Childbearing Year

Herbal Infusions for Toddlers

Q: Good afternoon, I was wondering if it would be safe to give herbal infusion to children (my baby is 14 months) instead of just water? My paediatrician has told me not to give water to my son anymore because according to him, he was not gaining enough weight and he pointed the finger at my breastmilk saying that it wasn't rich enough. I didn't not follow his advice to discontinue breastfeeding. I am still breastfeeding him, and during the day he gets organic cow milk. Unfortunately, he doesn't drink cow milk that much and I was wondering if I could give him an herbal infusion that would supply some calcium, iron (he was iron deficient and has been taking supplement for the past 3 months. We are waiting for blood test results to see if we can stop the supplement) and vitamins.

Thank you for your help with this,

Blessing, A.

 

A: Hello A., absolutely you may give your children nourishing herbal infusions such as Nettle leaf, Red Raspberry leaf, Red Clover blossom, and Oatstraw! Do you believe your breastmilk is somehow lacking? Do you feel your child is somehow unhealthy or underweight? I encourage you to explore for yourself the truth about the situation. All children are unique, and how a child raised on breastmilk develops is different not only from other children raise on their mother's milk, but from children raised on formula and on wholly different foods from what you may be raising your child on. I know I am not alone in my passion when I hear someone's opinion that children are healthier with supplements than their mother's milk. Though this is possibly true in some extremely rare cases, I imagine most often it is not. If you are interested you may wish to explore some resources like our online forum or The Compleat Mother. Even if not, I am so glad you would like to nourish your child with infusions. You will increase the nutrition he receives, and this may help you feel confident enough to follow what you would most like for his life. Let me know if I can help any further!

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

Regulating Menses, Conception, Licorice, Ginger, and Wild Yam

Q: Ms. Weed, I have just purchased the Women's Freedom Tea from Mountain Rose Herbs to help regulate my cycles. It contains: Dandelion, licorice, and ginger roots, sarsaparilla root, fennel, star anise pods, burdock, dong quai and wild yam roots, cinnamon bark, pau d'arco and orange peel. I am also trying to conceive and read in your book Herbal for the Childbearing Year that licorice should be avoided in the two months prior to conception. Should I return the tea due to the licorice or do you believe it would be safe. Thank you in advance for any help you can offer. Thank you, A.

 

A: Hello A., thank you for writing. Susun does not have internet in her home so is not able to correspond through email. If you are concerned about the licorice during this time perhaps you would like to see if you could return it, or perhaps you wish to hold on to it to use during a time that feels safe.

Looking over the herbs in the tea you are concerned about I see ginger. You will see in the same book that this herb taken in large enough amounts can be an emmenagogue. Some of the herbs in the mixture are wonderful reproductive nourishers and tonics. However I wonder if some herbs, like the ginger, were included in the mix because of their ability to help bring on a delayed menses. In this way, helping to regulate a woman's cycles, but not the best for someone wishing to conceive perhaps. We are thinking of you and wish you the very best.

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

 

Q: Ms. Joy, Thank you so much for your email! I have decided to return the tea and have purchased raspberry leaf and nettle leaf instead per Ms. Weed's childbearing book. I am still deciding whether to use a dong quai tincture or red clover with the raspberry. My main goal is to regulate my cycles from a miscarriage to improve my chances of conception. Thanks very much for your insight! A.

 

A: That sounds wonderful A.! Nettles and Red Raspberry leaf infusions are great especially through a pregnancy. Would you like to elaborate on what about your cycles you want to regulate? You can read in this article for those older than 40 wishing to conceive, that Vitex berry tincture can in time help get one's cycles flowing more smoothly. I have heard about Dong quai, but have heard much more about women using Red Clover blossom infusions to help them conceive. I trust whatever you decide is most nourishing for you :)

Karen Joy

 

Q: Ms. Joy, Thank you so much for your emails! They are ever so helpful! I had a miscarriage in July '05 and ever since I have constant bleeding! I begin spotting a couple of days before ovulation and then start a light period-like flow from the day of ovulation to the first day of my cycle. My period lasts approx. 7-8 days. That leaves me with only 4- days a month where I have no bleeding or spotting. My doctor has tested my progesterone, estradiol, and fsh levels and thyroid-they are all normal. I have had an ultrasound for my uterus and ovaries and a pap-all completely normal! My doc wants to put me on birth control pills but I refuse. Not only am I trying to conceive again but I have never had good results with pills in the past. They cause me to bleed everyday except the placebo days. I did try Vitex capsules but it delayed my ovulation. Maybe the tincture would be better? Thanks again, A.

