Blissful Herbs - nurturing body & soul

Blissful Herbs - nurturing body & soul Hello! I'm Julie Bell, mother, doula, herbalist and activist - the heart behind Blissful Herbs, whic I'm so glad you're here!
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I'm Julie Bell, mother, doula, herbalist and activist. I have been working with herbs since childhood and my days as a Registered Nurse in New Zealand. I spent 17 years as a humanitarian volunteer worker in Asia, where I was introduced to the amazing materia medica of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Ayurveda tradition of India. My family then emigrated to Australia in 2004, where, after havin

g three homebirths myself, I followed my passion for birthwork and trained as a doula. I have been serving birthing families in Australia since 2006. After the birth of my 4th baby (yes, also at home - and when I was 43!), I had the opportunity to commence formal studies in Western Herbal Medicine and obtained an Advanced Diploma in WHM. My goal is to upgrade that to the Bachelor degree ( - but first, I need to help another child through her VCE!)

Suffice to say, I LOVE herbs and the way this most humble part of creation holds such gifts to ease the path of human life. Herbs have been called "God's pharmacy" and it's amazing how nature provides gentle, wholesome remedies for just about every challenge or condition life presents. Blissful Herbs offers delicious teas, fragrant bath sachets, healing salves and herbal tinctures to support and nurture you through the seasons of life - from Maiden, to Mother, to Maga, to Crone: throughout menarche, pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, menopause and beyond. It's my heart to walk gently on this beautiful planet, so here at Blissful Herbs, we try our best to to be an authentically eco-friendly enterprise, using post-consumer, recycled packaging, sourcing organic herbs and other ingredients as locally as possible and using solar power as possible. See 'Notes' for a complete list of products and prices, as well as single herbs available. I can custom make up any special blends at your request. To order, please email me, Julie Bell, at blissfulherbs@bigpond.com

Please contact me if you would like a personal herbalist consultation, in which together we will assess your health needs and explore how best to optimize your health and well-being. Of course, face to face is best, but I also offer phone and Skype consultations when distance is a factor.

Tassie was pretty amazing.Especially those OYSTERS!!Yummiest feast ever.Repost ..i finally got around to doing a tassie ...
07/05/2026

Tassie was pretty amazing.

Especially those OYSTERS!!

Yummiest feast ever.

Repost ..
i finally got around to doing a tassie post
part 1 is called
~oysters~

The poet-prophet is so important for guiding our way & guarding our conscience through upheaval. I swear Catie Atkinson ...
05/05/2026

The poet-prophet is so important for guiding our way & guarding our conscience through upheaval.

I swear Catie Atkinson is one such poet-prophet.

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ

Repost ..
Is it an autoimmune disorder, ADHD and anxiety or is it just our collective souls screaming out that we feel the pain of the whole planet and the heart ache of all the little beings born into this broken world?

DM me โ€œTENDERโ€ if youโ€™d like some free printable pages to hold the heavy, holy work of tending tender hearts in turbulent times.

05/05/2026

Working with a baby in a posterior position with a deflexed head and/or asynclitism can be a challenge.

But, babies have a plan, and they *want* to be born.

So, mother & baby work *together* to pave the way.

A couple of good resources I suggest are The Miles Circuit website, Spinning Babies and .lorri.labourbodywork

Repost ..
โ€œWell that was lucky!โ€ ๐Ÿ€

WAIT WHAT?

๐ŸŒธPlanned Homebirth ๐Ÿ 

๐ŸŒธEngaged One to One Midwifery Care ๐Ÿ‘ฑ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ

๐ŸŒธCollaboration with Dr Martin ๐Ÿฉบwhere midwife has visiting rights ๐Ÿฅ

๐ŸŒธAttended Calmbirth course๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป

๐ŸŒธ Educated self and husband participated ๐Ÿ‘ฐ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿคต๐Ÿป

