*The postpartum mother and baby are strengthened, nourished, and protected by a warm and breeze free home! It is ideal for a new mom to stay inside at home to rebuild her strength postpartum.
*Foods:
- Bone Broth Soup is wonderfully nourishing and is high in minerals. Cook on low heat for 12-24 hours, if possible.
- Vietnamese recipe for Pho: simmered star anise, fresh ginger, and cinnamon with the bone broth. These herbs are warming.
- Conjee: Replenishes fluids and is strengthening the digestive energy. Conjee is essentially a rice soup. Make rice with 2-3 times the amount of water. Add veggies, meat, and spices as desired- to taste. Try not to add fried foods or dairy.
- Strengthening Foods are: root veggies, chicken-builds energy, beef- builds blood (esp liver), red foods nourish the blood, warm-nourishing foods. *It is important to avoid raw, cold, and or frozen food
- A meal train from family and friends can offer postpartum support. Receiving this kind of support from family and friends helps nourish the new mom.
- Nettles and red raspberry leaves help to build blood and minerals.
- If the perineum was iced post-labor: warm ginger tea soaks can help to reestablish healthy circulation.
Postpartum and mental illness is somewhat common. Here are some simple ways to provide emotional support (if severe consult a health care practitioner):
- Warm broths= esp. a bone broth
- Nourishing and warm foods
- Red Berries- good for the heart and emotions, especially Hawthorne berry
- Fish oils and Vitamin B
- Community is important!
*Mother Roasting is done by burning a moxa stick (which comes from the Chinese mugwort plant) close to the mother’s lower abdomen and low back. This plant has deeply healing and warming effects on the whole body- unlike any other. The heat relaxes and softens emotions, strengthens the organs, stops bleeding, relieves pain, and builds immunity. It benefits the mother and the baby: healthy mom= healthy baby. It is a good idea to call in an acupuncturist to perform Mother Roasting. Ideally, the Mother Roasting should be repeated five times within the first two weeks postpartum.
If the mother is sensitive to smoke, then use hot rice packs, cloth, or water bottles instead. These approaches will help to warm the mother but are not as powerful as the moxa.
**Caution: Please call in an acupuncturist or herbalist to perform Mother Roasting. If using moxa on your own, please make sure that moxa is put out completely post-use. Do not use moxa on a mother who has an infection and or “true” heat signs (red eyes, red tongue, irritated, and more) or if the mother is significantly dry and or having night sweats.
*If a woman had a difficult labor, is depleted, or is having issues postpartum, this is a great time to have her see an acupuncturist and herbalist to help resolve these issues and to strengthen her body.
Bibliography
*Coursework with Raven Lang: The Art of Obstetrics (helping women through all phases of childbirth and postpartum).
*Coursework at Five Branches University: Gynecology, TCM Dietetics, etc.
