• Witch hazel during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum

    Date: 2011.01.20 | Category: Birth | Tags: ,

    Of all the herbs that are available for pregnant women, during labor and birth, and in the immediate postpartum period, witch hazel is a very handy one to have around the house. Witch hazel, used in various ways, is so versatile that it deserves a lot of praise. What are the uses for witch hazel, and how is it used?

    Witch hazel has traditionally been used by Native Americans to treat many things. It is a natural anti-inflammatory that comes from the leaves and bark of the Witch Hazel Shrub. In this day and age, it is probably best known for its use in skin care. Indeed, witch hazel is a safe treatment for pregnancy acne, but there is more. Witch hazel can be used fresh or as a tincture.

    • Pregnancy hemorrhoids are pretty common, unfortunately.  Making your own anti-inflammatory and soothing witch hazel wipes can help reduce swelling and pain, and hopefully cure those nasty hemorrhoids.

    • Applying witch hazel to varicose veins externally with a wipe or a spray bottle (again!) helps bring down swelling.

    • If you are facing a postpartum hemorrhage, witch hazel tincture can stop it. The herbalist Susun Weed (see my review of her great book The Childbearing Year) advises taking 20 drops of witch hazel bark tincture under the tongue. It can safely be used to stop bleeding before the placenta has been born, because it does not interfere with the process.

    • If you ended up with vaginal or perineal tears after you gave birth, witch hazel is a good ingredient for a herbal sitz bath. It can be soothing, help prevent an infection, and according to some can reduce itching (I never had itching after my tears, did you?)

    • Some women use witch hazel on their baby’s umbilical cord stump, again to prevent infection. There are many schools of thought about umbilical cord care. Personally, I prefer leaving it to heal naturally without applying anything. This seems to encourage the cord to fall off more quickly.