Better Than Zoloft - 9 Herbal Remedies To Overcome Postpartum Anxiety
It's frustrating when your doctor's only answer to postpartum anxiety is medication.
Think about this for a moment.. There are root causes for your anxiety after birth. Often, doctors are missing the root causes.
As an herbalist, I’m not against medications, but many women cannot take the meds due to the MTHFR gene, or medications don’t work for them.
Let me show you how to heal your body naturally.
First, here are some of the side effects that women mention they experience when taking SSRIs.
5 Side Effects of SSRIs
Insomnia, you may need a second drug to help you sleep
Unable to have an orgasm- need I say more?
Head feels heavy, moms feel jittery in their skin
Moms complain it works well for a while, then out of nowhere, symptoms return
And.. it may take years to taper off
But hang on.. don't go off your medications without your doctor's approval.
Natural Remedies for Anxiety While Breastfeeding
As noted below, you can see which herbs are safe while breastfeeding.
In this post, you'll discover the 9 herbal alternatives to Zoloft, to ease your stress AND anxiety.
9 Natural Remedies for Postpartum Anxiety
#1 Passionflower
Historically used for:
Nervine, sedative, antispasmodic, and pain reliever
Modern uses
Can’t shut your mind off at night
Grinding teeth and a wry neck
Painful spasms of the vagina
Use for:
I have pelvic pain & fibroids
I’m anxious, stressed, and tense
I get headaches & can’t sleep
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.
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
Skullcap while Breastfeeding
#2 Skullcap
Historically used for:
Epilepsy, nervousness, insomnia, torticollis (wry neck), muscle spasms
Modern uses
Stressed-out people
Nervous or agitated, spasms, tics, or tight muscles
Restless leg syndrome, mild Tourette’s, and grinding of the teeth
Use as a tincture or a tea for insomnia, irritability, and to soothe the nerves without slowing you down, as Chamomile tea may.
Dosing:
Drink 1-2 cups of blended tea, 2 hours before bed, to prevent night waking.
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
Stinging Nettle while Breastfeeding
#3 Stinging Nettles
Filled with vitamins and minerals, nettles are my go-to daily nourishing tea.
Safe while breastfeeding, consider creating your own tea blend or purchasing Earth Mama milkmaid tea, which includes stinging nettles in its blend.
Dosing:
Drink 1-2 cups during the day as it has a diuretic effect.
Take 20-30 drops of the tincture in a blended tincture during the day.
Breastfeeding safety:
It's considered an L1/2 safe by the German Commission E
Read more about nettles here: https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/the-13-benefits-of-stinging-nettles-during-pregnancy-and-postpartum
#4 Chamomile
Historically used for:
Millions of people consume chamomile daily
Great for anxiety, upset stomach, nervous headaches, insomnia, and irritable bowel syndrome
Amazing for children as well
Modern uses
PMS, mood swings, cramps, erratic moods
>agitated, fine, then anxious
Master herbalist, David Winston, uses it for stress-induced stomach symptoms. It is a gentle nervine that is safe enough for babies, toddlers, and big kids.
Take Chamomile at night for sleep difficulty, as it can be slightly sedating.
Dosing:
Drink 1-2 cups, 2 hours before bed to prevent night waking.
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
#5 Lavender
A lovely nervine, you can try Lavender essential oil on your pillows at night.
Works wonderfully if you've had too much coffee.
You can also try Lavela, an internal essential oil, to soothe anxiety before sleep. Clients have come off of Buspar with this one essential oil blend taken internally.
Breastfeeding safety:
It's considered an L1/1 safe by the German Commission E
#6 St. John's Wort
Take for depression, anxiety, and my favorite - estrogen clearance.
Biggest herb/drug interaction. St. John's Wort & alcohol have the greatest interference with your medication. Save this botanical for after you are done using SSRIs or working with a professional.
Dosing: Take as a tincture, 20-30 drops; 2-3x a day.
Breastfeeding safety:
Considered an L2/L3 safer and moderately safe by the German Commission E. See my YouTube video on my St. John's Review.
Read more:https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/stjohnswortwhilebreastfeeding
Motherwort while Breastfeeding
#7 Motherwort- Leonurus cardiaca- “The heart of a lion”
Historically Used for:
Postpartum depression, anxiety with palpitations, and stress
Modern uses;
Heart palpitations, uterine tonic, hyperthyroidism, and bitter to stimulate the liver
Take it during a panic attack and prevent one
Great for heart palpitations, anxiety, irritability, and overwhelm.
I prefer to use it as a tincture because it is bitter as a tea or supplement.
Dosing:
Take 20-30 drops of the tincture in 1/4 cup of water as needed for anxiety.
Breastfeeding safety:
It's considered an L1/2 safe by the German Commission E but not to be used during pregnancy.
#8 Blue vervain
It is an amazing nervine to soothe anxiety.
Use if you are irritable, weepy, and depressed.
Dosing: Take 20-30 drops, as a tincture in a 1/4 cup of water for 2-3x day.
Breastfeeding safety:
There is no data from the German Commission E on Blue Vervain’s safety. The botanical safety handbook considers it a Safety Class 2b; not to be used during pregnancy. Safety during lactation has not been established.
Mathew Wood states: Blue vervains" have very talkative minds, and may even talk out loud to themselves (best combined with agrimony); they are control-freaks, extremely self-critical, responsible, reliable, and loyal.
#9 Milky Oat Tops
Historically used for:
Superb food for the nervous system
Reduces symptoms of drug withdrawal
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
Take daily as a nourishing tea, steep for 8 hours, to soothe anxiety, and works well with Stinging nettles.
See The ONE daily tea blend above.
Postpartum Medications
If you want to get to the root cause of your symptoms, you’ll want to address the following four ideas, as well as incorporate natural postpartum medications.
#1 Your Adrenal Health
The adrenals are two small glands that sit on top of the kidneys and produce several hormones, among them, cortisol.
When under stress, we produce and release short bursts of cortisol into the bloodstream.
The adrenal fatigue theory suggests that prolonged exposure to stress could drain the adrenals, leading to a low cortisol state.
The adrenal depletion would cause brain fog, low energy, depressive mood, salt and sweet cravings, lightheadedness, and other vague symptoms.
Take action>> You can integrate an adaptogen into your diet to soothe your adrenal health.
#2 Check your Vitamin Levels
Women struggling with anxiety and depression are often low in Vitamin D, Magnesium, and B vitamins, especially after childbirth or long periods of stress!
#3 Check your Gut health
There is a connection between your gut health & anxiety
Consider healing your gut with the 4R approach if you're struggling with "digestive issues."
Read more here: https://taragregorio.com/how-i-healed-postpartum-anxiety-by-addressing-my-gut-health/
#4 Are you sleep deprived?
Sleep is the #1 thing to restore to improve your health.
Learn how to stop insomnia here: https://taragregorio.com/postpartum-insomnia-remedies/
Conclusion
In short, herbal medicine can be a great complement to your current diet and lifestyle routine, even if you're breastfeeding or taking medications. I always suggest starting with one herb at a time to see how your body feels, then reach for a combined tincture for greater healing effects.
To learn more about healing postpartum anxiety and depression naturally, join The Present Momma’s.
xo Tara
References
Adaptogens Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Healing Arts Press. ² Winston, David & Maimes, Steven (2007). Adaptogens Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief. Healing Arts Press.
Romm, Aviva, (2014): Botanical medicine for women's health. Churchill Livingston.
Bone & Mills: The essential guide to herbal safety: Mills & Bones
Herbal contraindications and drug interaction Brinker, Francis https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-brain-gut-connection
