I was in labor for 36 hours with David, my first born. It was on a Monday around 2:30 pm when I started having very slight contractions. David was 2 weeks late and my doctor told me the week prior if I did not have him by the next Wednesday, he was going to induce me. I had tried various things to bring on labor, such as exercising, having sex, driving over many speed bumps (my aunt recommended that). At that time, I did not know about Homeopathy.

My contractions started to come on every 15 minutes, lasting about a minute, that Monday evening. My doctor told me to get to the hospital when the contractions were coming on every 5-minutes and lasting a minute. My husband and I got the hospital around 11:30 pm that night. When I got in the birthing room, my cervix had already dilated to 1 centimeter. I eventually got to 2 centimeters dilated and then my contractions started to slow down. Sometime Tuesday morning, my doctor put me on Pitocin to induce the labor. My labor started to move along again and my cervix started dilating again. It wasn’t until around midnight on Tuesday that I finally dilated to 8 centimeters and moved into the transition phase, which is the most active part of labor and delivery. By 2:57 am Wednesday, I have delivered a 9 lb. 8 oz boy without an epidural. If I had known about Homeopathy back then, I would have taken homeopathic remedies to help me continue moving through labor.

Herbal Tincture to Help You Have an Easier Birth

When I work with first-time pregnant moms or mom’s 2^nd pregnancy and the 1^st pregnancy was like mine (a long-drawn-out labor) I have them take 5 drops of the herbal tincture Blue Cohosh in a cup of warm water once a day for 30 days before their due date. Blue Cohosh tincture solution helps with an easier delivery, by moving you along in a more natural progression of labor, so as not to need much medical intervention, if any at all.

Homeopathic Remedies to Help with Your Labor

My client’s husband calls me while his wife in labor. He states his wife is in the tub with intense back labor. The midwife has his wife hanging over the edge of the tub to help give her relief with the back labor. I had him give his wife the homeopathic remedy Kali Carbonicum 30c for her back labor. Kali Carbonicum is for back labor which is better when leaning over the counter or on hands and knees (on all 4’s). Being on all 4’s takes the pressure of the baby and the pain off your back. Kali Carbonicum is also for labor pains that are inefficient (stopping or slowing down) and is felt down your hips, thighs, and buttocks.

When labor stalls, just as mine did, or you have other labor symptoms, there are several homeopathic remedies that can be taken to help you. You will select a homeopathic remedy according to what you are experiencing at that time. You will take the selected homeopathic labor remedy as a 30c or 200c potency every 30-60 minutes apart until your symptoms start to improve. You will repeat the selected remedy when your labor symptoms start to return (become worse).

• (Blue Cohosh in homeopathic remedy preparation) 30c – Is the homeopathic remedy I would have taken to help me continue moving my labor along. Caulophyllum can also be selected for labor contractions that disappear because you are exhausted and labor pains that fly from one area to another.
• Arnica Montana 200c – Is selected when you are tired and feel too weak to assist in delivery from a long labor. 
• Cimicifuga Racemosa 30c – This remedy is used when your labor pains come and go quickly and then the progress stops. The labor pains can extend down your thighs. 
• Gelsemium 200c – You will take Gelsemium when your cervix is rigid and not dilating. Your labor is going on for a long time and you are feeling exhausted, weak and thirstless.
• Secale Cornutum 30c – You will select Secale when your labor is slow and ineffectual, and your cervix is not softening. Each contraction lasts a long time, you feel faint from the exhaustion, and start to tremble when the contraction stops.     
• Sepia 30c – Is selected for severe distressing pain in your back with exhaustion. You may be feeling anxious or irritable during labor. The pains may be dragging you down, and you feel better with from vigorous exercise or movement.

Homeopathic Remedies for Emotions During Labor

My client’s sister Mary called me while my client was in labor. Mary told me that her sister started labor earlier that day. It has been a couple of hours now and her labor is not really progressing along and the cervix is not dilating anymore. She stated the midwife has tried a few techniques to help start up the labor and is now talking about breaking her water to see if the labor will become more intense and if the cervix will start dilating. The problem with breaking the water is that if she does not deliver within 24 hours, she has to have a C-section (Caesarean delivery).

