5 Herbal Remedies for Postpartum Anxiety

Are you feeling overwhelmed with motherhood?

Is your heart pounding?

When you lie down at night, do your thoughts keep you up?

These are signs of postpartum anxiety - even if you’re not sure if you’re postpartum anymore.

In this blog post, I’ll cover my five favorite herbal remedies for postpartum anxiety, along with breastfeeding safety.

So, let’s begin!

What is postpartum?

“Post” means after, “Partum” after childbirth. So, even if your children are 10 or you’ve had a miscarriage, you’re considered postpartum by some doulas, midwives, and herbalists. The medical community and society have led us to believe that after six weeks, we should feel like ourselves again.

==But, the truth is, when we don’t methylate well after birth, our body becomes “triggered” by the excessive folic acid, low progesterone, and heavy metals in our body, creating depression and anxiety that last for many years after childbirth. source. source. source

In this post, I’ll cover my five favorite herbal remedies for postpartum anxiety and the breastfeeding safety of each, so you can get started on calming your nervous system.

Keep in mind that herbal medicine can help you feel calm, but it’s only one step in your healing process.

We also want to address your diet, nutrient deficiencies, nervous system regulation, hormone levels, and even low amino acids.

Let’s get started.

5 Postpartum Anxiety Natural Remedies

Skullcap while breastfeeding

1. Skullcap- Scutellaria

   Historically used for:

   • Epilepsy, nervousness, insomnia, torticollis (wry neck), muscle spasms

   Modern uses

   • Use for a tight neck or jaw

   • If you’re nervous or agitated with spasms, tics, or tight muscles

   • If your legs keep moving at night (a.k.a. restless leg syndrome}- this could also be low magnesium, mild Tourette’s, and grinding of the teeth

   • It will not make you sleepy, so using it during the day is ok

   Dosing:

   • I prefer adding Skullcap to The One Tea blend- I suggest all mothers drink

   • You can drink it as a tea or use drops of tincture in your water to stay calm during the day

   • Alternatively, you can drink 1-2 cups of tea before bed. Remember that drinking tea 2 hours before bedtime can help reduce the need to go in the middle of the night.

   • Or you can take 20-30 drops of the tincture in 1/4 cup of water before bed.

   Breastfeeding safety:

   • It's considered an L1/2 safe by the German Commission E

2. Ashwagandha - Withania somnifera

Historically Used:

• The Ayurvedic medical system is used for premature aging. Dubbed the “Indian ginseng.”

• Gives you the strength and stamina of a stallion

• Made as a decoction with the root

• Used as an adaptogen to relieve stress

• Slow, restorative builder of strength

• Relieves “brain fog.”

Energy

• Bitter, warm & dry

• So if you tend to be cold, this may be a good choice for you.

Dosing and Safety:

• Herbal Tincture or Extract

  • You can take 30-40 drops, up to 3x a day

  • But! If it doesn’t work for you or makes you anxious, try the powder or capsules.

• Capsules

  • 400-500 mg capsule; 2x day

• Powder

  • Traditionally, in India, Ashwagandha was taken in warm milk with ghee at night for sleep or to increase milk supply.

  • Take 1 tsp. in warm milk with ghee at night to aid sleep.

  • * Powder Dosing: 1 tsp. Withania powder may be given 2x day with milk for insufficient lactation. ³

    >>Always start with a small amount to see how you and your baby respond if you’re breastfeeding!

Ashwagandha: Who should not take

David Winston suggests:

• Avoid using the herb if you're sensitive to plants in the nightshade family - but this could be a case-by-case situation.

• He also states: not to use the powder internally if you have excess iron.

• And, if you have hyperthyroidism, you may want to avoid this botanical, as Ashwagandha can increase T4 and maybe T3.

Ashwagandha When Pregnant

• David Winston also suggests avoiding it during pregnancy. Still, Mills & Bones consider it a Category B1: Studies in animals have not shown evidence of an increase in the occurrence of fetal damage. So, it's a bit confusing if you're pregnant and want to try Withania.

• Additionally, caution may be needed if you have autoimmune conditions, as it can increase T1 activity.
  
