shadow

maternal newborn care

4 Key Foods Throughout Pregnancy

Posted on: by:

rice and dairy

According to Ayurveda, there are 4 key sattvic foods used in varied ways throughout pregnancy for most mamas: new basmati rice, pure ghee, butter and milk. These foods are naturally sattvic (harmonious and pure), building, easy on the digestion when properly used, and do not create mental and emotional negativity in their nature.

For vegan mamas, the list of 4 becomes 1 – just new basmati rice (not aged, and not brown due to the heating quality of brown rices), and these mothers often crave the three dairy options during pregnancy. Whatever foods are actually used, much care must be taken to substitute for these foods with sattvic, pitta and vata pacifying, ojas building qualities of other foods. For example, some common substitutes for dairy include:

Old, processed or life-force weakened foods undermine nutrition, as does slow maternal elimination. The stress of our prevalent Type A/rajasic overdrive in modern cultures will deplete the life-energy and nutrients for mama and baby. Poor digestion or poor food choice can create ama, which can lead to morning sickness and other problems.

Many other foods are important too, of course, but these take a special grounding, pitta and vata balancing, and ojas enhancing role.

 

The Best 5 Herbs in the First 10 Days

Posted on: by:

Whether you are an Ayurvedic, Chinese or Western herbalist, you may have a few favorite lactation herbs already. There are so many herbs to choose from.

When I ask myself, what are the top herbs for early postnatal use, then ask again, what are the top ones for lactation, my list is often the same, and ginger and pepper are usually at the top. Why? Because we are talking today about the first WEEK after childbirth, when agni is low and vata is high. For lactation, the body’s resources need to be flowing and nourishing, and mother nature does the rest best when she is assisted with certain pungent herbs. Their nutrition-transforming, fast-acting and channel clearing qualities are significant.

“Agni” – our digestive and transformative chemistries, are so important for lactation, happy baby tummies, rejuvenation, strength, mood and feeling light, clear and energized. You will find the postpartum agni needs help to make good use of food. That’s why it’s important to attend to agni first, especially before milk comes in.

Using herbs which are easily accessed in the west, here are my picks. These 5 herbs work like a team to make lactation easy:

  1. Ginger – Enhances digestion and warmth; purifies and clears breast, lymph, respiratory channels and fluids; helps burns toxins/wastes; reduces gas and bloating; lowers vata and kapha; is sattvic–promoting clarity, lightness and purity of mind; and is immune protective.
  2. Pepper – Enhances digestion and warmth; purifies and clears breast channels, lymph, respiratory channels and fluids; burns toxins/wastes; reduces gas and bloating; lowers vata and kapha; strongly immune protective, including antiviral and antiparasitic; special muscle tissue purification, energizing (rajasic).
  3. Garlic – Strong galactagogue; enhances digestion and warmth; purifies and clears lymph, blood, respiratory channels and fluids; burns toxins/wastes; reduces gas, bloating; lowers vata and kapha; strongly immune protective including antibacterial and antiparasitic; energizing (rajasic), grounding (tamasic), strengthening (rajasic); protects the subtle energy field. * Must be well cooked.
  4. Fennel/Anise – Good galactagogue; antiparasitic, digestive, anti-acidic (fennel), moves gas out and shrinks bloating, (gentle deepan and pachan actions); cooling/warming (respectively), gentle anti cough/kapha; anti vata; gently estrogenic; sattvic.
  5. Fenugreek – Good galactagogue, antiparasitic, heals small intestine wall and digestive function; helps loosen retained placental fragments and brings down upper body heat; helpful with fever; gently warming, gentle anti-cough, anti-vata and anti-kapha; sattvic. Not very effective in capsules for many.

Do you see how all these 5 herbs help digestion? Continue with these digestives, adjusting heat level gradually as appropriate, over the next weeks and months postpartum for best results. But please don’t take them in capsules – make teas and season your food with them.

What are the next 5 herbs on your list? 

There are quite a number of herbs which help hormones, digestion and lactation together, and also help keep the body relaxed and warm. When you are creating an herbal formula, think about all of these properties.