I asked if my client’s husband is at the hospital, Mary stated he was not. There have been a few words between the husband and her sister, and he said he was not going to the birth. I instructed her to give my client a dose of the homeopathic remedy Natrum Muriaticum 200c. I told Mary that her sister is having a hard time of letting go of the incident with her husband. When someone has a hard time of letting go, they hold onto everything, in this case the baby. Natrum Muriaticum will help your sister start to let go and her labor will start progress again, along with the cervix dilating again.

A week later my client called to tell me how that 1 dose of Natrum Muriaticum started up her labor within an hour or so. Her cervix soon after started to soften up and dilate. She was able to deliver her baby girl without having a C-section. When you have emotional feelings going on (positive or negative), it can affect labor progression. The emotional feelings could have started a day or 2 before or during the labor. The sooner you take a dose of selected homeopathic remedy (30c or 200c potency) to address how you are feeling, the quicker you will shift your mindset and deliver the baby.

• Aconite Napellus 30c – When you are feeling fearful, anxious, and may be freaking out, you need a dose of Aconite. You may be fearful or feeling anxious from the sharp labor pains and are anticipating the next contraction. You may also need Gelsemium, see below.
• Gelsemium 200c – Feeling anxious about going through the labor process or about taking care of the baby. Anticipating something may happen during labor. 
• Chamomilla 30c or 200c – Is selected when you are over reacting to the pain. You are yelling at the nurse, midwife or doctor, from the intense contractions. You may be very demanding and hard to please, because you are beside yourself with the pain.
• Ignatia Amara 30c – You are having an emotional breakdown from the labor. You are crying hysterically (sobbing). You had a picture in your mind as to how everything was going to be, a perfectly easy birth. Now, you are very disappointed as to how the labor is turning out.
• Pulsatilla 200c –You have been feeling abandonment issues and sadness recently. There has been a problem in the relationship with your partner. Now during labor, you are very emotional, crying and feeling very sad and alone.

Other Labor Issues You May Encounter:

1). Homeopathic Remedies for Breech Baby

When I was in the third trimester of pregnancy with my daughter Jennifer, the baby was breech (face up in the womb). My doctor told me if she did not turn around by my due date, I would have to have a C-section. I had no intentions of having a C-section. I took a homeopathic remedy that literally turned her around (to face down) and I was able to have a healthy vaginal delivery. Taking a homeopathic remedy to turn my baby around is what really sold me on homeopathy.

• Pulsatilla 200c – You will take Pulsatilla for when your baby is face up (breech) to literally turn the baby face down. You may also be feeling abandonment, sad, lonely for various reasons such as your partner is away for work, your partner left the relationship (physically or mentally).
• Sepia 30c – Is selected if Pulsatilla failed or you have narrow hips and the baby can’t turn. You also may have been experiencing your left hip catching when you walk.

Administer the selected homeopathic remedy every few days until the baby turns around.

2). Homeopathic Remedies for False Labor

My client is pregnant with her 3^rd child and is having false labor. She told me she’s been having false labor since last week.  She said, “I start to feel like I am going into labor. The contractions come and go with intensity. Last week the doctor said that the baby’s head is face down but not engaged into my pelvis. Yesterday I felt like I was in labor. The contractions were close together and more intense. I went to the hospital and was sent home because nothing was happening. My cervix isn’t even slightly dilated.” I told my client take 1 dose of Pulsatilla 200c and to make sure her bags are packed, because she will be going into actual labor within the next couple of days.

Four days later, my client called letting me know she had a beautiful baby boy the following night after taking Pulsatilla. The homeopathic remedy Pulsatilla is for false labor that can go on for several days with labor starting and stopping. The key symptom was that her baby’s head was not engaged in her pelvis.

