Susun Weed’s response:
Below are some nourishing, tonic, and anti-infective herbs to use following a cesarean.

Safe Use of Herbs After a Cesarean:

• Water-based infusions provide optimum benefit and greatest safety
• Capsules are most likely to cause ill-effects and odd reactions
• Avoid poisonous forms of herbs such as essential oils
• Use tinctures diluted to treat acute problems
• Herbs move rapidly into breast milk (10-20 minutes)

Simple Nourishing Herbs for Mother and Child After a Cesarean:

1. Nourishing herbal infusions:
   • Nettle (Urtica dioica)
   • Oatstraw (Avena sativa)
   • Comfrey leaf (Symphytum uplandica)
   • Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
   • Linden flowers (Tillia americana)
2. Benefits of nourishing herbal infusions after a cesarean:
   • Nettle increases breast milk and helps replace blood loss.
   • Oatstraw improves sleep and strengthens the nervous system.
   • Comfrey leaf helps incisions heal and helps prevent scarring.
   • Red clover improves breast milk production and brings hormonal sanity.
   • Linden soothes and heals mucus surfaces and incisions; prevents colds.

Tonic Herbs for Mother and Child After a Cesarean:

1. Water bases:
   • Raspberry leaf (Rubus ideaus) to tonify uterus.
   • Aromatic mints – rosemary, lavender, and lemon balm – for digestion.
   • Avoid sage (Salvia officinalis) if breast feeding.
2. Tincture bases:
   • Astragalus (A. membranaceous) strengthens immunity, prevents infection.
   • Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) to ease after-birth pain and prevent post-partum depression.

Herbs That Can Counter Infection After a Cesarean:

• Echinacea (Echinacea augustifolia) to increase macrophages; counter bacteria.
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) against all gram-positive and -negative bacteria.
• Usnea (U. barbarata) to counter deep infection.
• Poke root (Phytolacca americana) – USE WITH CAUTION.

THE EMPOWERED WOMAN PROMOTES HER OWN HEALTH

Benefits to Being Pro-Active in Healing After a Cesarean:
• Quicker healing for mom.
• Less scarring of the incision site.
• Better bonding between mom and babe.
• Deeper sleep for mom and babe.
• Fewer problems with infection at incision site and fewer infections for baby.

Bringing It Home:

1. Making nourishing infusions:
   • One ounce stinging nettle, quart of boiling water; steep 4 hours – for energy.
   • One ounce oatstraw, quart of boiling water; steep 4 hours – for patience.
   • One ounce comfrey leaf, quart of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain; rebrew with two cups cold water, bring to a boil; steep 4 hours, strain – to improve chances of a VBAC with next child.
   • One ounce red clover blossom, quart of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain – to prepare for the next pregnancy.
   • One-half ounce linden flowers, quart of boiling water, steep 4 hours, strain; rebrew with two cups cold water, bring to a boil; steep 4 hours, strain.
2. Additions to infusions:
   • Honey (Note: do not give honey to infants younger than 12 months)
   • Milk
   • The Israeli Public Health Ministry recommends against soy beverage for children under the age of eighteen (18); it’s not good for mom either.
   • Ice
   • Juice (Note: problems with fructose)
3. Sources for buying herbs and tinctures:
   • Listed in my books and website