Childbearing Year

Fennel for colic.

 
Hi Susun.
Thank you for everything...
I have a two week old granddaughter that started having what we thought might me colic. Doctor said it was psychological... and offered no relief for her. We on the other hand had already gone to health food store to get some things you had mentioned on your vids. Thank God we did.  The fennel tea worked wonders for her. Both mom and baby are taking the tea, she is still a bit fussy after feedings but I see it getting better and better beings this  will only be the third day of them both drinking it. I just had to thank you so very much for without this knowledge we would have had to watch her suffer. Any other suggestions you have would be most appreciated.
Green Blessings to you .

so glad to hear of your success with the fennel, hope you will share your findings with the doctor so maybe they can share with other mothers in need in the future. Any other dietary changes the mom makes will affect the baby, whatever she eats goes into the milk…so, if she is eating cabbage and broccoli, she might stop for a while to see if that offers further relief….likewise for onions and garlic…and spicy foods…but do not make too many dietary changes at one time otherwise the mom may be restricting foods from her diet unnecessarily.
 
Sending love, Justine
 

Pregnancy, Red Raspberry and Nettle

Q: Dear Susun,

I'm 4 weeks pregnant and i'm very excited!!! I want to take red raspberry and alternate it with nettles, is that ok ? I want to prevent any chance of miscarriage. Is red raspberry ok to use in my 1st trimester? thank you so much for your time.

 

A: Congratulations!!  Yes, these are two wonderful infusions to drink through your pregnancy.  Red Raspberry is superb especially in the first trimester, and especially for those dealing with nausea.  Nettle is especially superb for the last trimester for its vitamin K content.  And, yes, do please alternate both through your whole pregnancy, do a little more of one or the other as your cravings dictate. :)
Please let me know if I can help further!

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