My first experience with lice was such a shock. I gave birth to my second child at home and in the days leading up to the big day, I had many people in and out of my home. I had friends and their children, midwives, their apprentices and their husbands all in and out my home. I chose to have a coach for my son who was 21/2 when my daughter was born. It was a very good idea! I wanted him to be cared for emotionally and physically while I was out of the loop.
All was going well until it was discovered the day after my daughter was born that my son was infested with lice. None of us had noticed! I felt embarrassed and like I was a neglectful mother. My midwives were full of grace, comfort and stories of their first encounter with head lice. I am very grateful to this day to have had gracious servant midwives who went way beyond their duty and washed everything that my son's head had touched and then proceeded to wash him up as well.
These were herbalist midwives who didn't use toxic chemicals for much of anything. And I learned from them how effective other methods can be. I'm not sure of the mix they used but I know it included tea tree oil and olive oil which was slathered on my son's head. We kept it their for a short while and then washed it out. I guess there is now a lot of discussion on whether tea tree oils works for head lice. I wasn't in a position to ask a lot of questions at the time. I was simply grateful.
Mostly I was grateful for the grace and relief to know that stuff happened to everyone. Its a well kept secret but we all go through it. We are just too embarrassed to tell anyone.
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