Jada Metcalf, CBS, PD
Apr 8
Updated: Apr 9
Honey...
I've been cutting back on the coffee and it hasn't been the easiest. I grew up watching my mother drink a few cups a day. It's quite strange but I started drinking coffee during the pandemic. Well.. not too strange it was comforting in an unfamiliar time. Then it became addictive and a bit of peace in the early car line adulting school morning routine but it wasn't necessarily the healthiest with the sugar intake.
So now I'm trying to substitute tea for coffee and it's just not the same honestly but I figure I may as well find the right combination to satisfy that warm spot my tummy needs early in the morning. But it also gave me time to research and make a blend for my honeys too.
Warm cups of anything like coffee or soup is never a disappointment. Being a doula it is a staple in my postpartum planning sessions for meal prep and healing.
Warm foods for the first few days after birth to ease the stomach back into your normal digestion is strongly recommended but not a hard stop. I've seen many honeys enjoy that first big meal after bearth usually from being famished after food restrictions during labor.
If you've had a cesarean soft food is encouraged until your system begins to return to normal. If you're in the hospital after a cesarean don't let those nurses feed you ham sandwiches and chips. If you get nauseous after the surgery it could add another day to your stay.
As a home birth doula I tend to honeys during the after bearth too and many times honeys will have "postpartum shakes" or begin to shake uncontrollably from temperature changes in the body due to the fast drop in hormones after having a babee. It's completely normal but temperatures are taken to ensure there is no infection. This phase can be unnerving to Mom or Dad at first so a warm cup of soothing tea can ease that transition to homeostasis.
Warmth is the first on my list of immediate postpartum support after a honey has had a babee. A cup for Mom and Dad to calm the nervous system and begin to relax and enjoy the bonding moment.
I've created a simple holistic but healthy treat for my honeys after bearth and this tea is the perfect delight after having a babee no matter how they entered the world.
Calm Down, Honey is a simple herbal tea you can add to your nightly routine to wind down and end the day on a positive note transitioning into your postpartum softly.
It's tea properties aid in by calming anxiety, postpartum depression, aids in digestion, regulates blood pressure, reduces abdominal pain and bleeding.
Sometimes something as simple as a warm drink to unwind in the evening can soothe any frustrations.
Calm Down, Honey can be made like a latte if you add an alternative milk. Simply steam your milk and add honey to sweeten. Hot water with a dash of coconut, oat or almond milk are healthier substitutes for dairy milk. Add a bit of cinnamon and it is the perfect option in those immediate postpartum moments, and can be something you look forward to any night of the week (especially since it’s caffeine-free!). 🙌🏾
Are you a tea lover? Head over to #TheBoobtik to purchase your Calm Down, Honey tea blend. Add it your babee registry as a subscription box too!
****As usual this blog is not to be used in place of sound and informed medical advice. It is simply guidelines from evidence based sources.****