  
  

#3 Passionflower-Passiflora incarnata

Historically used for:

• Nervine {help you stay calm}, sedative, antispasmodic {reduce spasms} and pain reliever

Modern uses

• Think of the monkey mind, and you can’t shut your thoughts off at night

• Painful spasms of a tight pelvic floor

• Use during the day

Use for:

• Pelvic pain and fibroids

• When you feel anxious, stressed, and tense

Matthew Wood states that it actually increases concentration during wakefulness by “cutting out internal chatter”

• It's an excellent herb to use when you need quality sleep, but don't want to feel sleepy and need to get things done!

Dosing:

• Drink 1-2 cups of blended tea, 2 hours before bed, to prevent night waking.

• Before bed, take 20-30 drops of the tincture in 1/4 cup of water, or you can try taking it throughout the day.

Passionflower While Breastfeeding

• Breastfeeding safety: It's considered an L1/2, safe by the German Commission E

4. Motherwort- Leonurus cardiaca- “The heart of a lion”

Historically Used for:

• Postpartum depression, anxiety with palpitations, and stress

Modern uses;

• The #1 remedy for heart palpitations

• Better for hyperthyroidism,

• Very bitter, so you may want to take it as a combined tincture

• Carry a tincture with you at all times if you get panic attacks!!!>> You can take it during a panic attack or to prevent one

Dosing:

• Take 20-30 drops of the tincture in 1/4 cup of water as needed for anxiety.

• I added this to my water bottles when I was very anxious driving

Motherwort While Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding safety:

• It's considered an L1/2 safe by the German Commission E- Safe.

• But not to be used during pregnancy

#5 Milky Oat Tops

Historically used for:

• As a superb food for the nervous system, think of starting your day with oatmeal and lots of protein

• Reduces symptoms of drug withdrawal through a long infusion of tea

Modern uses

• Nervous exhaustion, PMS, withdrawal from coffee, cigarettes, and drugs

• Chemical sensitivities

• Panic disorder

• If you feel like a “hot mess,” this may be for you

Dosing and Safety:

• Take daily as a nourishing tea, steep for 4-8 hours, to soothe anxiety, and works well with Stinging nettles.

Milky Oat Tops While Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Safety

• Level 1, Safe while breastfeeding.

Natural Anxiety Remedies while Breastfeeding

• I love using herbal teas and tinctures to help nourish and calm the nervous system during the postpartum period.

• I also love homeopathy.

• When you have anxiety, addressing your sleep should be your #1 priority.

• Watch this video on how I use homeopathic remedies to support fear and anxiety during sleep: https://youtu.be/k18xDFEzVC8?si=911Jjsxy8Nc6bN4Q

Can you take these herbal remedies with SSRIs?

• Yes, you can take most herbal remedies while taking SSRIs. St. John’s wort is the #1 botanical to be careful with SSRI interaction.

The best medication for postpartum anxiety

• The best medication is getting to the root cause of your anxiety. In my online course, The Present Momma, we dive into five pieces of healing

  • Diet

  • Supplements

  • Herbal and Homeopathic Remedies

  • Nervous System Regulation

  • Gut healing

• It takes a comprehensive approach to heal postpartum anxiety naturally.

Conclusion

Your body has a great capacity to heal anxiety after birth when you integrate natural remedies. It’s never just one botanical that will heal you. We have to address your nutrient gaps and fill them with supplements and herbal remedies first.

Which botanicals have you tried? Let me know in the comment area below.

xo

Tara

Resources

1. American Herbal Products Associations; Botanical Safety HandbookHales

2. Medications and Mother’s Milk: https://amzn.to/35XZFq5- more about conventional medication and nursing

3. Bone & Mills: Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy

4. Aviva Romm: Botanical Medicine of Women’s Health- Categories from the German Commission E. {see below}Brinker, Francis: Herbal Contraindications and drug interactions

5. https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/ashwagandha-while-breastfeeding

6. https://thebreastfeedingmama.com/natural-remedies-for-anxiety-while-breastfeeding/

7. https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/3-ways-to-use-ashwagandha-for-postpartum-anxiety-breastfeeding-safe

8. https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/3-reasons-ashwagandha-is-not-working-for-your-postpartum-insomnia

9. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/postpartum-recovery

10. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a28221402/postpartum-anxiety/

11. https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/better-than-zoloft-9-herbal-remedies

12. https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/8-common-postpartum-depression-and-anxiety-mistakes

13. https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/my-5-step-natural-strategy-for-healing-postpartum-anxiety-and-depression

14. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935121015772

15. https://www.tiktok.com/@garybrecka.shorts/video/7275111857470459179

16. https://www.drbenlynch.com/folic-acid-side-effects/