By Jenny Watson
For those of you who aren’t familiar with my story, I started The Elderberry Co. 6 years ago out of a struggle I was having as a mom to keep my kids healthy and out of the doctor’s office. I was so relieved to have found that Elderberry Syrup was our answer. It was a natural and effective way to strengthen our immune systems and keep us healthy and active. Well, fast forward to today: I’m caring for our 10 week old baby and I’m still being surprised by new (and old) ways that elderberries can empower my family to live our best lives. Here’s what I mean:
- It’s been 6 years since I’ve lived the newborn life, and I quickly realized I had forgotten how exhausting caring for a new baby can be! When our sleep is suffering, so is our immune system. Elderberry syrup has helped refuel me with antioxidants so that I can be the best mom to my sweet baby around the clock.
- I’m breastfeeding and a common question we get is, “Is Elderberry Syrup safe for breastfeeding?” I’m not a medical professional so the best advice I can give you is to ask this question to your care provider. As for my pediatrician, he has approved it for my use while breastfeeding and I’m so thankful he has! I want to do everything I can to keep my immune system strong and Elderberry Syrup is a HUGE help to accomplish that.
- At just 3 weeks, our sweet little babe was congested! I had never had such a small baby have congestion, and I was frantic to help strengthen his immune system. Now babies under 12 months old cannot take our Elderberry Syrup because it contains raw honey; however, we have two great ways to make infant-safe Elderberry Syrup. The first way is with our Elderberry Syrup Kits. This is all of the dry ingredients of our syrup in a ready-to-boil muslin pouch so that you can make a batch on your own stovetop. Simply omit the honey at the end of the recipe or substitute with an alternative sweetener like maple syrup. The second way of making an infant-safe Elderberry Syrup is with our Dried Elderberries. For me, I didn’t want to introduce more than one food to my newborn (our kits contain berries and a spice blend). So I chose to boil about 2/3 c dried elderberries in a pot of water and give about .25ml to my newborn for a few days after noticing his congestion. Within a week he was cleared up and breathing/sleeping easy again! (Note: Please consult your care provider before using elderberries.)
It’s amazing to me that elderberries can offer so much to our family and I can only hope that my story can help other families find similar solutions. If you’ve found other ways elderberries have helped your family, comment below and let us know!