๐ŸŒธ Long prodromal labour and rested , slept , hydrated

๐ŸŒธ Worked hard doing all the positions for OP labour and deflexed head

๐ŸŒธ Acuneedling attended by midwife

๐ŸŒธ Faced and confronted Generational story of fears and bodies inability to birth

๐ŸŒธKept the perspective & mood positive and sung her way to 9cm dilated while waited for baby to come down in his time

๐ŸŒธ Husband was emotionally and physically present and attentive and never left her side doing their dance to bring their baby home into their arms in the home she grew up in ๐Ÿฅน๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿ’—

On this International midwives day I want to say Luck had nothing to do with this outcome. These extraordinary physiological outcomes for women and their, babies & families happen when women choose One to One Midwifery Care and birth At home, in most cases, if home isnโ€™t the safe place this is discussed between the woman the midwife and decision to transfer is made. This can happen throughout a womanโ€™s care & can change in pregnancy, birth & beyond into the postpartum if needed.

The evidence supports this model of care, regardless of โ€œthe riskโ€ and the relationship, the trust between the woman and the # midwife is what makes for a safe journey.

Happy International Midwives Day to all my colleagues, especially my work wife Kate & all the amazing midwives and student midwives Iโ€™ve ever had the pleasure to be in such a # ๐Ÿฉท

This familyโ€™s story and pictures have been shared with love, permission and gratitude ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿป

01/05/2026

To my followers from Australia & USA especially ... check this out.

Gorgeous whanau-centered homebirth in Ao Tea Roa.

Notice the HOSPITAL towel used to cover the baby.

Note that the midwife, Charlie, was coming from the HOSPITAL.

This type of seamless care, that honours the individual needs & preferences of birthing families, is what happens when a strong Feminist Prime Minister (Helen Clark) and a strong Feminist lead midwife (Josm Donley) liaise to create a maternity care system that empowers midwives & centres women.

And yes, they *are* trying to demolish it - like anything that doesn't serve the profits of the billionaire class.

Hold on to what matters.

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ

Repost ..
REPOST
Our Home Birth Story
At 37 weeks and 6 days, I had just planned a week to rest and prepare for our pepi - but he had other plans.
On Saturday, we felt a quiet shift. We spent the day getting things in place - clothes sorted, drawers organised, kai stocked. Not fully ready, but enough.
There was a calm sense that things were unfolding as they should. That evening, his movements felt different. Not less, just different. By 9pm, I went in for monitoring to settle my hinengaro. We returned home around 10pm, and not long after, more of my mucus plug came away. Maybe he was coming soon.
At 5:30am Sunday, 38 weeks, I woke and felt a mild contraction. The morning felt normal โ€” tidying the whare, kids up, hubby cooking. We began filling the birth pool, and it slowly started to feel real.
By 7:30am, I thought I had messaged my midwife (later realising hadnโ€™t pressed send). At 7:42am, she called to check in. I felt calm, breathing through it in the pool, though contractions had eased.
After getting out, they returned - stronger and more purposeful. By 9am, they were closer and more intense.
I could no longer talk through them.
At 9:24am, our student midwife Te Rangi arrived, bringing a calm presence. At 9:32am, our midwife Charlie was on her way from the hospital.
Then everything shifted.
Within minutes, I felt the change - my body moving deeper into labour. Three strong contractions came, and with them, a knowing.


Ah yes, our "inner good girl".Any woman who's grown up in any form of patriarchy has facets of this to work out. Especia...
01/05/2026

Ah yes, our "inner good girl".

Any woman who's grown up in any form of patriarchy has facets of this to work out.

Especially us girlies from the different religious traditions, where it was impressed upon us to be submissive, compliant, obedience - to always be oh so 'nice' and to 'keep sweet'.

That kind of conditioning makes us susceptible to coercive control.

In church. In marriage. And yes ... even in birth.

I've seen it said that we need to kill off, or yeet, or '86' or otherwise get rid of our inner good girl.

I have a better idea.

Love her.

Mother her.

Take her on your knee and comfort that frantic, hectic, anxious little soul.

