The Doula Collective

Holistic

Postpartum Herbal Remedies

Herbal Methods for Depression:

• Lemon Balm leaves: Considered a specific for helping new mothers to cope with changing life situations that are difficult to adapt to and accept, such as the many unexpected changes a new baby brings to its parents. Melissa is a favorite for depression, melancholy, and hysteria. One or two cups of the tasty infusion, mellowed with milk and/or honey, every day for a week or two will be sufficient to aid postpartum blues.
  
  
  
• B Vitamins: Increase intake of foods rich in the B vitamins and iron, such as alfalfa, blackstrap molasses, brown rice, eggs, enriched whole-grain cereals, fish, green leafy vegetables, kidney beans, oats, poultry, soy products, and wheat germ. Inadequate iron intake causes anemia, which can make you feel tired, irritable, and unhappy.
  
  
  
• Blessed Thistle leaves: The intensely bitter Milk Thistle has a wide reputation for alleviating many postpartum problems, including severe depression. Use a cup or two of the infusion daily, or up to 80 drops per day of the equally effective, but not so bitter, tincture.
  
  
  
• Postpartum Blues Herbal Cocktail:
  
  This brew is delicious and effective for not only postpartum blues but for fortifying breastmilk. The tea is made from red clover, great for purifying the blood and helping improve breastmilk; lemon balm, which works wonderfully for lifting the spirits; red raspberry leaf, which helps the uterine walls contract so the uterus can shrink back down to size; and nettles, which contains vitamin K, important for clotting. Nettles also is a good source of iron which is important for breastfeeding babies. Steep a teaspoon of each per cup of tea for about five minutes. It is best fresh! It is hard being a new parent, especially if you have never done it before. Be patient and make sure to get as much fresh air as you can.
  
  
  
• Postpartum Depression Brew:
  
  
  • 1/2 ounce dried, shredded Licorice root
  • 1 ounce dried, crumbled Raspberry Leaf
  • 1 ounce dried, finely cut Rosemary Leaves
  • 1 ounce dried, cut Skullcap
    
    Mix the dried herbs thoroughly together. Use two teaspoons per cup of boiling water to prepare this strongly scented and interesting tasting tea.
    
    Licorice favorably affects the hormonal balance and cheers the spirits. Raspberry leaf tones the uterus and ovaries and increases available calcium, making life seem easier. Rosemary increases the milk flow, adds calcium, tones the liver, and is a Wise Woman favorite for depression. Skullcap is also a source of calcium and is a superb nerve strengthener and soother; prolonged use establishes emotional calm.
    
    The usual dose is two or more cups daily for several weeks to two months.
    
    
    
• Jasmine Essential Oil bath: Run a relaxingly warm bath and add a few drops of Jasmine. It will begin to work almost as soon as you step into the bath and afterward use a drop of Jasmine oil on the edge of your pillow. If Jasmine Essential Oil is not available, use Ylang Ylang or Clary Sage essential oil. These are almost as effective.
  
  
• Jasmine Essential Oil
  
  
• Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
  
  
• Clary Sage Essential Oil
  
  (Herbal information and Postpartum Depression Brew has been obtained from Susan Weed's Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year. Aromatherapy information is obtained from Aromatherapy for Women by Maggie Tisserand.)
  

Exhaustion & Tension

• Chamomile flowers: The popularity of German or Garden Chamomile testifies to its potency as a calming sleep inducer, pain-killer, and mental relaxer. Brew the flowers briefly, a teaspoon to a cup of water, and drink the pleasantly aromatic tea freely. Several cups of hot tea with milk and honey may be necessary to induce sleep.
  
  
• Motherwort herb: Clear-minded, non-drowsy relief from the tension and confusion of overwhelming emotions is the promise of Motherwort tincture. Use 5 drops in a glass of water, repeated as needed. CAUTION: Excessive use of Motherwort tincture (more than four doses a day for several weeks) may cause you to become dependent on it.
  
  
• Skullcap herb: The tincture, not the infusion, is used to sedate and bring on sound sleep. Use three drops of homemade fresh-plant tincture in a glass of water should bring on immediate sleep. Five drops of tincture may bring on extended sleep. There are no side effects from overdoses of Skullcap, so start small but don't be afraid to repeat or increase the dose, especially when using commercial tinctures made from dried Skullcap. Skullcap is not habit forming.
  
