I won’t pretend to be an expert when it comes to homeopathy, actually I find that it can be hard to understand but I do know enough to want to use them. And there is plenty to be learned by the beginner so that common ailments can be treated at home simply by taking note of the symptoms and behavior of the person to be diagnosed. When home diagnosis can not be done or one is uncomfortable with diagnosing at home, a naturopath can be called on.

But you can get a homeopathic kit for your home. They come in handy and are very affordable.

And so our real trust in homeopathy sprouted when we called on a naturopath with our third child, Annie, when we couldn’t calm her or her cough. We had tried a few different homeopathic remedies. With one, Allium cepa, we did see some hopeful results but those were short-lived. I just didn’t know enough about homeopathy to feel like I could just give her the next best remedy that fit her symptoms because we didn’t want superficial relief…she needed attention. At this point I usually would have called the pediatrician as we had done so many times before with Nathanael. But now we lived in a different place where the community demanded a more holistic approach to health care. We made our first visit ever to a Naturopathic Physician in over four-and-a-half years of parenting.

We found Dr. Borg is Eugene, Oregon just down the way from our house. We got in quick for an acute visit and it was great. She really cared about what was going on with Annie. She wanted to know everything that she had been doing that might be related to her sickness.  It was a great to have someone genuinely listen; I had so many times before told a pediatrician all of the things that we, as parents, would make mental notes about regarding changes in our little babies that we knew weren’t normal only to be dismissed with a prescription for some ‘blanket’ antibiotic or other prescription.

So we got our recommendation from the Eugene, OR Naturopath. Surprisingly enough it was common Chamomilia. I would have never guessed myself that Chamomilia could have been the remedy. She recommended it in a strength that probably only a professional or someone very versed in homeopathy should recommend and it did the job. Annie was shortly back to her old self. She still had the cough and the Naturopath followed up by calling us and letting me know she wanted me to come back in for a no-cost visit just so she could listen to Annie’s lungs again. Now I know that some pediatricians can be this attentive but I also know that kind of genuine interest is hard to come by in the modern world of western medicine.

Currently I am on a mission to teach myself as much as I can about homeopathic remedies that I can use at home. To help me collect the information I need I have chosen a couple of books to reference: Encyclopedia of Homeopathy
and The Complete Homeopathy Handbook: Safe and Effective Ways to Treat Fevers, Coughs, Colds and Sore Throats, Childhood Ailments, Food Poisoning, Flu, and a Wide Range of Everyday Complaints
and of course I will have my trusty Naturopathic Physician. And in the meanwhile, here are some links to information about homeopathy and homeopathic remedies that you might find educational.

What is Homeopathy? (This page explains homeopathy in a clear, organized manner.

And of course there is Wikipedia’s Homeopathy 101 (can’t leave them out)

I have found that having a homeopathic kit is the best idea since one really needs a small aresenal of remedies at their fingertips. Boiron makes the HomeoFamily Kit. It’s the best deal I have found for a kit. It is sugar pellets that need to be crushed between two spoons when giving to an infant which is not a big deal. They are the ones I use.

Update 8.2.09

Nathanael has taken well to the last remedy that Dr. Borg of Eugene, Oregon prescribed. Nathanael has also been dairy free for the last 8 weeks also which was recommended by our naturopath because when remedies appear to work and then fail it can sometimes be caused by underlying immune responses to allergens. Now that Nathanael’s immune system has been freed from the allergen it has the energy to correct his constitutional health.  This is the first 8 week spanse of time that Nathanael hasn’t had a breathing problem.

I guess the cleansing method isn’t necessarily organic unless you buy organic materials but at the very least it is as pure and natural as you can get. And it won’t burn a hole in your pocket.

When I tell people about this Oil Cleanse Method their reaction is one of surprise. Honestly, it was slightly out of my comfort zone when I heard about it. Not because I didn’t believe it would work and live up to all the rave reviews my internet buddies were giving it, but because I like to buy face care products and I really love the spendy ones. Recently though I have made a commitment to spend less and save more so I had to give the Oil Cleanse Method a try. If you don’t have any of the products on hand then you may need to spend about $25 to obtain them but I can’t even tell you how long that product will last you.

