iii Of Weeds and Weans Joseph Nolan

Medicinal milk

Joseph Nolan

Breastfeeding is not always possible. A woman may have scar tissue from surgery, body modifications, or other trauma to her breasts; there may be structural anomalies which make the whole process impossible; she may lack adequate support and so, without guidance on how to improve a difficult situation, is forced to stop trying. Or, for reasons of her own, she may not wish to breastfeed. That is fine. Countless healthy babies have been bottle-fed by parents who loved them, and have grown up to be healthy, happy and well-adjusted adults with well looked-after children of their own.

Still, breastfeeding does have some undeniable advantages. One of them is the ease with which it gets nourishment into babies and very young children. Little Sadie has decided that she will live solely on oatcakes? As long as Mama eats salad, so does Sadie. The same is true of herbal remedies. Little Zainab really doesn’t like Matricaria recutita (Chamomile) tea, but would benefit from its calming properties? Don’t worry Zainab— Mama will drink it for you.

There are several conditions in tiny ones that are easy to treat with herbs. As with adults, digestive and skin problems respond wonderfully to herbal remedies. So, too, do the sudden and fleeting illnesses of childhood, which mainly require making the child comfortable, nudging appetite upwards and gently strengthening immunity. In breastfed babies and toddlers, these are easy to deal with. All that is required, unless otherwise stated, is that the breastfeeding mother drinks a couple of cups of herbal tea a day. A teaspoon of dried herb per cup is enough. The immunological feedback loop between mothers and their nursing babies tends to sort things out very quickly, given the proper materials.

Bottle-fed bairns

I was a bottle-fed bairn, and I turned out all right— at least, I think so. Bottle-fed kids are a bit tougher to treat because they are used to their formula tasting a certain way, so altering that can be an unpleasant shock— especially if they are highly sensitive. (If they are, then check out these excellent books: The Highly Sensitive Child and The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron.) Giving them a herbal tea instead of some of their additional drinking water, or using the tea to make up the formula, are the easiest ways to administer herbs to bottle-fed babies. You do have to contend with the issue of flavour, though, so an alternative is to put the herbs in the bath with the bairn— more on this in due course.

Colic, wind and digestive woes

Colic and wind are very common problems with babies and infants. Almost every parent is familiar with the symptoms: evening crying, arching the back, pulling the legs up to the chest, distended bellies, and excessive audible flatulence. Dirty nappies may be infrequent— or overly frequent —occurrences. For these issues, look for antispasmodic herbs, which are aromatic and calming to the nervous system. Chamomile is excellent, reducing tightness and spasms in the gut, relaxing the central nervous system and the enteric nerves, and so calming the belly. It helps with wind, colicky pains, inflammation, and emotional distress. It is also very useful for constipation because it relaxes the gut muscles, and its gentle bitterness stimulates the whole digestive system, increasing peristalsis and encouraging blockages to clear. It also tastes rather lovely.

Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel seed) helps specifically with gut spasms and wind, and its sweet, cooling, aromatic flavour appeals to little and big people alike. Hildegard von Bingen, the renowned medieval herbalist, wrote that Fennel brings joy— always helpful when a baby has colic. The seeds are also useful for stimulating milk production in nursing mothers, which can be valuable in the early days. Following close on Fennel’s heels is Anethum graveolens (Dill seed), the traditional actor in Gripe Water. This over-the-counter supplement is (or should) be nothing more than aromatic Dill water. Dill seed has similar properties to Fennel seed; it is anti-spasmodic for the gut and very effectively helps to expel trapped and painful wind. It is cooling and antiinflammatory, and also helps with milk production. Perhaps it is not as tasty as Fennel, but the efficacy more than makes up for the strong and distinctive flavour. I personally prefer it to Fennel, which I find too cloyingly sweet, but I am in the minority.

Chamomile, Fennel seed, and Dill seed can be used together, or in any combination, for these common digestive issues. They can also be used in the bath: make up a pint (for tiny babies) or a litre (for toddlers) of strong tea and add it to the bath water.

Skin eruptions: bumps, redness and patches

A great many— if not most —babies have some kind of mild skin issue at some point. Here, I’m talking about baby acne, cradle cap, and the little bumps and coloured patches that infants often have. Itching dry eczema is another matter, and often requires attention to diet and lifestyle to determine both cause and cure.

