Natural remedies for pregnancy October 13, 2010

Did you know?

* Perineum Massage helps to soften the skin and improve elasticity to help prevent tears and stitches during childbirth. Stimulates blood supply and helps speed healing process after birth. Nature’s Mother sells a blend of Olive Oil and Rose Petal Extract to use in the last month of pregnancy. Apply a few drops of this oil daily and massage into the perineum.

* Raspberry Leaf tea is traditionally used to prepare uterine muscles for labour, but is also beneficial for morning sickness, to sooth and prevent bleeding gums, relax muscles in uterus while it is contracting, assist the birth of baby and placenta and calm the cramping of the uterus. Raspberry Leaf is also a rich source of iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium and contains Vitamins B1, B3 & E

* Arnica Homeopathic remedy is used for physical exhaustion, over exertion, shock, reducing bruising, sprains, insomnia due to overtiredness, aches, pains & bleeding.

* Chamomile is an excellent herb for treating various digestive disorders, is known to effectively combat stress and depression, can be used to defeat insomnia by acting like mild sedative. Relaxes muscles which can relieve cramps. Helps to heal skin irritations and can help in the fight against acne.

* Ginger regulates a whole range of body processes and thereby prevents disease. It is an excellent treatment for all kinds of nausea, including morning sickness, and is a really effective in treating all kinds of digestive problems and stimulating the circulatory system. Studies show it is as effective as leading anti-nausea medicines and is completely harmless.

* Nettle leaves are very beneficial both medically and nutritionally. They are very rich in minerals, especially calcium, potassium and iron. They aid digestion, kidney function and blood circulation and have been used to stimulate the secretion of mother’s milk, to treat bites and stings and to treat lung disorders . Native Americans used this tea to aid pregnancy, childbirth and nursing.

* Buying Herbal tea’s in loose leaf form ensures that you are getting a pure product and the recommended quantity. Nature’s Mothers teas are certified Organic.

* During pregnancy the body starts to produce more red blood cells and plasma in order to have enough for the foetus. A woman’s iron reserves will become strained and so it is important to provide the body with extra iron to meet this extra demand. Iron is also required to produce the mother’s milk which covers the baby’s demand for iron Babies absorb approximately 50% of the contained iron. Floradix contains iron in an easily absorbable form as well as vitamin C to enhance the iron absorption. It also contains Herbal extracts to maintain healthy digestion and B-vitamins for blood formation and energy release. It is free from chemical preservatives, colourings and flavourings. Floradix is suitable for vegetarians.

* Mum 2 Be stretch mark oil: Sweet Almond, Jojoba and Borage Oils blended Lavender and Sweet Orange Essentials oils has been developed to help prevent and reduce stretch marks and maintain healthy skin, whilst relaxing you and making you feel pampered.

* Active Birth can help prevent birth complications & interventions. Nature’s Mother sells the New Active Birth book by Janet Balaskas

* ALL OF THESE ARE AVAILABLE IN A KIT OR SEPARATELY FROM www.naturesmother.co.uk.

* The Nature’s Mother forum discusses pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and parenting.

* The Nature’s Mother Forum has a resident Midwife, Doula, Breastfeeding Peer Supporter, Homeopath, and other alternative therapists to answer your questions! Join for free today at www.naturesmother.co.uk (go to “join forum”)

6 more sleeps until Beanies due date! June 7, 2010

Well, it could be any day now! With new babies due date looming and nesting having kicked in fully, I am well prepared (and hoping) to go into labour soon!  There’s no real signs of it yet, except babies head  feels low and I have the odd Braxton Hicks contractions.  I see the midwife on Wednesday so shall see what she says.

I’m faithfully drinking my 4 cups of raspberry leaf tea every day, the occasional cup of chamomile for heartburn and to help me to chill out (although I’m feeling pretty chilled), nettle tea for the extra calcium, potassium and iron.  I’ve also started taking Arnica to help with bruising, aches, pains, exhaustion. I plan to carry on taking it until my “bits” are back to normal after the birth.  I’ve also started using my wonderful perineum massage oil, to hopefully avoid tears! It’s sweet almond oil mixed with rose petal oil, gentle and wonderful for the skin!  Still no stretch marks…I do believe I owe my thanks to both genes and my mum-to-be stretch mark oil.

Here’s a bump photo just taken…it’s a pretty big bump now. I’m going to miss it, but I’m longing to meet my new little lady now. I wonder if she’ll also be the splitting image of her daddy?!

