Fall is again upon us, and so beautiful is this October of my second postpartum.
This Summer, I birthed my second baby, a little boy, in mid-June. He is healthy, strong, and just delightful. I too feel healthy and strong, though I now have two little ones to look after. Somehow, I feel more complete than I did with one. I never knew that would be the case, though I have heard from friends that once a mother brings forth the number of children she is meant to create, contentment of the soul is possible.
Not to say that this time is perfect or not wrought with challenges – indeed it is! My older child is a toddler, and mothering any human is not for the faint of heart, let alone two. Tantrums, “No!”s, messes galore, diaper changes, as well as constant decisions concerning the lives of two very dependent humans can overwhelm even the sharpest of minds. Then add in the very real phenomenon of postpartum brain fog, one can start or end each day feeling perplexed.
The Garden as Place of Rejuvenation
Thankfully, my herb garden is still growing. A place of solace and rejuvenation, I come back to it regularly to re-center, as well as to show the children the wonders of growth. Not that I have tended very much to this garden this year, growing and birthing humans, caring for oneself, a home and a family take precedent to a garden. I did, however, make sure that the garden would survive no matter how much neglect it had to withstand this postpartum summer – I put it on drip irrigation and let nature do most of the rest. Sometimes I pull a few weeds before a tantrum or an impending snack, sometimes I get to show the children the flowers and insects wildly growing throughout. Often, we sit and just enjoy while nursing or singing, as my toddler shows me the wonders of what she finds in the garden.
Recently, we have managed to spend a bit more time “working” in the garden, and I can see just how much there is to do. Whenever we get a little time, after laundry and dishes and naptime, I load my baby into the front-pack carrier and call for my toddler (almost 3 years old and very capable) to come out to the garden. We open the massive wooden gate, and frolic in. Well, she frolics, along with our large 4-month-old Great Pyrenees puppy, through the pathways, under the leaning branches, to see what we can see. We have a nice raspberry patch that we planted this spring, and my toddler always wants to check there first for raspberries to pick. Earlier in the summer there were mulberries dripping from the big tree whose branches lean over the fence into this garden nook, and those would be collected as well.
There are so many other things ready to harvest suddenly, besides the summer fruits – fall herbs! At least, they are fall harvest herbs here in my garden in Northern California. I have been cultivating several very special herbs in this garden for the past couple of years, and I am delighted to see that everything is really taking off. Several I am noticing right now are Nettle (Utica dioica), Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica), Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora), and Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum, or more likely O. africanam – still up for debate and the subject of a future post). Another herb that is just coming into bloom is Ju Hua, or Chinese Chrysanthemum, a newer herb to me, and I am just loving its cream-colored flowers that for centuries have been used as a cooling tea in TCM. (Perfect for the fall heat we sometimes experience in the North Bay!) We have been collecting baskets of these herbs and bringing them into the herb dryer to save for winter projects (except for the Nettle of course. That one I must harvest without the children around, so they don’t risk being stung).
Then it hits me – these herbs constitute a wonderful tea blend in their own right! Thinking of my area of focus in my practice – the Childbearing Continuum – Fertility, Pregnancy, Postpartum and early Childhood — and my current phase in life as a Postpartum mother, these herbs are a perfect combination for a tea blend just for this time.
Postpartum Fall Tea Blend
- 2 parts Nettle leaves
- 1 part Tulsi arial parts
- ½ part Gotu Kola leaves
- ¼ part Ju Hua flowers
- ¼ part Lemon Verbena leaves
- Mix fresh or dried herbs together (use fresh immediately, dried can be used any time)
- Steep 1 Tbsp fresh or 1 tsp dried herbs per cup in hot water for 10-30 minutes.
- Strain and enjoy.
Qualities of the Tea
This nutritive blend can be thought of as uplifting to body mind and spirit. Nettle is replete with minerals, Tulsi has mood supportive properties, and Gotu Kola may promote mental clarity. The Ju Hua flowers impart a sense of elegance to the tea as it’s steeping, as well as adding in cooling qualities while supporting mental clarity and tranquility. And the lovely Verbena brings in the scent and subtle flavor of lemon and blossom. A positive effect may be imparted to the digestion as well.
Best of all, for a mother with an active toddler and young infant, it can be harvested together, blended together, and drank together (well, I’ll have the baby’s portion!). An opportunity for learning about herbs, scents, flavors and growing, all on a fall afternoon in the garden.