I find herbs so intriguing. I think there is something inherent in our DNA that draws us towards plants and living things.
My children, at the time of writing this, are five and two years old. When there isn't snow on the ground, one of their favourite things to do outside in the backyard is "make soup" with water, leaves, dirt, sticks and random things they find.
Yesterday as I was picking up my son from kindergarten. He bounced over to me and started talking about how he's so excited for it to be summertime because then he can make "soup" outside again!
...It was a bitterly cold January day, I'm not sure what brought that thought to his mind!
But as we were driving home I was telling him that I had made some tea and that it is the same idea as his "soup". I take dried leaves from plants, pour boiling water over them, let it sit for a while, stain it and then it's good to drink!
I could see him thinking about it as we were driving.
When we got home he ran over to the jar where I was making an herbal infusion and enthusiastically asked to try it.
I helped him pour some through a strainer and into a mug and he downed it in one go! He said it was delicious!
I find baby's and children's natural curiosity and awe can remind us and help us find our way back to an interest in nature.
And I also find pregnancy and postpartum are also very powerful opportunities for transformation in our lives. There is something so mystical about the ability of our bodies to grow a baby that connects us to the other generations of women in the past that have done the same.
Women's wisdom is a term that is used to encompass the practices and beliefs that women have developed over the centuries and pass down from generation to generation.
One way to start exploring women's wisdom is to learn about plants and herbs and how they have been used during this important time in your life.
One of my teachers on this topic is Dr. Aviva Romm and I'm going to share with you a recipe that I love from her book The Natural Pregnancy Book.
This tea is like nutrition supplement (with B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and antioxidants) and birth preparation brew.
Red Raspberry Leaf is the leaf off of a raspberry plant and is one of the most commonly used herbs in pregnancy. It's been used historically and also scientifically deemed safe because it contains mostly benign, nutritive substances. It's can help tone the uterus and help facilitate swifter labour with minimal bleeding.
Nettle leaf is a nutrient and mineral rich plant and can help provide a source of iron, promote circulation and boost energy levels.
You can premix the herbs in a jar to have on hand.
This tea is delicious both warm with a bit of honey or iced.
It's easy to vary the quantities of the ingredients or add or leave out different herbs depending on preference or availability.
You can safely drink this throughout the second and third trimester of pregnancy and during labour.
In postpartum it's beneficial as well and may help with milk production.
Nourishment Tea
2 cups red raspberry leaf
2 cups nettle
1/2 cup rose hips
1/4 cup spearmint leaf
Directions:
- Mix herb together and store in an airtight container away from heat and light.
- To prepare the infusion, put 1/4 cup of the herb mixture into a 1L size mason jar.
- Pour boiling water over the herbs and left it steep for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to a maximum of 2 hours.
- Strain with a fine mesh strainer, sweeten if preferred.
Drink one to four cups daily.
It can be enjoyed by your entire family!
Are you pregnant and curious about how to best support and optimize your own and your baby's health during pregnancy and postpartum?
I offer support and education around this - submit the contact form below and we can talk about how I can best help you.
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