Postpartum care in the form of an herbal sitz bath-this bath tea is so soothing, smells lovely, and is very useful in recovering from birth. I recently discovered. For bath use: add 1 cup of herbs to 2 quarts of boiling water. Remove water from heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain and add to a bath and soak for 20 minutes. Both mom and baby can soak to speed cord and perineum healing. Brew with the above ratios and add to a Peri Bottle for use after going to the bathroom.
Beyond the obvious benefits of cleansing, bathing in herbal-scented water can help reduce stress, soothe the skin, and provide a simple relaxing experience for everyone.
You can choose herbs for their specific therapeutic benefits, which can include virtues such as softening skin, soothing muscles, stimulating circulation, or drawing out infection. You may have ideas of the ideal herbal bath, but there are some basic rules to follow in order to get the most out of the experience:
- When creating an herbal bath, enclose the loose herbs in a sachet, or bag to keep them from sticking to the skin.
- Avoid using extremely hot water, as it is very drying to the skin.
- Plan on a 10-minute soak to enjoy the full benefits of using herbs in this way.
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Chamomile
To no one's surprise, chamomile makes the list of best herbs for bathing. Its gentle, fruity scent will whisk away your stress like no other ingredient. This is a wonderful choice for small children, but any age will benefit.Chamomile is an herb that can be used all alone in the bath. It is excellent for fussy babies, to help them settle down before bedtime. It is safe enough for the youngest bathers, and the scent helps calm a frazzled mom, as well.- Did you know? Since Roman times, chamomile has been one of the most widely used medicinal folk remedies, used to treat everything from rheumatism to parasitic worms. But it may cause allergies in people who are also sensitive to ragweed.
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Basil
Basil is an herb of choice if you want to create a stimulating, energizing bath. The pleasant aroma will wake up your senses and leave you feeling refreshed.- Did you know? Basil has a long history of use in funeral rituals, where it was thought to help the deceased successfully make passage to heaven or the afterlife. To this day, some branches of the Catholic church use basil in the preparation of holy water.
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Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus has that recognizable scent we all recognize. It can be used as a mild stimulant, or medicinally, to clear head congestion if you have a cold or allergies.- Did you know? Eucalyptus leaves contain chemicals that might help control blood sugar.
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Fennel
Another wonderful ingredient in a bath mix aimed at stimulation, fennel has a lovely, sweet scent that is reminiscent of licorice. It is enjoyable for young and old alike.- Did you know? Ingested, fennel may assist with various digestive problems. It is an ingredient in absinthe, the well-known alcoholic spirit.
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Lavender
Of course, lavender also makes the list of best bath herbs. Who doesn't enjoy a soothing soak in lavender-scented waters? Perfect for any type of bath, lavender is a wonderful supporting scent to include in most most herbal blends.- Did you know? Lavender has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, and can also be used as a natural mosquito repellant.
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Lemon Balm
The lemony scent of lemon balm is a wonderful bath herb. While lemon balm is considered relaxing when ingested, it a bath it is considered a stimulating addition. Try adding it to your bath mix to see if it leaves you feeling refreshed.- Did you know? A compound in lemon balm, (rosmarinic acid) may reduce anxiety and stress by increasing the availability of GABA (a neurotransmitter) in the brain.
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Rosemary
Rosemary offers itself as a wonderful bath herb. Its piney scent will help when you are feeling under the weather or congested with a cold. A rosemary bath can helps after a long day working in the garden, causing aches and pains to melt away.- Did you know? Rosemary was considered sacred to ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Greeks. To this day, it is used a symbol of remembrance in funerals and other ceremonies.
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Sage
Sage is another herb that has a stimulating effect when added to bath mix. It may not be pleasing to everyone, so it's a good idea to test it before adding it to a bath mix.- Did you know? In ancient times, sage was thought to ward off evil, and it became a major medicinal remedy in the Middle Ages.
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Calendula
Calendula is a true must-have for any bath mixture. It is used as a soothing and healing herb—wonderful as a treatment for dry skin or to soak a healing wound. When trying to soothe an area that is out of reach, soaking in a warm, calendula infused bath feels wonderful!For children, calendula will help soothe the discomfort of chicken pox, eczema symptoms, mosquito bites, or a stubborn diaper rash.- Did you know? Calendula flowers were used in the Civil War to dress wounds and assist healing.
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Yarrow
Yarrow is an unusual addition to the list. It is often overlooked by the home herbalist, who may cut it down as a weed if they find it growing in the yard. But yarrow is a wonderfully healing herb. Use it for a soaking tub to soothe irritated skin and to soak healing wounds.Yarrow has a pleasing scent, but most folks find it a bit 'different.' Use a light hand when adding yarrow to your bath herb mix.- Did you know? Yarrow contains chemicals that some experts believe combat stomach cramps and other digestive problems.
A postpartum herbal bath is a relaxing way to heal, soothe and restore oneself after the challenges of childbirth. Here’s how to make a postpartum herbal bath, a sitz bath, frozen postpartum herbal pads, and a postpartum herbal peri bottle.
Leave a comment and let me know if you have any other questions or comments!
The first thing to do when making a postpartum herbal bath is to gather the herbs in a bowl. There are so many options and right ways of doing this, so get creative! I chose a happy mix of four herbs, sea salt and an essential oil.
Once the herbs are in the bowl, mix well.
TIP: I like to drop my essential oils in the salt, that way they get mixed in better.
The easiest way to make a postpartum herbal bath is to portion out the mixed herbs into 4 x 6 cotton muslin bags. 1/2 cup of herbs is a perfect amount for this size bag. The herbs store well in these bags, but you can also steep the herbs in them as well. They’re like giant tea bags!
