Herbal baths

Herbal baths

An herbal bath is as much of a treat as it is a treatment. There are several
ways to prepare an herbal bath. If you are using a soluble ingredient, such as baking soda or aloe vera gel, simply dissolve it in hot bath water.

If you are using oatmeal, you can either whirl it into a powder in your blender or bag it. Oatmeal seems soft, but it doesn't dissolve completely unless it has first been very finely milled.

If you are using fresh herbs, you can bag them in a square of cheesecloth or a washcloth. A two or three thickness square of cheesecloth is ideal. The loose weave permits maximum release of the herbal essence, yet keeps the parts from floating free in the bath water. One method of bagging herbs is to stitch three sides of a cheesecloth square closed and run a drawstring through the top, or tie the bag closed with a sturdy string. An easier and quicker method is to place a suitable quantity of herbs in the middle of a cheesecloth square. Then simply pull the four comers of the square together and secure them with string. (You can do this with a washcloth or small towel, too, but cheesecloth is easier to manage.) For a full bath, use
approximately 6 ounces of dried or fresh herbs.

Fill the tub, placing the bagged herbs under a forceful stream of comfortably hot water. As the tub fills, swish the herbs through the bath water. During the bath, gently squeeze an essence-rich stream of water from the herb bag directly on the part of the body you wish to treat. Your child may enjoy soaking and squeezing the bag. If you are treating an itchy skin condition, you may gently rub the bag across the affected areas. Unless you can trust your child not to rub itchy places raw, however, you may want to do this gentle scratching yourself. If you are using dried herbs, you will have to guard against rough parts, which may be irritating. If your child is
comforted and soothed by an herbal bath, you may want to be ready with a pre-prepared herbal infusion. Soak 6 tablespoons of dried or fresh herbs overnight in 3 cups of water. Start with very hot water and allow it to cool naturally. The following morning, heat the infusion and strain out the residue. No bag is needed; just pour the strained infusion directly into the bath water.