Kali phos - You need this if you suffer from anxiety, PMS, headaches or are Pregnant
Every now and then you stumble across a gem of a product that REALLY does what it says it will do. One of these products for me are the Kali phos biochemical tissue salts. If you are unfamiliar with what tissue salts are and how they are used, let me first introduce you to the multitude of benefits that these little magic pills can provide you.
Known as natures ‘nerve tonic’ or ‘nerve tranquiliser’ Kali phos works for anyone with frazzled nerves, for anxiety (situational or generalised), for headaches and migraines (especially hormonal), for PMS (helping with cramps and irritability), for exhaustion due to lack of restorative sleep (shift workers, uni students) BUT the most amazing benefits I see from Kali phos is during labour/birth and the post-partum period – a time where tiredness and exhaustion at times is to be expected.
Given regularly at the onset of labour, Kali phos helps prevent the complete exhaustion that can come about from the hard work of labour. It is said to take the ‘pinch’ out of the peak of contractions. I have to agree, the labours I have attended where Kali phos has been taken by the birthing mum (and taken regularly throughout) seems to support this theory. If only I could provide you with research for this, for now – take my word for it.
When babe is in your arms, don’t stop there! Continue taking for at least the first few weeks of the postpartum period. You’ll be tired from the birth, but once the birth high subsides, you’ll continue to feel tired with the demands of a newborn.
How do tissue salts work?
Tissue salts are also known as cell salts. In the 19th century a German physician, Dr Schuessler, discovered that when reduced to ashes, human cells contain 12 different minerals such as calcium, phosphorous and so on. Dr Schussler understood the balance and ratios of all minerals and how they play an important role in our physical and mental wellbeing. Through the process of grinding them in lactose, the minerals could be ‘triturated’ (broken down into tiny molecules) so that ultimately, they are easier for the body to absorb.
How and When to take Kali phos tissue salts:
For headaches/onset of migraine, PMS, anxiety, nervousness, exhaustion, irritability:
Take x4 tablets, x4 times per day
For Midwives/Nurses/Shift workers:
Take x4 tablets every 3 hours throughout the day/night. For extreme exhaustion, take every hour until you are able to sleep (extra tip: it helps with getting and staying sleep!)
For the end of pregnancy:
Take x3 per day from 37 weeks pregnancy (sooner if you are expecting to give birth earlier – ideally, taken 3 weeks before your EDD). Also ideal when recovering from morning sickness or the first trimester if you felt constantly tired. Whilst you can take early pregnancy, a homeopathic liquid form is better indicated here as most pregnant women do not favour the ‘chalky like’ feel of the tissue salt pills.
For the onset of labour:
Take x4 tablets every 3 hours. When labour is established (active labour), continue to chew on x2 tablets at least once per hour. Can’t tolerate chewing the tablets? Good news, you can take in a liquid homeopathic form (30c recommended).
Kali phos tissue salts can be purchased from your homeopath, selected health stores or online. I encourage you to try and reap the benefits of these magical little mineral pills – I’m never without them.
How You CAN Achieve An Easier, Enjoyable & More Sacred Birth
1. KNOWLEDGE & ANTENATAL CARE:
Some amount of fear about giving birth is NORMAL. If you are giving birth for the first time you really don’t know what to expect. You may have heard your friends birth stories, well meaning (or not!) family members sharing their experiences of birth and they tend to like to share the drama of what happened…. and it concerns you right? Will it be the same for me?
If you have given birth before and it was a less than desirable experience - what are you bringing to your next birth experience? Fear, worry, anxiety? How will you cope this time? Will it be different, what if it was like last time? And so, you hold all of these emotions and either don’t talk about it or you take control over your situation e.g. induction or book a c-section so you don’t have to go through it all again.
If you are giving birth for the first time, know what you want and what you don’t want. Choose your care provider who best supports your birth plan. For example, if you wish to give birth in a free-standing birth centre, only an LMC midwife can support you here. If giving birth in hospital makes you feel safe - then great, you have a choose of and LMC midwife or an Obstetrician… or both! Giving birth in an environment that makes you feel safe is a key component in your plan. Are you hoping for an intervention free, physiological birth? Perhaps a home birth might be best for you. Whatever it may be, make sure your birth place is RIGHT for YOU.
Antenatal Education - You can choose from classes at your local hospital, birth centre, community centres such as Parents Centre or specific to achieving a normal, physiological birth, such as HypnoBirthing. You can partake in one that resonates with you, or participate in a combination both.
