Homeopathy for Pregnancy & Beyond

When you’re a mama that has a child with eczema and food allergies, you become somewhat of a detective – especially when you’re not willing to walk the path of steroid creams and topical, short-term fixes. So where do you turn when you decide to treat your child holistically?

No one can answer that question for you because every child is different and has different needs, different triggers for their allergies and different constitutions. A good start is to tune into your mama gut. I filed away good-meaning advice, disengaged my brain for a moment and tuned into what I knew in my heart and gut what would be best in our situation. That’s precisely what I did when my daughter first presented with chronic eczema at around four months.

Listening to my gut and heart lead me to various holistic treatments and professional advice—all which have combined to give the best outcome I could wish for: a child with almost no allergies and no more rash, scratching or ever-present scabs (did I mention sleepless nights?). One such treatment is homeopathy, which continues to be a medicine cabinet staple in our home.

The homeopath I regularly seek advice from is Lee-Anne McCall from The Healing Haven Homeopathic Dispensary in Auckland (New Zealand). Lee-Anne, DipHom(NZ), RCHom, is passionate about homeopathy and empowering mothers to learn how to use homeopathy in the home to keep their families healthy and in balance. She is also trained in CEASE therapy.

Here, we chat about the ins and outs of this seemingly subtle yet powerful holistic treatment.

If you have a question for Lee-Anne, please leave it in the comments below.

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a system of medicine that was developed in the late 1700’s. It is the original nanomedicine. We use minute doses of natural substances such as minerals and plants. Homeopathy gently stimulates the body’s immune system to begin the healing process bringing you into a greater balance. The best thing about homeopathy is that it can work deeply not only on the physical body but it also acts to balance the mind and emotions.

A homeopath is interested in what is unique about you and your symptoms so that we can individualize our prescription to you specifically. This means that 10 different cases of back pain may actually need 10 different remedies. We are not a one size fits all method.

Homeopathy is the definition of holistic medicine as it takes into account how the person is functioning on the physical, mental and emotional and seeks an improvement on all levels.

How can it benefit mamas and babies?

I wouldn’t be without my homeopathic remedies as a new mother!

Homeopathy can support the bodies natural processes through all stages of pregnancy. From conception right through all the unique needs of mum during the different trimesters. Homeopathic remedies may provide support for your body’s natural responses to a wide spectrum of pregnancy related ailments and injuries.

Homeopathic remedies may provide support for your body’s natural responses to a wide spectrum of pregnancy related ailments and injuries.

Our remedies can help with feelings of anticipation for first-time birthers and support the body’s natural timing with labour and birth, including recovery.

Once baby has arrived, our remedies are fantastic to have on hand to enhance bubs natural functioning defence systems.

Mamas can be supported by homeopathy through the emotional high and lows of motherhood.

What about children with allergies?

Unfortunately, children with allergies are so common and can often be linked with gut health. As well as being passed down genetically through parents if they have experienced any allergies.

Allergic symptoms can present in many ways, asthma, eczema, hayfever, food intolerances, concentration issues and unhealthy bowel movements. Homeopathic remedies in the correct potency and repetition may also help to strengthen our inherited weak points and support our own body’s natural functioning defence systems.

With homeopathy, we can support gut health as well as strengthen our inherent weak points and really build up children’s overall health, so they no longer experience intense allergic symptoms. Homeopathy was an integral part during the strengthening of my body so I no longer suffer from hayfever and allergies.

What are some basic fundamentals of homeopathy every mama should know?

Homeopathy is a health care option for the whole family! It is also fine to use in conjunction with other medications.

Homeopathy is based on the law of minimum dose. This means that we only need to give the body enough remedy to stimulate its own healing process.   We prescribe our remedies on the individual and unique symptoms that each person presents with in the clinic. This is what makes homeopathy truly holistic and individualized. There is no standard, one size fits all, dose. Ten people with the same ailment may end up with several different remedies.

As you are progressing in health, Homeopaths are taking note of what order your symptoms progress. We expect symptoms to disappear, according to a natural order of priority. This will indicate if you are progressing in a positive direction. We like to see the most recent symptoms and the most vital organs being balanced first. Once these are dealt with, it is a great sign of progression towards health to start seeing older symptoms return to be balanced once and for all.

Why is it not ideal to mix remedies into one dose?

Homeopathy has a holistic approach and we do our very best at getting the right remedy for each person. We consider the person as a whole and an individual and our focus is to support your health in every aspect while also enhancing balance. We want to see a natural progression to long lasting health that is gentle.

Each remedy has quite a different symptom picture. The combination remedies that you see on the shelves of health food stores are okay if you don’t have anything else on hand. The problem is that if it is a flu remedy for example it might have three different remedies that are indicated for flu.

We consider the person as a whole and an individual and our focus is to support your health in every aspect while also enhancing balance.

However, you may be more sensitive to one of those remedies than the other two. This will show as some of your symptoms improving but the more you take it there seems to be other symptoms worsening or developing. This may not be your flu symptoms changing. In fact, that one remedy in the combination that you are oversensitive to or do not need, is now beginning to cause symptoms to show up. These symptoms will stop when you stop the remedy that has been the culprit. For this reason single remedies are better rather than in combination.

I have experienced taking a combination remedy where I had the symptoms of Gelsemium exactly. The combo remedy had Gelsemium in it but was not doing anything. When I took Gelsemium separately it worked well. Go figure!

The third reason why I do not promote combination remedies is that they may be covering up deeper signs and symptoms of a more chronic condition. By getting rid of the surface symptoms, we fail to get to the root cause of why these symptoms are occurring in the first place. Combination teething remedies are a good example. Teething shouldn’t be a struggle for months on end or incredibly painful but sometimes the child needs extra support to help the teeth come through.

Without the support of a trained homeopath, you are likely not going to know what to do.

What remedies should every mama have in her at-home kit and why?

Homeopathic kits are fantastic. A small amount of education on the remedies and understanding when to take a dose then using homeopathy in the home is helpful and anyone can do it.

I often have mums messaging me about a distraught teething baby, or a child with a high fever and because they have my nursing kit at home I can quickly suggest a remedy that is fitting to support the baby’s natural defenses and baby and mother can both get some relief.

The biggest misconception about homeopathy?

That’s because there are only minute amounts of the original substance left in the remedy that it doesn’t work.  We are the original nanomedicine.

200 million people worldwide use homeopathy with fantastic results.  Otherwise, why would they continue to use it? In India, it is used alongside and with the same respect as conventional medicine. Homeopathy is even included in the national health system in countries such as Brazil, Chile, India, Mexico, Pakistan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The Royal family are well-known advocates of homeopathy.

200 million people worldwide use homeopathy with fantastic results.  Otherwise, why would they continue to use it?

Another misconception is that homeopathy is similar to naturopathy. Naturopaths use the physical constituents of plants and minerals to help the tissues and organs function in balance. Homeopaths use minute doses of material from plants, animals, and minerals to support a healing response from the bodies own immune system to effect change on all levels – mental, emotional and physical.

If someone can’t see you in the clinic, do you do Skype consults?

Yes, skype consults are fine.

Find out more about Lee-Anne, the Healing Haven and homeopathic treatments and remedies at www.healinghaven.co.nz Follow the Healing Haven at www.facebook.com/healinghaven