Childbearing Year

Initiating labor

Initiating labor
(Excerpt from Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year pages 60 - 61)


The herbs used to initiate labor are listed here in order of increasing strength. With the exception of Castor oil (and there is some disagreement on that), these herbs will not
be effective unless the cervix is ripe. CAUTION: Do not try to initiate labor unless the fetus is at least 37 weeks gestational age.

* Get the uterus to begin contracting by "imagining" that it is. Don't try to force or push the feeling, just let it arise by itself. If your mind worries or focuses on the problem,
gently return yourself to the solution by affirming that labor has begun and that you will feel it very soon. As with all visualizations, this one works well with any of the other
remedies.

* Homeopathic Caulophyllum 200x, is reported as a good labor initiator. The dose can be repeated every half-hour for two hours.

* Labor can be initiated by stimulating the uterus. Rub the belly softly and persistently, with or without oil. Make an infusion of Blue Cohosh and use it as an enema. Have an
orgasm. Rub and gently pinch the nipples. All are safe and effective ways to encourage uterine contractions.

* Castor oil, a favorite herbal remedy of Edgar Cayce, is used internally and externally to stimulate the uterus, soften the cervix, and help initiate labor.

Rub Castor oil on the belly and cover with a warm towel if the cervix is ripe and labor seems near. Or use Castor oil as a stimulating purgative. The dosage and procedure for starting labor with Castor oil varies considerably from midwife to midwife, but
everyone uses some form of this treatment. Two ounces of Castor oil, two ounces of vodka, and two or more ounces of orange juice is the usual dose.
This is often followed with a hot shower. After an hour, the dose is repeated and an enema is given. The dose is repeated a third time one hour later and
another hot shower enjoyed. labor will begin 3-5 hours after the last dose if all is well.

* Blue Cohosh tincture, 3-8 drops in a glass of warm water or tea, is very effective in starting labor. Repeat every half-hour for several hours until contractions are
regular. If labor is not underway in four hours, use a dropperful of the tincture under the tongue every hour for up to four more hours or until contractions are strong
and consistent.

* Homemade or commercial herbal labor tinctures, based on Blue Cohosh and supporting herbs, are commonly used as a safe and reliable way to initiate labor.
Follow the directions on the tincture bottle or take 10 drops every hour until contractions begin. One midwife uses labor tincture hourly and homeopathic Caulophyllum 200x every half-hour. She says this establishes a smooth labor within five hours. Contractions build slowly when a labor tincture is used; do not discontinue until they become regular.

See Appendix II -labor Tincture.

 

Backache

Backache

Excerpt from: Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year    

Exercise for Backache

Cat/Cow can be practiced daily or whenever needed. Get on your hands and knees on a firm surface; inhale, let your head hang down and arch your back up like a cat; exhale, lift your head all the way up and let your spine return to parallel with the floor. Continue flexing the spine up and down while breathing rhythmically. This exercise can also be done in a standing position.

Knee/Chest Twists stretch the spine and keep it supple. Once a day, or when needed, lie on your back on a firm surface and pull your knees to your chest. Stretch your arms straight out to the sides. Roll your knees to the left and your head to the right; relax for half a minute, then roll your knees to the right and your head to the left and relax again. Repeat once or twice.

Also for Backache

• Chiropractic adjustments are one of the best preventatives of backache during pregnancy.
• Sleep with pillows supporting your legs, back and belly.
• Wear shoes which have flat heels and offer good support to the feet and legs.

Diet for Backache

• Minerals needed to diminish and prevent backache include calcium and magnesium. Refer to pages 21-22 for best sources of calcium. Magnesium is found in all fresh green vegetables, apples, figs, wheat germ, and all seeds and nuts, especially almonds.

• Lemon juice in water, up to six glasses daily, benefits the kidneys, easing backache.
 
Herbs for Backache

• Wheat grass juice is highly recommended for all ills, including backaches. The bright green juice of the wheat sprouts contains a plentiful supply of the nutrients needed to strengthen muscles, ease the nerves, and keep the spine flexible. To prepare the juice: soak wheat berries overnight, drain off the water, and spread the wheat one berry deep onto an inch thick layer of dirt on a cookie sheet with edges. Water the whole thing several times a day. Harvest the green shoots by cutting them when they are several inches high. Use a special wheat grass juicer to extract the most juice, or blend the shoots with water in your blender, then strain and drink the liquid.

