Today on the podcast I am talking to Lucie, mother of two girls, Imani, 11 and Bibi, 4 & a cavalier king charles spaniel Cherry Pie who is 9 months old . Lucie is a Medical herbalist living in Glasgow and has specialised more recently in postpartum care and pediatric medicine.

We talk about how non-negotiable and essential self care is in motherhood but how this doesn't happen overnight. 11 years into motherhood Lucie says it's still a work in progress for her but she has learnt that the more you look after yourself and tend to yourself, the better everything else will be. She also shares how important being honest with yourself is, acknowledging when life is too much or too stressful, and seeing not as a failure but as a boundary. We talk about the power of venting too and how hard it is too implement things for yourself, as motherhood is so much about survival mode.

Lucie shares how she believes the postpartum is a time to be quiet and calm and protected as it such a vulnerable time and you are so open energetically but people don't value that or acknowledge it to be real. We also touch on the link between postpartum care and the menopause and Lucie shares her own postpartum expereiences which were both an experience of two halves, highlighting the juxtaposition of emotions and feelings we see so often in parenthood.

We talk about how important planning for your postpartum is and thinking less about what the baby will need and more about what you will need. Lucie thinks this change in narrative is really needed and wonders how the postpartum would be a very different thing if people put the money they spend on prams on their postpartum care instead.

Lucie shares all the wonderful ways herbs can support a family in the postpartum. For new mums, they can support breastfeeding, hormonral support, mastitis, infections, wound care, perinneal healing and c-section recovery. Herbs are also extremely nourishing and regulating for the nervous sytem, as well as benefiting sleep, mental health and so much more. Lucie talks about supporting partners with herbs too and babie as true holistic postpartum care, cares for everyone in that household.

Lucie shares with us a wealth of knowledge about the postpartum , both from her personal and professional experience and brings to the podcast how important and supportive herbal medicine can be in the postpartum. If you would like to hear more about Lucie's work please visit https://www.luciebradley.co.uk/ or follow her on instagram @lbradleymedicalherbalist