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Articles by Ysha Bu

Happy Postpartum Holiday Cooking!

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Anyone else like to talk about food?  Topic of the season:  Happy Postpartum Holiday Cooking!  OK, you can just order our cookbook, or get some great good ideas to start below and then, you will learn more than many yummy recipes, if you still order it, honestly.

How about preventing holiday overwhelm and exhaustion after having a baby?  For the winter holidays, we can choose Postpartum foods for happy baby (and mama!) tummies, to and support more lasting mood stability, lactation, rejuvenation, strength and of course, other benefits.  Lean into your choices with qualities of warm temp, oily, moist, sweet, maybe a touch of sattvic sour and salty.  The latter two tastes are better after the lochia has subsided and any swelling gone.  Support Mama to take a nap during the holiday festivities and not cook or wash dishes while Baby is passed around, too, if you want happy campers.  Moms often crash into some depression from the overwhelm on their fragile senses and other needs at these big loving parties and attentions, unfortunately, and naps as well as good food combining, support for her fragile agni, and extra digestible postnatal nutrition all really help.

The traditions I grew up with may vary from yours, but here are some Ayurvedically interpreted variations applied to some of our common foods, even if last minute Annie for this year’s Christmas day you may find these helpful.

Today I made a chutney recipe for my client (let’s call it “relish”. No worries it is very well cooked, and mama-baby do so well with it! It is such a favorite of my clients ever since Aparna Khonalkar shared it with me.

Instead of all the different carbs, let’s choose.  Everyone’s tummy will be happier actually, even if not so sedated, their inner light’s ability to share in joy in community, and to see how to help mama=baby best too, will be stronger when we are not so dulled out with partying.  So, hmm – Better than the drying astringency of white potatoes, or heavy complicated digestion of stuffing, how about baked (or your family favorite recipes for) yams, with lots of clarified butter, salt and pepper?  Leave off the marshmallows if possible….  If you want, add some iron rich sugar – easy!

Instead of so many different dishes, make some of them freshly prepared tomorrow, so baby won’t get gassy from all the leftovers.  Pretty guaranteed, I have to tell you.  And repeated gassiness can build into colic – it takes a few weeks then oh my, you don’t want that.

And/or Pumpkin soup can be soo soothing; use ample butterfat and ginger among your ingredients, garnish with bit of fresh minced cilantro and ground toasted almond, cashew, or even for the adventurous, toasted ground fenugreek seeds. Yum! If she is non-vegetarian, use a base broth freshly made not from a box, of poultry, long cooked stock preserving the fats, bone and other nutrients. First few days, mostly broth. Some asparagus in there would be a treat! Eggless pumpkin pie for later in the perpeureum.

Dress up steamed and generously buttered (clarified butter is best) rice with minced dill weed – it is lactation enhancing. Use enough S&P to balance astringency and flavor. After a few weeks, garnishing with fresh yoghurt (just a little) but don’t forget the spice. Toasted cumin seeds are one of my favs if the meal isn’t already rich in cumin.

Rice or pumpkin pudding, no need for eggs in early weeks – served hot with extra ghee or even butter, and with ginger and cardamom in it, will be very likely big hit for her, and baby.

How does a well cooked gingered and coconut sugar (ok, something iron rich and flavorful) glazed carrot dish with orange zest, S&P sound?

Instead of hot mulled cider, try hot mulled dark grape juice (more iron, more soothing, great for liver and pittas), with pinch saffron, some rose petals, and fresh ginger. Oh Yes, or see Emma’s post here, similar. Or a little pomegranate-grape juice in wine glass not chilled to sip for pittas may feel great too. The warm liquid is divine though.

We even have a soaked cashew eggnog recipe in the postpartum cookbook, Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Recipes in our shop.  OH dear, it is not in current version – ask me for it if you like I’ll post.  It is delish!  We do have Joseph Immel’s Pumpkin Chai in the book, inspired from his website, Joyful Belly.

If a salad type prep is wanted….you can steam beets, asparagus, just about any veg on the postpartum list, and marinate with a roasted garlic/lime juice vinaigrette to give more than satisfaction. Make sure Mom gets some, with everyone else filling their plates!

What’s your call?  There are so many things we can do, of course.  How about Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s fare?  Absolutely, we do not need to compromise deliciousness or happy traditions!

Do you know how often your child goes #2?

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As long as we are changing diapers, we know.  But do we know what it means – how often, and the consistency?  It is a primary signal of baby or child — or adult health factors.  Knowing your young or even older child’s bathroom habits will help so much to protect their health and happiness.  Really.

In all imbalance types, Ayurveda can offer simple easily understood guidance using properties of lifestyle and food. Today we talk about what is mostly the first type, showing some strength in her constitution to the third.

There is much which can be said, and FYI, the quality of bowel movements are categorized in three general ways:

  1. hard – dry, rough, this may be even pellet like.  Not as frequent; ie, constipated.  This is not healthy, not comfortable, and often accompanied by gas, bloating and or painful spasms (colic in young ones), even bleeding.  This is a sign of excess Vata dosha (the functional effect of air and ether elements combined).
  2. watery or loose – frequent through the day mustardy yellow cottage cheesey curds are normal and healthy for baby.  When older, or if it becomes green, mucousy or really wet, be concerned about loss of minerals as well as dehydration and give electrolytes, as well as consulting your doc or midwife.  This often happens with flu or other infection.  Loose but not runny wet diarrhea is a sign often of high pitta (functional combination of fire and water elements), candida perhaps, or other parasites can give this also.
  3. well formed, full, firm but soft – this is good.  This is a sign of good kapha usually (functional combination of earth and water elements), unless there is mucous in it, then kapha is in excess.  Kapha’s constipation is just slower and more difficult though not usually painful.

After other foods besides breast milk are added – formula or “solids” – it becomes thicker, smellier, etc, and commonly because the “solids” or formula are introduced without proper culturing of baby’s digestive system (no blame here, you didn’t know!) constipation and bad odor are both very common.  Mamas eating constipating foods will also give this tendency to newborn babies.  If baby’s prakruti (and vikruti) ie, genetic/body type makeup and imbalances are more fragile type than mama’s, it will show more in the little one.

