Understanding health and understanding people from a homeopathic perspective really helps us to make sense of not only our illnesses but the health and development of our children.

Reasons to consider homeopathy for mothers and children

The first is that it’s safe. Although many homeopathic medicines are prepared from plants and other substances which are poisonous in their raw form, by the time they have been prepared as medicines for sale or prescription they are completely non-toxic and they be given safely to breastfeeding mums as well as to children, from the first day of life onwards.

The second reason is that the remedies work by stimulating the body’s own healing mechanisms. That’s not to say the modern medicine is of no value. Quite the contrary. For example, the technological and scientific breakthroughs in caring for premature babies have enabled many more such children to survive those difficult first few weeks. Modern methods of care have also made death during childbearing a rarity in our country.

However, health is about more than mere survival and whilst these advances have undoubtedly been life-saving, other, more holistic approaches are needed to promote and maintain a more comprehensive well-being. This leads us to the third reason – understanding health and understanding people from a homeopathic perspective really helps us to make sense of not only our illnesses but the health and development of our children.

Let’s start with mum, because when you come home with the new baby, everybody is thrilled with the baby and, sometimes, mum gets a little forgotten. In the first few days there are a couple of problems which might need attention.

Homeopathy for Mothers

Wound healing

Homeopathic medicines  are taken by many women after the baby is born as it is good for helping the body to heal areas of bruising and it certainly seems to help a lot to heal bruising internal and external. The bruises might be painful and the person doesn’t want the sore bit to be touched. In fact, they are likely to downplay the whole problem and be quite uncomplaining even though they may be feeling quite distressed about it.

Bruising, however, may not be the main problem. Sometimes a more pressing problem is a tear or a cut (an episiotomy). This is more common if there has been a forceps delivery. The wound is acutely painful and the woman will probably be feeling pretty aggrieved at having had the cut done. She will be feeling hard done by, or feeling that she wasn’t treated well by the staff. The homeopathic term for this is “indignation” – the feeling that “it shouldn’t have happened to me. It’s not fair!” This state is typical of one homeopathic remedy  and if taken over the next few days, it can promote the healing of the wound as well as begin to settle the woman’s distress. It is recommend that the homeopathic form be used and taken as tablets or powders by mouth because the local applications and creams can sometimes irritate the delicate tissues of the vagina

Breast problems

Mastitis is a common problem. When it occurs suddenly and the breast becomes red, swollen, hot and tender. If the inflammation isn’t caught early enough an abscess may be formed. Cracked nipples can be very painful and really make breastfeeding difficult, if not impossible. Cracks might be accompanied by sharp, shooting pains in the breast when the baby feeds,  and sometimes the pains seem to shoot out from the breast to other parts of the body. Homeopathy have separate remedies for each of these conditions.

Baby blues

“Baby blues” are very common around the fifth day. You might find yourself becoming very tearful and upset at that time, or, alternatively, irritable and anxious. Some may find that having company at this time helps and some others  find that company and consolation actually make them feel worse. Postnatal depression, on the other hand, is far more serious. If your sad or upset feelings continue beyond a few days then it would be a good idea to discuss it with your GP.

Even in the most troublesome postnatal depression, homeopathic remedies are very useful. In such a situation it would be better to consult a homeopathic specialist.