Herbs for Use in Pregnancy and Labor

What are my favorite herbs to use for pregnancy and labor?

I have been so blessed to discover that our Creator YHVH gave us everything we need for life and healing right in His own creation. I've tried my best for the last nine years to live as natural and chemical free as I know how. In that journey I've discovered that my pregnancies and labors have been much more pleasant when I add certain herbs to my daily routine. So, I thought I'd share with you the herbal supplements that I use and highly recommend.

The first and most important is Red Raspberry leaf. RRL is excellent before, during, and after pregnancy. Here is an excerpt from "The How To Herb Book":

Red Raspberry is used as a basic herbal foundation for all female organs and problems. It is in many female combinations.

• Strengthens wall of uterus and entire female reproductive system.
• Decreases profuse menstrual flow.
• Good during all months of pregnancy. Alleviates morning sickness and nausea. Has been used as a preventative for hemorrhaging during labor. Assists labor, makes delivery easier and relieves after pains. Tones and regulates before, during and after childbirth.
• Increases and enriches milk for lactation, can be combined with marshmallow tea.
• Raspberry tea is mild and pleasant to taste. It is good for stomachaches and bowel problems in children. For diarrhea in babies.
• Soothing to stomach and bowels and cankerous conditions of mucous membranes in the alimentary canal.
• High mineral and vitamin source.

As you can see RRL is an excellent pregnancy herb. You can drink it in tea form or take it in tincture form. I keep both around. I find that it's easier with my life to just take a tincture. I don't have much time to sit around and sip tea : ) However, you can brew up a whole pot and make a pitcher of iced RRL tea to enjoy. I sell a pregnancy tincture from my herb page called Julie's Pregnancy Support. It has RRL, alfalfa, nettle, and  peppermint. Each have great properties for supporting pregnancy. I take two droppers under the tongue 2-3 times a day.

I also take a nettle tincture twice a day. I have always been prone to UTIs and have gotten horrible kidney infections requiring antibiotics after three of my births. A couple pregnancies ago my naturopathic doctor recommended taking a nettle supplement during my pregnancy. To my amazement, I had no symptoms of a kidney infection at all after the birth. I've taken it every pregnancy since and have not had to go on antibiotics since! Nettle is also very high in vitamin K, also important before, during, and after pregnancy. Nettle is also found on my herb page.

When the last five weeks of my pregnancy arrive I take a tincture that I get at HerbalRemedies.com called Childbirth, 5 Weeks Before. It has Red Raspberry Leaf, Blue Cohosh Root, Motherwort, False Unicorn Root, Wild Yam Root, Bayberry Bark, Squaw Vine, and Blessed Thistle to help prepare a woman's body for an easier birth. 

When labor begins I will refresh my self with RRL tea, EmergenC, and water with lemon. I will also take a calcium supplement, that I will make myself out of eggshells, to increase pain tolerance. You can learn how to do that here. 

During transition when things get really crazy and I just want to give up I'll take a homeopath of Aconite.

Aconite

Aconite is very useful when overly emotional or distressed. It brings back a sense of well being. 

This will be the first time I will be trying this particular herb. I'll let you know how it goes : )))

When the urge to push comes I will be taking Arnica, also in homeopath form, to avoid swelling of the perineum. I will also take it directly after baby is born to reduce swelling of the perineum.

Arnica

After baby has nursed I will take a dropperful of Angelica to help release and bring the entire placenta.

Angelica

After the placenta is looked over to make sure it is complete, I will be given a dropper of Shepherd's Purse to cause the uterus to clamp down and stop the bleeding.

Yahweh forbid, but if hemorrhaging should happen I will take 3 capsules of Cayenne Pepper that we make ourselves with our encapsulater. Cayenne Pepper is known to stop heavy bleeding when taken internally or rubbed on externally.

 I get terrible afterbirth pains, especially while nursing, for about 1-2 weeks after delivery. I will be taking a tincture of Crampbark to help with the pain and make the contractions more productive to shrinking my uterus back to its original size.

These are the herbs that I highly recommend and I hope you will be blessed with the opportunity to use them as well. I challenge you also to study and find out the many things our Creator has given us right in His creation so that you will be blessed and healed!

Shalom,

Julie