Desi Moms

These are age-old remedies that our grandmas and moms believed in. I have always been in a dilemma if we should/should not follow. I should mention that when I gave birth to my daughter, both my grandma and dh's grandma were around to give plenty of advices and not to mention, all the pressure I received to follow the age-old procedures.

I am writing some remedies here that I followed and I believe that worked for my daughter [atleast didnt harm her ;-)].

Orai Marundhu:

Very popular medicine in Tamil Nadu administered to babies who have completed 2 months. This is usually given after a baby's hairwash, typically not more than twice a week. It comprises of six herbs and found in any store that carries alternative medicine or naatu marundhu kadais in Tamil Nadu. If you need more information, you can write to me at malathy@desimoms.org

1. Kadukkai - For free bowel movement
2. Vasambu - Prevents stomach pain in infants
3. Jaathikai - helps the baby get good sleep. Its believed that a good sleep promotes healthy growth in babies
4. Chitharathai - To prevent common cold and cough
5. Sukku - for cough
6. Maasi kai - prevents the tongue from getting white. They say babies eat less when there is whiteness in tongue
7. Ora kal - stone to strike the ingredients

Wash the Orai kallu with hot water. Rub each of these 4 strokes over the rubbing stone/orai kallu and give it to the baby after oil bath. Its an amazing medicine in my experience

Vasambu:

Vasambu by itself is a great medicine to treat gassiness and stomach-ache in infants.  Becasue of its medicinal values, its also called 'pillai valarpaan' in tamil or 'herb that protects babies'. It helps in removing gassiness, stomach discomfort, chest cold etc.

Vasambu is cut into small circular pieces and then tied around the wrist, again this is supposed to be good for the stomach. A minute paste of vasambu and honey also helps. Abdominal distension is treated by oral ingestion of vasambu (sweet flag) or external application of the root, which had been burnt in flame and made into a paste with breast milk.

Home remedy for constipation:

If your baby is on formula, you know what I am talking about. This remedy helped my baby. You know dried raisins. They come in light brown and dark brown colours. You get the light brown ones in Indian groceries. Boil 3 raisins in water with saunf and filter. Give the baby the filtered ticoction. It worked magic for me

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