This is a picture of the herbal store where I get lots of help and wonderful organic herbs. Although I do order from
Jean's greens as well... they also have a wonderful selection of bulk herbs at great prices and super fast shipping!!
I've never been one for taking pills or medication I never was sick often as a child so I just never think about taking medication. I believe we currently have 1 bottle of Advil for my husbands recent root canal and cavity, as well as a bottle of children's ibuprofen in our medicine chest this does not include the herbal medicine we do have on hand. I do like to dabble in natural remedies and one day wish to be more fluent in herbal self help especially for the children. I am a big believer that these methods have been around for hundreds of years and have proven themselves time and time again. Unfortunately in the world we live in today it is frowned down upon by most doctors and pediatricians they tend to call it old wives tales. I don't think it's because they believe that these methods don't work but more that they don't want to believe that a simple dose of garlic or a tincture of elderberries can trump their extensive knowledge of antibiotics...it's like saying that the 8 years they spent gulling in med school were all for nothing. I do believe there is a place in this world for doctors and that they are very valuable in the medical field but I also think that patience are so trained these days to run to the doctors at the first sign of any ailment instead of giving their bodies aides to help heal itself.
our family tries avoid going to the doctors as much as possible especially the kids who do go for their year well check up but that's usually it (and to tell you the truth I even missed that appointment once and my son wasn't seen for two years....oops) What the doctors don't know is the ear infections, diaper rashes, and common colds that the kids did have in between the visits.
I bring this subject up because of the current UTI that my daughter is fighting off...
She has been such a good little patient through all of this. c We are currently having her drink 3/4 cup water every hour this makes urine to run clear so it will stop the burning sensation.
We are also giving her
CranActin which comes in a veggie cap that is very easy to pull apart and mix with yogurt or applesauce. We have been doing this 2 times a day and plan on continuing this treatment for 3 days and see where we are.
So the water is what is going to flush out the bacteria that's in the urinary tract, and the
CranActin (which are simply cranberry extracts with vitamin C) this is what stops the bacteria from sticking to bladder cells.
I'm also doing all the research I can to do the unheard of thing of trying to prevent Annabelle from getting jaundice. My trouble is that I would love to have just one child where there is little to no intervention and unfortunately not being able to afford a home birth has made us play by the hospitals rules. This means that jaundice is a very BIG medical emergency and we need to get those bililights on that baby as soon as possible, and unfortunately each one of my children's levels are higher and higher. There is very little research on this subject and I have gotten little to no answers from doctors. Although I was pointed in the right direction by a local known herbalist who mentioned milk thistle which is one of the best know liver tonics. So by supporting the function of the liver with milk thistle, the organ will be able to efficiently filter bilirubin out of the body and since what mama takes baby takes maybe we could get ahead of this problem that all my babies seem to have. Although back in day day it was perfectly acceptable to just breast feed and get as much natural sunlight as possible (which naturally helps break down the bilirubin) but doctors see a problem with this because they want an instant fix (insert rolling of eyes at this so called medical emergency).
I will be going to my midwife in a week and was going to ask her opinion of my idea to take one capsule of milk thistle a day for the last trimester, it hopes to prevent jaundice so I would be able to leave the hospital the day after Annabelle birth so we can enjoy our newest addition to the family.
Another resource I'm turning to is Susun Weed's book
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, such a wonderful resource for any mama to be.
She talks about including rich minerals, and proteins to promote healthy livers which will help clear the extra red blood cells.
She also mentions dandelion during pregnancy and early lactation to help baby develop a strong liver.
What are your thoughts about natural remedies?
Oh my, that's a tough one. While I'm a fan of natural remedies I don't know anything for jaundice...I do work in the hospital birth setting so I know all too well about the bili lights. I had my babies in Vermont and when my youngest had jaundice (36 weeks pretty common) I was able to have a bili blanket at home! It was fantastic, it just wrapped around his belly (he looked a bit like a glow worm) and he was able to sleep w/ us and nurse whenever he needed...I wonder if that could be an option for you?
ReplyDeleteWe did have the bili blanket for my first born and it was great (I agree we called him our glow bug) With my daughter, she needed to go in the bili bed and then go home with the lights as well, and then with my youngest he was in the bili bed in the hospital for quit a few days. It's torcher because all you want to do as a momma is home your baby.
ReplyDeleteI'm just crossing my fingers that this birth will be as "normal" as possible so we can just go home and enjoy our newest addition.
Lotus birth. 14 is a 'healthy,normal' bili count but with Shine's birth she was a 2. She was a complete lotus birth. It's wonderful and leaves the child's power in their own hands about when and where they release from their placenta.
ReplyDeleteI've tons of tests to prove the benefits of lotus birth for mom and babe as ...we ended up being a hospital birth as Ohio was raiding the homebirth midwives. There was an issue with an ignorant nurse who called CPS (ISSUES!) so we ended up with test, after test, after test. Luckily Shine had already told us she was a light bringer because not only does my backup OB/GYN now try to get every woman who comes to him to do a lotus birth but we had Residents in checking out the placenta, learning about herbs (goldenseal, lavender, rosemary, myrrh, etc. )that were on the placenta and what I was using on her body and mine, we also had a discussion over salt (iodine grocery salt vs sea salt), why a newborn babe was naked and holding her own temperature steady (hello! Momma was holding her skin to skin! She also was not bathed but only had lovely olive and coconut oils used on her beautiful fresh self.).
You're welcome to holler if you'd like to know how/what we did and the oils and herbs that are supportive to lotus birth. Oh, I also made a velvet bag for her placenta to make it more acceptable in the hospital. Only everyone wanted to SEE it. It's almost as if they(hospital caregivers) had never seen a placenta...hmmmm)
Honey