Tell her you love her. You understand her. Validate her. There's a reason she had to be that way - to survive.

Reassure her that the adult, motherly self is here now, and she can rest. She can grieve. She can feel loved & appreciated. And sit back & let the adult self take the lead.

Our inner good girl doesn't need quenching. She needs comfort.

Then, our mature adult self can bravely & calmly make decisions & set boundaries that truly serve us.

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ

Repost .adana.birthwork..
Your โ€œgood girlโ€ conditioning doesnโ€™t disappear in birth, it often gets louder.

If youโ€™re used to shrinking yourself, staying quiet, and not taking up space, those patterns donโ€™t switch off when you go into labour.

They can show up as staying silent when you need clarity, saying yes when your body says no, or overriding your intuition to keep things โ€œeasy.โ€

And without realising it, this can shape your whole birth experience.

But it doesnโ€™t end there, it follows you into postpartum and motherhood too.

So ask yourself: what kind of life do you want after birth?

One filled with guilt for not speaking upโ€ฆ or one where you feel grounded, clear, and empowered in every decision you make?





I made Goat Milk Soap!!It's so white & creamy, I love it.This one's for little ones & sensitive skin, so the only essent...
29/04/2026

I made Goat Milk Soap!!

It's so white & creamy, I love it.

This one's for little ones & sensitive skin, so the only essential oil I've added is Lavender, which is safe for most young ones - but, as always, patch test first, especially if allergy to Lavender runs in the family.

I've also used:

Coconut Oil
Shea Butter
Castor Oil
Sweet Almond Oil
And NaOH of course.

Now I'll let them cure for about 6 weeks - after that, they'll be up on the website!

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ




28/04/2026

Here's a lovely homebirth. Warrior mama and a caring attentive father. I love how he wraps them in a warm towel.

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ

Repost ..
This baby emerged face first... ๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿผ

โ€œMy baby was presenting nose first, according to my husband at least.
So when he told me that, I gave it my ALL
and you will see in the video me going beast mode
and roaring him out.โ€ โค๏ธ -

Birth does not always follow the neat, expected path.
Bodies adapt.
Babies rotate, flex, extend, navigate.

For generations, women have birthed babies
in every position, presentation, and rhythm.

๐Ÿ’— Body responding
๐Ÿ’— Baby responding

Both working together toward emergence ๐ŸŒธ

With knowledge.
With calm.
With aligned support.
We hold the space for each unique birth to unfold ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿผ

Because support is everything here ๐Ÿซง

Someone who trusts the mother.
Who follows her cues,
and reflects the truth back to her
when intensity rises ๐Ÿ•Š๏ธ

This is where partners matter.
Birthkeepers matter.
Midwives. Doulas.
Those holding the space in alignment and trust.

Not as authority over her
but as guardians of the environment
where she remains the authority ๐Ÿ”ฅ

And when this happensโ€ฆ
we are reminded of something ancient:

๐Ÿ”ฅ Women are wholly capable ๐Ÿ”ฅ

We meet fire with fire.

We adapt.
We tap deeper into instinct.
We rise in strength.

Our lineages, moving through us.
Our bodies, designed for birth.
Our bone-deep knowing,
more potent than any external instruction.

Women, we are never fragile in birth;
we are not separate from it.

It does not happen to us, it IS us.

Our energy, our life force,
Our call to create Life,
in all its glorious variations and expressions ๐ŸŒ€

Birthkeeper

Mother:
Video via .homefront

25/04/2026

Oh, we feel this in our cells, don't we?

๐Ÿ˜

Repost ..
This moment is infinite... โ™พ๏ธโœจ

A baby given the space to birth themselves
in their own timing, in their own way.

Welcomed gently into waiting arms,
eyes blinking into soft light,
tiny hands reaching for their home ๐Ÿคฒ๐Ÿผ

Their motherโ€™s voice.
Her skin. Her smell.
The rhythm of her heartbeat
The only home theyโ€™ve ever known ๐Ÿซง

The microbiome of a family environment,
the softness of sound and dim light,
the absence of urgency,
the familiar language of home...