Here is what I use:

Recycled container (I have a small trial size container with a ‘pop’ lid that I use)
Organic Jojoba Oil
Castor Oil
Essential Oil of Lavender

Optional ingredients: Grapeseed Oil or Olive Oil

I mix 20% Castor Oil to 80% Organic Jojoba Oil and then I add about 5-8 drops of lavender oil to approximately 3 oz. of mix. Grapeseed oil is known to reduce the signs of aging so if you want to mix some of that in you can. But, I highly recommend using Jojoba oil as the larger base because the oil of Jojoba is what is closest to our skin’s natural occurring sebum.

Now, here’s how to cleanse with this oil. Have a clean washcloth on hand. Splash your face with warm water and pat dry. Place a small amount of oil (maybe a quarter’s size) in the palm of your hand and apply to your face rubbing in a circular motion. Do this until it feels like your skin has absorbed some of the oils. Wet the clean washcloth with hot water, ring it out to be just damp and lay over your face while pressing on the cloth firmly. Once the cloth isn’t hot anymore use it to gently remove any excess oil.

That’s it. You are done.

After cleansing with this inexpensive organic cleansing method your face will feel so soft. And in the morning you most likely won’t feel overly oily which will prevent you from having to cleanse again, stripping away your skin’s precious oils. I recommend using just this Oil Cleanse Method for at least one week. You may notice some blemishes or pimples but just wait and see how fast they clear up. These are caused by your skin pushing out hardened sebum from overproduction because it now has a healthy supply of oils.

This Oil Cleanse Method is so easy I’ve actually done it in bed while nursing my baby. My husband simply brought me a hot washcloth. I prefer to do it at night because that is when I tend to have a little bit more time to pamper myself. Give this inexpensive organic facial cleanser a try and tell us what you think.

Neem oil is derived from the fruits and seeds of Neem trees. The smell isn’t great, some say it’s a nutty mix with some garlic and it has a bitter taste so don’t use it in the kitchen.

In my experience, neem oil has always been used as an organic farming aid to get rid of pests like mealy bugs, aphids, cabbage worms and Japanese beetles; among many others. It is so widely used by organic farmers because neem oil doesn’t affect beneficial insects like ladybugs and honeybees.

Neem oil can also be used for black spot, powdery mildew and other fungus problems. This really makes it a wide spectrum oil because usually a gardener might have to buy two separate sprays; one to handle pests and the other for fungus.

The uses for neem oil go further back than organic farming though. Neem oil has been used to cure certain diseases and ailments including eczema. Some natural food stores carry neem soap on bars or liquids. It’s perfectly safe to use. I just love things that are so functional….one little thing that can do so much!

To use Goldenseal, just take a small pinch with clean hands and sprinkle on the cord area. As the cord becomes dry on the outside, use a cotton swab to get the powder down into the belly button. Do this about 3 times a day, cleaning the cord area with water and drying with cotton swabs before each application.

For The Best Discounted Prices On Online Herbs and Supplements, only at Healthy Living Solutions – Click Here

1/2 cup Comfrey
1 tb Shepard’s Purse Leaf
2 tb Nettle

Place herbs in a muslin bag or steep directly in 1 gallon of very hot distilled water. For best results, cover pot of water with a lid while herbs are steeping and steep for 6-8 hours. Drink tea over a 2-3 day period to relieve afterbirth pains. Store in refrigerator.

1/4 cup Comfrey Leaf
1/4 cup Uva Ursa Leaf
1/4 cup Witch Hazel Bark
1/4 cup Sherpherds Purse Leaf
a large handful of Calendula Flower
1/4 cup Lavender Flower
2 tb. Sea Salt

Combine herbs and place in a muslin bag. If you can’t get muslin bags you can use gauze bandages; spread the gauze open and double them up. Place the herbs in the middle and tie the opposite corners together. You will probably have to make a few bags to get all the herbs in.

