herbs women have traditionally used in the birthing room. Sprigs of lavender, lemon balm, and rosemary have historically been used to bring courage to laboring women. Especially in a hospital birthing room, fresh herbs and bouquets of fresh flowers add light and vitality. I used to make mobiles of natural things ~-beautiful pieces of driftwood, shells, sprigs of dried herbs and flowers ~-to hang in the birthing room. It brought a touch of nature, beauty, and serenity to the sacred space of birth.

The herbs I recommend for labor and postnatal care are as follows:

BLUE COHOSH is used in prolonged labor to help bring on and/or stimulate contractions.

CHAMOMILE calms and relaxes a laboring woman.

COMFREY heals tears and injuries caused during birthing. It also strengthens muscles and tissue, and provides nutrients to rebuild the body. (For information on the comfrey controversy, see the entry for this herb in the Materia Medica.)

FENNEL SEED enriches and increases the flow of milk.

LADY'S MANTLE (the herb of the alchemist -- and what greater alchemy has just been performed?) restores life force and vitality following childbirth.

NETTLE enriches the flow of milk and restores energy and vitality.

PENNYROYAL LEAF is used in prolonged labor to help bring on and/or stimulate contractions.

RASPBERRY LEAF enriches milk flow, builds energy, restores muscle tone, and serves as an excellent overall strengthener.

SAGE decreases the flow of milk (could be necessary if infection or complications arise).

SHEPHERD'S PURSE arrests internal and external bleeding during childbirth.

SQUAW VINE (or partridge berry) restores vitality and strength following childbirth.

YARROW arrests internal and external bleeding during childbirth.

Please consult with your midwife and/or doctor before using any herb unless you are extremely familiar with its use. Remember that herbs are not just pretty plants, they are powerful drugs.

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