electrolytes.<<<
That is the word that I could not remember, and the reason for the honey and salt.
It is truly the real reason that women have so many problems giving birth, in my opinion, I do know that it worked with my goats.
I too fed them extra, but not milk making foods, until after the birth is over.
A local Indian man, told me that his family always fed them the mistletoe that grows on the trees in the desert, not a lot, maybe a pint to a quart of it, they will leave what they do not want.
It is a good laxative for them.
Your Midwife, sounds like she liked what she did and I am so glad you had her with you.
It is true, our bodies will tell us what it needs.
I have noticed that I want raisins in the early spring and when it is real hot in the summer, I want citrus.
Two things that are not really favorites.
I learned a lot from that lady. She was a great blessing in many ways. She was from south Mississippi and just as comfortable to be around as anyone I've ever met. I enjoyed doing the apprentice midwifery but learned many things unrelated to birthing babies.
And there were things that I thought I knew in some distant way about natural nutrition which this lady confirmed time and again. Good old fashioned common sense. And like you said with the salts. She knew enough to not cut the salt from a new mom. She realized that with all that fluid loss and hard labor the body needed salt and sugar.
I can always tell when I'm out of whack I start wanting things I'm not normally fond of. Strawberries are one thing. I don't care for them, but about once a year I gotta have some. I know I'm out of balance then.
Raisins have a lot of potassium and so does citrus. I think raisins also have a lot of iron. The potassium makes sense if you are extra hot, you are probably losing it through perspiration. Not sure about the raisins.