• Nettle infusion is unsurpassed for toning and aiding kidneys.

• Comfrey infusion provides every vitamin and mineral necessary to prevent backaches. It is also rich in amino acids, the building blocks of protein, needed in plentiful supply for strong abdominal muscles and healthy babies.

First Aid for Backache

• Heat—a warm bath, a hot shower, a hydroculator, a hot water bottle, a towel dipped in boiling water—will provide temporary relief for most backaches.

• Tiger Balm, Olbas, Zheng Gu Shui, Wintergreen oil and other homemade or purchased herbal liniments and rubs can penetrate into deep muscle tissue to relieve tension and pain. They work best if followed by moist heat.

• St. John's/Joan's Wort Hypericum perforatum is highly effective at relieving backaches. The tincture is a specific for muscle spasms; use 15-20 drops in a glass of water every few hours as needed. For severe pain, add 3-5 drops of Skullcap tincture. The infused oil of St. J's has the unique ability to enter the nerve endings, relieving pain and easing any nervous system irritation. It works like a chiropractic adjustment, but through a different route: the nerve endings are soothed and the muscle is released, the vertebrae slide back into place.

Excerpt from: Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year    

External Uses of Infusions

External Uses of Infusions

A soak consists of an infusion that has been rewarmed after the plant material has been strained out. The affected body part is then soaked in the warm infusion.

If you soak your feet in an herbal infusion, it's a foot bath, an excellent way to soothe and heal the entire body, and absorb herbal benefits.

A sitz bath is a big soak! Two or more quarts of infusion are usually needed to fill a shallow bowl or pan big enough for you to "sitz" in.

° A bath is an enormous soak, like steeping your body in an infusion. You can prepare an herbal bath by putting the herbs directly in the tub, but my plumber made it clear to me that herbs and drains are incompatible. Some herbals say to put the herbs in a cloth and allow the bath water to run over them but I find the resulting bath too weak. If you want a strong herbal bath, try it this way: Infuse two quarts of your favorite bath herb, strain, and add the liquid to your hot bath. Ahhhhh!

Enemas, douches, and eyewashes are herbal infusions carefully strained and inserted into the proper body cavity.

Plant material strained out as an infusion still contains healing qualities and can be used to poultice. Simply place the damp plant material, warmed if desired, or fresh plant material grated, chewed, or crushed, directly on the body. Poultices are preferred for first aid and infections.

Make a compress by putting macerated fresh or infused dried plant material into a cloth. Compressing is recommended when using hairy herbs like Comfrey leaf which irritate sensitive skin. They are less messy than poultices, and are often the choice when dealing with internal organs and growths.

For a fomentation, take a clean washcloth or a small cotton towel, soak it in a heated infusion, wring it out, and apply. Fomentations treat breast congestion, sprains, muscle aches, and the like.

 

 

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Raspberry leaf

Raspberry leaf

 

Susun talks about raspberry leaf on blogtalkradio. She talks about how raspberry plants grow, how to harvest the leaves and how to dry them. As well as other info
This audio is just over 3:00 minutes long.

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Making Infused Oils

Making Infused Oils
by Susun Weed

Excerpt from: Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year
In your herbal pharmacy you transform fresh and dried plants into herbal medicines. Learning to identify and use the common plants around you is easy and exciting, beneficial and safe. Making your own medicines saves you money if you follow the Wise Woman tradition of using local herbs, free for the taking.

Even one day's work in field, forest, and kitchen can provide you with many years' worth of medicines. When you make your own, you know for sure what's in it, where it came from, when and how it was harvested, and how fresh and potent it is.

Dried herbs are best for the infusions recommended in this book. Stock your herbal pharmacy with your own foraged or cultivated dried herbs; expand your resources and experiment with new herbs by buying dried herbs from reputable sources.

