Herbs for pregnancy.
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.herbs
Subject: Re: Herbs for pregnancy?
From: rharvey.charlie.usd.edu (Renee)
Date: 10 Jun 1995 15:51:56 GMT
>I was wondering if there are any herbal remedies that are helpful when dealing with pregnancy symptoms/complications? Thanks in advance!
Traditional Medicinals makes a Pregnancy Tea which I have found works well for morning sickness and fatigue. The ingredients from the box label are: spearmint leaf, raspberry leaf, lemon grass leaf, strawberry leaf, fennel seed, nettle leaf, rosehips, alfalfa, and lemon verbena. According to Susun Weed, raspberry leaf helps prevent miscarriage and hemorrhage, eases morning sickness, reduces pain during labor and after birth, and assists in production of breast milk, among other things. From my own experience, I know that spearmint helps settle the stomach.
Chamomile tea is also helpful for nausea, but I find it difficult to drink in the morning because it tastes so sweet. For a while, though, I felt sick most of the day, so for lunch I had my usual toast and peanut butter (I had that 3 meals a day, every day, for about two months!) and a cup of chamomile tea, and it seemed to help.
From: ravendncr.aol.com (RAVENDNCR)
from one who was once hospitalized because of morning sickness: The second pregnancy I read that Vit. B6 would reduce the symptoms, however, at that time (17 years ago) B6 was only available in capsule form with B12. I took three capsules a day for three months. IT WORKED! and I have a very normal child.
bye the bye, red raspberry tea is good for post delivery as it hastens the healing process, but you must drink it every day before and after. best of luck.
From: mojocool.bga.com (Mike)
>I was wondering if there are any herbal remedies that are helpful when dealing with pregnancy symptoms/complications? Thanks in advance!
There are several beneficial herbs for pregnacy, which tone the uterus, and help to regulate hormones.
Probably the most common and important one is Rasberry Leaf, which can be taken safely (as a tea) throughout the entire pregnancy.
Nettles is also a useful tonic for the reproductive system and kidneys, and is also safe through term. It is also reputed to enhance fertility in men.
Another useful herb is Red Clover, which tastes great when mixed w/ peppermint. It can be taken for several months, and it helps the body regulate hormones by providing nutrients.
Avoid the following herbs during pregnancy:
goldenseal
sage
rosemary
thyme
parsley
tarragon.
For symptoms of morning sickness try the following:
peppermint
grated ginger root
fennel seed
anise seed
These are a few suggestions. A GOOD reference is the "Wise Woman Herbal For the Childbearing Year" by Susun S. Weed.
From: aj982.FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Kerry Eady)
> Indeed, herbalists usually encourage vastly better LIFESTYLE, herbals aside, for the mother than M.D.'s. This is also a great assistance to the fetus.
Agreed,
In my tradition most "herbs" suggested during pregnancy are *foods*, that were we more in touch with our own nutritional needs we'd eat anyhow.
Red Clover, Raspberry Leaf tea, Nettles, Parsley, Watercress, Dandelion, Nuts, Peppermint Teas, Fennel, Garlic, Onions, Leafy Vegetables, Beets, Oats, Whole Grains, Lamb's Quarters, Eggs, Yellow Dock leaves, lots of liguids, Yogurt, Papaya, Lean meats, Legumes, Gobo, unsweetened cranberry Juice, Cucumbers, Orange Juice, and Bananas are all foods that should should be included in a pregnant woman's diet and should be replacing highly cured meats, white flour products, and sugar in her diet.
Anyone would benefit from a diet that replaced those bad foods though.
Herbal doomsayers seem to think that using any of the above listed foods with *intent* is akin to damaging an unborn fetus. That road stand hotdog she eats at lunch every day is doing more damage than a tasty cup of raspberry leaf tea with breakfast ever could.
The only problem with herbals that I see is when a woman who is used to getting a cure all pill from an allopathic source expects the same from herbal sources. Then, instead of using daily gentle dietary and lifestyle changes to reduce morning sickness, anemia, constipation, hypertension, bladder infections, fatigue, leg cramps, etc (all problems associated with pregnancy) she reaches for the strongest acting most dangerous plants out there - and she does it without consultation with a herbalist because she thinks all plants are safe.
I could go on about this, but I'm going to the park to gather nettle tops for soup. the dew is well dried and i already got to sleep in this morning.
From: aj982.FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Kerry Eady)
Red Raspberry Leaf does not strengthen contractions. Both my midwife and my M.D. suggest the use of raspberry leaf *throughout* pregnancy.
Fragrine tones the uterus without causing contractions that would be in any way dangerous to an early term fetus.
It is prescribed for morning sickness, traditionally a 1st trimester problem.
I drank Red Raspberry Leaf *tea* every day during my pregnancy. During the last trimester I drank a cup of nettle infusion daily as well. I had no spotting, no problems during pregnancy, a 5 hour from start to finish full term labor, half an hour of pushing and minimal blood loss during the birth.
I still drink red raspberry leaf tea daily - it helps with menstrual cramps, profuse bleeding, and assists in milk production as well.
From: jtreasure.jonno.demon.co.uk (Jonathan Treasure)
Regarding Rubus - from a western herbal point of view it is more of a trophorestorative specific for the uterus (ie it is a food for the uterus not a drug) than a tonic in the TCM sense of stimulant. (If such a distinction is valid Paul?) It is regularly used in ALL three trimesters, and a principal benefit is to increase myometrial CONTRACTILITY as opposed to stimulating contractions. In other words, contractions will become more efficaceous at the appropriate timeand hence the second stage labour can become *easier*. Incidentally Rubus has no effect on the Os, so it has no impact on dilation...
The use of Rubus as a primapara in all trimesters is widespread. Mitchella, another uterine tonic, is more specifically a third trimester, or even late third trimester herbal. I recommend adding Mitchella in increasing quantities to a primapara mix as due date approaches, with addition of 50/50 Blue and Black Cohoshes at term.
As for Jay of Newzealand - sure one doesn't "interfere chemically" with pregnancy, and that is axiomatic for herbalists, much more so than conventional medics, but nutritive support or symptom relief are no way
> semi-random mixtures of chemicals, "natural" or not.
That phrasing is typical of the pharmaco-reductionist school of a.f.h. scaremongering. (yawn)
