For Pregnancy and Beyond. The Goodness of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea.

"Red Raspberry Leaf Tea" is a wonderful tonic for women during Pregnancy and afterwards. I drank it daily for my last two trimesters, during my most recent pregnancy. Did I mention my first Labor lasted for 20 hours and my second for only 5 hours?

I seriously think Red Raspberry Leaf Tea was big factor. (Besides Eating Dates).

I drank it sporadically during my first pregnancy and had very few Braxton Hicks Contractions. The second time? I had a crazy amount of Braxton Hicks. My uterus was revving up for the Big Show.

According to Susun Weed (herbalist extraordinaire and writer of the book Herbal for the Childbearing Year )....

Rubus is the best known, most widely used, and safest of all uterine/pregnancy tonic herbs. It contains fragine, an alkaloid which gives tone to the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus itself. Most of the benefits ascribed to regular use of Raspberry leaf tea throughout the pregnancy can be traced to the strengthening power of fragine or to the nourishing power of the vitamins and minerals found in this plant.

She lists the following; vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, iron, vitamin A and B complex, phosphorous and potassium. That sounds like an awful lot of goodness, doesn't it?

Not only has Red Raspberry Leaf Tea been terrific during my pregnancies, it's been a life-saver with Menstrual Cramps.

A few years back, when I was subbing at my local Baltimore City school, one of the teacher assistants was having awful cramps. I lived half a mile away, so during my lunch break I went home and brewed up Red Raspberry Leaf Tea. She drank it and later asked me what was in it, her pain stopped so quickly.

Infusions are different than brewing up a cup of tea. The magic number is 7. If you are using tea bags, the ratio should be 7 teabags to 1 cup of water.

If I don't grow the herb, I usually buy it from Mountain Rose Herbs. They come in plastic bags, so I generally store them in mason jars or other glass jars.

How to Make an Infusion with Leaves....

1. Take two handfuls of cut-up leaves or three handfuls of whole leaves.

2. Put in large glass jar.

3. Fill to top with boiling water.

4. Put lid on
.
5. Steep for four hours or overnight in the fridge.

6. Pour into a mug, using a tea strainer to catch any loose leaves.


***I reuse the leaves 2-3 times by just filling up the jar again with boiling water.



Another method is to put several handfuls in a clean towel, tie up the towel with a string or rubber band and steep it in a large stock pot. (The second photo illustrates what I mean).

I've used this method during my pregnancy because I was going through so much tea. I frozen several OJ bottles full to drink during Labor. I ended up only drinking one of the OJ bottles but drank the rest during my Post-Partum recovery.


Can you tell I love my Red Raspberry Leaf Tea?




**** A Reminder, please check with your Doc first and get the okay, okay?

My Favorite Birthing Books.

Preparing for Child-birth and Motherhood is over-whelming (in many, many different ways). People prepare differently. I like classes. So, I took several classes during my first Pregnancy.

I am a Reader. So, I read. Lots and lots of books.

These are the books that were the most helpful for me, during both my Pregnancies. I re-read some of them (it's amazing how much you forget, especially about newborn care and the specifics of Breastfeeding), before my 2nd daughter was born. 

Hope this is helpful!

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year

by Susun S. Weed

(The book is clunky and obviously self-published many moons ago. But, if you can get past the formatting issues, etc.., this is THE BOOK on herbs and women during Pre-conception, Pregnancy and Post-partum. Susun Weed is kinda out-there, but she knows her stuff).

Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality

by Laura A. Jana and Jennifer Shu

(A terrific resource. I will definitely be re-reading this book. It's so easy to focus on getting STUFF ready for the baby and preparing for Child-birth that sometimes you forget that you will be developing a new skill set...changing diapers, burping. putting to sleep, etc...).

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: Updated With New Material

by Ina May Gaskin

(A classic. Ina May is THE most famous Midwife in the country. She and The Farm Midwives are amazing inspirations, from the mid-70s until the early 2000's...when the book was updated...their practice had a 2-3% C-Section).

Spiritual Midwifery

by Ina May Gaskin

(Another classic. This book was originally written in the 1970's and you can definitely tell. The words "heavy" and "psychedelic" are thrown around a lot. It's a collection of Birth Stories told by women who had their babies at the Farm. The last section has some interesting information for Midwives and folks interested in learning more about Child-birth. The photos and drawing are a hoot).

Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers

by Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

(This book was highly recommended to me by one of the Lactation Consultants at the phenomenal Breastfeeding Center of Greater Washington. It's my favorite book on breastfeeding.

Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation

by Pam England and Rob Horowitz

(I don't think I understood how much I had absorbed of this book until I began re-reading it. Pam England is a Certified Nurse Midwife and began a teaching a series of classes with her husband back in the 1990's. The book is a little on the hippy side but I think it does a fantastic job of helping mentally prepare for Childbirth. I also adore the Art Therapy element of Birthing From Within, which I think it's particularly helpful for second-time Mamas).

Journey into Motherhood: Writing Your Way into Self-Discovery

by Leslie Kirk Campbell

(This book is a wonderful resource for women who love to write and are about to become Mothers for the first-time. There are tons of writing prompts in the book for every stage of your pregnancy and the first few months after. It is a terrific book for helping a woman deal with the emotional and mental shift that occurs when you have a baby.)




***Disclaimer: Amazon Affiliate Links are included in this post. Thank you!

Belly Cast? Do It.

Making a Belly Cast.

Have you heard of it?

I'm sure you have, if you even the slightest bit crunchy.

Two of my absolute favorite possessions are my Belly Casts. They are reminders of two very special times in my life.

My husband and I made the first one when I was 36 weeks pregnant. He put up a minor fuss during the beginning of the process (using plaster is very messy, if you didn't know) and kept saying "I'm not the artist, you're the artist. I don't want to do this." But, by the time we finished, he had gotten into it and was very glad that we did it.

The second time around was so much easier (except for the fact we were being cheap and using the remains from our first Belly Cast kit).

Some people paint their Belly Casts. I happen to love the stark white of the plaster, so I'm not going to paint either of mine.

Make sure you cover EVERYTHING while working plaster (with newspaper, an old plastic table-cloth, whatever you want to use as your drop-cloth). We accidentally got some plaster in the cracks of the wooden stool I was sitting on and they are still there. We used our Bathroom as our work-space, which was nice because I could then immediately jump into the shower.

It's a nice bonding experience with your partner and I definitely recommend celebrating your pregnancy by making one. It's a fun Date Night! Enjoy!!!

This is the Belly Cast Kit we used. (Disclosure: Affiliate Link).

The Birthing Month. Motherwort.

I love this stuff.

Motherwort?

It truly can be a Mama's Helper.

I took Motherwort 5 times a day, during my first 2 weeks Post-Partum. It helped my hormones tremendously. Every time I started feeling weepy and a little out-of-control, I would look at the time and realize I had missed a dose.

I seriously had NO Baby Blues. Unlike after my first Birth. It was amazing.

Saturday, I was feeling frazzled and anxious and so I reached for Motherwort. The new tincture of Motherwort I had made was finally ready.

I took 20 drops and felt calmer within the hour.

Motherwort (part of the Mint Family) is also great for PMS symptoms and Menstrual Cramps. I think I need to start taking it, along with drinking Red Raspberry Leaf Tea during my Period.

Gotta love the Mints!

Susun B. Weed talks about how helpful Motherwort can be in all the stages of a woman's life right here.

Kiva Rose wrote an excellent post on 10 Reasons to Love Motherwort.

Here is some information from WebMD about possible side-effects.



***Remember to always check with your Health-care Provider first when taking any Herbs. Thank you!

Happy International Women's Day. Free Streaming of "Lost in Living"

Mamas (and Mamas who make Art) this one is for you.

My favorite writer, Karen Maezen Miller, alerted her readers about this wonderful opportunity that is available just for today.

"About a year ago, I recommended a documentary called Lost in Living that follows the lives of four artists in different stages of work and motherhood. You might have caught a screening of the film in your community, purchased a DVD or attended a house party viewing. Now, Lost in Living will be available for free streaming for 24 hours beginning Saturday, March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day. This global Web screening event is an opportunity to share Lost in Living with women around the world."

"I hope you can find a quiet corner sometime Saturday to watch the film, not least because you’ll spending a few hours with yourself. That opportunity alone is worth cherishing. As you watch the film you’ll see beyond yourself into the connection women have with one another in every phase of life, and how motherhood transforms our aspirations. It’s poignant, funny, powerful and oh so good."