If you are thinking that shatavari or borage might be good additions to the list, think carefully. Surprisingly, shatavari – while it is a an awesome galactagogue and female rejuvenative – is not appropriate for the first 9-10 days for most mamas. Both are too heavy and cooling for early postpartum (borage is a refrigerant), and should be avoided. 

If mama is having hot flashes, hot tea using cumin, coriander and fennel is a better choice in the first week or so, with shatavari coming in after agni is strong and channels are working well.

And if you are wanting to put raspberry leaf, nettles, gotu kola or oat straw on your list? You’ll want to add 1 or more of the first 5 from my lactation list, to help balance their cooling, drying, and/or astringent qualities – which are all vata increasing.

Dr. Aviva Romm recently wrote a great blog post called Five Favorite Herbal Medicines for Women you will enjoy. I love that she addresses the western woman’s herb resources. These herbs are not our favorite picks for the first few days after childbirth however, just because we have these needs which are not well understood yet in the west.

If you want to learn more about the Ayurvedic approach to postpartum herbalism, you can take our Safe Postpartum Herbs class.  In this 5 hour lecture series, you will learn how to safely help a mother and newborn with many common issues. There are basic Ayurvedic principles which are not widely known and really complement the western–or Chinese pharmacopeia. I hope you will learn these secrets and practice them.

Mama’s Herbs and Manas Herbs

Posted on: by: Comments: Leave a comment

The “It depends” Rule

A big, “it depends” rule in Ayurveda and “Terrain” medicine makes teaming up with an advanced practitioner, or learning advanced use of herbs especially important for mothers with complications.  The same thing is true for all of us as we move through the seasons of our lives. Purple tulsi plant An herb may be right for a particular condition in spring, yet not suit us in winter.  It may be right for a woman in her menopause years, but ill-advised for postpartum hormonal imbalances.  Even the benefic Holy Basil has its limits.  Being a heating herb, some pittas can’t handle much of it. I am inspired today to talk about choices in the springtime.

Manas Herbs

Help for mind and mood

Manas means mind in Sanskrit.  Ayurveda’s use of liver and blood supportive herbs in this season help to balance the mind by giving clarity to channels and tissues that affect the mind. Liver herbs can even help build neuro-transmitters, cleanse receptor sites for them, and build ojas, the quintessential finest product of digestion and source of immune strength. Tulsi, or Holy Basil (the purple variety is pictured above) is a manas (mind and mood supportive) herb which suits the Spring season more than most. It is different from most manas herbs, which are often heavier to digest, more tonic and less clarifying, and therefore better for summer or winter use. Instead, tulsi is lighter and somewhat heating, so it helps to clear spring allergies as a respiratory-specific herb, fights cough, cold, flu, bacteria, fungi and parasites–gently but with power–and is ama (toxin) reducing. Like the other basils, Tulsi not only supports milk production, but also increases body warmth without harsh heat, and improves digestion – all of these postpartum needs.  Because it is slightly bitter, tulsi should not be used during pregnancy, unless it is used very carefully. Tulsi is anti-stress, and an adaptogen with special serotonin enhancing and sattvic gifts for mama and baby — qualities which naturally improve the mood and sense of well-being.  Tulsi is less heavy to digest than many of the manas herbs, which makes it more helpful when kapha is high in the early springtime. The herb part used is usually the leaf.  White or black tulsi beads are often worn to strengthen devotion and sattva as well. Personified in Vedic tradition, Tulsi has a very benefic feminine energy and is thought to have divine powers which provide spiritual protection.  Whenever you take a herb that is rich in divine intelligence, like tulsi,  it can help to remove vibrational blocks in your system and strengthen your auric field. Mothers and newborns are in a state of tremendous openness, physically and energetically. Often they have been around negative energies or hospital environments where – many things go on and can create complications on this level too. It is important to protect them at this time, and Tulsi can be a lovely friend indeed. During kapha season look to safe postpartum blood and liver cleansing herbs.  Choose ones whose impact on vata is not going to create more vata. Remember that in a new mom, vata is already pushing the other existing doshic and mental issues out of balance and you don’t want add to it by recommending an inappropriate herbal combination. Appropriate herbs may include guduchi, bringaraj, anantamool, and turmeric, with warming balance from such herbs as pippali or ginger.

