BLACK HAW thought to help prevent miscarriage because it calms the uterine
muscles
BLESSED THISTLE for increasing the flow of milk when nursing and helps
nourish the liver.
BURDOCK ROOT as a general tonic for the body, for its high mineral and
vitamin content, for its mild diuretic abilities.
CHAMOMILE FLOWERS for calming the nervous system...drink as a tea or put it
in your bath water. (caution...some people are allergic).
DANDELION ROOT for its nourishing and tonic abilities to the entire body and
the liver blood-cleansing system in general.
GINGER ROOT (in small amounts...wise to check with your health care
practitioner) for reducing nausea at any
time, and of course, during
pregnancy. Also
helps to avoid sore throats and colds. Use in tea or in candied form. (Some
doctors feel it is too stimulating for
the system during pregnancy, although
I've
known many pregnant women who have happily used it throughout their
pregnancy.)
LEMON BALM leaves for calming the nervous system and promoting serenity.
NETTLE leaves for its ability to promote better energy and reduce fatigue
because of its high nourishing mineral and vitamin content...especially
iron...and its ability to reduce seasonal
allergy symptoms and function as a
mild
diuretic. Herb of Choice for before, during, and after pregnancy. Tones and
nourishes the uterine muscles, improves
the flow and quality of milk for
nursing,
promotes general well-being and tastes delicious.
OATSTRAW stalk or unripe fruit for its ability to nourish the body and relax
the nervous system.
STRAWBERRY leaves similar in ability to Raspberry. Also said to help prevent
miscarriage.
GENERAL PREGNANCY TEA
for relaxation and nourishment
and great for nursing mothers as well.
Mix together the following dried herbs:
3 teaspoons red raspberry leaf
2 teaspoons nettle
3 teaspoons lemon balm or lemon verbena
2 teaspoons oat straw
1 teaspoon passion flower
3 teaspoons spearmint
And store in a tightly-sealing jar in a cool dark place.
To make the tea, steep one teaspoon of the above mix in 1 cup of boiled
water, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes (longer
is stronger) and strain. You
can add a
dash of ginger or cinnamon and a little honey for flavoring. To make in
quantity or to use as iced tea, prepare
a quart at a time, using 4 teaspoons
herbs
to 4 cups of water, and store, covered,
in the refrigerator, for up to 3
days.
FOR WATER RETENTION
Many women seem to hold water during pregnancy. When it is severe, and there
is a possibility of Toxemia, it must be treated by a professional health
care
provider. But for normal water retention,
some women find with herbs.
Prepare
a mix of equal parts of dried Dandelion Leaves (which help eliminate water
from the body while maintaining a healthy
Potassium level!) and Corn silk,
which
soothes and nourishes the inner tissues, because it is a Demulcent. If you
choose, you can also add a half part of Couch grass, which helps prevent the
formation of kidney or bladder stones. Store the mix in an well-sealed
container in
a cool, dark place. To make the tea, add
1 teaspoon of the dried herb mix to
1
cup of boiled water, cover and steep for 10 minutes and strain.
BELLY/BREAST SALVE
As a special treat to yourself, make a salve especially rich in oils that
will soothe your skin as it expands to
accommodate your new life. The skin
is the
largest organ we have, and it happily responds to the gentle caress of these
soothing, nurturing salves, and makes you feel cherished and cared-for. A
salve
that contains such oils as Cocoa butter,
Coconut Oil, Apricot Kernel or
Sweet
Almond Oil, Vitamin E, Lanolin, and or Beeswax...as well as the
tissue-soothing and regenerating herbs
Comfrey and Calendula, is just
wonderful. You
might want to add a few drops of one of
the Essential Oils listed below, to
get the
benefit of Aromatherapy as well.
AFTER DELIVERY!
NURSING
Choosing whether or not to nurse is a very personal decision, because it is
something only the mother can do. There
are many many rewards for nursing,
in
terms of mother/child bonding, reduction of allergic reactions to formula,
quality time and relaxation time shared
by mother and baby, etc. But there
may
also be very valid reasons why a new mother
chooses not to nurse, and most
babies
who are formula-fed or weaned at a very early age can certainly thrive as
well as those who nursed, as long as they get their fair share of being held
while being fed...of being caressed and cooed to...of being loved. The
choice
should be made solely between the mother, the spouse, and the health care
practitioner.
While nursing, it is important for the mother to nourish both her body and
her emotions. Herbs that are good for maintaining emotional balance and
restoring energy and vitality during pregnancy
and after childbirth include:
raspberry
leaf, alfalfa, dandelion greens, nettle, oat straw, chamomile, lemon balm,
hibiscus flowers, lavender flowers, red
clover, rose petals, passion flower,
and
catnip. Although I do not know of any specific
concern with these herbs
during
nursing, remember that anybody can be allergic
to anything, and that the
milk
the baby gets from you contains what you
ingested, so try a very small
amount
first.
HERBS TO AVOID DURING PREGNANCY
As with all good things, there are a few
herbs you absolutely should not
take
during pregnancy, or while trying to become pregnant, or while nursing...or
that would be appropriate to take only during certain stages of pregnancy,
under the supervision of an herb-wise health
practitioner. That is because
some
herbs might encourage uterine contractions
or the flow of blood when it is
not
wanted, or might contain some ingredient
that could be unhealthy for the
baby
either while it is in utero or while it
is getting your milk, or because
they
increase the flow of liquid, and you are trying to reduce your milk.
HERBS THAT SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN DURING PREGNANCY, EXCEPT WITH THE SUPERVISION
OF A THOROUGLY TRAINED HERBAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER INCLUDE:
Angelica
Arbor vitae
Barberry
Basil Oil
Black cohosh
Blue Cohosh
Chamomile Oil Cottonroot bark
Doug quai
Feverfew
Goldenseal
Greater Celandine
Juniper
Motherwort Pennyroyal oil
Pokeroot
Rue
Shepherd's Purse
Southernwood
Tansy
Yarrow
AVOIDING LARGE/MEDICINAL-STRENGTH DOSES OF:
Bitter orange
Cayenne
Elder bark
Fenugreek
Ginseng Lavender
Marjoram
Nutmeg
Parsley root
Sage
Senna
Thyme
Vervain
Wild yam
Wood Betony
Herbs that are Galactogues, that is they have the ability to increase the
flow of milk when nursing ... and that are considered safe to take during
nursing, include Goat's Rue, Milk Thistle, Nettles, Vervain, and Cleavers.
~source unknown~