Hello again. Over the last couple of weeks I went through a homeopathic top ten for the mother post-birth. This week I'll give you the top five for your baby post-delivery.
The proviso here is the same as ever, please bear in mind that advice given here is purely to help self-manage run of the mill after-effects of labour. Should the symptoms be severe or last for longer than you would reasonably expect, please get professional help.
So here are my Top Five homeopathic remedies to ease your baby's transition into the world outside the womb:
- Rescue Remedy. Number 1 in this hit parade is not strictly speaking homeopathic. It is a combination of 5 Bach Flower Remedies and is a wonderful all-purpose remedy which can help numerous ailments from anxiety to sunburn. Massage a few drops of the remedy into your baby's forehead whenever they are distressed. While you're at it, give yourself a few drops too. Having Rescue Remedy in the house can come in very handy as a parent to a little one - or a not so little one.
- Arnica (Mountain Daisy). If birth is, as they say, the most dangerous journey you'll ever make, then Arnica, the first remedy to think of after physical or emotional trauma, must be considered. Think of it especially after forceps or vacuum delivery. Remember that the mother will benefit from the same remedy, and if she is breastfeeding, the baby will be taking the remedy through the breast milk. Give Arnica 30 3 times over 24 hours.
- Aconite (Monkshood). Aconite is a major remedy for shock. Remember it after a labour which has been very fast, and when the baby is unusually still and may have a scared look in his or her eyes. Give one dose of Aconite 30 three times over 24 hours.
- Stramonium (Thornapple). If the second stage of labour had been prolonged and the baby has been stuck in the birth canal, Stramonium (pictured here) is an important remedy to consider. This difficult start in life can lead to a number of different complications such as colic or unaccountable and uncontrollable crying. Give Stramonium 30 once a day for 3 days.
- Colocynthis (Bitter Cucumber). This is an excellent colic remedy. Older children requiring Colocynthis will draw their knees up to their chest in an effort to reduce the pain. In newborns, they're already beautifully scrunched up but you'll find in the baby who'd benefit from Colocynthis, that their crying stops when they're over your shoulder and the consequent pressure on their abdomen eases the pain. If your baby seems to have colic but doesn't relax on your shoulder, please see my earlier blog entry for other remedies that might better suit your child. Take the most suitable remedy in the 30th potency for up to three doses in any one bout of colic.
A good way to give babies homeopathic remedies is by crushing a pill between two spoons then putting the powder on your baby's tongue.
As ever, all your remedies can be obtained from www.helios.co.uk. My thanks to you for reading. Do give me a shout if there's anything I can clarify.
