How To Prepare A Nettle Infusion To Maximize Benefits During Pregnancy and Postpartum

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Nettles are magical. Nettles are marvelous. Nettles are a MUST HAVE herbal support during pregnancy and postpartum. Not just that… nettles can provide healthy nutrients for the whole family! Nettles are packed with minerals, vitamins, and phytonutrients like chlorophyll and carotenoids. Over 100 nutritious chemical components have been identified in nettle. Nutrients like: Iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, B vitamins, and more.

Forget the trendy green drinks, reach for a nettle infusion instead! Nettles are widely used and celebrated in the herbal community. They are cited as remedies for everything from seasonal allergies to postpartum anxiety. Not only are they a marvelous, magical tonic during pregnancy and postpartum, nettle infusions are a healthy herbal supplement for everyone. Nettles are antioxidants that relieve allergies, decrease inflammation, fight off infections due to their antiviral/antibacterial/antifungal properties, lower blood sugar, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, heal the mucosal lining of the stomach, support prostate health, and more. They are also a great food-derived supplement for the kiddos.

I especially love to recommend nettles as herbal support during pregnancy and postpartum because:

• Nettle infusions are a great source of supplemental iron.

• They aid the kidneys, which is especially important during pregnancy when your body adds 50% to its usual blood volume, which your kidneys are in charge of cleansing. Nettle infusions can help reduce the risk of kidney stones.

• They ease leg cramps and other spasms.

• They strengthen arterial elasticity and reduce hypertension, which can reduce the risk and severity of complications such as preeclampsia (later in pregnancy).

• They are a good food-based source of calcium. Not only is this great during pregnancy when your body is using its calcium stores to grow your baby— it can also help reduce pain during labor by supporting the muscles of the uterus so they can work strongly and efficiently.

• Nettles contain hemoglobin and vitamin k, which can help reduce your risk of hemorrhage.

• The mildly astringent properties of nettles can help reduce and heal hemorrhoids.

• They support your body’s breastmilk production, helping you create plenty of rich, nutritious milk for your baby.

• Supports healthy hair growth and limits hair loss postpartum.

So how do you make a nettle infusion?

You’ll need:

1 ounce of dried nettles (approximately 3/4 cup)
4 cups of boiling water (the size of a quart mason jar, or a french press)

I personally like to make my nettle infusion in the french press. It makes it easy to press the dried herbs down once the infusion is done steeping.

Place the dried nettles in the container you are using (mason jar or french press). Boil the 4 cups of water, then pour over the dried herbs. Let the herbs infuse for at least 4 hours or overnight. In our family, we simply wait 4 hours. Then my husband and I drink about 1.5 cups each and the kids drink about .5 cup each, all poured over ice. Trust me, it tastes FAR better over ice. It definitely has a “green” taste to it. While the flavor isn’t my favorite, the results ARE. I feel so much better after drinking my nettle infusion. I’m actually drinking a glass as I type this. I had a headache all day today, but it has cleared since I started drinking my nettles.

Sometimes I add 3 tablespoons of dried oatstraw along with my dried nettles to get the anti-anxiety benefits they provide, but I’ll warn you that the flavors don’t mix particularly well. Oatstraw is much better made into a warm tea served with honey, while nettle infusion is best served cold over ice. I add the oatstraw and still serve over ice. This way I get the benefits of both herbs at once, instead of drinking multiple herbal concoctions throughout the day. If you’d like to read more about how oatstraw and nettles can help decrease anxiety symptoms during pregnancy and postpartum, read this article.

If your kids aren’t super into the flavor of nettles (or you aren’t), you can also mix the nettle infusion with hibiscus tea sweetened with honey and it softens the blow.

These nettles are the ones I buy and recommend. They come in a handy resealable bag, and I have been more than happy with the quality each time I have purchased them. They taste fresh and they are certified organic!

Postpartum Herbal Bath Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. I only link to products that I have personally used and feel comfortable recommending. If you use these links, it does not increase the cost for you. It does help support this blog and my family, which allows me to bring you more helpful content. I really appreciate it when you use these links to purchase these products!

