I am finding it hard to think about much of anything other than the impending arrival of our new baby. My body has a habit of spending quite a few days warming up and getting ready before the “real thing” and this time around all the warming up has started a bit earlier than usual, keeping me constantly wondering if today might be the day. Honestly, it kind of makes me crazy. As all of the major preparations have been made, I am keeping myself busy now taking care of a few last minute tasks. After my last three births I really enjoyed soaking in healing herbal baths, and this time around I am planning more of the same. There are lots of different recipes for postpartum herbal bath mixtures, and I typically create a combination of herbs based on several different recipes. This time around I combined in a big bowl: 2 c. comfrey leaves, 2 c. calendula flowers, 1 c. each shepherd’s purse, rosemary leaves, and lavendar flowers, and 1/2 cup rose petals (I would have included uva ursi as well, but it was out of stock everywhere.) I mixed the herbs by hand and then stuffed them by the heaping cupful into a pair of panty hose, tying a double set of knots between each cup of herbs.
Once I am sure I am really in labor, I will cut one of my herbal “sausages” and steep it in about a gallon of water to create a healing tea that we will store in the fridge to use in a peri bottle after the birth. The other six (I made seven) will be prepared the same way, one each day after the birth, only the gallon of herbal tea will be added directly to my bath water along with a cup or two of epsom salts.
Last week, after seeing Amanda’s latest baby booties, I decided to knit a pair myself using the leftover yarn from Beatrix’s Boheme. I have knit booties for friends, but never for my own baby, as I had only just begun to get serious about knitting when Beatrix was born. These are sitting on my bedside table, a little reminder (as if I need one) of the little baby that I will soon give birth to.
On Sunday afternoon two of my closest friends took me out for lunch, a sort of final day out before I am once again attached to a little baby everywhere I go.
I do believe that I am ready to be carrying him in my arms.
So now we just wait.
Stumbled upon this post as I am 36 weeks and researching herbal infusions for postpartum. I love the idea of an herbal bath and have used many of the herbs above in a peri-rinse after my last baby. I am wondering if you consider the herbs you mentioned safe for consumption as well?
I’m excited to see if there is more to the story on your blog as a peruse through your post!