Nourish Your Body: 2 Supportive Postpartum Recipes by Herbal Academy

Nourish Your Body: 2 Supportive Recipes That are Ideal for Postpartum Care

Tagsbrown rice cream porridge,herbal infusion,herbal recipes,herbal tea blend,Holistic Approach to Postpartum Care Intensive,postpartum,the herbarium

The postpartum period is without a doubt a tender and transformative phase in the journey of birth and beyond. In theHolistic Approach to Postpartum Care Intensive in The Herbarium, our team of expert herbalists embrace the beauty and complexity of the fourth trimester, delving into the layers of the postpartum period and offering safe, simple, and effective strategies for physiological, mental, and emotional support during this special time. This in-depth intensive provides trustworthy information on a breadth of topics—postpartum physiological changes to expect, insightful wisdom from traditional cultures, the importance of nutrition and self care for foundational nourishment, herbal and lifestyle approaches for easing common concerns and supporting lactation and nursing, and go-to herbal support and recipes for baby care.

Holistic Approach to Postpartum Care Intensive graphic

A common thread in postpartum practices found across cultures is the importance of rest and nutrition to support the health of the new mother and baby. After labor and during the fourth trimester the focus should be on nutritious, warming, and blood-building foods. Why warming foods? It’s important to eat warming, nutritive foods because labor is very demanding of the parts of your body that need warmth, such as the reproductive organs, and cooked foods that are easy to digest are less taxing on the digestive system. Consider warm spices, soft and warm food, and well-cooked simple dishes without too many ingredients. Meals that are easy to reheat and serve are ideal to maximize time for rest and bonding with baby during this busy time. Some examples are soups, stews, congees, and porridges—these are all used traditionally and are good sources of nutrition to have right after labor.

The recipe below is a sneak peek into ourHolistic Approach to Postpartum Care Intensive, which includes a variety of safe and effective herbal recipes that support both parent and baby, as well as partners and caretakers. You’ll find drinks such as nutritive herbal infusions, milks, broths, and herbal seltzers as well as nourishing dishes such as Brown Rice Cream Porridge and Mother’s Bowls to support the well-being of the birthing mother. And, you’ll find an array of recipes for common conditions, from a sitz bath to support post-birth healing and a tincture for sleep to a salve that supports the body in healing the C-section scar, to name just a few. Not to mention multiple recipes for supporting baby’s needs and lactation!

Brown Rice Cream Porridge

This deliciously nutritious meal is a great recipe to have on hand to get the nutrients needed during the fourth trimester. Follow the recipe below to make 2 servings, or make it in larger batches and reheat it with a little bit of additional water or milk—ideal during postpartum.

Ingredients

½ cup organic brown rice, finely ground in a food processor or bullet blender
1 cup water
1 cup nut milk or organic milk
2 tbsp nut butter
2 tbsp hemp seeds
2 tbsp hazelnuts or other nuts
2 tbsp goji berries, raisins, chopped dates, or other dried fruit
1 tbsp codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula) root, soaked and chopped
½ tsp cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.), powdered
½ tsp ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizome, powdered
½ tsp fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) seed
Pinch of sea salt

Directions

In a saucepan, bring rice and water to a boil, reduce to simmer, and stir constantly.
As rice cooks, stir in nut milk, nut butter, goji berries, codonopsis, and spices.
Continue cooking until rice is soft and creamy.
Top with hemp seeds, nuts, and more nut milk before serving.
Add honey or maple syrup to taste if desired.

mug of tea with herbs and tea kettle in the background

Sleep Infusion Tea Blend

This blend of nervine herbs can help support much-needed rest during the postpartum period—and beyond! This infusion can be enjoyed by mama, parent, and everyone in the family, and if nursing, can support baby’s sleep, too.

