Chamomilla: Mother's Little Helper

I was at a party over the weekend and met a little cutie pie who is about 18 months old. She is a lovely little thing; sweet, smiley and friendly. After I had been at the party for a couple of hours, the poor girl was suddenly screaming and crying. She had a toy that she seemed to want. She'd point at it and with her body language she'd say, 'That's why I'm upset, I just want my toy!' So, those around her would snuggle her and give her her toy, only to have her scream at the site of the toy and toss it away angrily. A few minutes later, the little girl lay pathetically on the floor screaming, drooling and seeming extremely angry. Meet the teething Chamomilla child! While I didn't snap a photo of the girl I have just described, I happened to have on hand a photo of my son at about 6 months old trying on his best Chamomilla face!

I think Chamomillia may be the remedy that I have most frequently used in my own home. While not every baby who is teething needs Chamomilla, it is the #1 homeopathic remedy for teething and when you have a teething child in this state, Chamomilla is truly a miracle worker! Both of my kids have required this remedy. My daughter took a dose just today!

It's hard to tell why babies are upset sometimes. But, once you recognize the characteristics that typify the Chamomilla state, you can often be more sure as to why your baby seems so angry and is completely inconsolable. I have seen babies move from this inconsolable state to falling asleep or becoming much more calm within just a few minutes. When a child is in the Chamomilla state, they are ultra sensitive to pain. This is why they are so angry and capricious. They are so overwhelmed with their pain that they don't know what they want.

Chamomilla can also be used for extreme pains in labour. I can certainly relate to the Chamomilla state from the perspective of labour. I remember feeling anger during labour at the thought of moving when my midwife suggested it. I didn't want to move but I didn't want to stay still either. I didn't know what I wanted, just that I wanted the pain stop. In Sandra J. Perko's fantastic book, Homeopathy For the Modern Pregnant Woman and Her Infant, she uses the seven F's to describe the temperament of the Chamomilla patient: "fretful, frantic, fussy, finicky, frenzied, furious and fault-finding." The woman in labour who is in need of Chamomilla  may also use another word that starts with 'F'!

A sensitivity to the after pains following labour can also be assisted with this amazing little remedy. A newborn baby who is fretful and fussy can be quickly calmed by a dose of Chamomilla. This is also a great remedy for colic when the baby is difficult to soothe and appears to be ameliorated by being carried. A mother who is feeling a great deal of anger and also having issues with insufficient or absent milk flow can take a dose of this remedy to calm her nerves and increase her milk supply. A situation in which a child refuses to nurse can sometimes be treated with Chamomilla too. As with all homeopathic remedies, Chamomilla can be used to treat a multitude of  ailments and symptoms when the characteristics of these symptoms match the Chamomilla symptom picture. Some of these ailments include: arthritis, headaches, stomach cramps and vomiting, jaundice, gas pains, diarrhea, involuntary urination, menstrual cramps, sore throat, asthma, cough, numbness, stiffness or twitching of limbs, fever and hives. It is always advisable to see a professional homeopath if you are suffering from chronic ailments. These symptoms have only been listed for educational purposes.

Here is a quick run down of the modalities of Chamomilla:

Worse: from anger, at night, during dentition, from being exposed to cold, damp air and wind, from taking coffee, narcotics and alcohol (nerves are sensitive to any stimulants), listening to music (the senses are hypersensitive), belching, exposure to heat, being touched or even just being looked at, after breakfast and from suppressed perspiration.

Better: from being carried, in mild weather, sometimes from heat (calming at times yet heat could make the patient worse by increasing their irritability), going without food, sweating and from cold applications (numbs the pain)

*A little thing to make a note of that is sometimes present in a teething child who is in need of Chamomilla is one cheek that is red and hot while the other is cold and pale

For teething, there are homeopathic combination remedies sold at many health food stores. I do not generally like combination remedies as they are not as effective as single homeopathic remedies which are chosen for the particular issue at hand. If your child's symptoms match the symptom picture of Chamomilla, give a dose of Chamomilla 200C once and watch. You can give this remedy a few times a day if need be. But always remember not to dose too often so as not to aggravate the situation. If things are improving after one dose, do not dose again until symptoms return.

Chamomilla is a definite must-have for your family's homeopathic first aid kit.

♥ Andrea ♥

*The information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified health care practitioner.*