New mothers face a plethora of things to think about and more willingness to use only natural, organic home remedies rather than the more chemical and artificial products commercially available now that their bundle of joy has arrived. But what about themselves?One hero of the homeopathic mom has turned out to be olive oil in a variety of surprising ways. Although the uses of olive oil for babies are becoming more well known, mothers can benefit from the superfood just as much. Here are 6 ways to use olive oil as a new mum you may not have thought of:
1. As a safe, natural cleaning agent
Generally speaking, a clean home is a safe home, but what about all the harmful chemicals in commercially available cleaning agents? Both wooden furniture and anything stainless steel, from kitchen fittings to your skillet, can be cleaned and shined up at the same time with the use of some olive oil and a little scrubbing.2. Mommy’s little insomnia helper
The sleeplessness and general anxiety associated with the first while of first-time-mommyhood means that cognitive abilities such as memory and concentration are often not at peak. Luckily, Harvard Health Publications reported in 2012 that quoted a Brigham and Women’s Hospital study which found that women who ate the most saturated fats such as butter performed worse on tests of thinking and memory than women who ate the lowest amounts of these fats and more unsaturated fats such as olive oil.4. As a breast friend
In 2015, the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health reported on the effects of olive oil consumption on healing burn victims’ skin. It’s a profound insight into the sheer power of taking olive oil as a supplement to help your skin heal. Moms with irritations, even teeth marks, on their breasts can take olive oil orally or rub it on topically for relief.4. As a post-surgery skin healer
For those who deliver via a C-section, olive oil can be a godsend to help with post-surgery scarring. This is due to the high amounts of skin-healing vitamins K and E found in olive oil. Simply rub a high-quality olive oil into the skin surrounding the scarring daily.5. As a natural way to treat ear infections
Okay, so this one is mostly for baby – but a baby that’s not in pain equals a mother who’s not under extra strain! The website babygooroo.com notes that olive oil is often sold in drugstores as a cerumenolytic — an ear canal lubricant that can loosen troublesome ear wax and provide soothing relief. Simply put a couple of drops of lukewarm — not warm and not cold — olive oil into the affected ear for mild pain relief and cleansing of wax buildup.