Ingredients

4 parts chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower
4 parts lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) aerial parts
4 parts passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) aerial parts
2 parts catnip (Nepeta cataria) aerial parts
1 part lavender (Lavandulaspp.) flower bud

Directions

Choose a measurement by weight; 1 part can be anything depending on the size batch you would like to make, for example ¼ oz (7 g) for a larger batch of dried tea blend for storage.
Weigh each herb, combine in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.If making a larger batch, store the blend in a labeled, tightly sealed storage container.
Steep 2 tbsp of tea blend per 8 fl oz freshly boiled hot water (for a strong infusion so a smaller amount of infusion can be taken just before bed) in a heat-safe container, covered, for 5-10 minutes (chamomile gets more bitter with longer steep times past 5 minutes).
Strain infusion through a tea strainer and compost or discard plant material.
If nursing, drink right after nursing if you would like less to go to the infant; if infant has trouble sleeping, drink right before.

teachers for the postpartum care intensive

Meet your teachers! You’ll learn from Herbal Academy team herbalists Heather Wood Buzzard, (MA), doula and lactation expert Jovan Sage, Shona Richter MacDougall, RH(AHG), Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz, Lindsey Feldpausch, RH(AHG), and Alison Birks, RH(AHG), who share their extensive experience.

Inside theHolistic Approach to Postpartum Care Intensive, you will find:

Session 1 | Introduction:After defining and investigating what the postpartum period includes and the physiological and other changes it may bring with it, we’ll discover why it is important to support individuals holistically, and introduce some postpartum traditions from across the globe.

Session 2 | Nutrition and Self Care:We’ll delve into a variety of safe and effective ways to use food, herbs, and lifestyle changes to support the overall health of the birthing parent in order to avoid depletion (includes several delicious recipes!).

Session 3 | Common Concerns:We’ll explore many herbs and lifestyle strategies that can offer much-needed support for common physical and mental health concerns, from recovering after the birth to soothing anxiety, thus enhancing the well-being of the postpartum individual.

Session 4 | Herbal Support for Baby:New parents want supportive and enriching options for their little ones, and we’ll share a number of safe and gentle herbs to use in simple preparations to support newborns and babies for everything from bathtime to feeding time.

Session 5 | Lactation Support:When lactation and nursing is part of the postpartum period, it may be accompanied by a number of challenges that herbs can ease and lifestyle shifts can enhance—and we’ll also share guidance and resources for reaching out for additional support when needed.

Session 6 | Additional Resources:Want to learn even more? We’ve compiled a wealth of trusted online and book resources to provide additional support and learning around this important life stage.

TheHolistic Approach to Postpartum Care Intensiveis the third installment in our series of intensives developed to provide holistic guidance and herbal support for those on the journey of starting a family—it joins theHolistic Approach to Fertility Intensiveand theHerbal Support for Pregnancy Intensive—as trustworthy resources in The Herbarium.

Not a member ofThe Herbarium yet? Get access today with a 3-day trial for only $3!

Would you like to learn more about the “the fourth trimester”? Get access to the Holistic Approach to Postpartum Care Intensive with a 3-day trial for only $3 if you’re not already a member of The Herbarium!

The Herbarium is an ever-expanding, illuminating virtual collection of over 200 (and counting!) searchable herbal monographs, topic-specific intensives, and numerous articles, videos, ebooks, and helpful downloadable resources. Members also gain instant access to several other intensives on popular topics, such as theKitchen Herbalism Intensive andBotanical Nootropics (and many, many more!). The Herbarium is crafted to help you learn and grow in your herbal journey!

Learn more and sign up for The Herbarium here.

Nourish Your Body: 2 Supportive Postpartum Recipes | Herbal Academy | These nourishing and supportive recipes are great to have on hand to get the nutrients needed during postpartum care.

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Herbal Academy

The Herbal Academy is an online school of herbalism offering affordable herbalist training programs for students at all experience levels. Whether you are looking to explore herbalism as a hobby or personal endeavor or preparing for a career, the Herbal Academy has designed herbalist programs to suit your path and your educational needs! The Academy celebrates the community-centered spirit of herbalism by collaborating with a wide diversity of seasoned clinical herbalists, folk herbalists, and medical professionals to create an herbal school that presents many herbal traditions and points of view.

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