Postpartum Freezer Pads

There is much healing to be done after you have a baby, and keeping a stash of freezer pads (or “padsicles”) can bring some much-needed relief in the early days. The cold is temporarily numbing while the herbs or solutions can reduce swelling and inflammation and speed up tissue recovery.

You can make a beautiful herbal concentration using a mix of calendula, plantain, chamomile and marshmallow; using about a half cup of each dried herb, boil about 8 cups of water, add the herbs and let steep covered for at least 20 minutes or preferably longer. You can then strain and add this concentrated liquid to sitz baths or peri bottles, or pour over several overnight maxi pads and freeze them on a piece of foil.

Alternately, if you don’t have dried herbs (mountain rose and heart of herbs are both good places to order from), you can simply use alcohol-free witch hazel (available at any drug store) and pure aloe vera gel (no fragrances or dies). Soak the pads with the with hazel first (maybe a tablespoon or two per pad), then spread the aloe with clean hands or a spoon. If you have pure lavender essential oil, you can add a drop or two per pad and spread that with the aloe. Freeze on a piece foil for an hour and then store your stash in a zip loc bag. Use as needed for pain relief and soothing.

Comments

Special Feature: "How Our Society Is Failing Breastfeeding Mothers"

Hello! In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I'm sharing this article that I wrote as an assignment for my breastfeeding educator certification program through Birth Arts International. How Our Society is Failing Breastfeeding Mothers Western culture is letting down mothers who want to breastfeed by overcomplicating and interfering with nature’s natural course. While we have made great progress in our promotion of breastfeeding, we are still lacking some fundamental follow-through practices that would set new mothers up for a more successful and less stressful breastfeeding journey. In the United States initiation rates of breastfeeding have risen consistently over the last 30 years to more than 80% initiation, but drop significantly over the course the first year with less than 50% of babies exclusively breastfed at 3 months of age, and only 25% remaining exclusively breastfed at 6 months ( Centers for Disease Control National Immunization Survey 2009-2016 ). What does this tell u...

Breastfeeding As Birth Control

Breastfeeding is a natural form of birth control, as it suppresses the hormones needed to return your menstrual cycle and hence your fertility. This is called the Lactational Amenorrhea Method, or LAM. This method is the most conducive form of birth control for many breastfeeding families. If followed correctly it is 98-99.5% effective. To safely practice LAM you must meet the following criteria: Your baby is under 6 months of age. You are exclusively breastfeeding on cue day AND night, and baby is getting no supplementation or solid foods. Your menstrual cycles have not returned. You can further increase the protectiveness of this method by keeping your baby close (baby-wearing, co-sleeping and bedsharing for naps and nights), nursing for comfort, and using no bottles or pacifiers. You are likely to experience a further delay in the return of your cycle if you offer breastmilk before solid foods to older babies, introduce solids slowly, and continue to prioritize breastfeedi...

The Tea on Tongue Ties

You have probably heard of tethered oral tissues (TOTS) or some other iteration of the name. And, like many mamas, you may have questions about how these oral restrictions can effect or perhaps are already effecting your little one. So let’s chat about TOTS today… First of all, ties can effect not just the tongue, but the lips and cheeks as well. It is very common for tongue-tie babies to also have restrictions in the lips and/or cheeks, but it can also occur in just one of those spots. TOTS are commonly hereditary. The frenulum is a mucous membrane that goes from the floor of your mouth to the middle on the bottom of your tongue. Ankyloglossia (tongue tie) means that the frenulum is tight or short, so that movement of the tongue is restricted. Are ties a “fad”? Lots of parents ask this because of the frequency at which TOTS are diagnosed these days. But the answer is no, it’s not a fad. We just know so much more about this issue now! Additionally, mothers are initiating br...

Wellmama

Search This Blog