Mamas’ Postpartum Herbs

Choose safe herbs for the “season”

It is kapha season in the northern hemisphere, and both mind and respiratory system are more easily mushy.  Allergies and mucous are more common.  After giving birth, our minds are naturally mushy anyway.   Astrologically, the planet governing mind –  Mercury – goes into an influence of “debilitation” each spring.  The time frame is today until April 20th!   No wonder it has taken me so long to write this.

Spring brings many joys, the earth moves, and water flows…

Just like snow melting and sap starting to flow externally,  new growth is facilitated in Spring. But slush is messy, and pollen season troubles many.   Kapha is earth and water, and earth is moved by water, fire (sun) and air (wind) elements.  Things come out and grow in the sun, and also have to deal with water’s runny nature.  Internally, ama (accumulated impurities and excesses in the body) also starts to melt. As the water flows in our body, excess kapha easily shows up as more mucous if the channels are not clear. The mind gets mushier too. It’s natural, because the channels in our mind and body got restricted during winter’s cold. Heat helps to thaw accumuluated kapha and also relax the channels and increase the flow, but herbal and dietary attentions often are needed to help loosen and eliminate these accumulations.

Choosing herbs

The needs of kapha are different in springtime than in the winter or summer, and require more pungent, bitter and astringent tastes.  For many this is a time of spring cleansing, and purification, when lightness and warmth is called for. As always when choosing herbs, keep in mind the constitution of the person, her condition and needs, and even the planetary influences she may be facing. For example, choosing herbs to heal a “debilitating” planetary influence is different from strengthening a “weak” planet. Sometimes a person may need a palliative approach during Spring, which combines the cleansing qualities of anti-kapha herbs, the nourishing and tonic qualities of anti-vata herbs, and the cooling qualities of anti-pitta herbs. A new mom and her family, may be best supported by bringing the mind back to sattva (peace/harmony) by supporting healthy sadhaka pitta (neurotransmitters) and its mind-heart connection, while calming the high vata in her body and the eliminating the excess kapha brought on by seasonal changes.

Cleansing as a risky concept for postpartum

Even though the maternal body has cleansing to do, most cleansing therapies and herbs generally create depletion. In particular, pungent and bitter herbs are cleansing , and after childbirth, depletion therapy becomes a risky approach. Ojas supportive Guduchi (pictured above) is at the top of my list, along with Tulsi. Guduchi, gently but powerfully helps detox from allopathic medicines and is generally good for all three doshas (tridoshic) with pitta reducing qualities. Holy Basil or Tulsi, is healing, purifying, and gently cleansing.  Goksuradi Guggulu also stands out for postpartum use,  with its deep cleansing effects on the water element. The pungent herbs used in Panchakola * Ghee, used regularly in early postpartum,  are all deepan and pachan – strengthening digestive and metabolic fires and burning toxins.   This herbalized ghee will usually be better than plain ghee for mamas at this time, and is well alternated with sesame oil in food.

Life and Learning in Layers

Being able to apply Ayurvedic wisdom to a specific situation is important.  This is a skill learned in layers.  This includes understanding many explainable and unexplained, but identifiable properties of foods and herbs.  It also includes how they are administered.  Many factors change the value of an herb, including for whom, in what format, and in what season or phase of life it is used.