The trailers look great and I've been meaning to see this movie for awhile.

Free streaming right here.

Breastfeeding Mamas: 5 Ways to Increase Milk Production

1. Barley (here is my post on making Honeyed Barley Water with Mint and here here is my post on a Barley Chicken Soup)

2. Acupressure ( SI 2 and SI 11 are good for a low supply) ( ST 18 and ST 30 are also suppose to help with a low supply and are good for breast pain) ( SP18 helps with blocked ducts)

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/517093-acupressure-for-lactation

3. Blessed Thistle Tincture

4. Foods rich in Carotenes (cooked apricots, asparagus, green beans, carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and peas...cooked leafy greens are especially helpful)

5. Hops (one Guinness Stout a day is an easier and tastier than making Hops Tea)

Letting Go. Being Okay With the Mess.

 

Sometimes it's easy to find yourself saying "no" when your child is getting caught up in playing and making a big mess. All you can focus on is "oh, no...how long is this going to take to clean?"

I am trying to just to LET GO. And, enjoy her smile and her pure Joy at being completely and utterly engaged in her work.

I feel like I am finally getting to the place where I can be okay and say...the clean-up is totally worth it. What's a few minutes of scrubbing and sweeping compared to an hour or so of utter enchantment?

 

 

 

 

On Getting Help.

One of biggest fears while I was pregnant was...."how to juggle a New-born and a Toddler by myself."

I knew how rough my recovery was the first time around and I was terrified of dealing with that again, on top of having a feisty Toddler (and a New Baby, of course). I knew Papa Bear would be home for 2 weeks tops and that my Mother-in-law and Mama would help out A LOT in the beginning.

But, what about when they went home and it was JUST ME. I was scared.

So, we dipped into our savings and hired a "Mother's Helper" for 8 weeks during the Summer.

It's was one of our BEST DECISIONS EVER.

We hired a lovely young woman, home from College. B lived 5 minutes away and just wanted a little extra cash for school. She worked 12 hours a week and was very flexible on how we spread out those 12 hours. Sometimes it was 2 days a week of 6 hours each and other weeks it was 3 days of 4 hours.

Because I was always there with her (except for when she would take Nye-Nye to the Play-ground), we paid her less than a Babysitter (since she had less responsibility). I didn't ask her to do any household chores, she literally was paid to just play with our Toddler.

She would take Nye-Nye out in our Back-yard (or the Play-ground), so the Kiddo got fresh air and plenty of Sunshine every day. And, lots of mosquitoes bites...going out to our Back-yard was something I couldn't do with a itty-bitty New-born (since our neighborhood was so infested with mosquitoes).

When it was Nye-Nye's Naptime, I would hand B the baby and I would go and put Nye-Nye to bed. Then, if I was lucky, I'd get an hour nap.

It was a life-safer...let me tell you!

We were all sad to see B go back to College in August. But, by that time I was comfortable taking care of both girls all the day by myself (and the baby had thankfully out-grown her colic).

I am feeling so very grateful we were able to hire a Mother's Helper - B definitely helped me stay sane this Summer!

Anala's Montessori Corner

 

 

 

Poor kid. She only gets a corner of a Bedroom to claim as her own. But, she doesn't seem to mind. Look at that concentration. Look at those smiles.

 

I think this may be my newest favorite part of our house. Sometimes it pays to be part of a long line of Pack Rats.

I borrowed the sheepskin from my Mama's house.

The mirror I took from the Master Bedroom (which originally came from my Mama's house).

 I bought the child's furniture piece from an auction for $2. My Sissy did a lovely job of painting it. And, I just added the crystal pulls from my favorite vintage store Ginger and Spice in Walkersville, MD. They cost $6 each. I moved the bookcase from one part of the room to this corner.

Since our Family is a bit Bird-crazy right now, I cut out a photography from an Audubon Calendar and put it in a frame I already had.

The "Gobbi Mobile" I made.

I am so loving this "Montessori infant room." (Even if it's just a corner).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increasing Your Milk Supply: Honeyed Barley Water with Mint

Ancient Greeks. They knew a thing or two. Turns out one of their Sacred Drinks was "Honeyed Barley Water with Mint."

