My 7 month old son has been teething like crazy lately - poor guy is up crying several times each night, chomping at the bit and obviously in a great deal of discomfort. It goes without saying that we are also in great discomfort listening to him and going without sleep ourselves. Morning comes and he is his happy, joyful self again! I came across a recipe for Teething Tea that I’ve been trying the past couple weeks. I drink it myself as I’m breastfeeding him - but you can also give the tea directly to the child by bottle or dropper, and it may work faster that way, too. It tastes very yummy. I also make a pitcher of this tea for everyone at home that has a spoonful of raw honey added to it and my 3 year old calls it “Calming Tea” :) A great staple for toddler tea parties. Lemon Balm, Catnip, Chamomile & Lavender are all soothing herbs that calm irritability and relax the nervous system so it is calming in a true sense, and also good for cooling inflammation.

Teething or “Calming” Tea:

2 Tbsp dried Lemon Balm

2 Tbsp dried Catnip leaves

2 Tbsp dried Chamomile flowers

2 Tbsp dried Lavender flowers

Place 1 tbsp of mixture into mug or glass jar with 1 C boiling water. Steep for 15-30 minutes (the longer it steeps the stronger it will be - also for very fussy babies try using 2 tbsp per cup). Have mom drink the tea (if nursing) or give to baby via bottle/spoon/dropper 1 oz at a time throughout the day. You can also soak a thin wash cloth in this tea, chill in the fridge, and give to baby to chew on - that’s a big hit! This tea is very safe to take over long periods of time.

We also use Camilia homeopathic medicine and silicone baby spoons in our house for teething. What about you? Do you have a favorite remedy I’m missing out on?

The kiddos head back to school this week and it’s a good idea to be prepared for the ups and downs the beginning of the school year may bring for our little ones - physically, energetically, and/or emotionally. There are some GREAT herbs - in pediatric formulations - that can assist your child by stabilizing their immune systems, nourishing their energy to stay focused, and easing emotional transitions. These are 3 of my favorite herbal formulas for children to help get them through the back-to-school phase and beyond:

Children’s Jade Defense Formula (by Golden Flower - shown above): This formula can be used for several different applications. Foremost is for recovery following an illness. Fever and cough deplete the body, and it is important to replenish qi after a cold, cough, or other acute sickness. Secondly, I use it when a parent asks me what can I do to boost their child’s immune system, especially when sickness is running rampant at day-care or school. It’s great for this & can safely be taken for a long time, or off and on during the school year. The third application is before and during allergy season. Overall, Jade Defense is a wonderful immune formula for your child!

Peaceful Focus Formula (by Blue Poppy): This formula treats the most commonly seen multi-pattern presentation of ADHD which is a liver-spleen disharmony with heat and restless heart spirit in Chinese medicine. If your child is having trouble focusing, fidgeting, having poor sleep or feeling irritable and restless in the classroom - Peaceful Focus can help them stay grounded and soothe their restless mind-body connection.

Quiet Calm (by Kan Gentle Warriors): Like the digestive and respiratory systems, the mind and nervous system of a young child are rapidly changing, and many youngsters have not yet learned how to adjust smoothly to the flux that surrounds them. Often, but not always, tantrums, crying spells, nightmares, agitation, irritability, and anxiety are harbingers of natural and expected phenomena of growth: meeting new people & adapting to school, playgroups, or babysitters can conspire to upset the apple cart of daily life for the infant, toddler, and older child. Quiet Calm can help ease these transitions when emotions are high and hard to handle.

* All of these pediatric formulas listed above are available at herbal medicine stores with a prescription - call me for details or a consultation for your child. *

… And don’t forget nourishing your child should always begin with food! Packing a healthy and inspiring lunch is a good place to start. Check out Weelicious for delightfully yummy pics and recipes for your kids’ lunch boxes and more.