Tricks of the Trade
Selected Items
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Teach Flexibility Early
Prenatal care can begin in a woman's childhood. If she is encouraged to squat throughout her entire life she will have a more flexible pelvis and be better prepared to to give birth in this position, minimizing the need for interventions such as episiotomies and cesareans. - Todd Gestaldo, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Crock Pot Useful
I recently assisted at a birth where the water for compresses was prepared ahead of time and kept in a crock pot on low, plugged in and set up where it was right at hand. It really helps to not have to make trips carrying very hot water. - Fern Vogel, Washington
Ice Pack Eases Hemorrhoid Pain Recently a woman asked me to put pressure on her hemorrhoids with an ice pack during second stage. I was impressed wit the results; the hemorrhoids actually seemed less swollen and irritated after delivery than before.
Mastitis
I was able to treat my own mastitis successfully with warm moist heat, massage, frequent nursing, Phytolacca 30X four times a day, rest, lots of fluids, and placing a piece of cabbage leaf over the sore area overnight. - Nikki Lee, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, USA
Homemade "Glucola"
A measured dose of glucose is available as "Glucola". It is obtained from a medical laboratory. An home-made equivalent to a 50 gram dose is:
4 T. sugar
squeeze of lemon
water
(For a 100 gram dose double the recipe.) Blood sample is taken 1 hour after mixture is taken orally.
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