I already knew Barley Water has historically been given to folks when they were ill. But I didn't know it had such a long history.

Besides being a Sacred Drink and helping sick folks recover, Barley Water is terrific for helping New Mamas increase their milk supply.

Recently, I made my easy, delicious Barley Stir-Fry. Instead of throwing out all that nutritious water, I added some honey and fresh mint. And froze it to give to one of my Pregnant friends.

If you have ever tasted plain Barley Water, it's about as bland as you can get. Mint and honey (or agave or your Sweetener of choice) really jazzes it up.

Here is an interesting post on the history of Barley Water with two recipes.

This is the Mobile that Killed a Baby Bird

 

 

Give me a minute and it will make sense. I promise.

 

Some ideas just don't work. I spent a lot of time and energy trying to make a beautiful "Driftwood Mobile" for Bright Eyes before she was born.

 

We rent our two-Bedroom house. When we moved in this Winter, we knew the girls wouldn't be able to share a Bedroom right off the bat. So one room would be for Nye-Nye (a "Can You See a Little Bear?" Inspired Bedroom). The other would be for the new baby.

 

Nye-Nye was still waking up several times a night in February. That's when Papa Bear took over putting her to sleep and co-sleeping. For the last 2 1/2 glorious months of my pregnancy I slept like a champ. It was amazing.

 

Daddy and His Girl bonded more deeply by developing their own sweet Bedtime Rituals and I wasn't disturbed by the toddler waking up at night. 

 

The Master Bedroom was transformed into Mommy and the Baby's Room. I didn't have the energy to paint the room, so blue it stayed. I was inspired by tree branches and driftwood and agonized over fabric for weeks. (Nesting...you gotta love it).

 

I wanted to use the heirloom cradle that I used as a baby.

 

I came up with a design for a Driftwood Mobile that could hang low enough over a cradle. Hanging the pieces from the ceiling seemed too complicated for me, so I devised an inexpensive way to anchor the pieces of Driftwood in a metal bucket. My solution? Plaster.

 

I filled an inexpensive bucket with plaster and arranged the branches the way I wanted. I let it set over night. I covered the bucket with some of the agonized-over-fabric. And hung the butterflies with fishing line.

 

The only problem?

 

It took up A LOT of room.

 

Actually, there were three problems...it took up a lot of room, it was difficult to get the baby into the cradle without hitting her face with the butterflies and the baby HATED the cradle.

 

So, it was removed.

 

I put it outside under our screened-in porch, thinking I could use it for Bright Eyes when we were outside.

 

I walked out one day to find a drowned Baby Bird floating in the bucket. 

 

Do you know how awful I felt?

 

I still get teary-eyed thinking about it. Poor Baby Bird.

 

Talk about a doomed project.

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Temporary, DIY Baby Mobile

 

 

 

Things have started to normalize here, since the arrival of our Bright Eyes, 12 weeks ago. She's no longer colicky, which helps A LOT.

 

I've been having a Mother's Helper come to our house for 4 hours a day, 3 days a week. B is a College Student at home this Summer. She's been a big help.

 

She takes Nye-Nye on short little Adventures like to the Spraypark, the Library and various local Playgrounds.

 

When they are out and about, I am able to focus more on the baby.

 

Just like how it dawned on me that she might like Tummy Time more, if she had a mirror in front of her. I realized that she needed some Mobiles to look at and interact with, while in her Bassinet.

 

When Nye-Nye was 3 months old, I could leave her on the floor and walk away to get something. She was only in the Bassinet to sleep and was never put in a Playpen.

 

Not with this one. Poor Anala. When her Big Sissher is in the house (racing around the Living Room), she has to be in some secure spot (unless I am on the floor next to her). That spot is usually on Mama's lap, the Ergo, the Swing or in the Bassinet.

 

She was NOT LIKING the Bassinet at all and would start protesting after a minute or two.

 

Then I realized. She's bored. Head-smack.

 

I immediately threw together a "temporary baby Mobile" using a thick, sanded dowel rod and some baby rattles. Not secure at all, but she likes it and it's not heavy when it falls on her. Plus, she's learning cause and effect, right?

 

After I took the video (which can be seen at the end of this post), I realized there were some velcro flaps on the Bassinet that I could use to secure the dowel rod better.