 

A: Hello A., wow a lot of tests. Now reading I understand your choices and fully support you in focusing on nourishing yourself, and in not taking pills you know to be harmful. Vitex I understand primarily to be used as a tincture. I do not use or study capsules so do not know the efficacy of these. Though I have heard some use the powdered berries directly in foods. How do you know the pills delayed your ovulation? If you are wanting to regulate your menstrual cycle, then whatever does so is supposed to affect your ovulation I would imagine.

Blessings, Karen Joy

 

 

Q: Ms. Joy, I hope all is well. I have a question I hope you can answer. I got a positive pregnancy test over the weekend but had been spotting that whole week. I started drinking 1 cup of raspberry leaf infusion immediately followed by 2 oz. of wild yam infusion. This has stopped the spotting, much to my relief, but now I am afraid to stop drinking the wild yam. Would it be safe to continue drinking the 2 oz. of wild yam every morning following my cup of raspberry through my 1st trimester? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. Thank you, A.

 

A: Hello A., congratulations on your pregnancy! I understand your fear especially since your last miscarriage. I personally have not worked closely with Wild Yam infusions so would base my thoughts on what I have read from Susun. Since this infusion is recommended to help relieve morning sickness, and I see no other warning of it, I would guess that it is okay to use through the first trimester. For the morning sickness Susun recommends sips of the infusion through the day. In New Menopausal Years however she says that 3 cups of the tea daily can be used to prevent pregnancy. I am not sure however how this would translate to already having conceived. If it were me I would continue though no longer than through the first trimester, with only sips as mentioned above, while continuing to tune into and trust the strength of my body to carry the baby to term. While it is vital to do what we need to do to help us hold the pregnancy, I believe it is also vital to carry our thoughts in ways that support this possibility. I would work off it as soon as I felt able, that is, if it were me. I trust your feeling on it since this is your body, your baby, and you experiencing this herb.

With love,
Karen Joy

3rd Trimester and Post-Partum Preparations

Q: hi, i am almost into my third trimester with my second daughter. i am looking for the belly balm you have, someone gave me a jar during my first child and i cannot find it even the health food store in town does not have it. can i purchase it directly from you? .... i also would be interested in any tinctures to help with the last bit of my pregnancy, i feel low on minerals and calcium(i know this is when the leg cramps can start). and anything to take to help with postpartum depression...anything i can start taking before. and also any thing for lactation. quite a list but i do like your products and information, one day i will make it to a workshop! thank you, n.

 

A: Hello N., thank you for writing. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Susun does not make products to sell. She teaches us how to make our own creations. What belly balm are you speaking of? I hear you have a lot of concerns. Do you have or have access to Susun's Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year? It will have many answers to your questions. I am away from my books right now so am not able to type anything out for you. Are you familiar with infusions? You can read about how to make infusions. Here are my recommendations from my own pregnancy, working with Susun's books and speaking with other pregnant women over the years...

I personally find the simpler the better. For a belly balm I used a good olive oil put on every time I bathed before I dried off. I did not get ANY stretchmarks on my belly. I DID get stretch marks on the areas I didn't think of :( - my thighs and under my breasts. So I encourage you to put it on there too. I also, every time I bathed, put this same oil on my perineum. I had NO tears, and my son was nearly 9 pounds.

My favorite infusions for a pregnant woman are Red Raspberry and Nettle leaf. We have a list of herbal suppliers in our links directory. Meantime you can purchase in small amounts at the local health food stores.

I hear your concern of low minerals. It is very understandable. Tinctures deliver mostly alkaloids. Minerals can be found in your nutritious easy to digest foods, herbal vinegars, and infusions. Anything that helps you improve your digestion too will help you make best use of the minerals you do ingest. Nettle leaf infusions are very mineral rich, so are Comfrey leaf infusions. Comfrey too will help healing any tears you may have through birth. Stocking up on minerals now will go a long way in helping ease the post-partum adjustments. Continue all that you do now that feels nourishing to you, even after the babe is born. The mineral rich additions will ALSO help benefit your milk production. Again the comfrey leaf infusions help.

Here are a few articles you may find helpful for now:

Herbs for Pregnancy - Talks about the two infusion herbs I first mentioned as well as calcium.

Parts one and two on breastfeeding concerns - Most of it is for use later, but starts out with info on increasing breast milk.

Minerals - Written for menopausal women, but just as applicable to you :)

And one on Nutrition

Depressed? Wise Woman Ways to offer a Helping Hand - Just in case, though I think both this being your second pregnancy and you adding nourishing mineral rich additions to your diet will go a long way to help you!

Please let me know if I can help further, explain anything in more depth or answer any more questions. If you are not able to get a hold of that book and would like me to look something up in it, I am very happy to :) I would love to hear how you are doing and how your pregnancy and birth go, if I don't hear from you sooner!

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