For this mama who asks:

My 18 month old gets constipated. Had a weekly bm as an infant. Now it’s every 2-3 days. But I sense she is uncomfortable as it is too long. What do you recommend? I was thinking oil into the rectum? Almond oil?

She has no trouble with a bm once she starts having one. She is simply backed up. Her stool is often hard but not like pellets, actually rather large and typically with no foul odour.

Its just that there is no regularity and now that she is speaking if she does not go daily she can tell me she is not comfortable and has to go.

Pay attention to these simple words in your baby’s life:  Constipation is dry, rough, harder and lighter than more moist and oily stool.  There is a tendency to feel more cold, although in some cases it may be that mama takes too many herbal digestives and digestion/absorption is extra sharp.  Let’s start with emphasizing more moisture, smoothing textures, warm, heavy and oily qualities in foods and environment to start creating balance.

Warm oil baby massage is proven to help.

Diet is also very important.  Your 18 month old will be eating other foods.  It is a good sign that there is no foul odor, and that once the bowel moves it is not painful for Baby.  However, a long term habit of only once or 3 times a week indicates long term imbalances. She is little enough, it may correct pretty easily with dietary modifications.

Reduce dry, rough, light foods like toast, crackers and cheerios and thick, hard to digest cheeses and meats.  Soups and softly cooked moist things from veggies to simply prepared puddings are good, freshly cooked, rather than from a jar or leftover the next day. Cook rice, cereals etc with extra moisture and add fats and a bit of gentle spicing to her foods. All these things can be contributing to or reversing constipation. Definitely avoid corn – any non organic corn is pretty guaranteed to be genetically modified (see the movie online, Genetic Roulette for a real heads up).

Not knowing more about maternal or baby’s diet, I would advise not only the usual of making sure warm water is given the baby 1/2 – 1 hour after eating (can be made with very weak fennel tea, maybe 1/8 tsp seeds boiled 5 minutes in two cups of water – make fresh daily).  Add to baby’s food clarified butter, sometimes coconut oil if it is not winter, sesame or olive oil to baby’s food (vary them, not together).  Avocados are probably already part of her diet?  If at 18 months she is getting nut butter, thin it with water quite a bit, and perhaps add a little of the dark “highest lignin” flax oil to it, maybe 1/2 tsp per serving.

Begin each new food about 1 week apart, and include some “middle of the road” spices to ensure good digestion of food including the fats.  Cumin, coriander, turmeric, fennel, dill, caraway, cinnamon, pinch cardamom, a little cooked garlic even, all can be used (2 or 3 at a time not all at once).   No nutmeg when bowels are slow.  Commonly people give such bland foods and without fats to babies.  Spices help transform food and support good appetite and digestion.  Baby has been getting them through mama in utero, and through breast milk.  Why stop?

Good fats have so many virtues.  It is another topic, but please note, they beneficially lubricate while nourishing and stabilizing long burning energy!   Early postpartum mamas are advised to ingest extra of these good fats, for both their own comfort and rejuvenation, and for rich nourishing and balanced breast milk.  Baby and mama will do very well without uncomfortable laxatives by including more warmth, oilness, moisture, and also moist slippery quality of foods.  So, stewed dried fruits, which are rich in fiber, iron and muscle building nutrients, are also decidedly slippery and help things move through.  A bit of cinnamon or tiny pinch of clove is great to include therein.

Newborns on breast or bottle only benefit greatly in my practice by a fingertip (or nippletip) of organic clarified butter several times a day also, for constipation.

If the case is more severe, rub a little of this or castor oil on anus to relax (remember, warm!).  If none of these things work, you can give very small oil enema – using bulb syringe, maybe a tablespoon at most of one of the above, or yes, almond or sesame oil can be used.  Avoid sesame in summer with babies prone to rash.  The oil not only lubricates the bowel, it loosens chronically caked stuff, gently, and also nourishes the body through this amazing organ, the colon.  I have seen mamas not infrequently, given 1/3 cup enema of warm sesame oil, retain the whole thing at night and absorb all or most of it.

We live in a culture dedicated to low fat everything after some misreading of a research study several decades ago, reports Sally Fallon in the amazing first chapter of her cookbook, Nourishing Traditions.  I have the cookbook – don’t use the recipes personally, but want all my students to read the first 80 pages.  She has done a great service with the corrections to many dietary beliefs, and has documented it very well.  Let’s look again!

Some oils penetrate all 7 tissues and can nourish through the skin, like sesame oil, as Dr. Vasant Lad explains in depth about the qualities and actions of different oils on each tissue in his comprehensive Textbook of Ayurveda, Volume 3.  Warm oil massage on baby with sesame oil will nourish all 7 tissues and help re-oleate Baby.  Warm oily clockwise circles on baby’s tummy, damp heat on the abdomen, and simple knees to tummy ankle/leg presses will really help too.   Do any leg “bicycles” slowly, not too fast, to allow mind-body connection, integration and coordination to be cultivated.

Although you can give your baby a little temporary increase in oil, even 1/4 tsp of castor oil or a little oil enema and get things moving, it is so important to tend to the cause and change it before layers of complication cascade.  You will thank yourself for taking the time and your child will so benefit, all their life, from this good start.

Prompted by this mama today, let’s summarize a few important things:

  1. Contrary to what most docs will say, if baby doesn’t go at least daily, it is not healthy.
  2. It may be common, “normal, but you can see, Baby is not comfortable!
  3. Older kids may be grumpy and not know why.
  4. Younger or older kids with chronic constipation will begin to unfold layers of the disease process from the backed up toxins, dryness, hardness, discomforts…. it may manifest as GI tract stuff or migrate into headaches, skin problems, even nervous system problems (that is not a comprehensive list, just a few notes!)  If these get treated symptomatically rather than identifying the root cause, those will continue also as chronic problems….
  5. Long term chronic patterns can begin with imbalance from birth.
  6. If it is chronic, it is more difficult to turn around and the effects may be more serious.

