Anyone used a Herbal Sleep Aid - Valerian?

[sleepless in tas]

I just went to a local naturopath shop and they gave me a mix of Valerian, Californian Poppy & Licorice to give to DD to try and help her sleep.

I've done my googling on Valerian and I was just wondering if anyone had used something like this before?

[Nelle]

When I was pregnant I used a Brauer's Insomniac relief spray for myself, it's a homeopathic thing.
I was skeptical, but asleep within 30 min each time I used it.

[angelaartsstudent]

Valerian works but smells like dog poo and tastes as I imagine dog poo would.

[sleepless in tas]

Yes it does stink a bit! Im a bit nervous about giving it to DD but it's only a very small dose and it's all natural so it should be ok!

[christy]

I was hesitant in using it for my kids. Californian poppy is an opiate derivative, and valarean is a sedative... so I'd be a bit scared, I supposed in tiny doses it could work. I mean they sell St Johns Wort to humans and its got nasty side effects when used in higher doses (like brain damage).

I've used the Brauer's Calm for night times & sprayed the room with lavender spray before bed.

[sleepless in tas]

I was hesitant in using it for my kids. Californian poppy is an opiate derivative, and valarean is a sedative... so I'd be a bit scared, I supposed in tiny doses it could work. I mean they sell St Johns Wort to humans and its got nasty side effects when used in higher doses (like brain damage).

I've used the Brauer's Calm for night times & sprayed the room with lavender spray before bed.

Yep I've tried Brauer's Calm and it had zero affect on her!

Here's a quick run down of her sleeping probs... https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...leep-help.html

So I'm willing to try pretty much anything! It says on the label 2.5-3ml so maybe I'll try 1ml and see how that goes!

[Nelle]

I wonder if - using the sleep aid will help sort out some good sleeping patterns for her, and then you can stop using it.

[christy]

It never worked for us either I tried chinese herbs as well for Matilda... she's 4 1/2 and we've given up...

[sleepless in tas]

It never worked for us either I tried chinese herbs as well for Matilda... she's 4 1/2 and we've given up...

oh NOOOOoooooooooooo..................

[Nelle]

Hang in there Natty!

[christy]

Sorry I didn't mean to discourage you, what I mean is that we've tried so many different things, including medicating her in order to get her to sleep properly. In the end we gave up and let go... in time she does go to sleep. Generally around 8-9pm and will wake once in the night & come into bed with us. We decided to just go with it as it means we can stay in bed now and we get more sleep than we did fighting her and trying to get her back to sleep in her bed.

So we do get more sleep than we did before, but she doesn't go to bed early, and she doesn't sleep through. I think finding what works for you, don't worry about bad habits. Just worry about everyone getting the sleep they need.

sorry! I didn't mean to discourage you.

[hocus pocus]

My partner uses valerian in a tablet form. Swears by it...but not sure how much of it is a placebo effect.

We do however use it on horses as a form of calming them. Its so successful that it is actually a swabable drug and it considered to give an unfair advantage when competing.
Works for horses:-)

I think small doses should be safe for a child. From my very basic knowledge of it, i think it is more of a relaxant so it will assist your daughter to relax, and then hopefully settle herself to sleep.

Good luck with it.

[Lilly-Pilly]

I tired it once, the tablet form. I've never been a good sleeper, figured a natural over the counter remedy couldn't hurt.... Was i wrong!
I took one before bed, and that night woke up in the night having a massive panic attatck. I'd never ever had one before. I coudn't breathe, heart was beating so hard and fast, coudn't evenb wake my partner to tell him cause i was trying to breathe! After a while it settled down, but it was so horrible at the time. In the morning i told my partner about it.
The only thing i couldn put it down to was the tablet. SO a week later i took another one just to see and the same thing happened that night, except this time it was easier to deal with cause i knew what was causing it!
Never took that stuff again!

[sleepless in tas]

Well I gave it a go last night and it did take a while for her to drop off but she only woke once in the night and I just tucked her back in and that was it! Must say I felt a million dollars when I woke up this morning too! Will try again tonight (last night we had a bit going on too) and see how it goes!