• Can be used for false labor when the contractions are not coming on regularly and disappear from you feeling exhausted and the contractions are too painful.

Homeopathy Helps You After Labor

1). Homeopathic Remedies for After a Vaginal Delivery

There are homeopathic remedies to help with a speedy recovery after giving birth.

My friend calls me from the hospital a few hours after giving birth to her baby girl. She said the delivery went very well, as it is her second baby. The only problem I am having, she told me is the painful contractions when the baby nurses. My friend said, “I know the contractions I am having are to draw the uterus back into position, but I don’t remember them being this painful when I had my son.” I told her to take the homeopathic remedy Arnica Montana 200c every hour until the contractions are not as painful. If she still has the contractions the next day, she will continue taking Arnica every 3-5 hours when the contractions start to become more intense again. I also suggested that she place a pellet of Arnica Montana 200c in the baby’s cheek. I explained to my friend, they both have gone through a traumatic event. The Arnica will help her and the baby with any bruising or achy feeling from the delivery.

• Bellis Perennis 30c – Is selected when Arnica fails to address the sore beat up feeling for the delivery. 

2). After Pains from Delivery

In most cases you will not have any after pains when you take Arnica Montana soon after delivery. If you do have after pains after the delivery, below are a few common homeopathic remedies you may need:

• Belladonna 30c or 200c – Is selected for pains that comes on quickly and then goes away quickly; similar to pains coming in like waves.
• Chamomilla 30c or 200c– Taken when you are unable to tolerate pains. You are beside yourself with the pains.
• Dioscorea 30c – Is selected for spasmodic pains that suddenly fly to distant parts of your body. The pains are better when you bend backwards.

3). Homeopathic Remedy for Blood Loss After Delivery

My client calls me a couple of weeks after having her baby, telling me she is feeling very tired. She said, “I know I just had a baby, waking up through out the night to nurse, I would expect to be some what tired. But, I can not wait for the baby to nurse and nap again some days.” She told me her delivery went okay. I did have a lot of bleeding and passing a lot of clots a few hours after delivering the baby. She went on to tell me they had to give her some medicine to help with nausea she was having during the labor. A few hours after the delivery, when I went to go pee, I passed a lot of clots. I called the nurse to help me. The nurse had me lay back down to have an ultrasound done. They found that I still had a lot of clots in my uterus, even though I had passed the placenta with no problems. The nurse had to clean out the clots from my uterus and I have a lot of bleeding thereafter for a couple of days. I had her take the homeopathic remedy China Officinalis (also called Cinchona Officinalis) 30c for the loss of blood she had from the delivery.

Many times, I have seen cases, the mother is never well since the delivery; even years later. I come to find out she lost a lot of blood during the delivery. China 30c taken daily will help her recuperate from the blood loss.

4). Homeopathic Remedies to Help Heal an Episiotomy

Taking Arnica Montana 200c soon after the delivery will start the healing process of an episiotomy. After the stitches have dissolved you want to start taking the homeopathic remedy Calendula 30c once a day for a week or so. Calendula helps promote new tissue growth within few days. Taking Calendula to heal up your episiotomy, will also help in preventing scar tissue (adhesions).

5). Did You Need to Have an Epidural?

There are 3 homeopathic remedies to help with any side effects from an epidural. I have seen cases, where the mom had a baby several years ago and is still having backaches ever since having an epidural. You want to take the following combination of homeopathic remedies Arnica Montana (trauma) 200c, Ledum (puncture) 30c and Hypericum (nerves traumatized) 30c to help in negate any side effects from the epidural, I recommend you take 3 doses of all 3 remedies at 15–60-minute intervals.

