Childbearing Year

Healing Ruptured Membranes

Dear Susun,

I am a huge fan of yours. I am an aspireing herbalist/healer myself.

I am 29 weeks pregnant and my waters broke on thursday. I am on strict bedrest in the hospital currently. I have not had any contractions or infection so far.  This was so unexpected, far from anything I was anticipateing.  Can you recommend anything to help heal the membrane? I have leaked very little fluid since the rupture...I am visualizing them resealing themselves. Baby is Not ready to come out.

(with this pregnancy I have been drinking yellow dock, which helped me immensely with iron/energy. But now we are hours away from home in a high tech hospital so anything I take has to be on the downlow. I hope to be out of here in a couple weeks and continue bedrest at home!!!?

Thanks...

Hello,

Some things that are recommended to help heal the membranes would be nettle, comfrey leaf and violet leaf infusions. You are absolutely on the right track with visualizations as truly the power of our thoughts can make a huge difference in our healing. Susun recommends that you focus on the sensation of the membranes, visualize the torn edges merged together, your amniotic fluid and baby safely contained.

Take 5-10 drops of echinacea tincture 2-3 times daily to help against any infection. Be extremely vigilant about hygiene. No intercourse, nothing put inside vagina, no baths, after toilet use, rinse off with squirts of water. Vitamin C and E are helpful in regards to preventing infection and bleeding. Right now, know you are where you need to be, get plenty of rest, do your visualizations...

Susun doesn't do email but she does offer a free health hotline via phone on Tuesday evenings from 7:30pm-9:30pm EST at 845-246-8081 and you may wish to also post at our forum, in case any of the wise women there have further advice: www.healingwiseforum.com

Best wishes and healing to you.

blessings,

Kim

Wise Woman Team

www.wisewomanweb.com

www.wisewomanbookshop.com

www.wisewomanuniversity.org

 

You can get your health questions answered by Susun in one of two ways. Call our free herbal/health hot line (845-246-8081) Tuesday evenings, 7:30-9:30 pm EST, dates are April through October. Or you may register for a private telephone consultation. You can also join the free women's health forum where hundreds of wise woman can help you. Sign up for the free herbal healing ezine, filled with wise woman wit and wisdom. Visit the Wise Woman Bookshop for online university, gift shop, bookshop, digital downloads, and more. Go to www.susunweed.com for a complete list of offerings including radio show and free videos.

Featured Website~Blossoming Bellies

Blossoming Bellies Wholistic Support

Blossoming Bellies Wholistic Support enables women to rediscover the instinct and strength within themselves to birth and parent with conscious intention.  Empowering parents throughout their childbearing year prepares women to embrace their birthing experience and offers guidance for the mother to birth and parent with confidence and support.

Blossoming Bellies is proud to provide family-friendly and wholistically-centered birth services to the greater Philadelphia area.

Learn more at their website: http://www.blossomingbelliesbirth.com/index.html

Birth Into Being - Limbic Imprint Re-Coding Birthshop with Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova

Birth Into Being - Limbic Imprint Re-Coding Birthshop

with

Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova

This is an amazing workshop offered by Russian Conscious Birth pioneer, Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova. Our lives are greatly impacted by how we are birthed into the world.
 

Any trauma that may have occurred while in utero or during birth sets an indelible imprint that lasts the rest of our lives.
 

....Through regression into the womb and birth experience, Elena helps unlock our state of 'bliss' and creates healing.

Birth Into Being - Limbic Imprint Re-Coding Birthshop with Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova:

Limbic Imprint Re-coding invokes our physical and emotional memory of Bliss...unlocking the mysteries of our behaviors, re-aligning our emotions and desires with our actions. This experiential workshop is a combination of lecture, specific movement, specific breath work, hands-on exercises, role-playing, sharing in the most amazing group dynamic (this work attracts remarkable individuals), - all effectively woven together through Elena's experience from 28 years of communing with the Birthing field.

For more info: www.letsbirthcalmly.com or call 203-550-6791

To register by mail, please send your 50% deposit to hold your space(s) or payment in full to:

Muneeza Akhtar Ahmed
1450 Washington Blvd Apt 311S
Stamford CT 06902

Also acceptable are Visa or MasterCard, or payments via PayPal. Please, email to ask for payment details.

You can watch a 10 min. video clip of 'Birth As We Know It': http://www.birthasweknowit.com/10_minute_promo.html

Here is more coverage of Elena's workshop on her website, particularly great is the interview in 6 parts by Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes-Monarch, the owners of www.rawfoodworld.com who did her workshop last year!http://www.birthintobeing.com/media.html (scroll to the bottom, there are interviews in 6 parts)..

