|
Helpful Herbs
Black Haw or Crampbark -
relaxes
uterine muscles, helps prevent miscarriage.
Blessed Thistle -
a Liver tonic.
Stimulates blood flow to the mammary glands, increases milk supply. Reduces
chance of hemorrhaging during childbirth.
Burdock Root
- High in Vitamins and
Minerals. Mild diuretic, excellent for the liver, used for weak uteruses.
Chamomile Flowers -
"Gentle" herb-calms and relaxes, good for digestive problems. Helps
swelling, achy joints, inflammations. Can bathe in it!
Dandelion Greens
& Roots - High
in Vitamins, Calcium, Minerals. Vit.A, Iron, Potassium. A mild, safe diuretic.
Ginger Root
- For morning sickness
and digestive problems. Good for colds and congestion during pregnancy. (Tea
with Honey and lemon)
Lady's Mantle
- "Woman's
Herb"- Tones the uterus, reduces chance of hemorrhaging, settles the
stomach.
Lemon Balm
- Calms the nervous
system, good for insomnia, depression, headache, indigestion, relieves gas.
Nettles - Calcium, Iron, Vitamin,
and Mineral rich! A mild diuretic, gives you energy. Enriches and increases milk
flow and restores mothers energy after childbirth.
Oatstraw
- Calcium and Magnesium rich. Calms nervous
tension, safe for yeast infections.
Raspberry Leaf - The best tea to
drink throughout pregnancy. Tones and nourishes the uterus. Rich in Vitamin and
Min. especially chelated Iron! Increases milk flow, prepares the uterus,
restores the body.
Slippery Elm Bark - Rich in
mucilage. Good for all mucous membranes - in digestive tract, stomach,
respiratory tract. Use for colds, infections, vaginal irritations.
Squaw Vine - Tones and nourishes the
uterus, prepares it for childbirth. (use with Raspberry leaf throughout)
Strawberry Leaf - this tea is
slightly acidic, cooling, toning during pregnancy. Good for summer pregnancy.
To Stimulate Milk Production use:
Blessed Thistle, Nettles, Raspberry Leaf, Fennel seeds, Oatstraw. (Sage will
decrease the flow of milk, as will eating
lots of Parsley)
|
Useful Herbs for Pregnancy / Herbs to Avoid
|
|
Useful Herbs |
Use
with Caution |
Herbs
to AVOID! |
| Raspberry
Leaves |
Angelica
|
*(EO) = Essential Oils |
| Squaw Vine
|
Dong Quai |
Wormwood (EO) |
|
False Unicorn |
Uva Ursi |
Barberry |
|
Hawthorne |
Calendula |
Cayenne (EO) |
|
Wild Yam |
Gota Kola |
Celandine |
|
Skullcap |
St. Johnswort |
Male Fern |
|
Dandelion |
Hyssop |
Ephedra |
|
Nettles |
Motherwort |
Fennel (EO) |
| CrampBark |
Horehound |
Licorice |
| Black Haw |
Alfalfa |
Goldenseal |
| Lemon Balm |
Peppermint |
Juniper (EO) |
| Blessed
Thistle |
Plantain |
Lavender (EO) |
|
Burdock |
Milk Thistle |
Flaxseed |
| Chamomile |
Feverfew |
Pennyroyal (EO) |
| Ginger
|
Fennugreek
|
Passion Flower
(EO) |
| Lady's Mantle |
Blue Cohosh /
Black Cohosh* |
Poke Root |
| Oatstraw |
Yarrow |
Mayapple |
| Slippery Elm |
|
Cascara Sagrada |
| Strawberry
Leaves |
(*last 2 weeks
only!) |
Rhubarb |
|
The herbs to avoid are Uterine Stimulants, Emmenogogues
(encourages menstrual cycle), and Abortifacients! Check with your
local Herbalist or Naturopathic Physician when using the "Caution" herbs. Avoid in first Trimester.
Avoid many essential oils as they are very concentrated!
|
Bloodroot |
| Tansy (EO) |
| Thuja (Cedar)(EO) |
| Thyme (EO) |
| Periwinkle |
| Mistletoe |
| Sage (EO) |
| Calamus |
Uterine Tonics and general tonics are excellent for pregnancy,
help to tone the uterus. Some uterine stimulants are used by midwives and
doctors during the last three weeks to encourage contractions. Astringent herbs
can be used for excessive blood flow afterwards, such as Lady's Mantle or
Shepard's Purse..
Many herbs are useful for encouraging milk flow or drying up
milk after the birth. Herbs can be useful for infertility, and for
avoiding miscarriages, morning sickness. Please
check with a knowledgeable Herbalist or Naturopath for more information.
Recommended Reading:
Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Years
by Susun Weed, Ash Tree Publishing
Herbal Healing for Women by Rosemary
Gladstar, Simon & Schuster
The Roots of Healing by Deb Soule,
Citadel Press
|