Learn how to prepare a postpartum herbal bath with dried herbs and flowers.

This DIY herbal bath will aid in postpartum recovery. You can enjoy this herbal bath mix in the tub or in a sitz bath.

Warm herbal baths are a wonderful way to relax and encourage healing postpartum. After all three of my births, I have used postpartum herbal baths to heal quicker. I always look forward to them! They smell absolutely delicious and it’s the perfect way to pamper yourself postpartum.

The herbs used in my postpartum herbal bath recipe have the power to decrease inflammation, heal tears and episiotomies, soothe the tender tissues in your perineal region, and diminish hemorrhoids. After a vaginal birth, it is perfectly safe to begin taking baths (or sitz baths) as long as you are healthy and show no signs of infection. I should note that regular baths are not safe for mothers who have had a cesarean birth, but sitz baths should be fine (consult your care provider).

I recommend either a sitz bath or a shallow herbal soak for at least 10 minutes once per day for the first week or so after giving birth. I found it easier to do a sitz bath most days for 10 minutes, with a longer 20-30 minute bath in the tub every 3rd day or so. Sitz baths are also a great option if you don’t have a tub or you just don’t feel like immersing your entire body. A sitz bath is a small basin that rests on your toilet; they are inexpensive and you can purchase a good one through amazon by clicking this link. It isn’t anything fancy… all you need is the basin that fits into your toilet; don’t worry about any extra gadgets that come with it, you won’t need those.

Your baby is also welcome to accompany you into the bath! This herbal bath recipe is great for healing their umbilical stump (just be sure to dry it completely if it gets wet). A word of warning: you don’t want to end up with baby poo in your luxurious postpartum herbal bath, so time feedings and bath accordingly! Trust me, I’m speaking from experience.

If you don’t feel like purchasing bulk herbs and making this sitz bath recipe for yourself, you can totally just buy them pre-made — I recommend THIS ONE by Birds & Bees Teas Company. Their prepared postpartum herbal bath sachets are great quality, and I know from experience that they WORK to help heal after birth. I love Birds & Bees products, so when I am too busy or short on time to make this recipe myself, I always purchase from their brand on Amazon. If you go forward making this recipe, you get FAR more bang for your buck. You can afford to take an herbal bath daily, or even gift/sell to friends if you have extra.

For the sitz bath, prepare a medium pot of water (about 2 quarts) with 1 cup of the mixed herbs. Boil the herbs in the water, then stir and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes, then strain out the herbs and pour the concentrated herbal bath water into a pitcher with a lid. Then over the next couple of days simply mix this infusion with hot water (50/50 split) into your sitz bath basin. It will stay good for 2-3 days in the pitcher.

For a tub bath, prepare a medium pot of water (about 2 quarts) with 1 cups of the mixed herbs. Again, bring the herbs to a boil, then simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes, then strain into a large bowl. Pour directly into a shallow bath. Let your perineum soak for 10 minutes, then add more water and relax for another 10-20 minutes (or however long you want)!

You can also use this infusion in your peri-bottle for extra healing powers each time you use the bathroom! I like to do 75% herbal infusion + 25% witch hazel for extra anti-inflammatory benefits. (PS. THIS is seriously the best peri-bottle for postpartum healing because it is easy to hold while spraying your perineum. It’s a totally genius design that everyone raves about.)

DIY Postpartum Herbal Bath Recipe:

This recipe yields 6 cups of postpartum herbal bath mix, which is enough for a week of postpartum herbal baths if you alternate sitz baths & tub baths.

• 1/2 cup Chamomile Flower

• 1/2 cup Calendula Flower

• 1/3 cup Comfrey Leaf

• 1/3 cup Lavender Flowers

• 1/3 cup Yarrow Flower

• 1/3 cup Shepherd’s Purse

• 1/3 cup Uva Ursi Leaf

• 1/3 cup Sea Salt -or- Epsom Salt

Chamomile is antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic. It is well known for improving skin conditions and calming irritated skin.

