Adaptogens & Breastfeeding: Support for Supermoms

Posted on by under adaptogens, breastfeeding, energy, fertility, immunity, lactation, stress, Uncategorized

Wow.  It’s five months into my motherhood stint, and the realities of the 24-hour nature of this undertaking have recently intensified with a little something called sleep regression, followed by another little something called teething.  My previously enviable situation of having a very young baby who slept through the night has disintegrated.  We are now up at all hours.  Last night, my baby wouldn’t even go to sleep until after 9 pm, a couple of hours after his usual bedtime.  Until now the sleep regression stuff had mostly affected him staying asleep, so this was unusual.  And this was after a night where I probably got a maximum of 4 hours of sleep, and we had a day filled with some trying moments.

Needless to say, I’m completely exhausted.  With all the sleep deprivation I’ve been experiencing, my mind turned to the possibility of a class of herbs called adaptogens for support.  Adaptogens modulate the effects of stress on your body, making you more resilient, and help boost your immunity.  According to David Winston and Steven Maimes:

“Adaptogens are remarkable natural substances that help the body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic functions, and help restore balance.  They increase the body’s resistance to physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors and provide a defense response to acute or chronic stress.  They are unique from other substances in their ability to restore the balance of endocrine hormones, modulate the immune system, and allow the body to maintain optimal homeostasis.”  (Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief (Healing Arts Press, 2007))

Setting about my research, it took delving into some highly specialized resources to find the adaptogens that are compatible with breastfeeding, as most of them aren’t. I am so fortunate to be studying with Aviva Romm.  She has put together a top-shelf women’s herbal program that draws upon her 20+ years of experience as a practicing herbalist and midwife.  Aviva is also a trained physician and has the science savvy as well as the herbalist and midwifery arts at her disposal.  I’m just loving the course, as it satisfies both sides of the brain.  There is also a wonderful global community of women who are taking the course, and many of them are midwives and herbalists and are fantastic resources as well.

From my research, which included Aviva’s books as well as tapping the well of the women’s herbal community, there emerged two main adaptogens that are optimal for use while breastfeeding: ashwagandha and shatavari.  Some information about each, again with quotes from Winston & Maimes:

  • Ashwagandha: “It is believed that this herb gives its users the stamina and strength of a stallion.  In ayurvedic medicine, this herb is . . . used for prolonging life, stimulating the mind, and enhancing vigor and sexual prowess as well as for its recuperative powers.”  Unlike many adaptogens, which have stimulating properties, ashwagandha is calming, so it’s a good one for when you’re feeling high-strung and strung-out.
  • Shatavari: This one sounds like one to watch out for!  ”The word shatavari literally translates as “she who has hundreds of husbands.”  It has been used for millenia as an aphrodisiac and to enhance fertility in women (and men as well)…. In modern ayurvedic practice, shatavari is still used as a female reproductive tonic.  Animal studies have confirmed that it enhances fertility and libido….  Shatavari is also used as an adaptogen and as an immune system and nutritive tonic…. There is a long history of this plant being used to increase milk flow in lactating women.”
Not too shabby, eh?  I have procured these herbs in both dried and powdered form and have begun experimenting with different formulae.  I’m still in the early stages, but I think I have hit upon something really special and am tweaking my recipe to get it just right!  Once I do, I’ll make it available . . . as well as my own adventures chronicling the use of these herbs.  Stay tuned for a future post on this.
Posted on by under Uncategorized

My little cub is two months old today!

Now that things have begun to settle down here a bit, I’ve been having some fun formulating some herbal concoctions.

Alas, the cub has developed a bit of cradle cap.  To treat it, I infused organic olive oil with chamomile, nettles, and mullein.  I’m applying it to the affected area, letting it soak in for a bit, and then following up with a warm, wet washcloth and some gentle castile soap, massaging the area well so that it loosens the dead skin.

cradle cap oil

 

I’m also working on a dream balm.  I’ve prepared the oil I’m going to use by infusing it with mugwort, lavender, rose, chamomile, and hops.  I’m currently crafting a blend of essential oils to add to this, so I’m holding off on making the balm until I have the right aromatic blend.  I’m making this to gift several people who have been instrumental in helping me navigate this potent time in my life.

I’m also crafting up some new products for some mama-to-be gift packages, so stay tuned!

 

Plant Profile: Oat straw

Posted on by under avena sativa, high mineral content, nourishment, pregnancy tonic

Oat straw: Avena sativa

“Worry is the work of pregnancy.”

This was the title of a chapter from the book Birthing From Within, by Pam England & Rob Horowitz.  I won’t deny that when I read it, I felt an enormous sense of relief.  See, I’m supposed to be worrying now!

