Herbal healing after a Caesarean

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Nourishing, tonic, and anti-infective herbs

Safe use of herbs after a Caesarean

• Water-based infusions provide optimum benefit and greatest safety.
• Capsules are most likely to cause ill-effects and odd reactions.
• Avoid poisonous forms of herbs such as essential oils.
• Use tinctures diluted to treat acute problems.
• Herbs move rapidly into breast milk (10-20 minutes).

Simple nourishing herbs for mother and child after a Caesarean

1. Nourishing herbal infusions:
• Nettle (Urtica dioica)
• Oatstraw (Avena sativa)
• Comfrey leaf (Symphytum uplandica)
• Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
• Linden flowers (Tillia americana)
2. Benefits of nourishing herbal infusions after a Caesarean:
• Nettle increases breast milk and helps replace blood loss.
• Oatstraw improves sleep and strengthens the nervous system.
• Comfrey leaf helps incisions heal and helps prevent scarring.
• Red clover improves breast milk production and brings hormonal sanity.
• Linden soothes and heals mucus surfaces and incisions; prevents colds.

Tonic herbs for mother and child after a Caesarean

1. Water bases:
• Raspberry leaf (Rubus ideaus) to tonify uterus.
• Aromatic mints - rosemary, lavender, and lemon balm - for digestion.
• Avoid sage (Salvia officinalis) if breast feeding.
2. Tincture bases:
• Astragalus (A. membranaceous) strengthens immunity, prevents infection.
• Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) to ease after-birth pain and prevent post-partum depression.

Herbs that can counter infection after a Caesarean

• Echinacea (Echinacea augustifolia) to increase macrophages; counter bacteria.
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) against all gram-positive and -negative bacteria.
• Usnea (U. barbarata) to counter deep infection.
• Poke root (Phytolacca americana) - use with caution.

The empowered woman promotes her own health

Benefits to being pro-active in healing after a Caesarean

• Quicker healing for mum.
• Less scarring of the incision site.
• Better bonding between mum and baby.
• Deeper sleep for mum and baby.
• Fewer problems with infection at incision site and fewer infections for baby.

Bringing it home

1. Making nourishing infusions:

• One ounce stinging nettle, quart (1L) of boiling water; steep 4 hours - for energy.
• One ounce oatstraw, quart (1L) of boiling water; steep 4 hours - for patience.
• One ounce comfrey leaf, quart (1L) of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain; rebrew with two cups cold water, bring to a boil; steep 4 hours, strain - to improve chances of a VBAC with next child.
• One ounce red clover blossom, quart (1L) of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain - to prepare for the next pregnancy.
• One-half ounce linden flowers, quart (1L) of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain; rebrew with two cups cold water, bring to a boil; steep 4 hours, strain.

2. Additions to infusions:

• Honey
• Milk
• The Israeli Public Health Ministry recommends against soy beverage for children under the age of eighteen (18); it's not good for mum either.
• Ice
• Juice (note: problems with fructose)

3. Sources for buying herbs and tinctures:

• Listed in my books and website.

For further information

Visit www.susunweed.com
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, Ash Tree Publishing, Susun Weed

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