Homeopathy For Women Today

For after
After childbirth or a caesarean section, one would first think of Arnica, which involves a sensation of being bruised from within. If Arnica fails to relieve the bruised soreness, think of Bellis perennis that like Ruta also aids stretched ligaments.

Staphysagria should always be considered as a remedy if a woman has had to have a caesar and had her heart set on having a natural birth. Staphysagria involves suffering from repressed anger and resentment from surgical cuts, and perceived injuries and injustices. This is different from the ‘baby blues’ that is a result of the drop of hormones after delivery and before the milk comes in. Sepia is the most indicated remedy to restore balance and harmony.
Phytolacca can help cracked sore nipples with pain radiating from the breast to other parts of the body while nursing. Urtica urens can help establish the flow of milk and help sore nipples.

As can be seen there is a vast body of homeopathic knowledge that will aid and strengthen pregnancy, labour and child rearing, turning it into a labour of love.

Further reading
1. Bloch R, Lewis B. Homoeopathy for the Home. Cape Town: Struik, 2003.
2. Idarius B. The Homeopathic Childbirth Manual. Oaklands, California: Idarius Press, 1996.
3. Geraghty B. Homeopathy for Midwives. London: Churchill Livingstone, 1997.
4. Castro M. Homoeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Year. New York: St Martins Press, 1993. 

Dr Barbara Lewis, BSc, DHom, DHerb, MNIMH, is a registered herbalist and homeopath in practice for the past 24 years. She has taught homeopathy at the Durban Technicon, and has recently co-authored a self-help book on homeopathy. Dr Lewis practices at the Refuah Healing Centre in Sea Point and in Rondebosch, Cape Town.

For labour

To prepare a woman for labour, Caulophyllum 6 CH (birthroot) taken daily helps to soften the cervix. Cimicifuga (black cohosh) also in a 6 CH potency helps to reduce the intensity of Braxton Hicks contractions, and a general level of anxiety and fear of the birth. It too can be taken in a 6 CH potency a month before her due date. A woman needing Cimicifuga to help her labour often goes on an ironing or cleaning nesting spree just before labour starts, earning Cimicifuga the title of ‘queen of the broom’! Women, who have a very lax musculature or have had a number of babies, can tone their uterine muscles with raspberry leaf tea. It is not indicated for first time pregnancies. Weak anaemic women with heavy muscular uterine pains during pregnancy find Aletris, ‘the Arnica of the womb’, very helpful.

In my experience, Nat mur is a particularly useful remedy to give just as labour starts, because it can help women having their first child achieve transition emotionally and in the labour proceed from one phase of their lives to a new phase. If failing to dilate, many women can be saved from needing to have a caesar done by taking a single dose of Nat mur of a high potency. Gelsemium in a high potency could also be given just as labour starts. A woman needing Gelsemium suffers anticipatory anxiety, feels weak, trembly and heavy, and labour pains can be weak, ineffectual and centred in her back. Gelsemium is especially indicated at the transition phase of labour when she feels she can no longer go on.

During labour Caulophyllum will help with pains that slow down and become weak. Belladonna is especially suited to women having their first baby in their late 30s or 40s. They become flushed in the face, quarrelsome and angry under the stress of labour. It is also useful for hot, throbbing, congested breasts as the milk comes in. Nux vomica and Chamomilla are other remedies to consider for excessive irritability.

To be continued……

Dr Barbara Lewis, BSc, DHom, DHerb, MNIMH, is a registered herbalist and homeopath in practice for the past 24 years. She has taught homeopathy at the Durban Technicon, and has recently co-authored a self-help book on homeopathy. Dr Lewis practices at the Refuah Healing Centre in Sea Point and in Rondebosch, Cape Town. 

The major benefit of homeopathy during pregnancy is that it is completely safe. Because homeopathic remedies are energetic substances, there are no iatrogenic (treatment-induced) effects on the mother or developing fetus.

For pregnancy
Often the first remedies that are required are for nausea in the early stages of pregnancy. The presence of nausea is a sign that the pregnancy is well established, with the corpus luteum producing sufficient progesterone to maintain the developing fetus. First-aid remedies for nausea include Ipecahuanha. Ipecac in material doses can induce vomiting, while in the diluted and potentised homeopathic form it is used for treating nausea and vomiting. This is an example of the ‘law of similars’. The nausea is aggravated by the thought or smell of food, motion and warmth, and is not alleviated by vomiting. There may be a lot of saliva in the mouth. The pregnant woman feels sleepy, irritable and bad-tempered, and is not sure what she wants (rather like the Chamomilla constitutional type). The Ipecac remedy can be taken in a 6 CH or 30 CH potency (healing strength) quite frequently every hour or two to reduce the intensity of the nausea.