It’s Mother Nature’s way of preparing us for the enormity of the task at hand: nurturing another being who is wholly dependent upon us for its survival.

But excessive worrying is not something we want to indulge during pregnancy, especially since all those stress chemicals affect the baby as well.

In my own experience, I was confronted with situations that, under different circumstances, might not have been a big deal.  However, being pregnant, I found myself more likely to perceive them as threatening.  My entire being would go into self-protective mode, to the point where I would feel my nervous system over-reacting, rousing my Mama Bear ferocity and hyper-vigilance.

After some days of this, not only would I feel strung-out, defensive, and depleted ~ on top of that, as if I needed something else to worry about, I would then worry about the effect that all this stress was having on my baby!  Fortunately, my plant allies came to my rescue and helped to stop this cycle of stress so that I could deal with these situations in a more constructive way.

Enter oat straw.  This food’s nourishing action coats the nervous system, soothing frayed nerves, and promotes resilience.  It is an herbal nervine that is gentle enough to consume often during pregnancy.  Because it works to repair nerve endings, it can also enhance pleasures of the senses.

Like nettles, oat straw is nourishing, chock-full of minerals, and works well when brewed as an infusion.  High in magnesium and calcium, it can help to ease muscle cramps, as well as make sure that your calcium supply is adequate through pregnancy and nursing.

Also like nettles, oat straw is most effective when consumed daily over time.  Unlike some of the more fast-acting nervines, oat straw is more of a tonic herb.  I prefer it as an infusion or tea to maximize nutrient content.  As a tea, I have enjoyed blending oat straw with other mild nervines, like lemon balm and chamomile, and also with smaller amounts of stronger nervines like valerian and skullcap when needed.

Now that I’m in the last days of my pregnancy, I’m more focused on staying calm and centered.  In fact, it has become an absolute priority for me; I’m simply refusing to let anything harsh my mellow right now.  I am so grateful to the plants for supporting me in this ~ including oat straw, an important ingredient in the  relaxation-promoting tea blends that I’ve crafted (which are divine with my homemade lavender-infused honey!).

Plant Profile: Nettles

Posted on by under high mineral content, nettles, nourishment, pregnancy tonic
Stinging Nettles, urtica dioica

When I first became pregnant, I was aware that there were certain herbs that I should avoid, but I was not yet educated as to which herbs would be safe, helpful, and supportive.

I was already in a practice of drinking daily infusions of various herbs to support and nourish my system, and I wanted to continue this practice during my pregnancy.  The one sure thing that I knew would be safe, and could start drinking right away, was nettles.  Not only are nettles completely safe, but I had no idea what a tremendous support they would be for my pregnant body.  As a fresh food, or brewed as an infusion or tea, nettles are a great way to get your greens ~ and we all know that you can never have too many greens, right?  The high mineral content found in nettles is especially beneficial during pregnancy, when the body requires higher amounts of calcium, magnesium, iron, and other minerals.   Once I did some further research, I found from a variety of reputable herbalists that nettles is considered an amazing pregnancy tonic in itself.  My body gratefully absorbed everything they had to offer me.  I am convinced that my daily nettles infusions are responsible for my consistently high iron levels and overall nourishment throughout my pregnancy.  I didn’t suffer from hemorrhoids, constipation, or swelling, which are common complaints of pregnancy; and thanks to the higher levels of calcium and magnesium, I had very minimal muscle cramping.  Not to mention that drinking tea all the time is extremely hydrating!  My midwives always remarked that I was their most hydrated patient.  Nettles are also a mild diuretic and work to tone the kidneys, which is a huge blessing when your kidneys are working overtime to filter one-and-a-half times of your normal blood supply!

Consuming nettles during pregnancy has post partum benefits as well.  The plant is a great source of Vitamin K, and also increases the availability of hemoglobin, thus helping to decrease the chance of post partum hemorrhage.  It also increases the supply of breast milk and imbues it with nutrients.

While nettles are available fresh, dried, or in forms such as tinctures and capsules, the optimal way to consume them is either as a food or juice from the fresh plant (though be sure to boil them to remove the sting, as it can stimulate the uterus) or a brewed tea or infusion from the dried plant.  These methods of consumption maximize the nutritional content, which is a huge part of why we consume them during pregnancy.

As a tonic, nettles should be consumed regularly, as the true benefits kick in from consistent use over time.

Earthy and humble; green, stable, and supportive; nettles provide consistent nourishment, helping you to build a solid foundation of health for you and the developing life inside you.

Resources:

http://www.susunweed.com/Article_Pregnancy_Problems.htm

Herbal Healing for Women, by Rosemary Gladstar