I need sitz bath recipes or other suggestions. My SIL just had her baby today. She had a pretty negative hospital birth, and tore REALLY bad. She had well over 100 stitches. I want to make her some herbal sitz (I know I've asked this before, but I can't find what I did with the recipe) OR any other suggestions on how to help her heal faster.

Also,I know she had a pretty hard time and didn't even want to see or hold the baby after her birth. She seems like she's already in PPD mode and doesn't apear to want/(or maybe) know how, to take care of this baby. She was pretty excited to breastfeed, but now doesn't want to even try. Her boyfriend (my BIL) is trying to encourage her, but....I don't know. Anyway, any suggestions on helping her through this?

THE RESPONSES:

• I would reccomend sitz bath with dead sea salts, next best, sea salt and after that, epsom salts.

  She should start taking arnica for healing. She should have a bottle of Motherwort tincture handy immediately. About 2-3 dropperfulls 2-3 times a day. This will really help rebalance her hormones and try to ward off PPD.

  I bet I know the answer, but what are the chances that she kept her placenta? Cutting a small chunk off and placing it under the tongue until it turns white is a really effective and sure way to stop PPD. She will need a comfy shoulder to cry on and a big ear to talk to.

• Uva ursi and comfrey leaf added to the salts really helps speed tissue regeneration.

• Bromelain is great for tissue healing. you can get it in capsules or sometimes creams/ointments. Comfrey is great too--make an infusion (1/4 cup dried comfrey leaf to 1 quart boiling water), let it cool, and cut maxi pads in half and soak them in it for an hour or more. Then wrap them individually, freeze, and use as ice packs inside the underwear. A paper towel between the ice pack and the skin can make it more comfortable while still letting the comfrey soak in.

  As for the PPD, the best thing for that is help, comfort, and rest. Take it one day at a time. Breastfeeding encouragement is really important--can you make sure your BIL has good info? Often dads who don't know the facts about breastfeeding will give in after a while of seeing the mom miserable and decide to "help" with formula. He needs to help in other ways instead--changing diapers, feeding mom, helping with laundry, and most of all taking initiative and doing stuff that needs doing, not asking her what she wants him to do. That's hard for many men but it can be really key in helping a mom overcome PPD.

• I second the recommendation for dead sea salts or sea salt, comfrey and uva ursi. I'd add slippery elm and myrrh gum powder. Also chop up garlic and add it to the herbs and cover the herbs with boiling water and steep the bath that way, then strain and add the "tea" to the bath.