Calendula is a gentle and soothing herb for the skin. It is antimicrobial, antiseptic, and promotes cell repair, which makes it perfect for speeding up the recovery of wounds.

Comfrey relieves pain and inflammation, and helps speed up the recovery of wounds. It is said that comfrey can inhibit bleeding and even facilitate bone regrowth/healing! Not to be taken internally as it is bad for the liver in high doses.

Lavender has a lovely scent that has a soothing & calming effect. It is said to reduce depression, restlessness, and insomnia. It also contains anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties which will aid in the perineal healing process.

Yarrow is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. It can help stop bleeding when applied to wounds, and it helps relieve hemorrhoids.

Shepherd’s Purse is best known for its ability to inhibit or reduce bleeding. A tincture is sometimes used after childbirth to contract the uterus and prevent hemorrhage. Its astringent properties make it beneficial when applied externally to a wound as well.

Uva Ursi is antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory. It contains allantoin which is well known for its soothing and tissue-repairing properties.

Sea Salt / Epsom Salt baths lower the risk of infections. The salts are anti-inflammatory and mineral-rich, which can aid in the healing process as well.

French Toast Casserole Recipe

A few of you who follow me over on instagram saw that I made this french toast casserole recipe for a friend & client of mine who is freshly postpartum. I promised to share it with you so here I am!

This recipe is FABULOUS for new moms, busy moms, soon-to-be moms, etc. It is simple, quick, freezer-friendly, and can be prepared ahead of time so that all you have to do when it’s time to eat is pop it into the oven. It is INCREDIBLE. I found the original recipe over at Sally’s Baking Addiction and I’ve only tweaked it ever so slightly. 

I first found this recipe when I was searching for freezer-friendly recipes to make and store in our deep freeze while I was pregnant with Zeke (my second son). Let me tell you– out of all the food I made and stored in our freezer (over 200 servings!)– THIS recipe froze the best. Plus it is SO easy to make four of these at once. The other night I made two for myself and two for my friend in just under two hours. You can really crank these babies out! 

Without further ado, here is the recipe:

French Toast Casserole Recipe

Ingredients:

French toast base:

• 1 (12-14 ounce) loaf sourdough bread

• 1 cup (180g) fresh or frozen blueberries 

• 8 large eggs

• 2 and 1/4 cups (540ml) whole milk

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 3/4 cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar

• 1 Tablespoon (15ml) vanilla extract

Streusel Topping:

• 1/3 cup (69g) packed dark brown sugar

• 1/3 cup (42g) all-purpose flour 

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Directions:

1. Grease a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick spray or butter. For freezer-friendly meals I have used the 9×13 nonstick foil baking pans without spraying anything first. 

2. Slice & cut the bread into cubes, about 1-2 inches in size. Spread cubes of bread into the baking pan and sprinkle the blueberries over the top. Set aside.

3. Whisk the eggs, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla together. Add milk and whisk to combine. Pour over the bread. Cover the pan tightly and stick into the fridge overnight.

4. **Note: The topping can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge OR it can be made the morning of. I usually make it the night before. If you’re freezing the recipe, make the topping right away and sprinkle it over the casserole before freezing. To prepare the topping:  Whisk the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Cut in the cubed butter with a pastry blender or two forks. 

5. After soaking the bread overnight, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Take your casserole out of the fridge and sprinkle the streusel deliciousness over the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve immediately. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Freezing Instructions: If you intend to freeze the casserole, be sure to make it completely (streusel topping and all) before sealing it up well (with foil or a container with a tight lid) and placing it in the freezer. It will stay good in your freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to make it, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed. I always freeze it BEFORE baking but the original recipe does say a baked casserole can be frozen for up to 3 months. Then you thaw it overnight in the fridge and warm it up in a 350°F (177°C) for 35 minutes or until warm in the center.


Well, that’s it! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have! It is my GO-TO for freezer meals or a yummy meal to deliver to postpartum families. 

Leave me a comment if you try it, I’d love to know what you think. 

