13 Dec 2020

Stress-be-Gone Herbal Bath for New Moms

Tagsbath tea, chamomile, herbal bath, herbal blends, lavender, linden, maternity, stress relief

This relaxing herbal bath blend for the new mother is composed of three well-known aromatic nervines: chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flower, lavender (Lavandula spp.) flower, and linden (Tilia spp.) flower and bracts. Nervines are herbs and botanicals that have a direct effect on the nervous system in some way, including reducing stress and anxiety and bringing balance (Herbal Academy, 2017).

The flavonoids in chamomile are beneficial in a number of ways, including in helping people ease into sleep (Villines, 2020). Lavender offers a pleasant aroma as well as the benefit of aiding in relaxation (Nordqvist, 2019). Used in many forms to calm anxiety (Nordqvist, 2019), a little lavender goes a long way, especially when used in oil rather than whole flower form. The linden tree’s fragrant, soothing blooms not only sweeten the bath, they also add demulcent properties to the mix. Linden’s demulcency can protect and relax the respiratory and digestive systems and soothe the skin (Justis, 2016). These three herbs make a perfect botanical trio for this Stress-be-Gone Herbal Bath Blend.

Stress-be-Gone Herbal Bath

If you have the opportunity to grow and dry your chamomile flower, lavender flower, and linden flower and bracts at home all the better. Otherwise, try to source locally or look for organic options. This soothing herbal bath blend makes a great gift for the new mom. And if you are the new mom? Go ahead and treat yourself. You deserve it. Yield: 1 bath

Ingredients

¼ cup chamomile (Matricaria recutita) flowers
¼ cup lavender (Lavandula spp.) flowers
¼ cup linden (Tilia spp.) flowers and bracts

Directions

Place the herbs in a ½ gallon shatter-resistant canning jar or a big pot.
Fill the jar or pot with boiling hot water, put a lid on top, and let steep for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
Strain the liquid directly into the tub, and enjoy your warm and relaxing herbal bath. (If you’ve given birth very recently, be careful about bathing in water that’s too hot, and check with your OBGYN to make sure your body is healed enough, and infection-free before a full-body soak.)

In Closing,

The new mom rule is to sleep when the baby sleeps. With this herbal bath blend, you could also bathe when the baby bathes. This bath blend is safe for both of you to enjoy, as long as you keep the water temperature safe for the baby too, and a great way to bond as you relax!

Find more recipes for new moms in 6 DIY Recipes for New Moms.

Herbal Bath Recipe Pinterest graphic

REFERENCES

Herbal Academy. (2017). 3 nervine herbs to help soothe stress [Excerpted from Herbal Self-Care for Stress Management Course]. Retrieved from https://theherbalacademy.com/nervine-herbs-help-soothe-stress/

Justis, A. (2017). 6 DIY recipes for gentle herbal support for new moms [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://theherbalacademy.com/gentle-herbal-support-for-new-moms/

Justis, A. (2016) A family herb: gentle linden flower and leaf [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://theherbalacademy.com/a-family-herb-linden-flower/

Nordqvist, J. (2019). What are the health benefits and risk of lavender? [Online article]. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265922

Villines, Z. (2020). What are the benefits of chamomile tea? [Online article]. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320031#benefits-of-chamomile-tea