6). Caesarean Section (C Section)

My client called me the day after she had her baby, telling me she had to have a C-Section. She went on to tell me that she was having a lot of pain when she moved. The only way she felt better with the pain was when she did not move. I had her take 2 homeopathic remedies Arnica Montana 1m and Bryonia Alba 1m. She added both remedies to 1 ounce of filtered water in a dropper bottle. She succussed (tapped bottle into palm of hand) 10 times before she took each dose. I had her take Arnica and Bryonia every hour until the intensity of the pains started to decrease. Once the pains decreased, I had her take Arnica and Bryonia every 2-3 hours when the intensity of the pains increased. My client continued taking Arnica and Bryonia several times a day when the pain intensity increased for several days. I also have her take 1 dose of the homeopathic remedy Phosphorus 200c for any side effects from the anesthesia.

After her stitches have dissolved (or staples removed) and there is no sign of infection, she started the homeopathic remedy Calendula 30c in 1 ounce of filtered water with 10 succussions once a day. Calendula will help heal the incision and help in preventing scar tissue.

7). Circumcision

• Arnica Montana 200c – Is given to the baby for the trauma from the procedure every 2 hours the first day, the next day back off to 3-4 doses a day for a few more days.
• Calendula 30c – Start Calendula 2-3 days after the procedure. Add Calendula 30c a dropper bottle with 1 ounce of filtered water and give once a day with 10 succussions; until the penis has healed up. Calendula helps heal the penis and prevent scar tissue from forming.

Problems the Baby Could Have After the Birth

1). Homeopathic Remedies for Blue Baby

I often seen cases where the mother calls me when the baby is 7-12 months old with cough in the chest. The baby is having a hard time shifting the mucus in the lungs and seems to be air hunger from the mucus. I come to find out that the baby was born with the cord wrapped around its neck. I have the mother give the baby a few doses of Carbo Vegetabilis 30c. The baby’s lungs have been weakened from the cord wrapped around his neck (Never Well Since). Giving the baby Carbo Vegetabilis can later prevent a weak respiratory system that can later lead to reoccurring bronchitis, coughs and asthma later in life. Sometimes the baby comes out blue and after cleaning mucus off baby the baby is still blue. Give a dose of one of the homeopathic remedies below, even if you think the baby is not breathing. It is always worth a try; you never know what can happen. Place 1-3 pellets inside the cheek or the baby’s lower lip. Repeat every 5-minutes until you get some sort of a reaction.

• Laurocerasus 30c – Is given when the baby is blue and not breathing with no other symptoms.
• Carbo Vegetabilis 30c or 200c – Carbo Vegetabilis is commonly used when the cord wrapped has been wrapped around the baby’s neck and is blue. Though the baby does not need to be blue to give Carbo Vegetabilis.

Other Homeopathic Remedies Baby May Need

2). Rattling Mucus in Lungs

• Antimonium Tartaricum 30c – Give 1-3 pellets, 3 times a day until the baby no longer has rattling mucus in the lungs.

3). Born Jaundice

• Ferrum Phosphoricum 6x (Hyland’s Cell Salt)– Give 1 tablet, 1-3 times a day; depending on how jaundiced. Give daily until no longer needs lights.

4). Thumbs Clutched, Hand Locked and Head is Back (Convulsive – like state)

• Cuprum Metallicum 30c – Along with the thumbs being clutched, hand locked and the head back, the baby may also have cramps. The cramps can be in the toes, legs and fingers where the muscles are knotted and feels better when stretched out and when applies cold water.

5). Shock From the Birth

• Aconite 30c – When no other remedy has worked and the baby is crying and seems frightened.

What Homeopathic Remedies to Pack in Your Birthing Bag?

I see a core group of homeopathic remedies when helping a mom prepare for labor. The homeopathic remedies I recommend having on hand during the delivery:

• Aconite Napellus 30c                    
• Arnica Montana 200c                   
• Caulophyllum 30c                          
• Gelsemium 200c
• Hypericum 30c
• Ledum 30c
• Natrum Muriaticum 200c
• Pulsatilla 200c

Other Homeopathic Remedies Can Take to be Prepared for Labor Pains

• Cimicifugas Racemosa 30c
• Kali Carbonicum 30c
• Sepia 30c

Packing any other homeopathic remedies, you think you may need for labor, especially if you had prior births experience for which you could have used a homeopathic remedy.