Pregnancy Related Recipes

Since I am now in serious "nesting in" mode, I thought I would share a few recipes that I have on hand to help get the baby here and to help with recovery post partum. This is for all you newly pregnant or soon to be pregnant mamas to file away for the future.

Labor Stimulator Tea

-- Cinnamon -- 1 medium sized stick
-- 10 Cloves
-- Ginger Root -- 1 - 2 cm piece

After simmering add:

1 Tbsp. Verbena oil OR
Verbena Tea leaves OR
5 drops of Verbena essential oil

Let sit for 10 minutes.

Mixture can be diluted 50% with OJ or apricot juice.
Sip throughout the day.

Labor-Aide

1 quart (litre) of water
1/3 cup honey, more or less to suit your taste
1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed, or your favorite fruit or veggie juice
1/4 tsp. salt (with hot weather labors, increase this to 1/2 tsp.)
1 crushed calcium tablet to equal 500 mg or the equivalent in a liquid calcium supplement

Mix all of the above together. You can make it ahead of time and freeze as ice cubes or popsicles. This helps to keep you hydrated with a good electrolyte mixture and provides the energy that hard-working uterus needs to work efficiently.

Perineal Healing Pad Soak (Freeze before birth so they are ready for use.)

1/4 cup dried comfrey leaf
1/2 teaspoon golden seal powder
2 cups of water

Bring water to a boil and remove from heat and then add in the herbs. Let the herbs steep for 4 hours and then strain them off. Place the infusion into a spray bottle and lightly saturate each menstrual pad. Place each one in a zip-lock baggie and freeze. If you cup-shape them in the palm of your hand, or freeze them in a bowl that keeps them curved, they "fit" better when you go to use them. Over soaking the pad will cause you to freeze your tissues and they over-melt and become heavy and soggy. You can save the herbs, blend them up and apply them as a paste to the pad as well, but some people find the odor to be a bit much.

This mixture of herbs promotes healing and the prevention of infection in the perineal area for "skid marks", tears, and stitches.

Post Partum Healing Herbal Bath

If you have never tried this before -- do try it next time you have a baby. You won't be sorry!

Some of the ingredients in this bath make the water aseptic so you are less likely to get an infection. Some of the herbs used help to prevent or heal bladder infections, cause wounds to heal quickly and prevent and controll excessive bleeding. If you bring baby in the bath with you, it will also help to heal the cord faster. This bath will also aide in soothing away aches and pains from giving birth.

In a large non - aluminium pot, mix together the following:

1 oz. Uva Ursi leaves
1 - 2 oz. of Comfrey Leaf
1 - 1.5 oz. Shepherd's Purse
2 liters (quarts) of purified or distilled, non-chlorinated water.

Bring water to a gentle boil and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes. Cover and let it stand for 3 or 4 hours and simmer a second time for about 10 minutes to get the full benefit of the herbs.

In a small blender, whiz up the following:

2 large bulbs of fresh, raw garlic with a bit of water

Add to the herbs. Now add 1/2 cup of sea salt.

Cover in a sealable plastic container and refrigerate. You can strain off the herb mush if you like and tie it up in a knee-high panty hose sock and put it in a ziplock bag in the freezer. Add the sock to the water or tie it to the spout and let the water run over it when your bath is being prepared.

To use: Have someone clean the tub with a 10 % bleach solution then rinse well. Fill the tub with comfortably warm water to hip level, adding the prepared "tea" and herb sock. Get in and enjoy with baby for about 30 minutes, adding warm water as needed.