Film Screening of her movie Birth As We Know it: June 17th @ 7 pm
Location: 1450 Washington Blvd Stamford 06902

(Film Screening is free of charge)

Limbic Recoding Workshop:
Dates: June 18th & 19th
From: 10 am - 6 pm
Location: Stamford CT
Venue: 1450 Washington Blvd, Stamford CT 06902
Cost: $400 normally, bring a participant and BOTH get $50 off.
Lunch: Organic lunch included for small extra fee.
To bring: A yoga mat, pillow & blanket

Elena has not had a workshop on the East Coast in a long time. This is a great, wonderful opportunity to come and meet her personally and work with her on re-coding your Limbic brain.

Please contact me (Muneeza) via e-mail: muneeza@letsbirthcalmly.com or phone: 203 550 6791 to book yourself for the event.

Calendula Uses in Childbearing

Hello,

I am student midwife in last year has Brussels and I do a work of end of study on the use of Calendula (in all its galenical forms) in obstetrics.

I am has the search for information, the ideal being to meet (contact e-mail if there is a long distance) somebody which knows well the use of Calendula and more particularly in the field of the birth.
If one of the members of your company or one of your professional knowledge controls this knowledge, would it be possible to contact me?

I thank you for your attention.

Hello,

I wanted to write and let you know of some of the uses I've seen with calendula in both childbirth and post partum. Before childbirth, calendula infused oil (olive oil or other food grade oil) is wonderful for perineal massage, especially when combined with evening primrose oil. During childbirth, it has been used to aid in the massage and stretching of the perineal area to allow the baby to be born with minimal to no tearing.

After birth, it can be used as a sitz bath (using a strong infusion of the herb) to aid in healing of the perineum and to prevent infections. It can also be applied as an oil to aid in the healing.

I've personally used it on my daughter when she had eczema and it cleared within a few days. It is a very gentle herb and has wonderful healing properties.

Blessings,

Kate

Wise Woman Team
www.wisewomanweb.com
www.wisewomanuniversity.org
www.wisewomanbookshop.com

Hello,

I myself am a student midwife...

Calendula has many uses during the childbearing year.

An infused oil preparation can be used on hemorrhoids to help soothe the skin.
 
A compress soaked in a calendula infusion can be great for healing the sensitive skin on the perineum area after giving birth, and the infusion can also be placed into a peri bottle to use after birth for trips to the bathroom.  This use can help dilute the urine as it is voided in an effort to minimize burning of micro tears or larger tears resulting from childbirth.

A calendula cream can be applied to sore nipples, as in the case for a newly breastfeeding mother. It is advised that the calendula cream be wiped from the nipples prior to the infant nursing.

In essential oil form, 5-10 drops of calendula can be added to a bath to help ease depression and anxiety.

Also in essential oil form, calendula is an antifungal that can aid in treatment of yeast infections.

From what I also know, it is not advised to take calendula by mouth (eg. in tincture or tea form) during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but in topical uses it are acceptable and useful in small quantities.

I hope this helps in your search for information on calendula.  Please let me know if I can be of further assistance on this subject.

With Warm Regards,
Melissa

 

You can get your health questions answered by Susun in one of two ways. Join the health hotline teleseminar on Monday and Thursday evenings 8pm EST, through the winter months. Or you may register for a private telephone consultation. You can also join the free women's health forum where hundreds of wise woman can help you. Sign up for the free herbal healing ezine, filled with wise woman wit and wisdom. Visit the Wise Woman Bookshop for online university, gift shop, bookshop, digital downloads, and more. Go to www.susunweed.com for a complete list of offerings including radio show and free videos.

~Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum Care the Wise Woman Way April 9th~

Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum Care the Wise Woman Way

Workshop with Susun Weed

April 9, 2011 in Merrick, Long Island

Join Susun Weed acclaimed teacher, herbalist, and author of Down There:  Sexual and Reproductive Health the Wise Woman Way for a five hour workshop for, but not limited to, doulas, midwives and other childbirth professionals.  Ms. Weed will discuss the Wise Woman Tradition, and the use of herbs relating to pregnancy, birth and postpartum care.

 

• Contact Laura Gigantino to reserve your space: lgigantino@gmail.com or  914-374-1523
• Fee $125
• Workshop is fron 1PM – 6PM EST
• There will be no breaks during workshop, please eat before arriving.