  
• Hops flowers: Humulus lupulus is a strong seducer of sleep. Insomniacs will slump on the kitchen table with half a cup of Hops infusion still sitting beside them. Hops is also an excellent herb for increasing and enriching breast milk. It is helpful in relieving afterbirth pains. Unfortunately, the taste of Hops is acrid and unpalatable to many and the tincture does not seem to be as effective.
  
  BENEFICIAL DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
  
  
• Motherwort Tincture, 100% Organic: Research has shown that Motherwort is able to calm palpitations and irregular heartbeat. It is used as a specific remedy for tachycardia caused by anxiety, and for all heart conditions that produce anxiety and tension. The glycosides in this herb have the short-term ability to lower blood pressure. Motherwort seeds are effective in stimulating a suppressed or delayed menstruation, and can ease dysmenorrhea, especially when there is anxiety or tension involved. It has also been used to ease false labor pains, and when taken as an infusion after childbirth, helps restore the uterus and reduce the risk of postpartum bleeding. Suggested Dosage or Use: Take 6-12 drops in liquid or under tongue, 1-3 times a day.
  
  
• Ultimate B (Vitamin B Complex Formula): Superbly formulated, Ultimate B, vitamin B Complex Formula, is a synergistic blend of herbs, superfoods, and enzymes made of 33% food ingredients for easy absorption. B Vitamins relieve stress and depression.
  
  
• Royal Jelly: Royal Jelly and Bee Pollen increase energy. Royal Jelly is a natural source of may nutrients and is the only food for the Queen Bee, and it enables her to outlive worker bees thirty fold.
  

Rebalance Your Hormones

• Ginseng, Hops, Sarsaparilla and Blessed Thistle, when consumed in tea form, help rebalance hormones.
  
  
• Red Panax Ginseng Ultra Strength
  (Red Panax Ginseng is often used to increase energy. This extract is made from 6 year old Red Ginseng roots plants which are a precious natural product growing in the Mountains of Chang Pai in northern China. Considered by traditional herbals as the king of herbs, ginseng's adaptogenic properties - how it helps and balances and restores the body and mind when dealing with stress related conditions -are prized by many. If you are nursing or pregnant, consult with your midwife or health care provider before taking ginseng. )
  
  
• Hops Herb Tincture, 100%
  (The use of hops is recommended for discomfort due to restlessness or anxiety and sleep disturbances. Hops has been used to improve appetite and digestion and has a mild sedative effect.)
  
  
• Blessed Thistle - Cnicus benedictus
  (Modern uses of Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus) include increasing milk supply for nursing mothers, memory improvement, increasing appetite and generally preventing sickness. Four different ways of using Blessed Thistle have been recommended. )
  
  
• Sarsaparilla Tincture, 100%
  (Sarsaparilla is used for sexual impotence, rheumatism, and skin disorders such as acne, dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis. As a tonic, Sarsaparilla is used for physical weakness, for enhancing the male reproductive system, and it aids in relieving low mood and debility associated with menopause. Sarsaparilla is also a cleansing remedy for skin and joint problems. )
  
  
• Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis
  (Lemon Balm tea is recommended to relieve fever due to cold and flu, and to ease menstrual cramps, insomnia, headaches and nervousness. Lemon Balm helps fight depression. )
  
  
• Just An Ounce Calcium & Magnesium
  (Just An Ounce, Calcium and Magnesium Liquid can help with the development of strong bones and teeth, also prevents muscle cramping, risk of colon cancer, maintain regular heart beat, protects against osteoporosis and helps relax the central nervous system. Calcium and Magnesium aids restful sleep and calms the body. )
  
  
• Scullcap - Skullcap -425 mg
  (Skullcap calms the nerves. Traditionally been used internally for nervousness and convulsions, irritability, insomnia, and neuralgia. Scullcap may act as a sedative, to relax spasms, lower fever and stimulate the kidneys, and has anti-toxic effects. Scullcap is an excellent tonic for the nervous system. It is good for treating anxiety, insomnia, and nervous headache. )
  
  
• Licorice Root - Glycyrrhiza glabra
  (Licorice Root aids hormone balance.)