motherwort

 

I planned this series specifically for birth workers but really it’s for anyone who keeps long hours or is under stress. There seems to be no shortage of either, these days!

The list of self-care herbs can get lengthy fast, but the last one in this series that I am going to share with you all is Motherwort. Motherwort is an herb I use for myself and frequently for clients, it has helped me so much I would be remiss to not include it here.

The latin name for Motherwort is ‘Leonaurus Cardiaca’ which means ‘lion-hearted’.

Being a birth worker requires some fierce energy and calming energy at the same time. Bearing witness to what goes on at hospital births can be stressful and let’s face it, sometimes downright infuriating!

Home births thankfully are often less stressful than hospital births, but motherwort is still very helpful here.

Motherwort is often my go-to herb to nourish my nervous system and  keep a cool head. This always helped me focus on the woman and family I was serving at births.

Motherwort is great for stress and anxiety, especially if it is related to hormonal shifts and cycles. It is excellent support for PMS and would be great for births where a laboring mom’s hormones are shifting like crazy.

These dramatic hormonal shifts can affect those around the woman. Keeping yourself calm and your own cortisol levels down is quite a task! Motherwort may be just what you need.

I used Motherwort for PMS years ago and it worked wonderfully! Within the first month I no longer had the blues and the mood swings. I felt I got back two days out of the month! An incredible gift!

It also kept me calm while at a non-birth related job that I disliked immensely and caused constant stress. So really, it can be for anyone who is suffering stress and anxiety like that.

It is also used for heart palpitations, especially related to menopause. And because it is a bitter herb, it supports the liver in processing hormone overload, which in turn helps keep the adrenal glands healthy.

Unlike the Rose Petal and Hibiscus teas first featured in this series, Motherwort is quite bitter and the tea is no fun for most of us to drink. I have always used the tincture.

Motherwort  is an all-around ally for women, no matter where we are in our reproductive lives!

I hope that you’ve enjoyed this series on Herbal Self-Care for All Midwives, Doulas and Birth Workers. Please send me an email about herbs you use in your self-care apothecary, or if you have any questions about these herbs or any others. I’d love to hear from you!