Fresh herbs are best for the tinctures and oils recommended in this book. If you can't make your own, buy from sources who wildcraft or grow their own herbs to use fresh in preparations.

Whether you buy or make your own medicines, remember, herbal remedies may not work or may work incorrectly if they aren't prepared correctly. Read this chapter carefully; it contains easy to follow instructions for every remedy and preparation mentioned in this book [Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year].

Oil Bases

There are two very different types of oil-based herbal medicines. They are known as essential oils and infused oils.

Essential oils cannot be made easily at home. They are the pure plant oil, usually extracted by chemicals or hot steam. Hundreds of pounds of fresh plant material may produce only ounces of essential oil. Essential oils are readily available commercially. They are used in aroma therapy, as insect repellents, and to increase local circulation.

Essential oils are intended for external use. They can be fatally poisonous if taken internally in quantity. They are also highly irritating to the mucus surfaces of the body (genitals, mouth, eyes, etc.) and may cause allergic skin reactions in some people. Be certain to keep all essential oils well out of the reach of children.

Infused oils can be made at home. They are usually reserved for external uses, but could be taken internally without disastrous results. Infused oils are much less potent than essential oils and have none of the associated side effects. Infused oils can only be made from fresh plants, with the exception of some roots which can be coaxed into an oil base if baked in the oven for many hours.

Infuse herbs in any type of oil: olive, safflower, apricot, coconut, etc. The lighter, clearer oils are expensive; they produce delicate and beautiful infused oils. Olive oil is my personal choice; it rarely turns rancid, is absorbed easily into the skin, adds its own healing benefits to the preparation, and is available inexpensively.

Making Infused Oils

° Pick the plant on a dry, sunny day.

° Discard any diseased or soiled parts. Do not wash any part of the plant. If there is dirt on the plant, scrub it off with a stiff, dry brush.

° Chop the plant coarsely.

° Completely fill a clean, very dry jar with the chopped herb.

° Slowly pour oil into the jar, poking with a chopstick or knife to release air and make sure the oil penetrates into all layers of the herb.

° add enough oil to thoroughly cover all the plant material and fill the jar to the very rim. (As with preparing a tincture, it is really possible to fill that jar twice: once with herb and then again with the vehicle.)

° Cork the jar or screw on a lid.

° Label the jar with he name of the plant, the plant part used, the kind of oil used, and the date. Example: St. Joan's Wort, leaf and flower, olive oil, 21 June 1985.

° Keep the jar of infused oil at normal room temperature and on a surface that will not be ruined by seeping oil.

° Decant the infused oil in six weeks. The plants can be left in the oil longer, but have a tendency to mold and spoil if not kept very cool.

° Oil held in the plant material after the decanting can be extracted. Put small handfuls into a clean kitchen towel or cotton cloth; squeeze and wring out the oil.

° Allow the decanted oil to sit for several days while the water in it (from the fresh plant material) settles to the bottom of the jar. Then carefully siphon or pour off the oil, leaving the water behind.

° Store at cool room temperature or refrigerate.

Trouble Shooting Infused Oils

Mold grows readily in infused oils. the presence of any moisture on the herb or in the jar encourages mold growth.

° If the jar is not filled to the top, mold will grow in the air space left. To save your preparation, completely remove the mold and fill the jar to the top with fresh oil.

° If the jar was not totally dry when you filled it, mold will grow along the inside of the jar. Save your preparation by carefully pouring the oil and the plant material into a dry jar. Jars dried in the oven for five minutes immediately prior to use prevent this problem.

° If the jar is put in the sun or left near a heat source, the warmth will cause condensation inside the jar, providing the moisture necessary for colonies of mold. Remove the mold and pour oil and plant material into a fresh jar to save this.

° If the plant material was wet when combined with the oil, mold will grow throughout the oil. Saving it is impossible. Start again.

Some herbs release gas as they infuse. You may notice bubbles moving in the oil; this is not a problem and does not indicate spoilage. Chickweed, Comfrey, and Yellow Dock are notable in their gas production when infused in oil. The gas will force some of the oil out of the jar (yes, even if tightly capped). Corked jars go pop! Rancidity occurs when there is plenty of heat and oxygen.