 

I switched the direction she was facing in and put the flaps over the rod. She still manages to knock the rattles and stick on herself, but it takes more time. She loves it. She coos and smiles and kicks her feet when she sees me setting it up.

 

I just finished making her a "Montessori Dancer Mobile" (which now hangs over her Bassinet), so I can phase out this temporary Mobile. I can't wait to share with you how inexpensive and satisfying it is to make both a Dancer Mobile and a "Montessori Gobbi Mobile"! Photos and a post coming soon about the baby's Montessori Corner...

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mirror + Tummy Time = Happy Baby

 

Every parent knows they are suppose to do Tummy Time. At least 30 minutes a day, right? Well, "what are you suppose to do, if your baby screams after a minute (or less) when placed on their tummy?"

My Pediatrician's advice? Just do it ten times a day. Ummm...sorry that's not going to happen when there is an active Toddler racing around the house.

I just had a Head-smacking Moment, on Monday. The baby LOVES looking in the mirror. Why not combine the two activities?

Sometimes it's amazing how long it takes to open your eyes to the simple solution that's been staring you straight in the face (sorry, couldn't resist).

I began "borrowing" Nye-Nye's mirror in the Living Room. I prop it right in front of where I change the baby on the floor. It's easier to remember to do Tummy Time, by making it a habit to do it right after I change her.

She can now last up to almost 10 minutes at a time. It's a HUGE improvement! Hats off to the simplest solutions!

 

Baby's First Happy Hour

 

 

 

 

I had forgotten the charm of going to a Restaurant with an infant. It's so easy (unless they have colic or are fussy). My husband and I merrily went out to Restaurants until Nye-Nye turned 6 months old.

 

I vividly remember the day when eating at a Restaurant with a child went from being a treat to be a chore.

 

My Father-in-law had just turned 60. In celebration, we dined at a nice Indian Restaurant. Before that day, Nye-Nye had been content to sit and look around her. All of a sudden, our daughter was NOT happy in the high-chair and wanted OUT. My husband and I had to take turns walking around the place, while the other ate. NOT relaxing at all. It's been not relaxing ever since.

 

My Parents are graciously watching Nye-Nye for the week. (Thanks, Mommy!)

 

So, when Papa Bear got home from work early on Monday, we drove to our former stomping ground (Old Town) to enjoy Happy Hour. Tapas was $3.50 per plate at one of the Tapas Restaurants. Neither of us had ever been there before and I had been dreaming about Spain ever since I stumbled across this blog.

 

The food was good and the Sangria amazing. And, the baby smiled the whole time. It was fantastic!

 

 

My Birth Story Told in Photos. Part III.

Now on to Part III of my Birth Story. This is Part I and Part II is here.

These are the photos from the last few minutes before Juliette Anala was born at 3 pm.  All the photos are PG...you'll see more flesh at the beach this Summer, I promise.

Why am I sharing such personal photos? Like I said before, I am disturbed by how Birth is often portrayed with much Fear and negativity in the Media. Birth doesn't have to be a terrifying, awful experience. It can be a deeply positive one.

Due to the fact that only 1% of Births in the United States happen outside of Hospitals, the average American has not seen many images an Out-of-Hospital Birth.

In one of the photos, you can see my Doula (in the purple shirt) who is also a Birth Assistant (meaning she has more medical training than a Doula) using a Doppler to monitor the baby's heart-beat. Throughout my Labor, both Gwen and Jennifer listened frequently with the Doppler, which meant I could be mobile and choose exactly which position felt the BEST for me. No one told me I had to stay in a certain position. If it didn't feel right, I moved.

My Midwife encouraged me to push very slowly, since I had had a 4th degree tear with my first Birth. She had me feel the baby's head to help me push (which is what I was doing in the photo of me smiling). She had me cough through several contractions. The "ring of fire" was seriously no joke.

Erin (my incredibly talented friend who took all the photos) got some amazing shots of the baby emerging. But, I won't be sharing those ones.

Can you believe this was the first Birth she had ever witnessed? Not only did she take these priceless photos, she was a calm, soothing presence who held my hand whenever I needed. And it was incredibly fitting that she was present. My husband and I met at her 30th Birthday Party!

Here goes...