6 parts blessed thistle
3 parts fennel
2 parts nettles
2 parts alfalfa
2 parts red raspberry
2 parts chamomile
1 part catnip
1 part oatstraw
1 part lemon balm
1 part spearmint
1 part orange peel
1 part Stevia
Yes, the herbs are the same for both! Amazing, isn’t it? The lactation-stimulating herbs support the quantity and quality of your breast milk. The digestive herbs calm the tummy and nerves of both you AND your baby. Place 1/4-1/2 cup of loose tea in an airtight quart-sized jar. A French press also works great. Add boiling water to fill jar and let steep at least 2 hours, up to 6 hours. This should be much thicker and darker than a 5 minute steeped cup of herbal tea. Strain, sweeten with honey or whatever sweetener you like, and drink up to a quart a day. For a colicky baby, momma should try drinking a cup before each nursing. Refrigerate whatever is left over. The benefits of 2-6 hour steeping: Long steeping extracts all the chlorophyll, as well as the vitamins, minerals, and other essential medicinal components contained in the tea. “Parts” can be whatever form of measurement you would like. (for example: 6 tsp blessed thistle, 2 tsp. nettles, and 1 tsp. catnip)
Notes: The recipe is based on all measurements in dried herbs. Go organic if possible, grow or forage what you can! Don’t stress if you don’t have EVERY herb. The biggies are blessed thistle, fennel, chamomile, and then a sweetener. From the archives of “I.c. of Acierma”.
Submitted to ‘Many Paths, One Journey to Health’ HMN cookbook by Lori Roop.