Infused oils in an olive oil base resist rancidity at cool room temperature for several years. In very warm climates, adding the contents of a capsule or two of vitamin E to the decanted oil helps prevent rancidity. Tincture of Myrrh or Benzoin added to ointments also checks rancidity; use about ten drops of either per ounce of oil.

Making Ointments

Ointments and salves are easily made from infused oils.

° Pour one ounce of infused oil into a very small pan.

° Grate a tablespoon of beeswax and add it to the oil. (Buy beeswax from a local beekeeper, craft supply shop, or marine supply store.)

° Place the pan on low heat; a candle flame will suffice.

° Stir constantly until the beeswax is totally melted. This rarely takes more than a minute or two.

° Pour the liquid into your ointment jar and allow to cool and solidify.

° If the consistency is too hard, remelt and add more infused oil.

° If the consistency is too soft, remelt and add more beeswax.

Excerpt from:
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year  

Soothing Sitz Bath, Healing Bath

Soothing Sitz Bath, Healing Bath
Soothes inflamed and tender tissues, heals trauma, lubricates 

Soak 2 ounces/60g dried or 8 ounces/250g fresh mallow (pictured)
or comfrey roots, leaves, and/or flowers in 2 quarts/liters of cold water in a pot overnight.
Then bring to a boil.
Cover, remove from heat, and steep for 4–6 hours.
Strain.
Warm the liquid, pour it into a small tub and sitz in it.
Alternately, pour it into a hot bath.
Or refrigerate and drink it. A dose is a cup or more a day —heated or iced, sweetened or not — daily for at least ten days.

Excerpt from: Down There: Sexual and Reproductive Health the Wise Woman Way

Ecstatic Birth Sheila Kamara Hay

Ecstatic Birth Sheila Kamara Hay.

Susun interviews Sheila Kamara Hay.
Sheila Kamara hay is a leading visionary, advocate and coach devoted to unveiling the ecstasy available in each moment at the intersection of sensuality, life and birth. Founder of the global ecstatic birth movement, a Yale and Columbia trained cultural sociologist and longtime sister goddesses, sheila empowers women to honor their feminine flow and locate their fierce feminine power while they birth their most sacred creations and re-birth themselves in pleasure. Sheila trains birth practitioners and expectant moms to integrate the most holistic birthing tool, pleasure, in birth preparation and support. Sheila is a sought after speaker and teacher guest teacher at mama gena's school of womanly arts and orgasmic birth pain to power childbirth education program, and has taught at the en*theos online academy, the birth institute, choices in childbirth, and numerous virtual conferences.



this episode Q&A includes:
• difficulty eliminating and urinating- cumin seed, yellow dock, lavender..
• pain- what's not working- it's ok to be in pain- take enough pain reliever to relieve the pain..
• oregano oil- lots of other mint preparations to experiment with that are not essential oils
• what defines healthy fats- omega 3:6 ratio..
• there are not any right answers left- doing the best we can..
• cervical health, hpv, cervical dysplasia..
• high blood pressure- drugs and herbs working together..

Wild Ginger

Wild Ginger

Susun Weed and Monica Jean tell us about the rarely and specially used herb, wild ginger.
Wild ginger is not the same as ginger you would cook with. It is a rare plant and used only in small amounts.
The root is tinctured and a few drops may be used by midwives for difficult births.

Raspberry leaf

Raspberry leaf

Brewed as a tea or as an infusion, raspberry leaf is the best known and safest of all uterine and pregnancy tonic herbs.

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Herbs for Labor, part 15

Herbs for Labor, part 15
c. Susun Weed

Come and sit with us. There is room for you in our circle. Hold hands with us and hum with us. We are celebrating. We are celebrating this ordinary day, this special moment. We are celebrating ourselves and each other. We are dancing in the give-away breath. We feel the heartbeat of the earth in our hearts, in our wombs. We are learning that we are already wise.

“This is the last time we will be together my precious ones,” says Grandmother Growth. Is that a tear glistening in her eye? Or a spark of light from the woodstove reflecting off her cheek?