OK, I’m not trying to scare anyone, just want you to give yourself maybe needed motivation to make some changes.  It usually means dietary and lifestyle changes.  It’s worth it.

 

2 Kinds of Colic

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Colic is not something to joke about, and it is not easy to manage.  Both kinds are too little understood; both more easily prevented than many are willing to do the homework for, until they realize what it is like to have a baby with colic.  Yes, it may take a few days to turn around, but it need not take 3 months!

As cited on Wikipedia,

The strict medical definition of colic is a condition of a healthy baby in which it shows periods of intense, unexplained fussing/crying lasting more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks.[4]However, many doctors consider that definition, first described by Morris Wessel, to be overly narrow and would consider babies with sudden, severe, unexplained crying lasting less than 3 hours/day as having “colic” (so-called “non-Wessel’s” colic).[5]   1 in 6 children are brought to the doctor/emergency rooms for evaluation of persistent crying[20].  

Crying and exhaustion may also contribute to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and suffocation (from agitated babies flipping onto their stomachs, concerned parents placing fussy babies on the stomach to sleep, tired parents falling asleep with their baby in unsafe places, like couches or beds with bulky covers),[28][29][30] .

Colic (also known as infantile colic) is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or displays symptoms of distress (cramping, moaning, etc.) frequently and for extended periods, without any discernible reason. The condition typically appears within the first month of life and often disappears rather suddenly, before the baby is three to four months old, but can last up to one year.[1] One study concludes that babies who are not breastfed are almost twice as likely to have colic.[2] Epidemiology suggests that Chocolate, Brassica, Onions, and cow’s milk are among the foods that a lactating mother may need to avoid.[3]

Ayurveda suggests a longer and somewhat differing list.  Food combining issues, cold temperature of food and drink, old foods (leftovers, canned or frozen) over 6 hours is the general rule we work with, too heavy (red meat, heavy fried or complex baked items, fermented foods, raw vegetables are among factors not generally understood or observed.  Yes, raw onion and garlic, undercooked or most brassicas and green leafies, and cow’s milk the way most people use it will be problematic.

Interestingly, as we see with most of our clients who have genetic history of using milk, and often to their surprise, cow’s milk is not disturbing baby’s tummy.  Per Ayurvedic medicine, organic cream top cow’s milk properly used in terms of when taken, food combining issues little known, what temperature, and other factors,  is so rejuvenative, mood supportive and even lactation supportive.  It is not a galactagogue, yet the influence encourages good breastfeeding experience.

Ayudoulas confirm that full blown colic is more likely to be the final stage of a condition that has worsened for a few weeks, dietarily.  We spend more than a weekend in training learning about factors for happy baby tummies, through dietary influences from breastfeeding mothers, or from formula fed diet and digestion factors.

There is another type of colic which manifests right after baby is born.  This type has to do with birth traumas to nerves, muscles, cranio-sacral disturbances, and emotions, from the birth experience.  If unexplained crying lasting long time begins in the first week or 2, please find an expert in newborn cranio-sacral, Tibetan Cranial, polarity therapy or chiropractic work.

World renowned expert and trainer in this field, Dr. Ray Castellino called me one day to explain why a client near him I was researching local help for had so much pain, separation anxiety and other symptoms.  It was very enlightening, and quite an honor.  This man usually charges $250/hour on the phone, and he did it on Saturday night, just to make sure I understood.  But that’s another story and topic you will hear more about in class  if you can join us.  For more in-depth on his work, here are a few articles, and you will find some lovely u-tube pieces about babies as sentient beings.

Would you like to learn how to prevent, as well as help parents reverse the conditions of colic?  There is much little known wisdom and skills.  Because it is so little known, Ayudoulas are asked to learn about the bigger picture, what is really going on in maternal as well as newborn psychophysiology.

Colic is a seriously difficult way to start life.  Baby and mothers both deserve better, and the answers, though even well known midwives tend to say they don’t know what causes it, the ancient wisewomen and medicine people of many traditions had more than clues.  I have found Ayurvedic medicine to give the most comprehensive understanding and tools.

Tips for Tempers

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Here’s quick tips to teach your client, and more if you have time to read the full blog.  These are good supports, and important preventives.  This first is free and she can do this while baby is falling asleep in her arms – “alternate nostril pranayama”.   More tips below are low or no cost choices also.

This breath practice balances the hemispheres, calms, freshens, and brings peace and contentment.  Yoga teachers, Ayurvedics and Doulas – be sure to teach your client the gentlest form of this yogic technique at this time.  It helps so much for life force purifying, freshening, moving and balancing.

Here’s instructions for your client:

  1. check which nostril you are breathing from now.  Right is solar and heating, left is lunar and cooling.  Let’s balance first, then can do more cooling “lunar pranayama” if you know it and need it.
  2. sit comfortably upright or in whatever rocking chair is comfortable.
  3. use your free hand (right if there is a choice); thumb is used for closing one nostril, ring/little fingers for the other, when it is time.
  4. breathe in and out nice easy and full.
  5. close one nostril with thumb and breathe in the other.  Naturally full breath in.
  6. switch to close other nostril and breathe a Naturally full breath out, then in on that side.  No strain or holding.
  7. switch using thumb.  Out, then in.
  8. Switch,  Out/in.    Switch Out/In …
  9. Continue, for 10 minutes.
If temper is up, do it.  If fear or anxiety dominates, do it.  See what two times a day does.  You are sitting with your baby falling asleep in your arms anyway, right?
Often we need more tools.  Here are some insights into what an AyurDoula can do.  These involve simple changes, it does not have to be about taking something away.  I believe in the crowd out instead of take-away approach.

