Chamomile: The Angel Herb for Families

Woollykins have put together a sweet little gift for customers. If your order is over $200 you'll receive one of our special Sow & Sip Tea Bag/Seed Packs called "Snugglekins" that we have made in collaboration with local Teasmiths Sun on Leaf. 

Grow your own organic Chamomile and then enjoy our beautiful blend of Chamomile & Peppermint. Chamomile relaxes the nervous system, promotes sleep, reduces inflammation & soothes upset tummies. It’s perfect for new babies, parents & busy children so grow a patch for a constant supply of fresh flowers.

Inside the tea bag you'll find thousands of seeds. Sow a few before your baby arrives; grow a garden with your children or plant a pot just for you. 

To use: Open the tea bag, sprinkle a pinch over the soil and water in well - keep moist. Germination will start within about 2 weeks. In Winter place on a sunny window sill. Successional sowings can provide a constant supply of fresh flowers for babies, bellies, bees and endless teas.

Then enjoy the serenity as your and your babies sip this restorative and calming brew. 

Chamomile has been used throughout the ages as a wonder herb in early childhood and is safe for even newborns. It works wonders to settle upset tummies, relieve wind, calm the nerves of both babies and parents and promote a restful sleep. 

There are so many uses for this wonderful herb for all the family so we wanted to keep a post here where we could list the various remedies that we have found so useful for our own children. 

As Aviva Romm writes in our family bible "Naturally Healthy Babies and Children":  "Chamomile is the quintessential remedy for babies as it attends to many of the conditions and symptoms that babies are apt to display. These include fussiness, irritability with teething, colic or flatulence, whining, stubbornness and earaches. 

HOW IT'S USED

As an antispasmodic, chamomile is helpful for those with muscle aches. As a carminative and digestive bitter, it promotes healthy digestion, bile flow, and elimination while reducing gas and colic as well as intestinal spasms from other causes. Chamomile is excellent for reducing bowel irritations and inflammation including irritable bowel disease, ulcers, gastritis, and some of the symptoms of Chrohn's. Because it is also antimicrobial, it is useful as a topical remedy for treating wounds. Finally chamomile can be used as an infusion, tincture, or steam inhalation for excessive nasal catarrh. Its anti-inflammatory nature further enhances  its ability to reduce allergic responses. 

PREPARATION and DOSAGE

Tea. Steep 1 tablespoon of herb per cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Cover vessel while steeping. Give to babies by the dropperful; for older children, give 1/2 to 1 cup up to three times daily. 

Tincture. Give 10 - 30 drops up to 4 times daily. "

OTHER USES for this wonder Herb include:

• Make a Herb Pillow. A herbal pillow is a simple way of providing a great deal of comfort when children are restless, irritable, achy, feverish or anxious. You'll need several ounces of fragrant herbs such as chamomile and lavender and a piece of natural fabric approx 40x15cm. Fold over and sew along sides leaving a hole to fill with the herbs. Stuff the herbs into the fabric case and sew closed. Make a washable cover slightly bigger. 
• Tummy Compress. Following a footbath in lemon and hot water, soak a cloth in a cup of hot chamomile tea. Remove and quickly squeeze out cloth in a clean tea towel and place warm chamomile cloth onto the belly and cover with a dry towel. Wrap your child in a warm blanket like a cocoon and when they emerge from they wonderful sleep they will be like a newly emerged butterfly!
• Eye bath for conjunctivitis or sore eyes
• Compress is also great for wounds and bruises
• Use as a mouthwash for oral inflammations
• Nursing mothers should drink plenty of this calcium rich herb which will benefit both them and their feeding baby. 
• Made a teething tea by combining equal parts chamomile, lemon balm, catnip and lavender flowers - steep for 15mins and give to baby by the spoon, dropper or cup, three times daily. 

Do you have any special uses for this Angel herb in your household? 

Leave your comments below, we'd love to hear more!