“Our lives change more quickly than those of the plants. They sing their songs, each plant its own special song, through the centuries. What you learn about them will be true and valid not only now, for you, but for your great, great grandchildren. And the wisdom of an old wise woman like myself is fresh enough for you young women, when it pertains to the real Ancient Ones, the plants. “Our time together now ends. What comes next? Be alert, and be at ease. Be aware of the shifts in patterns. Be deliberate, and go with the flow. Stay focused, and jump at opportunity. What is coming? What is being born?

“Your birth bags are stocked with herbs that help during labor -- and at other times, too. Use the common plants lavishly and often. Use the few exotic herbs you have only rarely, when in great need. Most of the remedies are safe, even in unwise hands. Protect those that are not, so no harm comes from them.

“There are so many parts of the plants that we can choose from. You have tinctures of the roots of blue cohosh, black cohosh, wild ginger, angelica, dong quai, ginseng, wild yam, cotton, and trillium. You have tinctures of flowering tops of catnip, skullcap, motherwort, life root, passion flower, hops, lobelia, and marijuana. You have the leaves and stalks of nettle and raspberry. And the oil of the seeds of evening primrose. Now, let us add a berry to our collection: Shisandra (Shizandra chinensis), the five-flavor berry. “Shisandra tastes sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent all at once. Five flavors indeed. It is one of the top fifty herbs used today in China, and has been one of the most important tonic herbs there for more than 2000 years. It is widely used in modern Japan and Russia as well and American herbalists are coming to appreciate its many talents.

“Bright red shisandra berries contain large amounts of forty different lignans which act as tonic adaptogens. It is one of the few Chinese herbs used as a tincture, though one can also simply eat the berries, drink berry tea, or make a decoction of the dried berries. To make your tincture: Fill a jar 1/3 full of dried shisandra berries; fill the jar to the top with hundred-proof vodka. Cap tightly and label. Shake daily for a week. It is ready to use in six weeks, but it gets better the longer it sits.

“Shisandra is an herb of longevity. It reduces physical exhaustion and fatigue and promotes restful relaxation. (Helpful for the birthing woman.) Even one dose of shisandra tincture improves brain efficiency and activates the central nervous system. (Helpful for the birthing woman.) Several doses close together can lower blood pressure. (Helpful for the birthing woman.) Regular use builds overall strength in mind and body, increases physical and mental work capacity, improves all reflexes, and increases endurance. (Helpful for the midwife.)

“Shisandra is especially helpful for women who are ‘bundles of nerves.’ High-strung women may want to use a dropperful of shisandra tincture daily throughout the pregnancy to help make their labor easier.

“In Chinese medicine, shisandra treats ‘deficiency’ states: characterized by passivity, weakness, thin or thready pulse, paranoia, withdrawal, depression, and non-specific pains relieved by touch. These women also will benefit from shisandra throughout pregnancy.

“Think of shisandra as a combination of motherwort, nettle, raspberry, and ginseng. Like motherwort, it calms. Like nettle, it energizes. Like raspberry, it tonifies and gives strength to labor. Like ginseng, it increases endurance. Shisandra is not an herb that will push labor, or even push the birthing woman. It does the opposite: bringing calm strength and compassionate reason to fraught situations.

“Try one of these preserved, salted shisandra berries that the Siberian shaman gave me when she stayed here last winter. Put it in your mouth. Close your eyes. How many flavors can you count?”

You close your eyes and savor the berry: Salty. Sour. Sweet. Acrid. Pungent. Bitter. All five flavors. And when you open your eyes, you are sitting in the woods, in an old, deserted birthing circle in northern Ontario. There is no sign of Grandmother Growth or her cozy home. You are alone. Or are you?

Your birth bag is full; and so is your heart. Filled with treasures enough to last a lifetime. A lifetime of memories of delicious tastes and intricate stories that weave herbs and women, birth and death, together in a spiraling dance. Surely the healing cloak of the Ancients will guide you home, to your own bed, and your own life.

Read more about Pregnancy and herbs in Susuns book:
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year

Read the rest of this series as a member of Susuns Personal Mentorship website.
www.wisewomanmentor.com

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