When we get stressed and tired, it is so easy to loose it.  How many mamas have not experienced this?!    It is common and natural to snip or even have thoughts of hurting someone – our baby! for a few moments when we feel trapped in overwhelm.   Yet consistently negative emotions are the highest risk for baby – and for mom.  They can, left to grow, become life threatening, as we all know from the news*.

“Type A” – “pitta” mamas especially – and – at the end of pitta season all of us,  which is right now creates  special call to attend to such conditions.  Overlay the astrology if you believe in it, which says especially until the 23rd of this September, there are extra influences to promote short fuses.  Here’s some tips for your clients.

Postpartum mothers are on duty 24/7, no matter what help they have.  Think about the many bodily changes – tons of invisible work Mama has to do in addition to being on call for Baby.  Do I need to elaborate on other responsibilities?  We do what we can.  And we see the need for a better way!

This is where DOOOOLAS can dooooo so much in such simple little things ways, to prevent problems.  We mother the mothers at this time with the umbrella of love, wisdom, timely guidance practical supports. – Ayudoulas are specially trained for this work.  Or call on whatever friends and family and other helpers are there, under organizing guidance of an Ayurvedic who understands the special management of this “42 Days for 42 Years” window.

Let’s start with what Ayurvedics know as Vata dosha – the air and space element metabolic functions in the body.  Yes, even with high pitta (fire/water) dominant in a mother’s constitution, vikruti (imbalance) and summer to fall seasonal exacerbations, we have to look at calming vata after birth.  It can push the pitta overlays to flare up quickly.  And vata needs warmth among other things.  How to?

Avoid energetically heat producing foods and favor the season’s coolers – succulent sweet fruits and vegetables, coconut, some pomegranate and grape is great, gently cook more coriander and cilantro into foods, and organic milk rather than yoghurt or cheese helps.  But take them room temp or warm, not cold, to prevent gas, bloating and even colic contributing influences.

Also very important – enough good fats, carbs and snacks promote much needed stability and rebuilding.  At this time of year, favor clarified butter (“ghee”) and coconut oil, for their cooling properties.  Ghee not only cools, it strengthens digestive enzyme functions, and helps carry out impurities from the cells better than butter right now.

Many common chill out measures especially pitta dominant mamas will call on – can be shifted.  Most of her chill down choices make her feel more dry, brittle, fragile, emotionally chilly, ungrounded and fearful, ie, vata exacerbated.  Minimize and replace things like

Dietary

  • cold temperature foods and drinks – replace with thermous of cooling but digestive and lactation supportive weak herbal teas kept in a thermos for easy access.  Fennel, cumin, coriander, fresh ginger are good helpful – 1/2 tsp of the mix to 1 quart of hot water!  Cooling grains, like basmati (not brown) rice, quinoa and oat are preferred; cooling diary – clarified butter and organic cream top milk vs other forms, and taken warm temp cools; cooling or make the most of it – iron rich – sweeteners vs honey; cooling proteins include easy to digest small legumes, or poultry for non vegetarians.
  • bland foods – add “middle of the road” enzymatic seasonings which don’t spike heat but help digestive “fires” and make the food tasty too – food needs to be appeetizing!
  • Cucumber – and salads in general – by my experience is guaranteed gas for mom and baby used raw – I’ve cooked and seasoned it to delicious satisfaction, or you should avoid these.  Try steaming asparagus or another vegetable on the “foods to favor” list in our cookbook, and serve with a lime not vinegar vinaigrette with well roasted garlic.  This will probably satisfy salad desires for now.
  • dry quick foods like toast and crackers constipate and don’t satisfy – serve flat breads with soups and lots of ghee or other suitable fat to ground and nourish.
  • high sugar low fat sweets hit fast and hard and though even this is preferred to nothing when tempers flare – give her a little to keep blood sugar up then make a sweet with lots of butterfat, coconut, cacao butter, nuts or full fat dairy – you see adding protein and fats gives startup fuel from the sugars and carbs last a little longer, then the fats give stable long burning fuel.
  • chocolate has sweet, oily and bitter taste.  Good change she needs more of all, but craving chocolate let’s look at adding more bitter taste appropriately  – turmeric, fenugreek, and maybe a little well seasoned and cooked dandelion may crowd out that craving.
  • leftovers or pre-prepared foods to save hot kitchen time are generally devoid of prana – life force – and we say, are tamasic.  This means heavy, dulling, depressive, frustrating energies prevail with these.  Use easy cook methods and make smaller portions.

Lifestyle

  • Eating out gives probably GMO and free radical producing fats and other non-rejuvenating foods, though it gives her a break from the kitchen.  Ask if you can work with her best friend to renew the food chain a little longer if that is what’s needed.  Use this budget towards a postpartum home spa treatment instead.  Three in a row can really not just safety net but reverse many in free-fall emotionally.
  • An intense, distracting movie increases the fire element – singing or story time with family at night, more sattvic (light, love and peace filled) movies, like that are best.
  • Skipping naps.  Guess what……..this is high risk emotionally.  Need help fitting it in?  Let’s talk about the many factors, and who/what might best help.
  • Spending hours talking, processing your emotions – usually means you skipped your naps, as well, and probably ate fast food.  Can your friends value their time with  you at even $5 or $10/hour in contribution to your care at this time?
  • There are many ways to think creatively and each situation needs it’s own TLC this way.  AyurDoulas are trained to apply the needed principles to whatever resources are at hand to make the most of a mother’s experience.

Moms need to feel growing stability and rejuvenation, as well as fresh qualities in their early postpartum, even though many foods and lifestyle things that give these can complicate there are many which help.  For both hot tempered impatient or blaming moods,  and fearful, depressed and anxious moods settle, we see them settle down much with simple measures.

Stability and tissue rejuvenation are among the top priorities for mothers after childbirth according to the ancient Ayurvedic medical textbooks.  We see that the psychology, the heart and mind can be saved from self or other’s blame and most efficiently addressed taking proper care of her body’s needs at this time.  Such a blessing!