The Season of Growth

Just like in springtime when everything comes alive and grows so fast, mothers as well as babies need building therapy as an underlying modus operandus! Mom needs to be strong and abundant for baby. And she does have special cleansing needs. Mama and baby need gentle but effective bitter and pungent tastes, yet less of the astringent and bitter, while gaining needed benefits.  All three tastes increase air element, dryness, and they may warm or cool but all tend to be catabolic (depleting), not anabolic (building). In conditions of higher kapha – damp cool or warm – and in climate, season or bodily condition (prakruti and vikruti), choose herbs and foods which are less heavy and clogging, whether plant or animal based. This means, even though the general postpartum rules still apply of more fats, milk, sweet, carb, digestible, sattvic and building influences, always practice discernment.  Ayurveda identifies which of these are best used for foods, when, and how to prepare them. It identifies which are the best delivery methods for best results and preventing complications. Understanding the specific properties helps us chose effectively. By example, in this season we can lean more on sesame oil and use less ghee.  In hot milk tonics, cook turmeric, or anantamool into the recipe and include black pepper.  In sweets, favor more spices in hot stewed fruits, adding apple after first 2 weeks. Put extra black pepper and ginger into the mother’s halva (Sheero) or spice puddings with extra ginger, cinnamon and bay leaf. All of these tips give the cook a palette and inspiration to work with, but also listen to what you are sensing, feeling, and knowing, instead of working just by recipe.  There are general principles which serve all mamas. Layer into this the skills of a more advanced practitioner when needed, to assess and choose for special needs. Speaking of needs! For so many mothers, babies and families, these skills are deeply needed. Will you join us in this work?  Here are two this weekend!

Big Elephant Herb for Maternal Health…

Posted on: by: Comments: Leave a comment

This featured herb for maternal care punctures tires, yet makes the urinary channels feel like silk!

Tribulus terrestris is one of the most important herbs in Ayurvedic medicine. This “noxious weed” in the US is called Goat’s Beard or Puncture Vine.  Ayurveda calls it Gokshura.  It offers the  practitioner many uses in maternal healthcare, and though found all over the southwest US, it is seems little known in western herbalism. Perhaps because this hard, multi-sided sharp thorny seed (actually a fruit) easily punctures shoes and bike tires?gokshura triptik

I was looking through my notes recently for perinatal and infant health content.  So much to digest and use, so many little known abundantly growing herbs!  T. terrestris rightfully makes many south-westerners give up their off-road bicycle habit, but when ground it makes the urinary system – and more – very happy.

For pregnancy and postpartum food and medicines, the gokharu (gokshura fruit) was one of the staple herbs in village use. It can be given within the first 10 days after childbirth with guduchi for abnormal postpartum discharge in addition to its applications with the common issues of swellings, burning urine, and rejuvenation. It is an aphrodisiac (rasayana i.e. rejuvenative tonic), helps in conception, preventing miscarriage, certain vaginal disorders, impotency, and shows some effects similar to ashwagandha with animal research. Many other applications below are noted for your interest.

A favorite support best known for kidney function among Ayurvedic students, as herbalists, we often study its gentle effectiveness.

For just this herb, we received many pages of information. Here’s a few tidbits (OK, more than a few):

  1. Certain types of lactation problems respond very well to a preparation of gokshura with guggulu (gokshuradi guggalu), to remove poor water element management from waste products in the lymph/lactation ducts.
  2. Gokshura was used in a nutritious sweet for both men and women for rejuvenation. (The sweet component is important to it’s effectiveness for rejuvenative purposes).
  3. The saponin fraction from Gokshura was demonstrated to exhibit a hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-diabetic rats, with a commensurate reduction in serum triglycerides and cholesterol, and a rise in serum super oxide dismutase (Li et al 2002). Vitiation in triglicerides = tired pancreas.
  4. The poor people in India used to make a vegetable dish out of Gokshura leaves (though its use is being forgotten).
  5. The powder from its fruits used to be mixed with other flours to make traditional Indian bread – at least one teaspoon and up to 25% in small batch helps to reduce urinary problems in elders maybe 7-10%. I now add the powder into a flat bread/chapatti, after learning this is standard preventive fare among many village elders. I’m 64 – perhaps one of your village elders.
  6. An infusion is used to relieve painful micturation, to increase the flow of urine and as a vehicle for diuretic medicines. Used also in incontinence of urine.
  7. It can reduce allopathic dosages needed in certain cases. You will have to ask those questions of the doctor directly, he gave one example in the lecture and we asked about many other things!
  8. With black sesame seeds, helps reduce bad energies- circle the person with mix in a bowl, and throw into fire. (Or burn leaves of flax, or keep a bowl of the flax seeds nearby the fragile – helpful for babies, new mamas, the hospitalized, and others. Our unit on Flax brought many new applications for that plant also!)
  9. With Aam Vata (reheumatoid arthritis) – a decoction with ginger and gokshura is used.
  10. With ascites and piles.  The association of water element managements in the body is related to the reproductive system and emotions around the 2nd chakra, some lactation issues, pancreatic function and a cascade of concerns.
  11. It may help with cough and asthma, alone or mixed with honey as soothing expectorant.
  12. It has analgesic effect;  may help with pain from neural debility.
  13. In Paralysis, the preparation called gokshuradi guggulu is particularly good.
  14. Helps dissolve urinary stones an cystitis. Fresh leaves dipped in water can be drank for medicine, as it creates slipperiness to help release. This remedy is also being forgotten in Ayurvedic practice.