 

Susun Weed is available for interviews to share her extensive sexual and reproductive health knowledge.  She has appeared on numerous radio and TV shows and written articles for many publications.  For more information on Ms. Weed’s availability please contact: wisewoman@herbshealing.com or call 1-845-246-8081.

 

 

 

~Susun Weed's Workshop for Childbirth Professionals April 9th~

Susun Weed, wise woman, teacher, herbalist and author of "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year" and "Healing Wise" is going to be in Merrick, Long Island on Saturday, April 9th to do a 5 hour workshop for but not limited to doulas, midwives, and other childbirth professionals about herbs and wise women traditions relating to pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Although the workshop will be focused on pregnancy, birth and postpartum, everyone will have a chance to ask about questions other topics. Please come fed and full. We will not break, but you will always be able to drink and drain whenever necessary. We will be serving a nourishing herbal infusion towards the end of the workshop. We look forward to spending the day with you!

 

Workshop begins at 1pm and ends at 6pm.

 

Please contact Laura Gigantino at lgigantino@gmail.com, or 914-374-1523 to reserve a space. Spots are limited. Fee is $100.

Allowing Birth to Begin at the Right Time

Q: i had a question to ask you and someone at a natural store gave me your book and web site, i am past my due date in pregnancy and my baby is very healthy i went onto a bunch of diffrent sites on inducing labour a natural way and the most common one i found that worked on every women who responded was blue cohosh i was wondering your opinion on this and if you had any suggestions for me. thank you for your time.

ps i also bought your book for my mother and it is an excellent book so thank you very much.

   

A: Hello, thank you for writing.  We are so glad you are enjoying one of Susun Weed's books and her websites!!

If you and babe are healthy, I encourage you to see the due date as an approximation.  A healthy woman will birth a healthy babe and does not need forcing.  It is the stress and the forcing that can cause complications needing further intervention.  Do you have other reason to feel you need to hasten this along?

Which of Susun's books did you view, and purchase for your mother?  In Susun's Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year she does mention the virtues of Blue Cohosh for helping restart a stalled labor.  Are you stalled?  How is your cervix?  How is the baby's presentation?  Do you have assistance in birth?  Are you able to move around, walk or swim?

Perhaps you have had your child by now ?!  Please do write either way.  I would love to hear and am happy to help!  If you do not have or have access to the above mentioned book I am happy to type out more.

Blessings,
Karen Joy
wisewoman@herbshealing.com
www.wisewomanweb.com

Herbs For the Last Trimester

Q: Hello Susun,

I am 39 years old and having my 3^rd and final child in March.  I won’t go in to major details of my past pregnancies but in short, they were all “medically” textbook. There were 2.  One at 19 and one at 35. I am lucky enough to have one more and very happy that I am able to do this. Since my 1^st child, 20 years ago, I have had nothing but trouble getting pregnant and horrible menstrual cycles.  The more I read from you the more I wished I knew of your info years ago. I have always believed in holistic medicine so this is right up my alley.

Okay, on to my current pregnancy.  I struggle with lactation, and always have.  So I have begun to drink a raspberry, alfalfa and nettle tea I found at a coop.  Within a few days I began to leak.  Great, I hope it lasts and baby will benefit from this. I also have read that these 3 herbs are great for pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum, so I will continue. What I want to do is buy some in bulk and infuse them.  I know you recommend doing it in singles, however, I am looking at the time I have left, 62 days, and the fact that you can buy these as a combo, are they needing to be combined for optimal results, or should I alternate days, OR make all three at once and alternate teas during the day? 

I have also heard a lot about the cohoshes and I am not skeptical of their results, I am worried that I could miscarry or have a stillbirth.  Is this possible or just it just induce labor? I realize that starting the blue is good the last few weeks, when could I do the black?

I will be delivering in a hospital with access to an epidural!  I am not good with pain and as much as I love the idea of water birth, my husband protests delivery outside of a hospital because of precautionary reasons.  I also feel we have waited too long to decide this and being there is only 9 weeks left, it’d be tough to learn something new, on top of finding a midwife for delivery.

Thank you for your time Susun,

I hope to hear from you soon.

 

 

A: Thank you for writing.  I know you ask of Susun.  She does not have internet to be able to correspond through email.  I believe some herbalists or herbal companies combine herbs because they appear to work synergistically.  Moreso, I think they do it because if x, y, and z are all indicated for a situation, some feel the more the better, then do them all, rather than trusting that just x will be enough, for example.   I feel, as I have learned from Susun, that simple is better, one at a time.  Yes, please prepare them as separate infusions.  And alternate days or alternate through the day, whichever you prefer.  As separate infusions you get to know each more intimately, and know better how you respond to each.