* Those mothers, whose anger or negativity became so serious we heard about them  in those very sad news stories, were all on some mood medicine cocktail inappropriate for them, according to Dr. Ann Blake-Tracey, and her website, Drug Awareness.

Of course – many mothers have pushed the envelope too far or have such fatigue their genetic predispositions are giving serious conditions beyond the scope of a general article.  We can’t presume to diagnose, treat or cure in this piece or as Ayudoulas in practice, and must encourage appropriate consultation for a client’s primary health care provider.  Postpartum mood disorders can be life threatening.

These simple supports are likely to still be helpful under this greater umbrella of licensed medical care, and for some clients, their path takes them out of our hands.

Genetic Roulette

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“Genetic Roulette”  is a free online, well done movie.   GMOs seriously affect babies children and adults with allergies, inflammatory bowel issues, reproductive issues and much more. This is the education I was waiting for, well done.

Plan on about 1.5 hours, a notepad, some tea, and friends to watch it with?  Very well done, it doesn’t drag brag or offend but it is seriously presenting this life and planetary big impact topic.

http://geneticroulettemovie.com

Then – let’s talk more how we can help the so many who have fed their families and animals GMO foods.  There is homework for reversing the effects; some of it will work, and as one of the doctor/researchers on the video explains, it depends how many different sources soemtimes, how well it all can be reversed.

Better news – Dr. Gary Young and others do have their attention on more potent methods to help reverse the real genetic damage.

Much gratitude to Jeffrey Smith’s untiring work over many years, and lawyer Stever Druker, both familiar faces from my days in Fairfield, Iowa.

Namaste

Ysha

Swaddling – video lessons

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Vata and pitta babies flail themselves back awake so often, and they don’t have control over their neuromuscular systems yet.  Daily infant massage and kangaroo care go in my opinion hand in hand with swaddling, for calmer, happy and healthy babies who sleep through their needed cycles of rest.

Swaddling definitely gives comfort to more babies than you would guess. And if their nourishment – breast or formula – is doshically out of balance we still need to attend to other supports although swaddling, skin to skin and infant massage are all known to help.

With gratitude to the people who have made these video clips available to us all –

From a father of 6! The voice and view of experience, complete with well, you will see –

Russian Style

Three ways to swaddle – burrito, and two hoodie variations – nice and easy

Spend a little more time on You-tube if you like, to see more variations which might be key for your baby.   Swaddling in general, and especially in wintertime will be really helpful.

Touch, TLC, singing, bouncing, rocking, swaddling, all can help but it is better if mamas milk is not creating gas, bloating, heaviness, constipation, or even hot stomach. That’s for another discussion!

Finding Mama Medicine & Food in the Rose of Sharon

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Today I snacked on a treat… sweet petals of “Rose of Sharon”, combined with a few iron rich Monukka raisins, pine nuts and I must admit, some dark organic chocolate, in sweet coconut milk.  Exquisite!   In the heat, that is all I wanted for a light supper actually.   But what are the medicinal properties, I wondered?  (Certainly the chocolate is not wise for a postpartum mama-baby.)  A shrub called Rose of Sharon is blooming in my back yard, and I felt her qualities might have gifts for new mamas.

There is much more than expected, for good mood food and herbal supports!   There are stories about  two plants sometimes of that name, with similar medicinal properties and growth patterns.  Cistus Ladanifer, Rock Rose or Rose of Sharon was used in biblical times medicinally.  Hibiscus Siriacus or Rose of Sharon is a relative of Hibiscus and Hollyhock, all in the Malvaceae family, and though little used in western herbology it is well known to the Chinese.  Writing about these helps me honor  them both.

Googling for pictures, we can see here the different leaf structure, with similar large blooms of 5 petals usually with dark red spots on each near the middle, and very

 similar growth pattern as the plant gets to full size, even to how the many buds form at the stem/leaf bases abundantly up the tall shrub’s long stems.  They bloom similarly – both species – from late July through September or later.  Cistus – Rock Rose flowers, above, are more papery.  Leaves of Cistus Ladanifer are more narrow, thicker and with more resinous sticky essential oil (still not a lot) and a smaller, narrower but thicker leaf.  It is more drought resistant.

Hibiscus Siriacus – Rose of Sharon flowers, below, are more demulcent.  Leaves of Siriacus often three lobed and serrated, are larger and make a more tropical looking bushy plant. Although my Rose of Sharon lives very happily in Albuquerque, she needs more watering to keep from drooping than the obviously more resin protected Cistus, which at least one source calls an evergreen.    Hibiscus varieties are definitely deciduous.  Flowers of both Rose of Sharon and Rock rose look and grow much the same, even growing from buds placed on stems in similar fashion.

The shrub and many medicinal descriptions and qualities are similar but it seems the mucilaginous properties of the hibiscus varieties dominate, and the medicinal resin also called Labdanum even in the Bible, is special to cistus.  Dried flowers of the hibiscus family are often used in Chinese medicine in tea form for multiple purposes, including as gentle and mild laxative, although dried powder used in large quantity reverses and can be constipative.  So though delicious and nourishing as fresh blooms for a cooked food item, we should also observe its effects with our clients, after testing on ourselves.  I am new enough eating these I can’t give you feedback yet, except that one of the fresh large blossoms did not make any change in my stool.

Western herbalists do not seem to use these plants much for medicine.  I was delighted to find some pages on Rose of Sharon in a book called Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West : A Guide to Gardening, Herbal Wisdom and Well Being.  Great detail is there about how the Orientals have used this plant for long time.  In moderation it may serve many uses including gentle demulcent benefits for irritated or inflamed gut.  The flowers may be used externally as an emollient and internally in GI tract support.  It reduces BP, is hypotensive and mildly diuretic, according to the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine quoted on Wiki.  White flowers are favored for their best medicine apparently in both plants.  Flowers, shoots and unripe seed pods can be used in healthy stir fry from all I see and will be experimenting with.

