The Postpartum Bath Ritual

After I had my third baby, a homebirth after two cesareans, my midwife drew a bath for me and the baby. After over 24 hours of grueling labor, the warm water on my skin felt so soothing.  My muscles were so tired and I felt like I could just melt.  She placed the baby next to me in the water as I drank a smoothie and occasionally nursed.  It was amazing.  After my fourth child, my midwife added a blend of herbs and spices to make the most amazing postpartum bath.  I definitely recommend this special time of relaxation after birth, it is such a transformative experience.  Religions throughout history have used water to signify rebirth, cleansing, transformation, and washing away.  This is a perfect way to usher in a new part of your life and let go of that which does not serve you. This is a picture of my most recent bath after my precipitous labor with my fifth baby.


The Ritual

After the placenta has detached, baby has been checked and weighed, and the midwife is finished assessing both you, it is the perfect time for a bath.  While you are enjoying your bath, the birth team can clean up from the birth and get your bed ready for you and the baby.  While in the bath, play through the birth in your head, give yourself grace and credit for everything you did to bring this baby into the world.  Inspect your baby, talk to them, really soak in your first soak together. 

Postpartum Bath Ritual Ingredients

  • 6 oz ground cloves- Cloves smell amazing and they fill your house with this warming scent.  They are used in Ayurveda to heal inflammation and strengthen the immune system.  It is also used medicinally to fight parasites, germs, and microbes. 

  • 1 lb Morton Salt- salt baths are great to help ease sore muscles, clean small abrasions and cuts, and relieve stress. 

  • Calendula- anti-inflammatory and soothing to skin

  • Rosemary- relieves joint and arthritis pain, fatigue, anxiety and even acts as a cleansing tonic for the skin

  • Comfrey Leaf and Root- promotes fast healing and pain relief

  • Uva Ursi- an old natural remedy for treating urinary tract infections. As a soak, it acts as an astringent to dry out the tissues, making it easier to heal and less likely to get infected. Full of natural antibiotics called glycosides that help heal infections.

  • Shephard's Purse- this is used to help stop bleeding

  • Rue- treats cramps, muscle spasms, and anxiety

To find these ingredients, look for a local herb store or apothecary where you can get a small amount of each of them.  Half a cup of each of these herbs is plenty. Feel free to leave out anything that doesn't sound right for you.

Directions:

Boil a large pot of water on the stove while laboring. Mix half of the salt until dissolved. Mix in half of the cloves and continue to simmer for one hour, adding water as needed.  This fills your house with that amazing clove scent. Place all of the herbs (the rest of the ingredients) in a muslin bag. Remove the pot from heat and steep the herbs while laboring.  Remove the muslin bag after one hour of steeping. Save the leftover salt, cloves, and the used bag of herbs for another bath the next day. Pour the pot of liquid into a full bathtub before mom and baby have entered the water.  Test temperature and enjoy!

***Hospital Births- Don't feel left out! Do this when you get home, have someone get all of these items ready so you and baby can just slip in when you get home. 

***The bath setup process should be completed by the birth team, mama will be busy, so leave directions for your midwife, partner, or birth team. 

***This soak is for bathing, not for drinking!

***This is not for cesarean sections, you do not want to submerge that scar for six weeks or until your doctor gives you the green light.

Ritual Bath Article

More info about cloves 

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