Regarding the cohoshes, I am unsure of your question.  It sounds you have a doctor but no midwife, is this true?  It sounds you are not working in person with someone with experience with these herbs, is this true?  Are you anticipating some trouble in your birth?

Blessings,
Karen Joy
wisewoman@herbshealing.com
www.wisewomanweb.com

 

 

Q: Thank you so much for getting back to me.  I will definitely search the forum.  I do not have a midwife; I am seeing an OB/GYN.  Since I am 39, I believe I am considered “high risk” however my other pregnancies were so normal, my Dr. said he is not concerned with my current pregnancy.  However, like I said, my husband is quite skeptical about delivering unconventionally and I do prefer being near the epidural in case I cannot handle the pain.

As far as the blue and black cohosh, sorry I made a typo. I have gotten some information an herbalist and she had mentioned using the blue the last several weeks and then the black during labor.  She also said the cohosh’s worked great for making her own pregnancy and labor smooth and less painful. 

My biggest concern is bleeding or miscarrying from these.  Although I have not heard of this, it’s my own concern.  I hear that many midwives use and recommend the blue and black cohosh. Any ideas?

A: For the cohoshes I would think it best you work with a midwife herbalist.  I would not want to steer you wrong and have little more than book knowledge on the use of them in a situation that was not acute.  Susun has a past apprentice who is now a midwife, perhaps you would wish to consult with her for some fee.  I do believe it may be worth it :)   

The term "high risk" is so generic, based on numbers and not on you.  There may be 20 year olds considered low risk because of their age who would have a more difficult time than you will! It is wonderful you know what is comfortable for you in your birth and are setting that up.

I would love to hear from you any time, with any questions or just to hear how you are doing!

Karen Joy

Safe Allergy Relief During Pregnancy

Q:  Dear Susun,

I am reading your "Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year" and have been taking the Red Clover and Red Raspberry infusions in preparation of conceiving, hopefully some time soon. I suffer from allergies (hay fever, dust mites, cockroaches) and am trying to ween myself off my current antihistamines (Zyrtec D). I've looked through your book and online and it looks like I could use Nettle safely before and throughout pregnancy, but I was unsure if this was the root or the leaf? Also, if you had any other suggestions for safe allergy relief (mainly to relieve sinus pressure and sneezing) during pregnancy, I would really appreciate it. I am having trouble finding information on this subject and most of the websites I've found suggest antihistamines, something you've mentioned as dangerous.

Thank you for all of your help.



A:  Yes you are right, Nettle leaf infusions are superb for this. Plus in your case they have added benefits of excellent mineral nutrition and vitamin K which is essential for the birth. It is the dried leaves we use, prepared as in the book you have.

Blessings,

Karen Joy

wisewoman@herbshealing.com

www.wisewomanweb.com

Helping Birth Progress Smoothly

Q: hi i have been reading your articles they are wonderful ..can you recoment what to use  i am 2 weeks over due with my first baby can you suggest any natural remedys to start labour ..i will be most gratefull for any helpfull advice you can give me thank you

  

A: Hello, thank you for writing. I see you wrote this a few days ago.  How are things now?  I am happy to help any way I am able.  Please know that due dates are approximate and we are all unique.  Many first time babies come "overdue." Perhaps you have had your child already, if so, congratulations!! 

Are you working with anyone in person who can help you determine the state of your and your child's health?  If all is well with you both, I would not push it.  I know that doctors will induce labor with pitocin if they determine it should have started. Know that as long as you and babe are healthy you WILL birth the babe and likely need no intervention.  Some intervention has been known to cause its own problems. 

There are herbs that midwives use, though primarily to help a stalled labor progress.  Is this the case with you?  Do you have or have access to Susun Weed's Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year? This speaks on the herbs to use in this case.  The more gentle remedies to help a birth progress smoothly is of course relaxation, Red Raspberry leaf teas, or better yet infusions, gentle foods and being sure of hydration, nipple stimulation and intercourse.  The latter only if you have not lost your mucous plug and broke waters, and if not, being sure not to pull out since it is the sperm I understand to help ripen the cervix and stimulate contractions.

Please do write back if you can and if I can help further.  And if not I would love to hear one day how all turned out. I will keep an eye on your email to be able to respond sooner.

Blessings,
Karen Joy
wisewoman@herbshealing.com
www.wisewomanweb.com