A sticky resin like substance on bark and leaves of Cistus, called labdanum, has been used since ancient times and is spoken of in the Song of Solomon in the Bible, reports the Essential Oils Desk Reference third edition.  There 2/3 of a page speaks of the essential oil called Cistus ladanifer, also called Rock Rose.

The ants were all over my shrub in the spring- it is sweet and a young shoots a little sticky.  But this plant matches visuals for the Hibiscus variety.  Ants didn’t like the neem spray I used, and the plant has gained it’s strength and is not much attracting them now.  It is blooming prolifically every day so I have begun drying some flowers. They are slower to dry than, say, dandelion leaves, which indicates more nourishing than cleansing bio-constituents in them.

So my plant is in the mallow family – as is okra and hollyhock.  Gentle properties are found especially in the flowers of this plant.  “Medicinally, rose of Sharon’s flower buds contain mucilage, a gooey medicinal compound made of polysaccharides, found in most species of the mallow family; think of okra’s sliminess. Mucilage can be used to heal burns, wounds, gastric ulcers and internal and external inflammation and irritation, such as sore throats or urinary tract infections.”  This information and much more is found in the “Urban Forager”, herbalist Holly Richey’s article, Eat Your Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus and Hollyhocks.  I love it!

Reducing to inflammation says reducing to Pitta dosha and alkalizing; the mucilage is reducing to Vata dosha; rebuilding for tissues, and soothing.  Whether it is actually cooling or not, it is gently so, and at least one of these “Roses” may have some prabhav for the mind and cellular rejuvenation.

Cistus ladanifer is an evergreen shrub  say some, and Hibiscus Seriacus deciduous.  The latter growing it appears even more readily to a mature 6 to 12 feet tall and about 6 feet or more in diameter.  Both drought tolerant and love full sun if possible say the growers.  Ladanifer may be very fragrant; Hibiscus Seriacus in my yard is only very mildly so, but still sweet.

Bioconstiuents which stand out are the sesquiterpenes in the labdanum.  Sesquiterpenes among other gifts are excellent at oxygenating and favored for support of brain function.   “The essential oil of Cistus comes from a rose that has a soft, honey-like scent. It is believed to be the biblical Rose of Sharon. Calming and uplifting, it is helpful for meditating and counseling. Traditionally, cistus has been used for respiratory support.  Cistus has an approximate ORAC of 38,648 (TE/L). TE/L is expressed as micromole Trolox equivalent per liter,” according to Young Living Essential Oils company.

Rose of Sharon essential oil, also called Cistus ladanifer, give Labdanum or Rock Rose essential oil.  It is steam distilled from the plant leaves and branches.  It has been studied for its effects on the regeneration of cells, is antiviral, antibacterial, andihemorrhagic, anti-inflammatory, supports the sympathetic nervous system and stimulates immune activity.  It is used with hemorrhages and arthritis, and lifts the emotions.  Mood supportive, VATA and immune supportive – nice!

This essential oil may be – if known as organic and distilled without solvents – for inhalation, dietary or topical use – Topically, up to 2-4 drops can be used on an area, touched on chakra, marma or acupressure centers, and it can be used of course by direct inhalation – rub 1-3 drops in hands and cup over face, breathing into respiratory system.  When using as a supplement, dilute one to four drops in 4 fl. oz. of liquid such as almond, coconut or rice milk, not water; or use in few drops of coconut oil in a blend or in capsules, in clarified butter or other dietary fat.  These are all preferred uses in my opinion, as those plants which are less abundant in oil are costly to use in baths, diffusers, and full body oil mixes.    Up to 10-15 drops can be added to your bath water by first mixing with milk or 1-2 Tablespoons of salt, and then adding to the bath. (Essential oil mixes well with milk or something with protein or fat; it does not mix with water and would float on top of the bath water risking skin irritation.)

For reducing skin aging and wrinkles, a drop can be mixed with night cream or oil and applied to face.  Given possible skin sensitivity issues, I would slightly dilute in some way, if using anywhere the sun will shine much, or with any repetition.  If pregnant or under a doctor’s care, we must advise to consult your physician who probably has no knowledge of this dear plant’s virtues, so I would come prepared with some good source material besides my blogpost to gain his blessings.

Naturopath Ann Hill cites the Bach Flower remedy uses of Rose of Sharon for complete exhaustion with underlying anxiety.  She gives recipes for preparation, and to use 3 drops 3X daily.  I am happy to find this; anxiety underneath complete exhaustion is not uncommon and risky postpartum issue.  We know from Ayurved that support is needed to reduce the Vata, rejuvenate nervous system, support deep rest that transcends the high Vata conditions.  Sometimes we find so much deep anxiety that bringing in energetic medicines like the flower essences as well as the physical food/herb and essential oils help a client turn around much more easily.

Whether we are looking at Cistus ladanifer, or to lesser extent perhaps the Hibiscus Siriacus, the medicinal properties speak of Vata pacification, rejuvenative powers, immune supportive and gentle effectiveness.  The ladanifer in particular strongly whispers of precious ojas enhancing and sattvic effects; special gentleness, rejuvenative powers, physical and mental protective potency.   This journey of discovery brings me to cherish – and use – a little bottle I have had in my Biblical essential oils kit for many years, called Cistus, alias Rose of Sharon.

A little on my neck this evening has been calming and refreshing!   You can be sure the next time I teach about essential oils and perinatal uses, as well about herbs and perinatal uses, these plants will be included.  And I will be exploring culinary uses – stir fries, (the rare even for me, salads and decorating sweets), edible presentations, as dried herbal, and such as in one old herbal recipe for administering flowers of Rose of Sharon, biscuits.  My rose petal shortbread was great – this should be fun too!  I hope this brings you closer to exploring these plants if they are available in your life also.