Read Magazines! Go online and educate yourself with good quality options e.g. Natural Parent Magazine or Oh Baby. Highly rate Dr Sara Wickham https://www.sarawickham.com/ and Lamaze International also has good articles https://www.lamaze.org/Giving-Birth-with-Confidence
Books! So many good ones to choose from, but here are a few of my favourtie:
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth - Ina May Gaskin
Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering - Sarah Buckley
Gentle Birth Method - Dr Gowri Motha
HypnoBirthing (The Mongan Method) - Marie F. Mongan
Dr Sara Wickham
Invest in a Birth Doula - A birth doula is a trained support companion who knows birth! They are able to educate you and support you in your decision making. They are a wealth of GOOD information and knowledge - there is a doula for everyone! They support you through your pregnancy and the duration of your labour and birth - promoting better outcomes. Find a doula here: https://www.nzdoulas.nz/
2. AN APPRECIATION FOR HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY:
Without FULLY understanding what happens during pregnancy, labour and birth - you cannot truly be free of fear. Take the time to learn about the hormones of labour and birth and how they work to bring you baby into this world. Learn how to facilitate the promotion of Oxytocin, support ways of allowing peak amounts of this very important and necessary hormone and find ways of keeping your stress hormones to a minimum. Appreciate the uterine muscles and all the layers - what they do, when and how they work to facilitate labour and birth. Understand TRANSITION. What your body is doing at this stage of labour, how you may feel and why. The pelvis and its role in labour and birth - what does baby need to do in order to be born vaginally?
3. A TRUSTED LMC & SUPPORT TEAM:
Feel safer with an Obstetrician. GOOD! Feel safer with an LMC midwife? GOOD! Feel safe with your mother at your birth? GOOD! Feel uncomfortable with your mother at your birth? NOT GOOD….
Your support team sets the environment for your birth. If you love your mother dearly, but you know she will worry and stress and likely cause you anxiety… perhaps having her at your birth is not the best approach. Who you have in your environment greatly determines how you labour and give birth . Think stressful environment, stressful process. Stress +Labour+Birth = stressed you and potentially stressed baby.
Please think very carefully about who you have as your care provider and your support team - do they match the outcome you are hoping for?
4. PHYSICAL HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING:
Not everyone enjoys yoga or going to the gym or meditation. However, your physical and mental wellbeing are of utmost priority during your pregnancy. How you go into your pregnancy will be how you go into your labour, birth and postpartum period. There is so much focus on pregnancy, labour and birth that we forget at the end of it we have the postpartum recovery period! Do REALLY take care of your nutrition, including supplementing where possible, with the guidance of a professional of course. You may need to take extra iron, so stay on top of this to avoid having an infusion or being depleted when you are postpartum - low iron/anaemia and postpartum combined is not ideal. Magnesium is great for the all systems of the body, but in particular, the nervous system, helping to support restorative sleep. Good quality multi vitamin/mineral supplements are good - but do check you aren’t doubling up on iodine, or iron with these. Check the label thoroughly, if in doubt, ask!
Pregnancy yoga is great - so is walking.
Take care of any anxieties or worries as best you can with the resources you have. Eliminating stress where possible only does you a world of good.
Listen to informative and uplifting podcasts… be careful of birth story podcasts - check that they aren’t related to birth trauma first!
Keep a journal - write down your thoughts and feelings - don’t try to analyse them
5. INCORPORATE ESSENTIAL OILS, LIGHTS, AFFIRMATIONS, IMAGES….
Include your favourite scents or incorporate new ones.. Lavender or any ‘woody’ scent to help you to feel grounded during your birth. Check with a qualified aromatherapist before you use oils during your pregnancy, labour or birth.
Lights - You can’t go wrong with fairy lights to set the scene. Depending on your environment, you can use candles or ‘fake’ candles to keep the light in the room ‘dim’ - helps to incorporate calm in the birth room!
Affirmations - Make them relevant, in the present tense, precise and personal to you e.g. I birth with ease or My body knows what to do OR I feel safe and supported…
Images - Pictures of the sea, forest, your loved ones, images with words around birth……. any image that helps you toward the birth you would like to have.
To conclude, there are many other ideas/thoughts and ways to set yourself up… these are just a few that are easy and straightforward and work!
Wishing you the best birth experience possible for you.
