Happy Mamas and Sick Babies CAN be Used in the Same Sentence

*First of all, I'm not a doctor, and, as always, you should be wise in your decision-making and do what YOU should do.  

That said, I'd like to encourage mamas who want to help their sick babies without the use of toxic drugs.  Over the years I've tried lots of different things for babies (0-18mos-ish) and believe over the last year and a half or so, I've come to something that works.  Most of my wisdom on this subject comes from this book:  "The How-To Herb Book," and has been tested repeatedly by yours truly.  

Did your Grandma ever tell you about giving enemas to her kids?  Well, she was onto something.  I can't stand how we abandon motherly instinct for the apparent "quick fix."  Ugh.  Nevertheless, if your baby is too young to take remedies through a bottle or spoon, and if you are breastfeeding, you can consume the herbs in abundance and it will pass to your baby through your milk.  If this is the case, follow my advice in this post:  "Navigating the Cold and Flu Season Drug-Free." 

If your baby is running a fever and it won't break, an enema may do the trick.  I prefer not to go into the directions for this, as babies are such fragile subjects.  I have done this several times and each time have found instant success.  I followed the directions for this procedure in the above-mentioned book.  I purchased a child-sized Fleet enema and emptied the contents and put my own concoction in.  This is another way to get the herbal remedies into your baby.  Once they have completely emptied their bowels, the remedy will be absorbed by their colon and flow into their bloodstream.  I almost always fill it with yarrow tea (1c. water to 1tbsp. yarrow flowers).  I wouldn't do it more than once per day, unless you read-up on it somewhere else and are comfortable doing otherwise.  For a baby who will drink tea through a bottle, I make the yarrow tea and sweeten it with maple syrup, since you can't do honey under 12mos.  I also mix juice with it, as it's still bitter even with the maple syrup.  Additionally, you can make your own glycerites, which is perfect for babies and children.  Read-up on this here:  bulkherbstore.com.  Glycerites are herbs aged in glycerine, which is sweet.  Since the herbs are aged, you only have to administer a couple teaspoons.  For fever, make a tea out of turmeric and mix w/ juice or do a turmeric tincture or glycerite.  Yarrow and turmeric are the very best for flu and fever. 

For a congested baby, try making an onion poultice:  Cook chopped onions in a little water until the onions are translucent.  Place a soft towel or cloth diaper over a strainer and pour onion mixture into the cloth.  Wrap this up and cool until it is a safe temp for baby's skin, but still warm.  Place on baby's chest until it cools completely.  Also, cook chopped garlic in water until the steam is "garlicky."  Place your face and baby's face over the steam with a towel draped over the two of you, so baby can breath the garlic steam.  Your face is there so you can make sure the steam isn't too hot for baby.  You can also place this water in a humidifier or vaporizer. 

Bulkherbstore.com sells other herbal mixtures that I make into teas, tinctures and glycerites that are helpful, but not as powerful as the above-mentioned aids.  For example, their "Cough Tea" is useful, but will not combat the source of the cough, more like a temporary relief, but nice if used in conjunction with the more effective remedies.  I also like their "Double E Immune Booster," but similarly, this will help, but not completely cure, as the other herbs, etc.    

If you have particular questions on this subject, I'd be happy to help, of course.  Finally, however, I have to tell you that I'm quite sure the most effective remedy I can apply to my children, or anyone else, is prayer.  I literally thank God for the remedies as I apply them and pray and sing healing over my children as I care for them in their illness.  Thanks be to Him, ALWAYS.

posted by Danneca