 

Herbs for Mood – Depression and many related conditions

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Herbs for Postnatal Moods – We use several really good ones.  Front line – I often call on Tulsi with Gotu Kola or another Brahmi tea – serotonin enhancing in Nature’s user friendly bio-balancing way that can be tandemed for month or more before beginning to SLOWLY reduce other herbs, according to some experienced Ayurvedics.  Transitioning off over at least 6 months, according to Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, if on mood meds for over a year.  She does not however have Ayurveda’s toolbox, so I believe there can be more help up front while still proceeding so very cautiously.   (Good results for a few days do not mean all is well – the medicines have stored in high quantity in brain tissues and begin to download in chunks into blood).  So this is just a beginning discussion of a number of mood supportive herbs.

These 2-3 herbs are also gentle at a time we need to be gentle!  They are key manas (Mind) rasayana (rejuvenative tonic) herbs.  Yes, they are safe in pregnancy and postpartum.  Especially for Mamas, I combine them a bit of digestive (ginger, pippali, or even cardamom), with shatavari (wild asparagus root) to potentiate the manas effects (connecting to body/hormones, and enhancing to lactation anyone?) and/or ashwagandha (more root chakra and Vata grounding/pacifying, also helps lactation).  There is controversy about use of ashwagandha in pregnancy, some are big on it, others totally avoid, I take a more middle perspective, in smaller amounts and well combined.  We can discuss that again another post.

Although there are many distinct diagnoses for mood issues after, or before childbirth, in Ayurveda we see a common thread during the postpartum time of high Vata, which may also push another dosha out of it’s right place and function.  We can consider support with herbal foods – a gentle benign tea – and leave the legally appropriate scope of practice in hands of licensed practitioner.

Tulsi-Gotu Kola Tea is on sale – just received the message today – with this wonderful company, Organic India .  I so honor this company – they sustainably employ thousands of families now in India in organic herb production.  They have loose leaf tulsi and brahmi (gotu kola or bacopa both work similarly and are called “Brahmi”).

I learned this from Ayurvedic practitioner of many years, Sarasvati Buhrman – she gives 4-5 drops nasya (nose drops/nasal administration of herbs) per nostril of brahmi decocted into ghee for Vata depression, varying it for Pitta and Kapha, along with 4-5 cups daily of the above tea as front line support while the rest of needed “homework” is being put into place.  I’ve worked with an older woman her family sent me East to support for a week, in severe suicidal condition under Dr Bhurman’s advice, and watched it really help, but please note that nasya is contraindicated in Pregnancy.

And severe cases MUST be under her doctor’s umbrella of support and referral.  Particularly with pitta cases involving violent impulses or thoughts which are highest risk.  There may be risk to baby or mother’s life.  They often have many issues and sources of advice, which can throw them off from prioritizing use of your support, even dietary and massage gets de-prioritized.  So this is offered as beginning discussion on long term project for education and care research perhaps.  We would want to look at the individual’s other issues in postpartum time and prioritize for it all to create their unique herbal formulation, under client’s and Doctor’s OK.  Research projects would start with much simpler parameters of course, and less potent results for many.

How does all this fit in context of a postpartum care practice?  

The following perspectives and the best possible care are especially important!  Mood support is greatly aided with the following knowledge and skills which may be much less difficult to implement than herbal formulation.   A mother’s special abhyanga (massage) given 3 days in a row absolute minimum, or 5-6 days (not spread out, in a row) as a wiser minimum for more serious cases, so helps ground the herbal effects and not just pop back out of benefits to this process.  It is a deeply significant component of postpartum care and of mood supports,  actually advised for all mamas, not just mood challenged, for 42 days daily.

Also deeply important are the rather unique even to Ayurvedic students and many western trained Ayruvedic practitioners, dietary recommendations after childbirth.  You can learn more in my basic webinars on Ayurvedic Maternal and Newborn Care.  Also useful is the e-cookbook and e-handbook for your clients, Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Care/Cooking with Ayurveda.    The advanced 5 hour webinar on Safe Postpartum Herbs is also available, and will be most valuable to those with some knowledge of Ayurvedic herbology.  Those wanting to get started with potent supports right away can begin studying client and practitioner use of aromatherapy.   A 2 hour Essential Oils (More than) Basics class is also now recorded and getting really good reviews – as I must say I expected – even from experienced aromatherapists.

The early post-pregnancy time has been called “The Black Hole in Health Care” by Dr. Jeanne Watson Driscoll PhD,APRN,BC.  It is a big Y in the road, and effects easily last for decades – “42 Days for 42 Years” according to “Mother of Ayurveda” in the west, Dr. Sarita Shrestha.

I must make clear disclaimers to this post – it cannot be intended to replace the advice of your medical doctor or primary practitioner.  Information here is presented for educational purposes and  you must complete your own homework and work within your appropriate scope of practice.  For serious concerns, you may wish to also look at the reports by Dr. Ann Blake Tracy on a well researched website maintained for many years, Drugawareness.org.  She still offers phone consultations if you feel you are having adverse reactions to mood meds.  For some of the heavy social/medical industry implications – The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is a nonprofit mental health watchdog, responsible for helping to enact more than 150 laws protecting individuals from abusive or coercive practices.  This is not a first focus recommendation for mothers, please; there is a serious political and social conscience and service they provide for those so inclined to work in that arena.

In your service,

Ysha Bhu

Cool it with warmth – Crazy Idea?

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Keeping Cool with warmth – crazy idea?  The common sense of it is known by the Egyptians, Ayurvedics and others in tropical countries. Early postpartum mamas often enjoy hot water bottles on tummy and lower back, maybe breasts or neck, even in hot summer weather.  I’ve seen it many times!  OK, I haven’t researched other cultures much, just a few stories.  Like using HOT temperature peppermint, green or black tea to cool down in the mideast.  Sounds weird and there is more explanation than I can offer now… but here are some common sense and reflections on this dance of the opposites –

Hot tea may make you sweat – sweat evaporates and cools that way.

Many herbs have cooling energetics – many astringent, sweet, and light bitter herbs, even when ingested at warm temperature.  They can be used in pregnancy and postpartum teas and foods.  All mints, raspberry, oat straw, coriander, sandalwood (use pinches of the powder), fennel, cumin, tarragon, rose, chrysanthemum, cilantro, small amounts of lime (not lemon, it heats) and many other herbs can be used to cool.  These are more helpful than just doing bland foods and drinks – try small amounts steeped into water and see.  Midwives use more of some for the mineral content.  Nettle is also cooling, though diuretic and less valuable for Vata types.

