Inspired Herbs

04/02/2023

Calendula is well worth growing in your garden - so easy and beautiful too!

How much do you love Calendula 🧡

Calendula is easy to fall in love with.

For one, it’s absolutely beautiful and it’s easy to grow.

Calendula is also really versatile - there are so many gifts to this plant!

I was thrilled when this week’s podcast guest, Alex Crofoot, Black Locust Gardens , chose calendula as her plant for her interview. I loved hearing both new and familiar ways of working with this favorite (and very versatile!) plant.

This episode is full of tips to help you:
► Make infused oil with fresh calendula flowers (without spoilage due to moisture content)
► Make a full-spectrum calendula tincture (and why you might want to take the extra steps)
► Avoid problems with mold on your harvested calendula

For those of you who don’t already know Alex, she is the co-owner of Black Locust Gardens herb farm and plant nursery, and a coordinator for the Great Lakes Herb Faire.

This episode also shares a delectable recipe from Colleen Codekas - Grow Forage Cook Ferment !

Click the following link to listen in and get your free recipe download for Calendula Shortbread Cookies: https://bit.ly/42OBPt3

Botanical illustrations by Tatiana Rusakova

03/02/2022

When I was first attending births in 1984, the obstetric model was to cut the umbilical cord immediately after birth and take the baby away for evaluation and a first bath. This was based on the belief that placental blood flow would increase birth complications for babies.

Even back then, we midwives knew to do it differently - we waited until the placenta stopped pulsating - 10 or more minutes -- before clamping and cutting the cord. Baby’s did great, placentas came out readily, and all was good - even if our methods were considered silly by doctors.

Times change, science has caught up. The midwives were right. We now know that immediate cord cutting, unless there’s a medical emergency that requires it, is not recommended. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends a delay in umbilical cord clamping for at least 30–60 seconds, and the WHO recommends 2-3 minutes.

The benefits of waiting include:
❣️ Transfer to baby immunoglobulins and stem cells, essential for tissue and organ repair
❣️ Extra iron, which has been shown to prevent iron deficiency in the first year of life
❣️ Possibly reduced risk of hemorrhage and easier placental delivery for mom

While jaundice can develop from delayed cord cutting due to this influx of blood, this type of jaundice is not usually a medical problem. Baby will naturally clear this excess iron with pooping. Your midwife or pediatrician will keep an eye on baby over the first few days to make sure it’s clearing. However, the benefits of delayed cord cutting are more beneficial for baby than the risk of this jaundice.

Unfortunately, immediate cord clamping/cutting are still common practice in hospitals. You have to let your midwife or doctor know that you want to wait, with baby tummy to tummy on you, while you do. I recommend bringing this up with your care provider in advance to ensure that they are on board to do ‘delayed cord clamping and cutting’. Get specific with exactly how long you want baby to be connected to the placenta. Unsure how to advocate for yourself? Want guidance on pregnancy, birth, and newborn care? Join the Mama Pathway for all the support you need to be in the know. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ideservebirthsupport/

📷 on Instagram

02/10/2022

02/09/2022

I’ve personally had a VBAC followed by a home birth.

In fact, they might even lead to better outcomes for mom and baby. Here's what you need to know.

10/01/2021

Free giveaway for an introductory Herbal course though Herbal Academy. Solid Herbal School!

04/20/2021

When I was first attending births in 1984, the obstetric model was to cut the umbilical cord immediately after birth and take the baby away for evaluation and a first bath. This was based on the belief that placental blood flow would increase birth complications for babies.

Even back then, we midwives knew to do it differently - we waited until the placenta stopped pulsating - 10 or more minutes -- before clamping and cutting the cord. Baby’s did great, placentas came out readily, and all was good - even if our methods were considered silly by doctors.

Times change, science has caught up. The midwives were right. We now know that immediate cord cutting, unless there’s a medical emergency that requires it, is not recommended. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends a delay in umbilical cord clamping for at least 30–60 seconds, and the WHO recommends 2-3 minutes.

The benefits of waiting include:
❣️ Transfer to baby immunoglobulins and stem cells, essential for tissue and organ repair
❣️ Extra iron,which has been shown to prevent iron deficiency in the first year of life
❣️ Possibly reduced risk of hemorrhage and easier placental delivery for mom

While jaundice can develop from delayed cord cutting due to this influx of blood, this type of jaundice is not usually a medical problem. Baby will naturally clear this excess iron with pooping. Your midwife or pediatrician will keep an eye on baby over the first few days to make sure it’s clearing. However, the benefits of delayed cord cutting are more beneficial for baby than the risk of this jaundice.

Unfortunately, immediate cord clamping/cutting are still common practice in hospitals. You have to let your midwife or doctor know that you want to wait, with baby tummy to tummy on you, while you do. I recommend bringing this up with your care provider in advance to ensure that they are on board to do ‘delayed cord clamping and cutting’. Get specific with exactly how long you want baby to be connected to the placenta. Unsure how to advocate for yourself? Want guidance on pregnancy, birth, and newborn care? Please join the Mama Pathway - for all the support you need:

https://avivaromm.com/pregnancy-birth-pathway/

03/29/2019

There are so many misconceptions about what we do. I love this visual.
Happy world doula week!