A few years ago, three to be more precise, I just had my third baby. It was all god for a few weeks and it just went downhill from there. It took me some time to figure out it was not just adjustment to living with three kids under five but a full-blown postpartum depression. I've been there before. With my second. So I had a therapist ready to see me. But it seemed conversation therapy alone wouldn't cut it. I was in such a desperate state I was ready to give up breastfeeding just to get my sanity back so I talked to my friend who happened to be a lactation consultant as well, with great knowledge in herbal medicine. She backed up my decision to get proper medication but asked me if I would give herbal remedies a go first. As I had nothing to lose and the baby was just about two months old I gave it a go. She sent me some homemade St. John's Wort tincture and Wild Oats Tea. I decided to take a day at the time. I went for therapy couple of times a week, I gave up all of my social media. And it did wonders for me.
So this year as I am experiencing some worsening mental health wise I decided to make some on my own. Walking the dog I noticed the hill behind my house is packed full with herbs: chamomile, sage, asparagus, immortelle and of course St.Johns Wort.
My lactation consultant friend I mentioned earlčier gave me this recipe for the tincture:
Take a jar of your choice and fill it packed full with flowers in bloom. Pour some liquor over it that has a high percentage of alcohol like vodka or gin (I personally used pure rakija). Seal it and put away in a cool, dark place for 60 days. Then remove the flowers and use the tincture. I personally drank it diluted with water (30 drops a few times a day) but the tincture is traditionally used as a compress and for outside use only. Read more about St.John's Wort here .
