Post-Birth Bath's for Mama

With mothers in mind this month, I am posting this for all of our new mothers out there! I know a handful of women that have either just given birth, or are waiting very impatiently to meet their little one. After birth care for the mother is not something that I was told much about when I had my baby. After the marathon of pregnancy and the forty yard dash of childbirth, your body needs some healing. One of the most helpful ways of promoting healing after the many atrocities of a vaginal birth is a 10-20 minute bath with some bath teas. Below are some simple recipes to reduce the aggravation, help circulation and keep you clean. These teas are not for drinking! But a nice cup of chamomile would be soothing to drink while soaking in these wonderfully fragrant concoctions. Keeping the water level low in these baths helps to keep the mixture more potent. For the first week do these baths 1-3 times a day if you can manage between the hourly feedings and changings!

Lavender Infusion

-4 cups of lavender tea: 3 tablespoons of lavender flowers to each cup of boiling water. Steep for 5-10 minutes and strain. Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt to the tea, dissolving well. Allow it to cool slightly, and then poor into the bath. The water should be on the hotter side, but not uncomfortable. I made a large batch of this and kept it in the fridge.

-Add a drop of tea tree oil or patchouli oil to the surface of the water and mix before getting in the bath.

Rosemary Infusion 

-4oz of these mixed herbs: rosemary, sage and garlic and 4 cups water  made in to a tea and strained just like the lavender tea.

-2 TBSP sea salt (sea salt is recommended over table salt)

Calendula and Comfrey Root Infusion (my favorite)

-4oz of these mixed herbs: chamomile flower , calendula, lavender and rose petals in 4 cups water made into a tea and strained just like the lavender tea. Pick and choose which of these herbs you want and have available to you. I used dried comfrey root from the local health store, lavendar flowers, and a drop or two of calendula oil straight in to the bath.

-2 TBSP sea salt (sea salt is recommended over table salt)

Again, please don't drink these teas. Some of these ingredients aren't good for consumption. Make yourself a cup of normal tea or a hot toddy and enjoy the wonder of what you have survived! I hope you had the happiest of Mother's Days and know how wonderful you are for turning yourself inside-out to birth and nurture this new human.