Pregnancy herbs

Pregnancy Tea

• A favorite formula:

  • 4 part Peppermint and/or Spearmint

  • 3 parts Red Raspberry Leaf

  • 3 part Lemon Grass

  • 2 parts Nettle

  • 2 part Oatstraw

  • 2 part Strawberry leaf

  • 1 part Comfrey Leaf

• * Optional: a pinch of Stevia

Rich Belly Oil

• This is the richest, most emollient oil I know to use as a lubricant for the stretching belly.

  • 1/2 Cup Cocoa Butter

  • 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

  • 1/4 Cup Apricot or Almond Oil

  • 2 Teaspoons Lanolin

  • 2 Teaspoons grated beeswax

  • 10,000 I.U. of Vitamin E Oil 

• * Melt all ingredients together. You may wish to scent it with your favorite essential oil, but I love the rich “chocolaty” smell as is. Rub this rich oil over the belly and breasts two or three times daily.

Morning Sickness

Nausea is probably the most annoying thing to happen, particularly in the first trimester. Caused by a combination of sudden changes in hormones and dietary needs, women sometimes have to navigate this well past the first three months. Sometimes can be due to a lack of B Vitamins. Floradix (by Bio-Force) is an easy buy, and just having small frequent meals, avoiding being overstuffed, which can make it worse. Heartburn is also much more active, so careful of those spices!

• Tea for Morning Sickness

  • 2 parts Peppermint Leaf

  • 1 part Red Raspberry Leaf

  • 1 part Peach Leaf

  • 1/4 part Ginger Root (grated)

• To help remove that “yucky” taste left in the mouth after vomiting:

  • 3 parts Peppermint (helps settle the stomach and is refreshing tasting)

  • 1/4 part Ginger Root (helps carry warmth to the stomach region, is used for cramps and also has a refreshing flavor.)

  • 1/2 part Licorice Root (is sweet and grounding) 

  • A couple of cloves to taste

Fatigue

Many expectant mothers get a sudden and overwhelming need to go into hibernation around that second month. While your body does need more rest now, there are things one can do to lessen exhaustion.

• Often the weary feelings start with poor eating habits. You and your growing baby have a tremendous need for nourishment. If there is ever a time to eat your “best”, this is the time.

• Drink a daily tea especially blended for pregnancy, full of vitamins and minerals. 

  • Comfrey stimulates cell growth. 

  • Alfalfa is loaded with vitamins, digestive enzymes, and minerals. 

  • Nettle is so high in precious iron, calcium, protein and so many nutrients. 

  • Red Raspberry Leaf is the all time favorite herb for pregnant women. First mentioned in Pliny’s Herbal of the 1500’s, it soothes nausea, prevents miscarriage, ease labor pains, tones the uterus, and builds up a healthy milk supply. Some women say to wait to really drink this until second trimester, then right before labor make a super strong blend.

• What to do for Fatigue

  • Spirulina, 1-2 Tbs daily

  • Pregnancy Tonic Teas daily

  • Bee Pollen, 1-2 tsp daily.

  • Wild greens and fresh garden vegetables

  • Seaweeds daily in soups, salads, or snacks

  • Iron Tonic can be made by mixing equal parts: 

    • Yellow Dock root

    • Nettle leaf

    • Raspberry leaf

      • Brew this extra strong by infusing 2 Tbs of the mix per cup of water and allowing it to steep for at least 2 hours or overnight. Take by the tablespoon dosage every hour or two throughout the day.

  • Take the time to rest and relax. Sometimes your psyche needs to prepare for this giant switch in reality.

Water Retention

• get water moving by DRINKING MORE WATER. stay hydrated. Drink 1-2 liters a day. Get a big water bottle and drink one in the morning, and another by the end of the day, before 6pm (so you dont wake up to pee in middle of the night). More water helps your kidneys function better.

Ways to make kidneys work more efficiently, and help with water retention:

• Mild diuretics, safe for PG: Dandelion greens, Chickweed, Cleavers, and Nettles

  • Dandelion alone often brings water into balance

• Steamed Burdock roots/tea.

  • Burdock and Dandelion blend well together

• Limit salt and eliminate snacks like chips, crackers, nuts, salted popcorn, etc.

• Tea to tonify the kidneys and eliminate excess water:

  • 2 parts Chickweed

  • 2 part Dandelion Root

  • 2 parts Burdock Root

  • 1 part Marshmallow Root

  • 1 part Cleavers

  • 1 parts Dandelion Leaf

Constipation

All the new prenatal vitamins can actually clog you up. Its important to avoid synthetic laxatives, since they are harsh on even the toughest tummies, and quite exhausting to the system.

The first step is to make changes in the diet. Remove starch and refined foods and bring in lots of fiber.

• Eat salads 2-3x a day

• Fresh and dried fruits (apricots, prunes, grapes especially)

• Exercise daily (get that blood flowing!)