Properties of Gokshura

  • Guna (qualities): Guru (heavy), Snigdha (slimy)
  • Rasa (taste): Madhur (sweet)
  • Virya (energy): Sheeta (cooling)
  • Vipak (post digestive effect): Madhur (sweet)
  • Very good rasayan

Effects on body channels

  • Dosha: Tridoshshamak (cleanses all 3 doshas)
  • Dhatus (tissues affected): Shukra, Mamsa, Meda, Rakta (reproductive, muscle, fat, and blood)
  • Mala: Mutra (waste system affected: urinary)
  • Organs: Urinary system, Cardiac system, Reproductive system, Nervous System
  • Dosage: Fruit powder – 2.5 to 5 gm, Decoction – 60 to 100 ml
  • Contraindication:  Should not be given if patient is suffering from dehydration.

Topics for each herb in the Nighantu class include – an herb’s names and citations throughout the ancient texts; when it began to be used; traditional village dietary and medicinal recipes; which Ayurvedic text says what about it, pharmacokinetics; all useful parts of the plant; effect on metabolism in Ayurvedic and allopathic terms with therapeutic uses and recipes; chemical constituents, uses for each of the shrotamsi (channels) and body systems; herb drug interactions; research on it; growing conditions; varietals; and any contraindications.

As with all information provided, please understand this is partial information. Proper use of herbals per the individual case and condition as well as proper combining, timing, and delivery media are all part of herbal training, and very important. This is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified physician nor prerequisite studies in Ayurvedic medicine.

Kangaroo care

Posted on: by: Comments: Leave a comment

See newborns’ breast crawl,Triplets holding hands, and baby wearing videos

Hey, today I was searching for a kangaroo care video I saw last year, and find more goodies to share.  Especially because many of my students come from the Ayurvedic world first before the mother and baby care world – I’m sure you will enjoy!  I so wish I had done this with my children, and received it myself of course.  Fortunate and grateful I am my mother was at home with us, and nursed us some.

BREAST CRAWL

Unicef sponsors an international policy to support baby’s first minutes/hour after birth by naturally finding the breast to nurse.  Bottle fed or breast later on, the benefits of colostrum are essential for life immune and gut health.  Watch a baby find the nipple and self latch within a few minutes, in this video.  Watch his awareness and focus change when he sees the nipple.  Babies born under sedation or early cord cutting may need more help.

________________

Here is another of several videos on topic.  You can see how conscious these babies are as they see the dark aerola and begin to figure out how to move to it.  So beautiful!  People think babies are not conscious?  To see this one begin to figure out his mouth, to know that is what he needs to open wide, and to assess his body and relation to what he knows he needs to do …

________________

KANGAROO CARE IN HOSPITALS TEACH US ALL

A very dear interview of Sunnybrook hospital staff by a little girl about when she was less than 1 pound herself.  Simple from the heart, and clear.  There are many online videos on topic, but this is just so sweet  😉 – watch through to the end!  She was worn by mama and papa many hours a day.

________________

This hospital does very simple kangaroo care – not fancy props.  At least an hour a day is advised here.

_________________

In this Kenyan hospital with shortage of incubators see many different fabrics/ways to kangaroo their babies.  Interesting discussion, good education, mamas wear their babies for hours.

