When can you start taking arnica...

[thelollipoplady]

if you're worried about tearing again? How long before birth?

I understood it was straight after the birth. That's what I did anyway.

I was wondering this too. I'm sure I took it before my elective c-section last time as well as after (but would that be dangerous for the baby?). I can't seem to find any information on this, I think I read it in a c-section recovery book. Anyone know?

Hi there,
I've just read that in the Baby centre website about the hospital bag :

Arnica tablets to help with bruising after the birth. Although there's no conclusive evidence that they work, many women report that taking arnica helps reduce bruising and helps the healing process.

www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/whattopack/

I hope it is helpful !

Arnica is homeopathic - so watered down until no active ingredient in it. Not personally a believer in homeopathy but I know many people are, and it can't hurt your baby if you take it whilst still pregnant.

sounds good. want to give my poor body as high a chance of healing as possible.... so maybe just before due date.

you take arnice 200c. As soon as you go into labour, or if you are booked for a c section, then you start taking it the day before.

you take 3 doses each day, for up to a week after the birth or longer if you feel you need it.

As for it being watered down etc, it works a treat on my LO - lots of tumbles, never any bruising as he gets a 30c dose immediately after each big bang - also takes the shock away. but there are many non believers on here ! I used the 200c for labour and although I have nothing to compare it to in terms of major ops, I did feel it helped. I also recommended it to a patient who had a kidney removed & she had none of the usual bruising on her belly, her consultant was very surprised.
HTH !

Hi, I'm a homeopath.

Arnica is not indicated for preventing tearing (it is never indicated when the skin is broken - so also not a good choice for C-Section healing at all!), so TBH I'm not sure why you would take it at all?

If you were to take it (for the following reasons: exhaustion, emotional trauma, inability to urinate, feeling sore, lame and bruised, long labour).

Anyway, taking it prophylactically (before labour) is pointless, if you do want to take it the best way is to take one pillule only dissolved in water and sip throughout labour (rather like some people take rescue remedy), then carry on sipping after labour until you feel an improvement. You don't take lots of pills every day, that's not homeopathic dosing - just modern day marketing to sell more!

The potency will depend on what it's being used for, purely physical 30c, purely emotional (emotional shock etc..) 1M, halfway house 200c

HTH!

Thanks puffylovett. I took it for my last c-section and I was convinced that it helped.
childrenchildren is there something you would recommend for healing after a c-section?

Looks like you get different advice depending who you speak to. My advice came from my homeopath - she did me a labour kit. I found the Pulsatilla particularly useful when I was sobbing in the bath, and the chamomilla really helped move things along.

Mostly homeopathic remedies are constitutionally prescribed, I think I had some calendula for vulval healing and some St Johns Wort for nerve endings, but also had some Calc? (not 100% on that one) tissue salts for a suspected prolapse.... not sure if that helps you !

Lazylion: For C-Section healing your best bet would be Hypericum 30c, start taking it as soon as you are allowed to drink after the section, taking in the same way as my notes for arnica above.

Once the scar starts to heal/dry a little (around day 2) you can also use an external tincture of HyperCal (a blend of hypericum and calendula), 6-8drops in half a cup of lukewarm water, a cotton ball dipped in and gently patted onto the incision.

You can use Arnica if you find the procedure traumatic or exhausting or if you have trouble urinating afterwards (particularly if due to a catheter), but it won't do anything (beyond psychosomatic action!) to heal the actual incision. You don't need constitutional treatment for an acute such as a C-Section, the remedies are all bog standard, not individualised.

Don't forget to take peppermint tea in with you too for the trapped wind!

puffylovett, the homeopath I used to go to costs a fortune so I'm just going to dabble for this one. The one you mentioned for sobbing in the bath may well come in handy.
Thanks, childrenchildren that's really useful. I will not be forgetting the peppermint tea, the wind pains were the worst bit last time.