I am feeling ever so slightly panicky that I may go overdue.  I didn’t with Erin, and I know I still would have 14 days before I may be encouraged to be induced, but still….it’s a slight concern. Apparently, your second child comes around the same time or before your first, so I’m believing that and hoping/expecting it to happen this week still!  Birth pool is in it’s box, having being trialled. It will only take about 10 minutes to blow up (if the pump doesn’t pack up!). Wood is stocked up for the rayburn to heat the water. Steven is off work. It’s raining (not sure if that’s a good thing or bad, but good weather for a cosy fire and good weather to lie in bed and marvel at a newborn!)  COME ON BABY BEANIE!

Steven and I have still not agreed on a name…we like several, but no decision has been made. I guess we shall see which one suits her most. Perhaps trial a few…one name a day for a few days…hahaha! If ‘she’ turns out to be a boy, we’re sorted…we have a boys name!

I’ve been doing yoga again for the last week or so (after not doing it for a month or more!), and am feeling really good. All signs of the sciatica I had a few weeks ago has disappeared…I do believe this is due to stretching my hamstrings a little. Just slowing down and thinking about my breathing has helped me to feel more confident too.

Steven and I have been going through the Active Birth book by Janet Balaskas again. It’s such a great book and has, once again, left us feeling so positive. I’m looking forward to letting movement and gravity help me, and I really do trust that my body knows how to birth naturally, and I’m so looking forward to doing it again!

13 days to go… May 31, 2010

Feeling really tired today. I tossed and turned with an achey back in the night, and was worrying about our cat who we hadn’t seen for over a day (she’s back this morning!).  The sun has come out though and I am determined to go get some…it always helps to recharge my batteries. Just had a little snooze with Erin too.  I think I’ll have another swig of go-go juice too, as possibly I just have low iron today, as tends to happen in pregnancy when your body is producing much more blood.

The good news is…Erin slept through last night for a change!  She woke up at about 6.30 very proudly announcing “all night Peppa Pig bed!” Very sweet!  She’s been a little unsettled lately, I think it’s the sense that things are about to change. I feel bad that I won’t be able to give her the attention that she gets now, but it will be lovely for her to have a sister in the long run.

Our blessing way yesterday went really well. A blessing way is an alternative to a baby shower, perhaps boring to some, but no silly games or horror stories and more focusing on positivity for the birth and preparing for being parents to a second little one.  Normally it is a woman only thing (Mother Blessing), but I feel that the father’s journey is as important and also needs to be acknowledged and celebrated, therefore ours was a Mother & Father Blessingway.  After all, Steven will be my birthing partner and he is the most fantastic dad and husband.

More people turned up than expected (some had not responded to my invite and brought their children along too), but it was really lovely, if not a little too chaotic for a while.  We had snacks, wine and juice out on the table for people to help themselves, and got down to the business of painting my belly mould.   Erin even added her touch on my right boob.  Here’s the almost-finished product…still to be varnished, trimmed and ribbon threaded through the top so I can hang it.  Isn’t it wonderful??  Very farmy and appropriate to the time of year too, I think. Steven did the yin-yang, which represents masculine and feminine, dark and light, pisces (the fish – steven’s star sign) and gemini – the twins(baby’s star sign…unless she’s way overdue, which she won’t be!).  The writing on the yin yang was me…it says “we can’t wait to meet you, to hold you, to love you and keep you in our hearts forever. May your journey be gentle” I also did a chinese symbol for tiger, as it is the year of the golden tiger. We have a lotus at my heart, a dragonfly which we’ve recently spotted at the pond, lots of beautiful buds and flowers,  sunshine, the symbol of creativity and the tree of life.

We also did hand-binding ritual with some hemp string. We sat in a circle and passed the ball of string around, wrapping it around our left hands. Once it had gone all the way around the circle (uniting us, and giving us a moment for thoughts for the birth and new baby) we passed scissors around and cut between each person, which we then tied into bracelets.  We will keep these on until the baby is born.

Steven and I also gave out candles to be lit when I go into labour and blown out once the baby has been born.

This morning we also did a trial run of setting up the birthing pool…it was all very quick and easy. It’s just the filling it that may prove a bit of a task.  You attach a hose to the tap of course, but we will need to keep the Rayburn stoked to keep the water hot.  Let’s hope my labour is this relaxing! The top ring is not fully inflated as it needs to be filled with water first.  It’ll make a great swimming pool for Erin afterwards too! 

I’ve had one cup of raspberry leaf tea in today…and need to have 3 more! I love the stuff, even if I do have to put honey in to disguise the herbiness a bit.  I think it’s doing it’s job as I quite often get braxton hicks contractions, all good. Tone those uterine muscles baby!

Which reminds me…perineum massage is next on my to do list!! I certainly want to avoid tearing if I can!

I’ve also set Steven the task of brushing up on his massage and breathing skills to help me in labour, so tonight we’ll be studying the Active Birth book again together!

Thank goodness for my natural pregnancy kit! What would I do without it?!