However, mild skin complaints will usually last only a few days or weeks and then go, just as they came, without much of a to-do, seemingly without having been itchy or bothering the child at all. They can, however, be a bit unsightly— and they certainly bother parents. As usual, top of the treatment heap is Chamomile. With its mild bitterness improving liver function, and its anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal activity, you really can’t go wrong with Chamomile— especially since skin problems frequently accompany, or are accompanied by, digestive upsets. Calendula officinalis (Calendula, Marigold) is another excellent and gentle herb for the skin complaints of tiny people. The herb improves lymphatic flow, which helps to reduce inflammation. It is also anti-fungal— useful if thrush is a problem. Calendula is not as tasty as Chamomile, though, so I typically combine them, especially if the remedy is to be drunk as a tea.

Another useful plant is Viola tricolor (Wild Pansy, Heartsease). Heartsease helps move lymphatic fluid, which in turn reduces inflammation and facilitates healing, as well as improving the skin’s structure. It is very gentle, and seems to work better in children than adults, who need large quantities to effect change. As with Chamomile, it also helps with the emotional upsets that can, even in newborns, contribute to skin complaints. Use these herbs in teas or in baths, or else use the cooled tea as a wash for affected areas of skin.

Viruses and febrile illnesses

Even in the age of hand sanitiser and social distancing, kids get ill. Common symptoms include coughs, fevers that last a day or two, unexplained lethargy, unusual lack of appetite, and irritable crying. In the absence of other, more worrying signs, a couple of cups for tea for Mama can make a big difference, especially since breastfeeding often increases during periods of illness. Kit Acott, who ran a busy pediatric practice when she lived in Edinburgh and therefore knows a thing or two, regards Nepeta cataria (Catmint, Catnip) as ’Nature’s Calpol’. When my little one was tiny, Catnip was a common remedy in our house— he recognised it wherever he encountered it growing, and to this day calls it by the nickname ‘Peta’ (better). Being a Lamiate, in the Mint family, Catnip helps to cool the body and relieves the unpleasant sensations of fever. It relieves aches and pains, relaxes the body and aids sleep, and reduces tension in the gut, expelling wind and clearing constipation. While it does not work as well overall for adults, it does maintain its soothing effect on both the digestion and the mind— helpful for frazzled parents with a sick child in the house.

Sambucus nigra (Elderflower), whose blossoming time has just about passed, is another invaluable remedy for colds, fevers, and the like. Its affinity lies with the mucous membranes in particular, strengthening them and drying up runny noses and weepy eyes. Like Catnip, with which it combines very well, it helps treat chills and sweats at the start of an illness, and it has mild relaxing qualities that aid sleep and reduce irritability. It helps a bit with inflammation and pain, too. These very gentle actions can rarely be felt by adults, but they are useful for children.

Finally, we come to the delightful Filipendula ulmaria (Meadowsweet, Queen-of-theMeadow), which is in full flower at the moment. It is in the Rose family, the Rosaceae, and shares the uplifting qualities of its relatives. Meadowsweet relieves aching and discomfort, lifts the spirits and relaxes the mind, facilitating sleep. It is tasty, sweet and aromatic, which is helpful for windy and irritable digestion if that is a symptom. Gently astringent, running noses and sore throats are helped by the herb, and the lovely flavour is comforting. It is one of my favourite herbs, and I have found it as helpful for toddlers as for their grandmothers. Although only the breastfeeding mother needs to drink the tea to pass on its effects, these herbs do have appealing flavours in their own right, so most children— even very, very small ones —will obligingly take a teaspoon or two, or a few sips from a cup. They can also be used in the bath like the other herbs.

Home herbal helper: a cold Fennel and Marshmallow infusion

Breastfeeding babies and children can be hard on the breasts, especially in the early days when both parties are learning how to do it. Milk supply can be over-enthusiastic, and long periods spent away from the baby can result in a painful build-up of milk. Helen Stapleton recommends this excellent remedy for breast soreness in nursing mothers:

Ingredients

1 tbs / 15g Fennel seeds  1 tbs / 15g Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis)  1 pint boiling water

Method

1. Steep the herbs in the water overnight in a small pan, covered.

2. In the morning, reheat and simmer for 5 minutes, still covered.

3. Allow to cool again to a comfortable temperature, then immerse the affected breast in the infusion. If that is impossible, apply as a wash.

Happy herbing!