Other frequently indicated nausea remedies include Nux vomica, (described in more detail in the previous issue of the Journal – Self-medication with homeopathy. 2005; 21: 77-79), where the nausea is worse in the morning after eating and she feels better after vomiting, although there is often more sour retching than vomiting. The region of the stomach is highly sensitive to pressure. The woman feels chilly, overly irritable and fussy that things should be ‘just so’.

Tabacum is indicated by incessant nausea with pallor, icy coldness, and giddiness on rising or looking upward with a faint sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach, and cold sweat. Uncovering her stomach strangely relieves her. Not surprisingly she feels despondent, anxious and weepy.

Phosphorus, a constitutional remedy, is indicated by nausea and vomiting with a decidedly characteristic pattern. She has a thirst for ice-cold water that is vomited up as soon as it gets warm in the stomach. Even putting her hands in warm water makes her want to vomit. She often craves ice cream and chocolate as well as salty and spicy food. There is an empty hollow sensation in the stomach and emotionally she wants to be petted, praised and reassured.

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Hi everyone

Pregnancy is a wonderful time in a woman’s life. Yet, for many of us it is a stressful and very uncomfortable time.  Many of us avoid taking any medications due to the possible consequential negative effects on the unborn baby. Homeopathy offers a safe and effective treatment option.  

I came across a great audio interview with Miranda Castro who is a British Homeopath practising in the USA. Click here to listen to this audio interview.  Thanks to fellow homeopath Melissa Burch (www.InnerHealth.us) for this great interview. 

Miranda Castro is also a well-known author of many books on homeopathy, including “Homeopathy for Pregnancy, Birth and Your Baby’s First Years”.  Check it out at Amazon.com by clicking on the image below.

 Enjoy your pregnancy with Homeopathy, and ensure good health for yourself and your baby……….

Vimala

Recently, one of my friends had an ectopic pregnancy. She underwent surgery to remove the unborn foetus, and had to lay in bed for a few days to recover. Fortunately, my friend has 2 children, and was able to overcome her depression and sense of loss quickly.

My friend is in her mid 30s and is highly accomplished in her field of work. She  had been under tremendous stress at work over the past few months. So when her periods got delayed, she attributed it to stress and did not even realise she was pregnant.  

When she spoke with me, she was wondering why she had an ectopic (tubal) pregnancy even though her previous 2 pregnancies had been very smooth.  She actually confided in me that she did not even know exactly what “ectopic” pregnancy meant. I explained the female organs, their functions and the menstrual and ovulation cycles to her. 

That got me thinking.  How well do women really know their own cycles - on a general level, do they understand what happens in the female cycles, and on a specific level, are they in touch with their own bodies?

I did a quick survey of some female friends, and it appeared they did not really know what happened within their bodies. Unless there was a problem, they did not actually bother to find out.  This was very surprising to me. 

We females spend time and money in looking good, we read fashion magazines, we gawk at pictures of actresses and models with perfect figures and perfect skin, yet we do not know much about our own bodies.

My view is that only when we understand the miraculous gift that our body is, can we work with it to achieve perfect health. After all, this is the only body we have - shouldn’t we give it some respect?

I am certainly not suggesting that every woman should take a biology course (anatomy & physiology), but understanding our cycles can go a long way towards maintaining great health using natural means.

There are millions of websites out there that explain the female body. I particularly like the books by Dr. Christiane Northrup, a physician who supports and recommends natural means of achieving perfect health.

Her all-time classic is “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom”.  My second favourite is “The Wisdom of Menopause”.  Check out these books at Amazon.com. They will serve you well.

Celebrate Your Body…..
Vimala

Hello everyone

It feels good to start posting again after a long break.  I came across this article on www.destinationsante.com  (France), and post it here with their permission.

Quote……..

Mothers-to-be choose homeopathy as the safe option
 
[5 October 2007 - 12:21]

The risk of possible secondary effects means that pregnancy and conventional medicines do not always go together well. Which is no doubt one of the reasons why homeopathy is gradually gaining ground among mothers-to-be.

Women are able to continue using homeopathic remedies, despite being pregnant, to relieve problems associated with pregnancy and even to prepare for the birth.

“With homeopathy, there are no contraindications”, explains Anne-Marie Curat, member of the French National Midwives Council. “It’s very reassuring for pregnant women, because as soon as they read the information that accompanies conventional medicines they see the familiar phrase: ‘not suitable for use by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding’”.

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