________________

Here is the one I was looking for, updated with discussion up front. The mums and dads as well as babies are so worth watching as well as listening to in this 21 minute video.  Translated subtitles, from the Institute of Neonatology, Belgrade, Serbia.

Watch for the mutual comfort the twins and triplets – newborn, give each other.  Take note of the kangaroo care wraps the hospital provides – they do a zip up or velcro.  I want to see these in the stores.

And how they bathe a newborn premie the first time, starting wrapped.

________________

This TED Talk shows another lovely, successful in third world villages low cost and low technology solution to keeping leeeetle premies warm – for many hours safely.  Most parents are not willing or perhaps even able after a difficult birth, to do kangaroo for 4-6 hours on end, though with the leeeetles it is so needed.

It will be good to see more of is this technology combined with kangaroo care.  Created by a team of Stanford students who gave up their studies to move to India for 2-3 years to develop, test and successfully launch this Embrace Global solution!

________________

WEARING BABY IN A SLING

Great for kangaroo care!   Do it bare chested, and baby in diaper only.  There are many clips of the variations of using slings with babies on youtube.

Here’s one on how to Moby-wrap your newborn from a 3 weeks postpartum mama – I extend her gratitudes!  .  SIMPLE clear instructions.  I’ve seen it done and done it myself but couldn’t remember well till I saw this.

________________

Ring slings – cradle and burp carry positions/management

Belly Binding after Birth

Posted on: by: Comments: Leave a comment

Belly Binding After Birth is a practice used around the world in older traditions, with good reason.  It offers such stability, and comfort, like being hugged at a time when there is so much flab or stretched tissue and empty spaces inside.   The body is able to work so much better, without so much slip and slide on the connections.  That will include not only tissue rejuvenation but bowels, digestion, reducing gas and bloating, even hormones and mood will be supported.

One of my students just asked about wrapping protocols for after Cesarian birth, and Dr. Claudia Welch recently asked my advice about how I use the practice of belly binding – what kind of wraps.  You might like to see these discussions.  It’s on my to-do list to make you a little video but for now, here you are!

Of course the “it depends” factor is there – cost, ease of access and use, appearances, fabric content, to wear over or under, how many to have, and time willing to invest.

I tend to go simple, and purchase/suggest purchasing a 5 yard piece of very lightweight cotton.  Depending on width, you get 5 or 6 strips longwise, and can choose to pretty it up with hem or not.  About 12″ wide, raw works good.  We lay it across the abdomen in front and have mama slowly turn, as it goes around, some up over kidneys, some down over hips sometime, depends how she wants to wear it so she can still use the bathroom, but feel snugged.  Cotton crinkle cloth works well, or lightest muslin, but the neutral colors have to be worn underneath for most people.

It helps them to have one or two in the wash, one to wear, one to loose, and – maybe one or two to give to a girlfriend.

Dr. Jyoti Jagtap, young vaidya and mama herself on our student forum, advises a minimum of 1/2 hour wearing a day.  We can most easily wrap them before their nap after their home spa treatment/postpartum warm oil massage (and a bathroom run!)   It is the best time for them to experience it with help, then not be afraid to try on their own.  Some put it on after bathing.  Some Ayurvedics advise to wear all day. Dr. Sarita Shrestha’s grandmother wore one all her life, and had best posture and digestion, passing over in mid 90’s.  I wore one for some months during premenopause, and took such comfort from it!

I hear of wide ace bandages which can be used more easily, but the degradation of the material from cleansing massage oil out of them does not make for smart investment.  Maternity stores sell one I think it is close to $50, maybe a $38 one (velcroed girdle style in synthetic, same laundering issues), and they also sell a $9 or so item which can be used they say in pregnancy and postpartum, but has so much give and so little hold it is a waste of money IMO anytime.

Japanese use the obi sash as a special gift sanctified in temple I think it is 5th month pregnancy, with her mother usually.  I’d like to hear more about this!

