7 Postpartum Anxiety Herbal Remedies; Even If You're Breastfeeding
Everyone experiences anxiety at different points in life—stress, and worry are natural parts of being human. But, the postpartum time can be really intense, as lack of sleep is typically the norm.
Even though it’s not unusual (anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. today), anxiety as a new mom can be isolating and hard to confront when it gets out of hand.
Raising twins and running a Pilates studio taught me the true meaning of anxiety and burnout when my twins were born. After months of sleep deprivation, I began studying to become a women’s herbal educator with Dr. Aviva Romm - hoping to get to the root of my struggle with anxiety, insomnia, and depression.
I quickly learned that nourishing my body with botanicals—specifically adaptogens and nervines— is key to keeping anxiety and burnout at bay. Adaptogens are a category of herbs that help us “adapt around stress.”
Their anti-fatigue effects make them particularly potent when you’re up against mental exhaustion, frequent illness, or chronic stress.
{Read this post for more adaptogens while nursing: https://taragregorio.com/8-must-have-adaptogens-for-breastfeeding-moms/}
If you’re burning the candle at both ends, treating yourself with any of these seven herbs will help you feel relaxed, balanced, and healthy again:
1. Ashwagandha (withania somnifera)
This is the first adaptogen I turned to when I was feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, and it’s still a personal favorite. Ashwagandha is “known to give you the strength and stamina of a stallion”, but still gentle enough for anyone coping with anxiety. When taken regularly, it can ease shot nerves and improve sleep.
Dosing:
Try 1-2 dropperfuls of the tincture in¼ cup of water 2-3 times per day, to reduce your stress and aid sleep. If it makes you too tired, consider just taking it at night
Traditionally, Ashwagandha was taken in a powder form with milk to aid in sleep
2. Reishi (ganoderma lucidum)
Do you find yourself getting sick before your period? or just run down altogether? Reishi can help.
One study shows that chronic stress can raise the risk of viral infections, eventually manifesting in full-blown illness. Try reishi if you’re under the weather frequently, or just feel stressed out and run down.
Taken regularly, reishi can reduce the likelihood that your stress will literally make you sick-- so you can welcome your monthly period - rather than spending that time out of commission.
Reishi has an earthy taste and is now being added to coffees and teas!
Dosing:
I'm also loving Four Sigmatic coffee daily
3. Milky Oat Tops (avena sativa)
Filled with vitamins and minerals, milky oat tops are a great herbal remedy that nourishes your nervous tissue and promotes relaxation. Pairing milky oat tops with stinging nettles is a perfect combination to boost your daily energy without spiking stress or anxiety. Keep in mind; due to cross-contamination, you may want to avoid milky oats if you have celiac disease.
👉My favorite way to enjoy milky oats is in a long decoction; like 8 hours long!
Combine equal parts of dried milky oat tops and stinging nettles.
Add 1 tablespoon of the blended herbs to 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and steep the herbs for 20 minutes to 8 hours for a medicinal infusion, then strain and add a little raw honey if desired.
See the full recipe here: https://taragregorio.com/postpartum-tea-blend/
4. Chamomile (matricaria recutita)
Just one cup per day of this well-loved tea can reduce menstrual cramps, shift your mood, and ease digestion. Safe for children, our family enjoys a cup of chamomile tea most nights to reduce our collective stress.
Dosing:
Try this herbal tea blend
Blend dried chamomile, lemon balm, and milky oat tops together.
Then add 1 tablespoon of the mixed dried herbs to 1 cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes. Add honey for flavor and double-check the tea has cooled before serving to children.
You can also enjoy Chamomile as a tincture
5. Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis)
If you need a boost in your mood, skip chamomile and enjoy a cup of lemon balm tea. This delightful citrus-flavored tea is known as the “gladdening herb”.
As a nervine and mild anti-depressant, lemon balm promotes relaxation, and reduces nervous energy as well as colds, flu, and even the Epstein barre and the herpes virus breakouts!
Dosing:
To enjoy: Add 1 tablespoon of the dried herb to 1 cup of boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes. Add milk and honey for flavor.
Tincture: 20-30 drops, 2-3x day
6. Motherwort (leonurus cardiaca)
From motherhood to menopause, Motherwort is a true gift for women. It shouldn’t be used during pregnancy but should be your first go-to-herb after birth.
Motherwort’s calming qualities can help with everything from heart palpitations to extreme anxiety. Taking motherwort throughout the day can release tension and reduce panic attacks, and it’s a great solution for falling back to sleep if you wake up frequently during the night.
Motherwort has a bitter taste, so I find it’s best taken as a tincture. Follow the directions on the label for your dosing.
Dosing:
Motherwort tincture 20-30 drops, 2-3x day
7. Lavender (lavandula officinalis)
My favorite way to use lavender is as an essential oil. Tap diluted lavender essential oil on your wrists or spray it in the air to soothe stress immediately. Lavender is known to help induce sleep, which makes it a perfect remedy for unwinding before bed.
Caution: Wipe off any essential oil before breastfeeding infants, so they don't inhale the strong oil and never put in a diffuser with children under three months
Dosing:
Essential oil. To enjoy: Dilute the lavender essential oil with water and add to your body products, spray on your pillow, or tap on your wrists as an organic, soothing perfume.
Tincture: 5-10 drops in a blended formula as it's a very strong tincture
Tea: Purchase a tea blend with a small amount of lavender in it
Conclusion
Adaptogens and nervines together can help soothe the daily stressors of motherhood and reduce anxiety and panic attacks when taken regularly. You can try one herb at a time or consider purchasing a blended formula. All of these remedies are safe while breastfeeding.
xo Tara
P.S. Worried about using herbs while breastfeeding? Let me know if you have any questions below or read this post to learn more.
Read this post next: https://taragregorio.com/how-to-use-herbs-while-breastfeeding-without-fear-4-simple-steps/ or watch this video to learn more.
References:
Hales; Medications and Mother’s Milk: https://amzn.to/35XZFq5
Bone & Mills: Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy
Aviva Romm: Botanical Medicine of Women’s Health
Brinker, Francis: Herbal Contraindications and drug interactions
This article was featured in the Icon in March 2019.
women's health
Obsessed with natural remedies, Tara Gregorio is a Certified Women’s Herbal Educator located in Cold Spring, NY. She loves helping women reduce their medications with botanicals. Her favorite herbal recipes can be found on Pinterest and Instagram.