• Herbs to add to the diet on a daily basis for constipation include: 

  • Carob, Slippery Elm, Flax Seed, Psyllium Seeds, Licorice Root, Aloe Vera. 

• Mild Laxative Juice Drink

  • 1 cup Pineapple Juice

  • 1/2 cup Grape Juice

  • 1/4 cup Ale Vera gel

    • * Blend in blender and drink throughout the day

• Mild Laxative Blender Drink

  • 2 cups Pineapple Juice

  • 1/2 cup Yogurt

  • 1/2 Banana

  • 1/4 cup Aloe Vera Jel

  • 1 tbs Slippery Elm powder

  • 1 tbs Psyllium Seed husks

• Liver Cleanse Tea for Constipation

  • 3 parts Dandelion root

  • 2 parts Burdock root

  • 2 parts Slippery Elm bark

  • 1 part Yellow Dock root

  • 1 part Flax seed

  • 1 part Licorice root

  • 1/8 part Turkey Rhubarb root

    • *Decoct this mixture into a very thick, almost syrup like consistency, tea and take 2 tablespoons every hour.

• Laxative Tea Blend For When Nothing Else Works

  • 4 part Fennel Seed

  • 2 parts Licorice Root

  • 1 part Slippery Elm

  • 1 part Flax Seed

  • 1/8 Cinnamon Bark

  • 1/8 part Senna Leaf (increase Senna if the mixture isn’t strong enough for you)

    • * Infuse and drink one to two cups in the morning and one to two cups in the evening.

Varicose Veins

• In the last months of pregnancy, your blood can be working at 1.5x its normal capacity, and the fragile capillaries can start to break. The legs especially have to make up for added weight and blood flow. Spend some time every day with the legs slightly elevated. While sleeping, elevate the legs with pillows.

  • Eat foods high in bio-flavanoids such as buckwheat, nettles, rose hips, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, peppers, whole grains, hibiscus flowers and the white rinds of all citrus (organic).

  • Prepare this liniment. Two to three times daily, rub the liniment up the legs towards the heart. Use a soft cotton cloth. This is invigorating and healing for the injured veins. Always rub toward the heart.

    • 1 part Yarrow

    • 1 part Shepherd’s Purse

    • 1 part Nettle

• * Cover the herbs with warmed vinegar and let sit for two to three weeks. Strain and rebottle.

• It may be necessary to wear support hose and ace bandages to lend support to the veins

The Final Countdown

The last few weeks before your due date is a good time to prepare your body for the actual birthing process. Have in stock those herbs you will need both in delivery and immediately after birth.

• Recommend herbs

  • Comfrey to heal any tears, to strengthen muscles and tissue, & nutrients to rebuild the body.

  • Raspberry Leaf to enrich milk flow, build energy, restore muscle tone, and overall strengthener.

  • Chamomile used for calming and relaxing.

  • Fenugreek to enrich and increase the flow of milk

  • Nettle to enrich the flow of milk and restore energy and vitality.

  • Sage to decrease the flow of milk (may be necessary if infection or complications arise).

• Prolonged labor tea

  • 3 parts Pennyroyal

  • 1 part Blue Cohash

  • 1 part Black Cohash

    • The taste is very unpleasant, so you may wish to add a drop or two of peppermint oil or stevia to it. As a tincture: ½ tsp. diluted in ¼ cup of warm water every ½ hour or as often as needed.

• Hemorrhage

  • Shepherd’s Purse and/or yarrow to stop bleeding that might occur at childbirth.

    • drink at least ¼ cup every half hour. A tincture of these herbs would be most useful at this time. If in tincture form, take ½ teaspoon diluted in warm water every half hour.

• Stabilize Blood Pressure

  • Black Cohash, Linden Flowers, Hawthorne Berries, and Shepherd’s Purse will help stabilize blood pressure during labor. 

  • Low blood pressure is often due to dehydration and/or low blood sugar as well as loss of blood. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids during labor.

• Healing Tears and Stitches

  • Comfrey sitz baths 4 x a day for at least 5 days will rapidly help to heal any tears to the perineum. 

  • Drink 4 cups of comfrey/nettle tea a day for a week or two. 

  • Squirt comfrey tea over the tears when you urinate to avoid the sting. 

  • A good comfrey salve is helpful too; though don’t apply it to stitches for the first day or two as the stitches need time to dry.

• Milk Production

• To increase, drink 3+ cups daily: 

  • 3  part Fennel

  • 2 part Blessed Thistle

  • 1 part Fenugreek

• To decrease or stop the flow of milk, drink

  • Sage and/or Parsley tea, 3 to 4 cups daily. These herbs are especially useful when weaning your child. Avoid Sage and Parsley if you do not wish to decrease your milk flow.

Special Massage Oil

• Made of fresh grated Ginger with Valerian and Chamomile, rubbed over the back and stomach muscles. Make the oil ahead of time.