Marrow-bone birthing broth?

[MammaG]

I'm 38 weeks tomorrow and making some birthing broth today. I've been following some of the marrow-bone threads here and there was a birthing-broth on the homebirth forum a while back, but I have a few questions:

First, there was a super link to an article about the nutritional benefits of marrow bone broth and now I can't find it again. Anyone know what that is?

Second, I want to add in some spices to up the tasty factor AND the nutritional factor. I got some cracked fenugreek which I'd like to add. I've never tried to cook with fenugreek (but it's one of my favourite seasonings at Indian resturants). I figure it'll encourage my milk to come in. Any tips on amounts? Other spices that might be good and good for me?

As I uderstand it, roasting the bones first is in order. I got some marrow bones, some feet, some neck bones and some 'soup bones' (all beef). Sound right? I plan to brown at 400 degrees and then deglaze that pan and add it to the stock.

Any recipes that you'd like to share?

I can't wait to have a freezer-full of tasty, nourishing broth!
Thank-you,
Gwen

[Hedgehog Mtn]

I'm watching with interest and subbing.

I will have deer bones tomorrow and want to put them to the best use....it would help if I know ahead of time what I should save and use.

Sara

[Junegoddess]

I wish I had seen that birthing broth reference... I'm 32 weeks and already in crazy nesting panic mode... MUST FILL FREEZER!

I'm praying for a healthfully-not-too-early-but-earlier-than-previous-babies birth. Only way I can avoid a c-section without making my extremely nervous and worried family hate me. Soooooo... I want to be ready early, in case I get my wish.

Birthing broth sounds marvelous. I've never made real beef broth before, because for some strange reason neither dh nor I can stand the smell. But I've made "cheater's broth" in the crockpot any time I make a roast (toss the bones back in the juicy stuff and let it continue cooking overnight. It gels, so I figure it's broth-ish.)

Me and fenugreek don't get along, but I wonder what else I could put in that would encourage milk...

[MammaG]

Still pregnant, still haven't made the broth. Midwives spent most of the day here yesterday only to have things stop in the evening....grrrrr! Mum's coming today and we'll get that broth made first thing!

JuneGoddess, I wonder what Blessed Thistle tastes like? And you could always do some sort of stew instead of broth with oatmeal? Or add in steel-cuts and strain them out....it would add nutrients and thicken the broth maybe? Stew with Guinness would be great, too, but no longer broth.

I guess we'll find out today if we like the smell of beef broth cooking....I'd never thought of that, although Mum wondered about roasting a chicken last night just in case the smell got to me.

[pampered_mom]

Originally Posted by MammaG

I guess we'll find out today if we like the smell of beef broth cooking....I'd never thought of that, although Mum wondered about roasting a chicken last night just in case the smell got to me.

I struggle with the smells of bone broth cooking when I'm not pregnant...it's worse now that I am. I don't mind the smell of a roasting chicken, though. I vote for cooking the broth in a crockpot and putting it outside (on the porch, in the garage, etc).

Junegoddess - I didn't do this w/ds, but I did after dd was born and plan on doing it again after this one make it's appearance. I typically have a really nice dark beer after birth. Does that sound terrible? Mine are homebirths, though, so that makes it a bit easier. We usually shoot for that long window when baby falls asleep after birth. I don't drink beer (or alcohol for that matter) all that often when not pregnant, but towards the end of pregnancy always find myself wishing I could for some reason.

Of course the main reason it does this is the hops content. Microbrews, dark beers, etc...anything with a high hops content. You could also try hops infusions - it's a nervine and very good to help you relax, but it's not that tasty.

As for the broth...I've really gotten a hankering for it lately and have been pondering going to the co-op to get some bones. I'll be 39 weeks on Saturday and am fully expecting to go a bit over my EDD. I'm trying to decide whether I should go with that and get them during the monthly sale at the co-op...and risk not having it at all.

OP what you described in your first post is pretty much what I would suggest. Perhaps considering adding in some herbs/veggies for flavor.

[Hedgehog Mtn]

The smell is totally grossing me out. I have the Venison bones on right now and it's been turning my stomach all day.

I have the same problem with beef and sometimes chicken when I'm doing just broth but it seems to taste fine to me when I have the end product. I guess I'm just worried that the venison will somehow taste gross to me.

[MammaG]

Well, I made the broth over the last two days. I did have a goodie bag in the freezer that I'd been saving of beet-greens, carrot-greens, etc that I always save for stock anyway, so I tossed that in.

The smell didn't bother me at all....I love the house smelling like cooking! After I added in the fenugreek, it smelled like maple syrup and an Indian resturant....both yummy smells to me.

Anyway, it's in the fridge right now, waiting to have the fat skimmed and then be parceled into small containers for freezing....there's tons of it!

PamperedMom, I always have Guinness on hand at the end of pregnancy and for pp. My mother's English but had me in the States and she was APPALLED that she wasn't offered Guinness in the hospital. Actually, my first drink PP (when I homebirth!) is a glass or two of 'our' champagne....the one we had on our first date and at our wedding. Midwife rightly says that it's a huge help when it's time to add a stitch or two. My MW also agrees with Ina May about some alcohol in the third trimester being a great tool to combat bothersome BH. I usually have a glass of wine with dinner, which calms me for bedtime and makes sure that at least the first few hours of sleep are great sleep. (BTW, I'm, 39 weeks on Sunday, but both my previous ones were about a week early, so I think I'm going sometime in the next week.....I'd love to hear how it goes for you!)

Sara, hope you managed to get the broth done without further discomfort. I'm very jealous of your venison! I get so frustrated with the limited meat choices here in the US (a few years ago, I found 'cut up goat' at the supermarket and bought every package they had and made Indian and African stews...it was so nice to have some variety!). I miss yummy game meats. I guess we need to meet ourselves some generous-hearted hunters!

I'm sort of wondering now (having really liked the sweet-ish smell of the fenugreek) if there's anything else I can do with it, like maybe muffins? I'll certainly use it in Indian recipes, but I like to try new things.

[pampered_mom]

Originally Posted by MammaG

PamperedMom, I always have Guinness on hand at the end of pregnancy and for pp. My mother's English but had me in the States and she was APPALLED that she wasn't offered Guinness in the hospital. Actually, my first drink PP (when I homebirth!) is a glass or two of 'our' champagne....the one we had on our first date and at our wedding. Midwife rightly says that it's a huge help when it's time to add a stitch or two. My MW also agrees with Ina May about some alcohol in the third trimester being a great tool to combat bothersome BH. I usually have a glass of wine with dinner, which calms me for bedtime and makes sure that at least the first few hours of sleep are great sleep. (BTW, I'm, 39 weeks on Sunday, but both my previous ones were about a week early, so I think I'm going sometime in the next week.....I'd love to hear how it goes for you!)

See...now I don't feel so weird! I'd love to go early, but my only vaginal birth (d/s was a unnecessary c/s w/out labor) I had a better idea on dates and dd was a few days late. I'm incredibly uncomfortable at this point with the sciatica and lower back pain. I've let the baby know we're ready anytime he/she is.

As for the fenugreek....I wondered about that as well. So far the only recipes I've come across have been for curries and such.