An overview of common herbal medicines used during pregnancy. Herb use in pregnancy has a long standing reputation. Traditional Chinese medicine has many herbal medicines to help the mother and child reach a strong, healthy birth. Native American women have long relied on indigenous plants to achieve easier childbirth and healthier babies.
Talk to any herbalist or midwife and the first question they will ask you if you are pregnant is, are you drinking red raspberry tea yet ? Red raspberry leaves provide not only a tonic for your uterine system, but are also high in vitamin and mineral content. They have a rich concentration of Vitamin C and contain Vitamin E, A, B complex, iron and calcium. Vitamins your pregnant body needs most. Many herbalists claim that red raspberry leaf can help prevent miscarriage, ease morning sickness and because of the toning benefits, ease labor.
Nettles are also recommended because of their high vitamin and mineral count. Some herbalists claim that nettles contain at least trace amounts of every needed dietary supplement. Nettles are said to help ease leg cramps in late pregnancy, diminish pain during labor and reduce hemorrhoids.
During the last few weeks of pregnancy, a tea of squaw vine leaves combined with red raspberry leaves is recommended twice daily. This is believed to help strengthen the uterus in order to assure a full term delivery.
Many midwives use cohosh roots, both black and blue varieties in combination, during the last few weeks of pregnancy. This is said to help shorten labor and reduce pain.
Herbs for morning sickness include peppermint, red raspberry leaf, ginger, wild yam root and fennel seeds. All can be made into a tea when feeling queasy.
Fennel seed tea is also recommended for heartburn. Other remedies for heartburn include papaya, either juice or the actual fruit, yogurt and almonds.
To help keep mood swings at bay, motherwort and skullcap are the two herbs recommended most by midwives and herbalists. These are generally taken as a tincture drops mixed with water or tea.
Red raspberry leaf, nettles, garlic and cucumbers can help keep high blood pressure from becoming a problem during pregnancy. Gestational hypertension may indicate pre-eclampsia, which is a severe threat to both mother and child. Prevention is key to keeping this condition from developing in the pregnant mother.
Almost all herbalists agree that there are foods and herbs that a pregnant mother should avoid. These include hot and spicy foods, caffeine drinks, nicotine and recreational drugs. Two specific herbs to avoid are false unicorn and dong quai, as it is believed these can cause contractions, leading to premature birth or miscarriage.
While calcium is a mineral and not an herb, it is necessary for a successful pregnancy. The best food sources of calcium are dairy products and fish. Many leafy vegetables are also high in calcium including parsley, watercress and beet and turnip greens. Nettles and red raspberry leaves also contain calcium in its most absorbable form.
In order to have a healthy pregnancy, it is important to have good prenatal care. Choose your doctor or midwife carefully and follow their recommendations.
If you are interested in learning more about using herbs before, during and after pregnancy, there are many books and websites devoted to the subject. Before taking any herb during pregnancy, be sure to talk with your primary caregiver.
By Kat Yares