Of special note for right use – small pinches cardamom, even small amounts of clove and turmeric can transform food and experience with their penetrating (“pungent”) qualities, yet post digestively cool.  Licorice, mostly avoided in pregnancy except in small amounts in formulation by Chinese or Ayurvedics is tonic for adrenals, pitta and Vata.  Yet licorice should be avoided with HBP and water retentions.

For the same reason, minimizing energetically (beyond temp) foods and drinks like red meats, most fish, tamarind, chilies, raw garlic and onions, tomatoes, and most citrus helps, even if they are served cool temp.

So the naturally abundant sweet juicy fruits and sweet, astringent, bitter and moist vegetables – most of them ripened with the heat, have cooling and gently cleansing effect though they nourish and build.  Coconut, grapes, and pomegranate stand out.  Peaches, most melons, later season mangoes, succulent green vegetables and opo (loki) squashes are particularly refreshing and cooling yet nourish, rebuild and are easy to digest.

Vegetables and more astringent fruit like apples and pears need the heat of cooking and seasonings for the early or unusually vata exacerbated postpartum system to prevent gas, bloating, and less obvious signs of malabsorption or incomplete products of digestion.  The dark green leafies do us more good in the spring and fall when they naturally are happiest in the garden, and after a few weeks post-pregnancy.  Easy to digest well cooked mung or matpe lentils, or for non-vegetarians, something like long cooked chicken soup complements protein needs, along with the use of cooling energetic dairy (milk), a few almonds, moist dates and and grains  during the day, even though the milk is taken warm and with at least a little (sometimes much more) digestive spice, and generous use of cooling but digestively enhancing clarified butter.

Hanging out by waterfalls, rivers, and in the moonlight sound nice?  Exercise for the joy of it, which means after birth, after some weeks, gently strolling.  And in water is great for pregnancy and after 6 weeks post;  sleeping outside may nourish later stages, walking barefoot in the cool grass or seashore – you remember these probably.  These are tonic behaviors which warm the heart, nourishing a feeling of connectedness with Mother Nature and ourselves and helping us feel at home where we are – part of what we these days call “chilling out”.

Things which expand the capillaries in relaxation can help disperse core body heat and still support our primary topic, of postpartum rejuvenation.  Core warmth is super important for rest, digest and transformative rejuvenations needed.

Sweet floral essential oils are well known for their antidepressant, usually cooling, relaxing and calming properties.  Rose, geranium, jasmine, vetiver, lavender, ylang ylang, chamomile, helichrysum and others.  They “warm” the transformational processes – hormones, heart, liver and blood vessels with their potent and gentling properties.  They put us in touch via mind-body coordination whereas strong pungent coolants like peppermint and eucalyptus may create too much sudden change, contractions from the overwhelm and be too extreme to nurture the needed subtle experience of connectedness and self-referral, self-correcting dynamics of awareness.

Warm oil Ayurvedic massage actually helps support this dual need of the times – It supports the body’s thermoregulation to work better, which was slowed down from natural fatigues of birthing and caring for Baby – so the inner heater and cooler both work better.  It also supports the core work so needed after such deeply transforming as well as usually hard labor to be tended to.  IE, Relaxation  puts us into rest, digest and transform, rejuvenate, while stress hormones put us into a state of fight or flight which tightens us up and keeps us HOT and geared for outer, not inner work.

Those living in hot damp climate feel the heat the most.  They should do less of these heat therapies, favoring warm instead of hot foods and drinks, a little less heavy on food and massage oils, and delay their massage treatments for maybe 3 days after the birth says Dr. Bharat Vaidya, quoting the ancient classical textbooks in Ayurveda on postnatal care.   Hot damp weather does a lot of the needed work and is a blessing.  Too much oily massage and heat too soon can increase kapha unduly – the priority the first few days still is to re-kindle or strengthen Agni, the digestive fires, which is specifically heating.  Professional guidance and care is particularly helpful during the first weeks to navigate this dance of the opposites in our various tissues and systems best.  Mothers DO need to AVOID air conditioning as much as possible.  The cold draft of “refreshing” AC can exacerbate natural weaknesses.  OK, I dare you to carry on this conversation with me if you doubt.

I shared some of this with a midwife who was grateful to understand why their clients (in Florida summertimes!) would not let them turn on any AC even for giving birth.  Everyone was dripping, but mama’s system, and baby’s, work best with this integrative experience of keeping their cool via mind-body integration awareness, supported by warmth.

And try the cooling effect of sattva, if you know what that means.  You could start with simple alternate nostril pranayama.  At this time, don’t worry which hand, and if baby is falling asleep in one arm at the breast – great – now is your time.  Baby needs 10-15 minutes often, to settle into stable deeper sleep.  Perfect time for you to purr.  This breath practice in the postpartum time should be done without any strain, force or breath retentions – simply inhale in through one nostril closing the other, naturally full breath, then switch nostrils for a naturally full out, and in on that side.  Switch – out, in.  Switch – etc.  for about 10 minutes.  The shift in brain wave patterns accompanies a chilling out mentally, physically and emotionally, a balancing of core and surface circulation and comfort, and much more.

Does this biochemistry make sense to you?   Let me know!  And consider Ayurvedic Midwife Terra Rafael’s course, Enhancing Fertility, Pregnancy and Birth with Ayurveda (21 hours), and my core class on postpartum ayurveda, Ayurvedic Maternal and Newborn Care.

Warmly,

Ysha

Water meditation with new baby

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Water meditation with new baby – enjoy

What a wonderful way to welcome and deeply calm a newborn into at home-ness in the earth plane and human hands. This is much more than a water bath and … if it could be taught before infant massage … about 5 minutes and worth every minute.