I buy my bags on Amazon. (link)
Confession: I’ve personally never used postpartum herbal baths. Want to know why? I could never figure out HOW to make them or HOW to use them. Now that I’ve had my three children, I now have the mental capacity to finally figure it out. But first, let me show you how NOT to make a postpartum herbal bath.
See these beautiful herbs? The yellow flowers are calendula and chamomile? And you can even see lavender. Gorgeous! So beautiful!
That metal contraption is a lose leaf tea strainer. The idea is that you put your lose leaf herbs in it and steep it in your mug for a hot cup of tea.
I thought maybe I could do that but in a hot bath. You know, the bath would be my mug and we could just do an easy, quick postpartum herbal bath. Well… I quickly realized the amount of herbs I could get in the ball is enough for… you guessed it. One cup of tea. Not a whole bath.
And so I dumped handfuls of herbs in the tub. It was actually really nice. However, while soaking in my postpartum herbal bath I realized how impractical this would be for a woman that just gave birth to a baby.
Who is going to clean up this mess? And what if she didn’t and accidentally backed up her tub and caused a plumbing problem? Yeah, dumping herbs in the tub as a quick and easy way of creating a postpartum herbal bath is NOT the way to go.
(It was fun though. Try it some time if you have a few extra minutes for cleanup.)
Here is an easier method of creating a postpartum herbal bath that saves time and creates less mess.
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Step 1: Place postpartum herbal bath muslin sachet in a 2 quart mason jar. (You can buy them on Amazon, grocery stores and places like Hobby Lobby.)
Step 2: Fill with very hot water (but not boiling).
Step 3: Let herbs steep for at least 20 minutes, longer if you have the time. Anywhere from 4-8 hours would create a nutrient rich infusion. However, do whatever you have time for. A quickly made postpartum herbal bath is better than no bath at all!
The photo above was taken a few minutes after pouring hot water on the herbs. The photo below was closer to 20 minutes. The longer it steeps, the darker and more nutrient rich your postpartum herbal bath will be.
To make a postpartum herbal bath simply dump the infusion in your bath, sit back, relax and enjoy!
TIP: Create an herbal infusion in the last few weeks of pregnancy and store it in freezer bags or mason jars. Store a few in quart sized mason jars or gallon freezer bags for baths and a few more in smaller containers for your peri bottle.
Want to take your postpartum herbal bath with you wherever you go? Then you need to make postpartum herbal pads, also known as padsicles!
Padsicles are great because they can be made while pregnant! Padsicles are a perfect activity when waiting for labor is driving you insane. Padsicle creation will keep your hands and mind busy, but will serve you well once you have your baby.
Step 1: Gather your supplies – pads and your postpartum herbal bath infusion. I like the Always Extra Heavy Overnight Maxi Pads aka “the purple pads” for this. They’re big and work well.
Step 2: Open the pad, but keep the purple outer wrapper attached to the pad. Open it up and remove the top layer of paper (The white paper with the moon on it. Why are there moons on there?)
Step 3: Pour about 1/2 cup of the postpartum herbal bath infusion on the pad.
Step 4: Close up the pad and tape it shut.
Step 5: Freeze
NOTE: If you would like to make padsicles with aloe and witch hazel instead of the herbal bath, head on over here to this post for detailed instructions!
If you JUST gave birth and have a heavy flow, use a Depends adult diaper and place the frozen pad in the Depends. If things have lightened up a bit, you can use just the pad. Make sure you’re using the right postpartum pad during the first six weeks!
TIP: If you just got the padsicle out of the freezer, it’s going to be cold. Put it on, but don’t sit in a regular chair for awhile. The strong pressure from a chair will make things VERY cold. Wait about 15 minutes to sit in a chair. Ask me how I know.
The next thing to make with a postpartum herbal bath is an herbal peri bottle. An herbal bath peri bottle is super simple to make. Simple fill a peri bottle with an herbal tea or infusion and use as needed. It’s that simple!
How to Use a Peri Bottle Postpartum
Many postpartum moms use a peri bottle while using the toilet. They find comfort spraying water (or whatever’s in the peri bottle) on their vulva while they pee, so as to dilute the urine (which can sometimes cause a burning sensation).
Another way to use a peri bottle is to spray the vulva, after peeing, in lieu of toilet paper. After a vaginal delivery, toilet paper may seem like a medieval torture device, so keep this in mind as an option!
I have never been able to find a peri bottle at drug stores or big box stores. Only local mom centered businesses carry them in my area. If you can’t find one locally, Amazon has them.
Description
A postpartum herbal bath is a relaxing way to heal, soothe and restore oneself after the challenges of childbirth. Follow this recipe to make a herbal bath, padsicles or a postpartum herbal peri bottle.
Shelf Life
Store in a cold refrigerator after steeping until used. Use or freeze within 3-5 days.
Ingredients
2 parts calendula flower
1 part comfrey leaf
1 part lavender flower
1 part chamomile flower
1 part sea salt
lavender essential oil
1 part comfrey leaf
1 part lavender flower
1 part chamomile flower
1 part sea salt
lavender essential oil
Postpartum Herbal Bath Recipe
The following postpartum herbal bath recipe made 10 1/2 heaping cup sachets. Each sachet could make 2 quarts of an herbal infusion.
2 cups parts calendula flower
1 cup part comfrey leaf
1 cup part lavender flower
1 cup part chamomile flower
1 cup sea salt
10 drops lavender essential oil
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1 cup part comfrey leaf
1 cup part lavender flower
1 cup part chamomile flower
1 cup sea salt
10 drops lavender essential oil