It all whispers the same message:
โ€œYou are safe hereโ€ โœจ

And this matters more than we can measure.

Because birth is not only an entranceโ€ฆ
It is an imprint.

A baby received gently
learns the world can be gentle ๐Ÿชถ

A baby welcomed in calm
meets life without alarm ๐ŸŒธ

A baby who finds their mother immediately
learns connection is constant ๐Ÿ’—

This moment is pivotal:
it lays a foundation that ripples forward.

Into how safety is felt.
How trust is built.
How relationship begins.

And something in the room knows
this moment will transcend time โœจ

Time slows.
Voices soften.
Presence deepens.

Birth commands reverence ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ

Itโ€™s why this moment feel so powerfulโ€ฆ
because it echos far beyond itself ๐ŸŒ€

Into motherhood.
Into childhood.
Into the bond that will carry them forward.

And yet, for many women,
this was not the reality.

Bright, busy, loud.
Separated, urgent.
Disconnected.

A moment that felt rushed, or taken.
Shaped by protocol rather than presence.

And that loss is real โค๏ธ

May these lived experiences
forever remind those of us working in birth
how pivotal this space is ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿผ

Why birth support matters.
Why aligned presence matters.
Why investing in how mothers are held in birth
ripples across lifetimes.

This is not just one moment.
It is the beginning of everything ๐Ÿฆ‹

MotherBabyDyad

Video:
OB: .jadkaue

24/04/2026

This is a first time mother, giving birth to her breech baby, at home, attended by midwives.

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ

Repost ..
Watch this incredible video from a family with a breech baby (baby coming bottom-first instead of head-first). This is the momโ€™s first pregnancy and she hasnโ€™t had any prior births.

All the movements during birth were led by the mom herself (no one pulling or directing the baby). The baby weighed 8 pounds 12 ounces.

Her water broke on its own 1 hour and 36 minutes before the birth. The babyโ€™s left foot had already come out 1 hour and 22 minutes before birth.

From the point where the babyโ€™s bottom was fully visible (โ€˜rumpingโ€™) to the actual birth took just 1 minute and 16 seconds.

The baby had the umbilical cord wrapped around the neck once.

The babyโ€™s heart rate was in the 130s about 2 minutes before the bottom became visible.

-Love,
Flor Cruz


๐‡๐ž๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ž ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฉ๐š๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ, ๐š๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฆ๐š๐ค๐ž ๐๐š๐๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐Œ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐›๐ฅ๐ž, ๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ข๐ซ ๐š๐œ๐œ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ž๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐ซ๐ž, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ž, & ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ข๐ซ ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐ญ!

20/04/2026

I have never seen a triplet birth - let alone a triplet homebirth!

The mother, Amber, worked so hard, & had a great team supporting her.

After the birth of the second baby, the midwife identified a placental abruption with baby #3. That's when the placenta breaks away from the uterine wall too soon. The midwife realized this because there was blood in the amniotic fluid, and the baby's heart tones dropped to 70. This means little baby #3 was not getting their proper oxygen via their placenta & their umbilical. This is an emergency. So, the skilled midwife had to do an extraction of the baby, which was NOT FUN at all for the mother, but she bore up bravely, and the baby was OK in the end. You can hear the midwife apologizing to Amber, the mother, because the midwife knew the extraction had hurt.

Absolutely incredible effort by all concerned.

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ’œ๐ŸŒฟ

Repost ..
TRIPLET HOMEBIRTH

The extended version of this birth that went viral is on my timeline from February 2024. People have been asking me about the birth video recently so I am reposting a short version. Amber's babies are 2 1/2 years old now.
History
G7 P6
38.2 weeks
Tri-tri triplets
Baby A vertex Baby B frank breech Baby C transverse
Apgars: 9-10 A 9-10 B 8-9 C
Weight: 5.4lb A 5.lb B 5.10lb C
It was Amber's wish that her mom, Susan, receive her babies.

triplets

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