Bring 1 1/2 gallons of distilled water to a boil. Turn off heat and add herbs. Let sit for 2 hours or longer then place in refrigerator. When filling the peri bottle, only fill half way and fill the rest of the way with water.

Your tissues will soften the closer you get to birth and especially during birth. Be sure you are in a comfortable spot for the perineal massage, preferably lying on the bed, make the room warm and be appreciative to each other. This is an intimate area of your body and should be treated as such.

These directions explain how to do the massage to yourself. If you are having your partner do it, then follow the perineal massage directions but eliminate the steps that are only necessary when doing a self-massage.

First, wash your hands and trim you nails. Use a mirror if you are doing this yourself so you can visualize what you are doing. Sit with your legs spread apart in a semi-sitting position. Put the oil on your fingers and lubricate your vaginal area. Be sure you use enough so there is no friction but not so much that there is too much.

Place your thumbs about 1 to 1 1/2 inches inside your vagina. You should be far enough in to feel the kegel (tightening your vagina muscle), about up to your first knuckle. Press down toward the rectum and toward the sides at the same time. Gently and firmly continue stretching until you feel a slight burn or tingling. Hold this stretch for 1-2 minutes or until the tingling starts to subside. You will feel your vagina relax, especially if your partner is helping you since you will be able to relax even more.

Now, slowly and gently massage the lower part of the vaginal canal back and forth in a “U” shape, pulling down on the tissues gently as you do. This is what the baby will do as it births through. As you feel the burning or tingling, focus your breath where you feel the burn and allow it to soften and stretch. This is physically helpful but it will also give you some understanding of the sensation and how to breathe through crowning the baby out.

Doing this massage yourself will also help you to be more familiar with touching your bottom and helping the tissues when the baby comes through.

Trusting your body and feeling confidence in expanding is a sweet reward to a beautiful baby.

If you want to make your own perineal massage oil, here is a good one.

I am strong and I am letting my uterus be strong and effective.

I am calm, relaxed and in trust. My baby feels my calmness, my trust and shares it.

I am in agreement to being open to the energy of birth and letting it flow through me easily and effortlessly. I am expanding!

Every sensation of stretching opens my cervix and brings the baby down.

I trust my body to give birth with power and openness.

I trust my baby to be healthy and in agreement to celebrating birth.

I give myself and others the freedom to have an experience that is unique for each of us.

For more information on natural birth options visit Midwifery Today. You will find current and accurate information about doulas, midwives, natural labor & birth and more.

Like some women, you may wonder or doubt your ability to produce milk or latch your baby on to your nipples. Just as each birth is naturally different for each women, so is breastfeeding her child. You may not need a nipple shield to feed your baby like your friend did, even if your nipples are a little flat. Here is an affirmation for breastfeeding. Use it and I hope you enjoy breastfeeding your baby. During any times of frustration, if you have any, remember that it is for only a small amount of time that a mother nurses her child and creates an intense bond that no other person could create.

My body knows how to make milk and nurse my baby and I will let it flow freely.

For more breastfeeding information contact Le Leche League International. You will find wise answers about breastfeeding and you can also look for local meetings in your area.

Normal to Oily Skin: Macadamia Nut, Evening Primrose, Rose Hip, Camellia Seed

Dry Skin: Avocado, Jojoba, Almond, Evening Primrose, Wheat Germ

Combination Skin: Macadamia Nut, Evening Primrose, Rose Hip

Sensitive Skin: Jojoba, Almond, Sesame, Rose Hip, Calendula, St. John’s Wort, Camellia

Where can I buy Primavera products?
Primavera products are available at Saffron Rouge. I love this online store! The owner is very educated about organic products and she offers a 60-day guarantee on all products even after they have been used. Saffron Rouge also carries products by Weleda, Dr. Hauschka, Erbaviva Organic Baby Care and others. But you’ll only find the purest organic products. After you have read the recipes here, check out this store…it’s a great place to shop

2o ml Calendula Oil
2 drops Benzoin Siam
1 drop Lavender oil

Blend these together and apply to affected area or use dilute in water and use on cloth wipes for a wipe solution.