Plant Allies for Postpartum
According to Vedic texts, the postpartum period (not to be confused with the terms postpartum depression or postpartum mental illness) is the first 42 days after giving birth to a baby or babies. It is a sacred season and time that almost every single culture on the planet reveres, often with the exception of the West. Yet in some areas of the world, the rites and rituals of postpartum encompass at least 10 days - and can extend up to 70 days according to the brilliant work and research of The First Forty Days book. During this extended time of rest, postpartum mothers and birthing people are tended to by their community with rich and timeless healing practices from nourishing soups and stews to confinement or lying-in.
Plant medicine in postpartum
Augmenting these experiences are a wide variety of warming plants.
Plants are a natural ally for the postpartum period, season and time.
With few contraindications, they can be used as spice, tea, and tincture. They can be placed in a medicinal bath and/or used for vaginal steaming. Plants are one of the most accessible ways that we can tend to postpartum bodies, and thus - are an important part of the learning curve for both pregnant mothers, fathers and parents and the birth and postpartum keepers who are serving them. In this post, we will cover commonly used spices, a medicinal tea and a few varieties of tinctures that may be supportive for a postpartum body.
Postpartum Spices
In Ayurveda (as well as in many other Asian medicine systems), it is commonly known that warm and properly spiced foods can make an impact on postpartum healing. There is, in fact, two very specific reasons for this. 1) If you can imagine the uterus and womb space - which is baby’s first home - you will notice that the placenta is attached to the uterine wall. When it detaches during vaginal or cesarean birth, there is a “hole” and/or exposed area of the wall that must heal and scab over the next few weeks so that the mother or birthing person does not experience excessive blood loss. Warmth supports this healing process (and science supports this as truth, too). 2) In Ayurveda, the predominant dosha to be out of balance in postpartum is Vata. Vata is term used to describe the energy that governs air and ether. Vata imbalance shows up as cold, dry and airy. Vata balancing herbs promote heat in the body, and thus in the digestive process. When the digestive process works at it’s best ama, or toxin buildup, is released regularly as waste - making a significant impact on physical and mental wellness. (Read more about how Ayurvedic food in postpartum heals in this clinical study.)
So, what spices are supportive of improved heat in the digestive tract? In Ayurveda, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, black pepper, nutmeg and turmeric (in moderation) are all used to increase warmth. We note “in moderation” for some of these herbs because they can be too heating and thus, will dry out the body without adequate moisture. In Chinese medicine, Chinese Five Spice is typically used for the postpartum period. These are all accessible and mostly-affordable herbs in all Asian markets - and in your standard grocery store or market, too.
Postpartum Teas
One of the best teas for postpartum bodies Nettle Tea. A dried plant that can be easy to find, nettle is often found in lactation teas as well. Nettle as an herb holds the qualities of supporting iron levels in the body and it is a known galactologue. Additionally, it is anti-inflammatory. It is common in folk medicine all across the world. Other teas that may be beneficial include ginger, chamomile, and blessed thistle. In Chinese medicine, jujube and goji berries are often made into tea, as well.
How do you decide which plants to use?
If postpartum seems like a really big transition, that's because it is. The postpartum hormone drop is the single largest hormonal shift throughout the lifespan. If you aren't familiar with this season, pregnancy is the time to begin preparing for it. Some of our favorite books on postpartum herbs include Hormone Intelligence by Dr. Aviva Romm, The First Forty Days by Heng Ou, Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susun S. Weed, and Balance Your Hormones, Balance Your Life by Dr. Claudia Welch.
Best postpartums lead to best lives.
Interested in becoming certified in postpartum education for your community? Our postpartum educator training is now completely self-paced online!
