Herb Pregnancy

- Your Guide To Morning Sickness Relief Naturally

Herb pregnancy seeks to explain which herbs are safe to use throughout your pregnancy, which to avoid and which ones will help alleviate morning sickness.

The best herb to take during pregnancy is raspberry leaf. This herb pregnancy is very nourishing and supportive of the uterus. It also helps morning sickness - 1 cup a day of tea for every trimester. A dried herb infusion is made with 4 - 8 g of raspberry leaf.

Other herbs, like nettle (if there is an iron deficiency), can be added for their nutritional content.

Herb Pregnancy - Morning Sickness

There are a number of cofactors in morning sickness - hormonal changes, low blood sugar levels, possibly low blood pressure - that come together to produce a potentially stressful experience.

Ginger is an excellent anti-nausea herb. Other supplements suitable for morning sickness include vitamin k, vitamin b6, and evening primrose.

Other herbs useful for morning sickness include irish moss, hops and peppermint.

Herb Pregnancy - Herbs To Avoid

The reason these herbs should be avoided is that they stimulate uterine contractions, which can result in miscarriage.

These herbs include autumn crocus, barberry, golden seal, juniper, male fern, mandrake, pennyroyal, poke root, rue, sage, southernwood, tansy, thuja, and wormwood.

Herb Pregnancy - Labour

Raspberry leaf tea has traditionally been drunk during the last three months of pregnancy to prepare for delivery.

Herb pregnancy herbs traditionally used to help labor include Blue Cohosh, Squaw Vine, and Black Cohosh.

Blue cohosh is generally not advised to be taken before labor starts, even though it is considered to have an antispasmodic effect, particularly on women's reproductive system. Blue cohosh has been taken during labor itself, and helps ease the pain during the later stages of labor. It also eases the pain immediately afterwards, including the passing of the placenta (Simon Mills).

Squaw Vine is given late in pregnancy, in the 9th month, to help labor and delivery.

Black Cohosh is used to induce labor, but not during labor. It is not to be used during breastfeeding either.

Black haw is useful for false labor pains, post partum bleeding and pain. It is a uterine sedative, and is believed to work through inhibiting the autonomic nervous system. As a tea for this purpose, it would be made from 2.5 - 5 g of dried herb, three times a day (C Fisher & G Painter)

Herb Pregnancy - Possible Miscarriage

Herb pregnancy approaches to a possible miscarriage incldes black haw and false unicorn root.

False unicorn root is an American Indian herb that in large doses can cause vomiting and nausea. For this reason, it is generally given in small amounts. The recommended dosage is, in decoction format, a tea made from 1 - 2g of dried herb, three times a day (C Fisher & G Painter). This is not specific for pregnancy/morning sickness/threatened miscarriage, however, and is best taken in consultation with a naturopath or herbalist. Both of these herbs, if taken for this purpose, are best taken in consultation with someone qualified, as opposed to self prescribed.

Cravings during Pregnancy

Cravings for odd foods is often indicative of a lack of minerals, like iron, zinc or chromium. Supplement with a good mineral supplement.

If you crave:

clay - take an iron supplement
sugar - take a chromium supplement
salt - take a mineral supplement especially with calcium, magnesium and vitamin k
ice - take an iron supplement
cigarette ash - take a mineral supplement, especially potassium. And make sure there are no parasites present.

For a table with RDA's for pregnant women, click here.

For more herb pregnancy supplements, and an online advisor to help you choose, click here.