"I'm a mom of three girls, and I'm also a full-spectrum doula, so my life is pretty much all babies, all the time," says Stephanie Krueger with a laugh.
Stephanie, who lives in Boulder County in Colorado, felt called into birth work after her first daughter was born nearly six years ago, and she's been a practicing doula and yoga teacher ever since.
"We have a really special group of birth workers here in Boulder," Stephanie says. "It's wonderful being part of this birth awakening that's happening, focusing on alternative ways that you can give birth and support your family through that experience. It's really fulfilling."
One of the many ways Stephanie supports herself and her doula clients? Herbs!
"I grew up on a farm here in Colorado, and my parents have an epic herb garden. They always used herbs to treat certain things or support us when we needed them," Stephanie says. "I think they started giving me WishGarden's Kick-Ass Immune Activator around 10 years old any time I felt like I was getting sick, so it's always been a part of my life."
Although she'd known about WishGarden's herbal immunity formulas for years, she didn't realize the company offered specific products for pregnant women and new mothers until her first pregnancy.
"I make milk like a Holstein," Stephanie jokes. "So, if my breasts aren't emptying fully, it can be a big problem, and you only need to get a clogged duct once to never, ever want it again."
After Stephanie talked to her midwife about her lactation issues, she recommended WishGarden's Happy Ducts Free the Flow, a short-term herbal support for nursing mothers to invigorate lymphatic function in the breasts. Happy Ducts can be taken for a two-week duration because it's formulated with Echinacea purpurea, a short-term use herb to support healthy fluid movement and the innate immune system.
"I tried it the next time I felt a clog coming on and thought, ‘this literally is gold,'" Stephanie says. "Three children later and I've never had any sort of clogged ducts again."
Now, Stephanie gives Happy Ducts to all of her doula clients. "All my postpartum mamas ask me, ‘where did you get this magical elixir?'" Stephanie says. "It really works!"
She's also a fan of WishGarden's AfterEase For After Birth Contractions, which she recommends to clients to calm and relax the body after labor, and Postpartum Emotional Baby Blues, which offers emotional and hormonal support for new mothers. Her family also reaches for Digestive Rescue GI Normalizer to soothe digestive discomforts.
In addition to purchasing herbal products from companies like WishGarden, Stephanie also has her own herb garden where she grows and harvest herbs to use in homemade remedies like teas and bath blends. One of her favorite blends is a baby bath tea for newborns made with chamomile, lavender, rose, and gluten-free oats that she often makes for her clients.
"Herbs really work hand in hand with your body, as opposed against it, especially when you're working with gentle plant allies," Stephanie says."
Learn more about Stephanie and her Colorado doula services at RockyMountainMother.com and follow her in Instagram @rockymtnmother.
All photos: Stephanie Krueger
Valerie Gleaton is a professional writer and editor. She has a master's degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where she also earned a certificate in science and environmental reporting.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or sell any product.
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