Earth Mama Angel Baby was founded by nurse, herbalist, and passionate mama Melinda Olson. After many hours of digging in the dirt, learning about plants, blending, infusing, mixing and stirring herbs, Melinda developed a talent for making teas and tinctures, soaps, salves, oils, spays and poultices. From that passion, Earth Mama Angel Baby was born. Now Earth Mama Angel Baby manufactures a complete line of safe, zero toxin herbal products that support the common discomforts of the entire process of birth from pregnancy through labor, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, and baby care. If you joined us for our World Breastfeeding Week Event on Saturday, you may have sampled Earth Mama Angel Baby’s Natural Nipple Butter or Organic Milkmaid Tea! In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, we interviewed Melinda Olson, Mama in Charge to learn more about her breastfeeding line and the amazing Support With Integrity Pledge she created. You can find amazing information about herbs and breastfeeding on the Earth Mama site.
Q. How did the Earth Mama Angel Baby Breastfeeding line get started?
A. I didn’t originally intend to start an organic herbal manufacturing company. Every single product I formulated was created to help support friends and family for one problem or another. I realized there were no safe, organic products available to women that combined traditional plant medicine with evidence-based research. I study the safest herbs, pore over evidence-based research, and work hard to formulate the safest products possible, the safest products a company can make in this industry, and products that are as close to the earth as can be. We have a great responsibility to formulate the safest products possible, because pregnant women and babies are two of the most vulnerable populations on the planet. We take that responsibility very seriously.
Q. What was the first product that you created?
A. The first product for Earth Mama Angel Baby was Angel Baby Bottom Balm, which was originally formulated as a first aid balm. Mamas still use it for that!
Q. Do you still grow your own herbs?
A. I do! I am the happiest in my garden. I don’t get to spend as much time there as I used to, but I have spent a lot of time learning how nature gives us what we need to comfort and ease us. I learned how to extract the medicine from plants and live with them safely. I love to make beautiful herbal things that are comforting, and over time I realized that if you put it all together, herbal medicine, natural remedies, pregnancy and childbirth, it all made sense.
Q. Why do you use candelilla wax instead of lanolin or beeswax in your Natural Nipple Butter?
A. We do it for the bees. And for the babies! We think bees have enough on their plates, with all the pollinating and honey making, so we like to leave them be. And some people avoid lanolin because of wool allergies, since lanolin is the waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep. There are also concerns about pesticides residues, and we don’t want mamas to worry so we just don’t use it. There’s no need when there’s a wonderful waxy plant alternative.
Q. Lots of moms have supply issues, how does the Organic Milkmaid Tea boost your milk supply?
A. Organic Milkmaid Tea is blended with traditional herbal galactagogues and mineral packed herbs that have been historically used to increase breast milk production. Herbs have been used for centuries to safely help increase milk supply, and we use only organic herbs. All of our teas are USDA Certified 100% Organic.
Q. How often should mamas drink Milkmaid Tea? And if their supply is good, should they continue?
A. All of Earth Mama’s organic teas are formulated for 1-3 cups a day, mamas should see what’s best for them.
Q. Which Earth Mama teas should you avoid if you are breastfeeding?
A. Obviously Organic No More Milk Tea, which is for weaning and when milk is no longer desired, for instance due to the loss of a baby.
Q. Where did you find breastfeeding support for your children?
A. I really didn’t have any, I just decided I was going to do it and did it!
Q. Are there any places you recommend going to for support now?
A. Absolutely, the internet has been such an amazing place for mamas to find all kinds of support. Facebook is great for that. We love Shari Criso and The Leaky Boob, Best for Babes. It’s so much easier to find your people and get support.
Q. Why did you create the Support With Integrity Pledge?
A. We think that all the energy of so many well-intentioned people is best focused on the common good of mamas, and of course of babies getting fed! It shouldn’t matter how, or what technique, or what position, or what organization a mama chooses to use, as long as her baby is getting what she needs, we should support her.
Q. What does the pledge mean?
A. It means that we agree to hold hands and help mamas get what they need to make breastfeeding work for them, no matter how they choose to do it. If a mama and baby are making it work, we’ll stand and cheer them on from the sidelines.
You can find more information about safe herbs while breastfeeding at http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/herbs-for-breastfeeding-ebook You can also find Earth Mama Angel Baby products at The Baby Grocery Store online or in store.
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