Malaysia they have a traditional muslin lace-up deal, being sold worldwide now, bundled with an herbal poultice to use underneath.  Valerie Lynn at mypostpartumwellness.com has done excellent and sincere job of marketing and product development sharing the traditional Malay ways. Many juicy tidbits may be gained from this and other cultures, though her food combining and meals are not quite up to my experience for many moms. It is fascinating to apply what we know to understand why this practice there, another practice in another culture – some of it is climactic, or what is availbale in the area plays a part. That’s an aside for another discussion! She has kindly quoted about our work in her well organized book in several places.

Because a C-birth mama has an incision with bandage needing changing, we work around that, and need for oxygen to the stitches.  I have seen such good results when they use lavender or helichrysum oil from Young Living, organic or better is essential to safe use w/o petrochemical solvents or synthetic molecular issues.   Also note, distillation method, temp and pressure varies and can affect effectiveness.  That said, since the essential oils help oxygenate, are antiseptic, analgesic and help wound /scar healing, that’s first priority, before thinking about belly wrapping.  If they want it also, assist them.

It works well to apply the essential oils as bandage is being changed, to simply drip 1-3 drops on the incision is usually enough.  On epidural site and base of brainstem when headaches are coming, also.   Those aweful headaches so often when the dural tube has been punctured, with CSF(cerebro-spinal fluid) loss and psychic separation from Baby during birth even, seems a huge issue these days with >33% of mamas having C-births.  And 2-3 drops real lavendula angustafolia combined with the mother’s abhyanga (gentle clockwise in this case, circular warm oil massage) on tummy usually takes care of cramping and enhances shrinking of the uterus – both much more quickly than the norm.

After surgery, I do not have official protocol word about when to start belly wrapping, from a vaidya yet.  Common sense says to go with what the client feels and is able to do for the first few days, and have her ask her doctor. Generally I see they are ready about 7 -10 days postpartum. If they want to before, and doc has no problem with it – gently, and more firmly as feels comforting.

2 Kinds of Colic

Posted on: by: Comments: Leave a comment

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.

Herbs for Mood – Depression and many related conditions

Posted on: by: Comments: 6 Comments

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

Water meditation with new baby

Posted on: by: Comments: 4 Comments

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.

 

Radiation – urgent issues, help from Ayurveda

Posted on: by: Comments: 1 Comment

Although  I believe the blackout on severity of Fukushima reactor #4’s vulnerability can truly be covering up the 2012 catastrophe that changes life as we know it on this planet, I DO NOT like to be a scare monger.  Especially with fragile populations.  So I speak to those who care for them, please see this significant data link.  Regardless of this news update, we should be talking dynamically together, how to protect mama and baby from radiation.  We do not have to be alarmist to be very timely.  They are among the most vulnerable populations to any kind of pollution and we are surrounded even w/o a 10-85X potency Chernobyl.  I will be addressing what can mamas do short of migrating to ?? which most won’t can’t and shouldn’t, in terms of daily care, in my cooking and consulting classes in June.  The June classes and Tuesday night series on herbals do have a prerequisite class running now and are being recorded.

Dr. Vasant Lad recommends postpartum mamas eat 2 tsp daily of tikta ghee.  These bitter herbs are not appropriate taken alone  – might even reduce milk supply that way in early postpartum, but prepared in ghee are not only padded, but work more effectively.  Best taken in 1/2 cup hot water or tea.  Tikta ghee addresses the nuclear level/dna and helps cleanse and reset the ether element among other things.

Dr. RamaKant Mishra speaks of the similarity between radiation and lightning strikes, distorting at the level of the ether element, which is nuclear energy and cell nucleus and DNA level.

There are of course other modifications to the abundant advice running around to protect mood, colic and other issues from being side effects, included in my 6 page article, Radiation Exposures – Protecting Mothers and Newborns with Ayurveda.

Please see this  urgent letter to two key UN reps signed by a long list of Japanese dignitaries and organizations with the news updates which cite important references, requesting urgent immediate organizing assistance for masterminding and global resources to deal with this issue.  I will post any update on how to easily participate in this campaign along with an article I have written for adapting radiation supports for mothers and new borns tomorrow.  With the news blackout on the topic, I am quite convinced we have to go viral best we can on it, and that this will happen God willing, via many channels.
Wishing  you the Peace Beyond Understanding, Strong community coherence, and health,
Ysha