I can't tell you how many times I've sat down with a couple discussing their birth options only to hear the woman is desiring a beautiful body led, natural birth and her partner or other family members think she is being foolish, naive, selfish and or dangerous.

  

In this post, I am covering the most popular benefits of home birth and my personal top 3 reasons why I know home birth is way better than hospital birth, for healthy low risk women who want a natural physiological birth.

 

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I'd like to begin by congratulating and honoring you and the fact that you've given birth, and you have a sweet baby. I want to take the time to check in with you and process how your postpartum is going. This episode of Apothecary Wisdom is dedicated to postpartum moms who feel like they have the baby blues or postpartum depression. We will explore the immense life changes, the symptoms of PPD, and find helpful ways to improve your mood with food, placenta medicine, herbs, supplements, meditations, and radical self-care. Continue reading

Cannabis is the most popular and well-loved herb of our time! Especially now that it is becoming legal, it is being sold nearly everywhere. CBD, a compound of cannabis, is being marketed as a miracle that can solve nearly all your health problems. But what if you're breastfeeding? The question of the hour is, should you or shouldn't you take CBD Oil when you are breastfeeding? Today on Apothecary Wisdom, we are talking all about cannabis and CBD Oil while breastfeeding. Watch the full video if you want up to date information about the risks and benefits of CBD Oil during lactation. Continue reading

Let's talk about breastfeeding! I was planning on making a video about the 10 Best Breastfeeding Practices and How To Increase Your Milk Supply Quickly. While those will be great videos that will help lots of women, I decided to share something more personal with you. Today, I want to share my breastfeeding story of failure, self-shame, comparison, lack of confidence, and poor body image. Watch today's Episode of Apothecary Wisdom to hear my personal breastfeeding journey of failing and how that was the best thing that ever happened to me!   Continue reading

If you have sore, cracked nipples from breastfeeding, you know how bad nursing your baby can hurt! This might sound like an exaggeration to say it's one of the worst (physical) sensation a mom has to endure. You cringe every time baby latches, bracing for the sharp, radiating pain. You hold your breath as baby sleeps, knowing that her waking up means another painful nursing session. Even the most dedicated breastfeeding mom has had the fleeting thought that it's too hard. 

 

Today's post is about what is causing your nipple pain and how to treat it so you can keep breastfeeding like the rock star that you are!

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These beautiful golden seeds have supported breastfeeding women for thousands of years. Fenugreek is an ancient plant that is both food and medicine. It is one of the first recorded herbs in early Egypt. Every herb book on my shelf speaks of the many benefits of fenugreek seeds for lactation. So, why are modern women concerned about fenugreek seeds? Are there dangers of fenugreek?  

Read on to learn how this ancient plant is still serving modern women and helping them breastfeed their babies and make tons of thick, rich breastmilk. Find out why women think they need to boost their supply in the first place. Discover the real concerns about fenugreek and determine if fenugreek is the right herb for you?

 

 

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Today we’re talking about herbal tinctures. In this episode of Apothecary Wisdom, I’m answering the questions: What are herbal tinctures? We’ll compare the benefits of alcohol tinctures vs. glycerine tinctures. I’ll share some alternatives to alcohol tinctures and how to remove alcohol from herbal tinctures. How to store tinctures and how to determine the proper dosage of herbal tinctures for adults and children. 

What are Herbal Tinctures

Herbal tinctures are concentrated herbal extracts made by soaking either fresh or dried, bark, berries, leaves, flowers, or roots from one or more plants in a liquid combination of alcohol and water. This liquid solvent is called the menstruum. The alcohol pulls out or extracts the active and therapeutic properties for the plants, the alkaloids, the vitamins, and minerals.  

 

 

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At this time, 25 years ago, I was in a Zen temple meditating with the monks. I had just turned 21 years old. That is when I learned about The Bodhisattva Vow. The Bodhisattva vow is a vow taken by Buddhists to liberate all sentient beings. When I first heard about the vow, I was like, No, thank you! I'm not that much of a team player. I'll walk my own path, but I'm not about to try to liberate all sentient beings! That is way too much pressure.


As we approach the Summer Solstice, today's Apothecary Wisdom is dedicated to sharing insights about what this vow really means and what we as a collective are experiencing and what I'm processing personally. Today, I'll share insights, mindfulness actions, and self-care tips that promote emotional stability and spiritual connection to the greater cycles of nature. Continue reading

I'm here today to bear witness to systemic racism. To bear witness means to acknowledge that something is real. Racism and trauma are very real. Each of us has experienced generational trauma that is held in our bodies, our blood, and our bones.
My voice is tiny and is full of the wrong words to adequately address systemic racism. None the less, I feel compelled to share my voice to support the collective. Continue reading

There are several factors that play into how long it takes for your body to return to it’s full fertile cycle; meaning that you ovulate, your uterine lining is prepared to nurture a fertilized egg, and you menstruate. Although it is unlikely that you would get pregnant if your period has not returned, it is still possible. So, be careful! If you would not welcome a new pregnancy, use birth control that will be compatible with breastfeeding.

Our Cycle Relief herbal tincture can provide relief from painful cramps and heavy bleeding during your period after giving birth.

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