What Inspired Me To Become A Doula

My journey into birth doula work began the year that my husband and I became pregnant. That year also happened to be one of the most tumultuous years of our lives. At the beginning of 2014 my husband accepted a job in Portland, Oregon. It was only a 6 month contract position, but we’d always wanted to live in the Pacific Northwest. We jumped at this opportunity, thinking once we were there we could just continue finding work. He accepted the job in January and we were expected to be there by mid-February.

One night, just after he accepted the job and we were making hasty plans to move, we were up late dreaming about our future together. He turned to me very seriously and said he felt in his gut that it was time to start trying to conceive a baby. I can remember starting to cry. Rationally it didn’t make any sense, but I felt the same way. I, too, knew in my heart and soul that it was meant to be. My mind flipped through the logical reasons we shouldn’t have a baby. We were about to make a big move to a new place where we didn’t have many friends or any family; we weren’t as financially stable as we would’ve liked to be; I didn’t know much about babies much less birthing them. This reasoning in my head couldn’t outweigh the intuitive initiative that now dwelled within my heart. Joel (my husband) even guessed that we were going to have a boy before we ever started trying to conceive.

It took us over 3 months to get pregnant. We totally assumed that the second we stopped trying to prevent it we would instantly become pregnant. I was honestly very let down every month we tried and I still ended up menstruating. I ended up buying the book “Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two, and Baby’s First Foods” by Nina Planck. This was just the beginning of my baby-centered investigations. From that moment on, I researched fervently about anything and everything related to birth and babies. My overactive mind dreamt up so many questions, and I wasn’t going to feel qualified to be a mother without finding the best answers. I wanted evidence-based, conscious-minded answers. I read so many sources, comparing information, scrutinizing over biases and flaws, trying to sift through it all me find the answers that worked for me.

While I was attempting to research my way into motherhood, Joel’s job ended and it became glaringly apparent that he would not be able to find employment elsewhere. The job market in Portland was not as abundant as we were used to in Austin. After living on beans and canned tuna for a few weeks, we decided we needed to return to our home state before we didn’t have the money to get back. We sold most of our belongings- anything that didn’t fit in the back of our 1991 Mazda pickup truck- and drove over 2,000 miles back to Austin, TX.

It was a somewhat treacherous journey considering our truck was 23 years old, weighed down with an extremely heavy load for its size, and we were winding through hills and mountains. Every time we climbed upward we worried the truck would overheat and we’d be stranded. Somehow we made it. Once we arrived home we had friends and family who took us in. Through a friend, I became connected with an incredible home birth midwife. I had a midwife but no house! Luckily, we moved in to a rental home just a few weeks before my due date.

To add to all the stress, I went two weeks and three days over my due date. The dates weren’t wrong- I was diligently charting when we conceived and my LMP date matched the ultrasound date exactly. I think all the stress during my pregnancy caused my body to tell my son to stay inside where it was safe. When we finally settled into our house and I was able to relax, I went into labor and 37 hours later our son was born.

My labor was challenging. It was grueling. I thought I wouldn’t make it through. It peeled through every layer of my being and exposed my innermost self. It exposed my weaknesses and my fears. Then, just when I felt defeated, something incredible happened.

I let go of my desire for control, and prayed to the cosmos. My prayers were answered, because when I finally let go my body was able to work for me. I began to push and I felt so strong and so powerful. My baby boy was born an hour later but it felt like a mere 5 minutes. The euphoria I felt after he arrived was the most phenomenal feeling I had ever experienced. I fell so deeply in love with everyone who went through this journey with me. My husband and my baby, but also my Midwife and her apprentice. In my mind, we became eternally bonded that day.

Once I came out of my blissful early postpartum fog, I realized that I wanted to be there for other women as my birth workers had been there for me.

I wanted to tell others all the knowledge I had encountered on my journey to motherhood, I wanted to support them through the wildest ride of their life, I wanted to be there the moment they let their guard down to become raw and exposed; I wanted to bond with them through this incredible, shared experience. This desire is what led me to become a doula.