SISTER WISDOM

“…and their fruit shall be for food and their leaves for healing.”

{Ezekiel 47:12}

I’m interested in keeping my children naturally healthy. (Which reminds me, oh yeah, I have children. Have I given them breakfast yet…?)

Here’s the thing. I don’t have anything against doctors, really, I don’t. But I do have a few significant issues with 1) the health care system in general (who doesn’t?), 2) the exorbitant costs, and 3) the drug companies. I have a big problem with my children being part of the “guinea pig” process.

I’m going to have to cut myself short here, because once I get going on this topic I can just keep going on forever. I’m really just trying to share where I’m coming from and why safe herbs for babies is a topic that interests me. I’ve always disliked hated hospitals, so much so that I was willing to forego the painkiller option during childbirth. All three of my children have been born at home (water birth) and I am so glad. (It did hurt like heck though, and if my midwife had offered me an epidural, I would have taken it!)

The Players in My House

My oldest, Mara, will be turning 4 in July of this year. My son Robbie is 2 1/2. And the baby, Ezekiel (or Zeke the Squeak or Zekiel-Bean as he is more often called around here) will be 1 year old on April 7. None of them have ever been to a doctor. (I guess this makes it clear that they’re not vaccinated. Will DFS show up at my door now?) They’ve had some normal kid stuff, colickyness and colds, runny noses and teething pain, tummy bugs and skinned knees.

I can’t really take much credit. My husband and I are pretty healthy and genetics is a large part of it. And we live a pretty healthy lifestyle, in that we cook our own food a lot, play a lot, work a lot, get outside a lot, and avoid drugs drinkin’ partyin’ cursin’ gamblin’ swearin’ and processed foods… Though we can consume double-stuffed Oreos and McDonald’s with the best, and pizza is one of our family favorites. We have a long way to go before we can be officially called “healthy” in every habit at all. It’s a work in progress.

Which brings me back to herbs. After that ramble, you weren’t sure I’d make it were you? The bottom line when it comes to me, my husband, our children, and being healthy/dealing with sickness is this…
If we have to, we’ll go to the doctor. But I’m going to do everything I can to see that we don’t have to.

Please Bring Out the Official Disclaimer

Many, many common baby/childhood health issues, problems, sicknesses, minor complaints can be dealt with safely and easily at home. That said, however, let me put it right out there in big, bold, unavoidable letters: I AM NO HERBAL EXPERT. I am not a medical professional. Thus my emphasis on “safe herbs.” Becoming a certified herbalist is one of those “maybe someday” ideas, but I don’t have much of a background other than my own planting, puttering, and playing around. So I tend to stick to stuff that is 1) pretty readily available and/or 2) pretty easy to grow yourself.

Key Points in Using Safe Herbs for Babies

In my research, reading, and trial-and-experimentation, I’ve come across a few key points that bear repeating here, as regards using herbs safely for your children and for yourself.
1. Herbs are drugs. Herbs are different than prescription drugs in that they are not concentrated to the same amount; however they still contain the same chemical compounds upon which many drugs are based. Thus, they have an effect on your body.
You should never think, “Oh, it’s just a plant, it won’t hurt me or my baby.” Wrong. Most herbs are very safe, but some are very potent and potentially hazardous. Remember this term: “herbal medicine.” You wouldn’t just throw back medicine without finding out if it works, how it works, and how you are supposed to use it.

2. Use common sense. Don’t ever feel like you would be a “bad” parent if you “had to call the Doctor.” That’s nonsense. Things happen, like sickness and accidents, and you should take advantage of the wonderful medical resources we have available. But use common sense in the other direction, too. Every bump, bruise, and hiccup doesn’t warrant a prescription drug or doctor visit. Use your noggin.

3. Follow appropriate dosing. I’ll outline what this is, exactly, as we continue on.

4. A baby’s body is different than an adult’s body. You know this, if you’re a parent. Babies are, first, tiny, so the amount of something (like food, for instance) their bodies need is much smaller than what your body needs. Babies are also very sensitive. And babies are still developing. Some very safe herbs, such as peppermint, are a bad idea for babies because their little esophagus and digestive system can be overwhelmed by the powerful scent and they can actually choke.

5. Quality matters. When you’re using herbs, whether in cooking or in natural medicine, you want to get the best you can. My first choice is what I grow in my backyard garden or in a pot on my front porch or in a glass on my windowsill. My second choice is something organic from a local source. Third choice is organic from a non-local source.

6. Try one thing at a time. I’m going to offer lots of ideas and preparations and tips and things, but you’ll do best if you pick one and try it before you go buy a bunch of herbs and then get overwhelmed. Try one thing, see how it works, then try another.

7. Read, read, read, but read people who are experts. There are wonderful books and there are wonderful websites. There are also a few poorly researched, very generic books that won’t really tell you much, and there are a lot of websites that are untrustworthy. Do your homework, even if you read it here! I’ll quote my sources whenever possible, so you know I’m not just making stuff up…

8. Some herbs work as part of the daily regime, while others are only for “special treatments.” You can munch on basil with your pasta everynight and as far as I know, you’ll only be better for it. But some herbs, especially in more potent preparations (like a tincture or a syrup or a pill or essential oil) can only be taken safely for a short amount of time, which may vary from a few days to several weeks.

9. Herbs may take longer to work than you think. Remember what I said in #1? Herbs are drugs, but they are not concentrated to the same amount. Thus, they are gentler and usually have no side effects whatsoever; however, this also means that they work in a gentler way. Usually this is better, overall.

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This post is part of the Safe Herbs for Babies series. Next Up: A Primer on Using Herbs (The terms you need to know, how to prepare and use herbs safely for babies.)

This post is linked up with Steady Mom’s 30-Minute Blogging Challenge: 26 minutes to write.