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

 

 

 

     

Julie's Herbal Tinctures and Salves

Julie's Tinctures and Salves
 

Julie's Black Salve 2 oz. tin $6 or 4 oz. tin $11

Contains: Arnica, Comfrey, Activated Charcoal, Cayenne Pepper, Olive Oil, Bees Wax, Grape Fruit Seed Extract, and Tea Tree Oil

Uses: Reduces bruising and swelling, soothes pain, draws out toxins into itself, and promotes quick healing. Generously apply to bruises, bumps, sprains, rashes, fungal infections, and for general pain and discomfort of injuries.

Julie's Green Salve  2 oz. tin $6 or 4oz. tin $11

Contains: Plantain Leaf, Calendula Flower, Comfrey Leaf, Yarrow Flower, Rosemary Leaf, Echinacea Root, Echinacea Leaf, Olive Oil, Bees Wax, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Vitamin E, and Spearmint Oil

Uses: This is a great salve to have around for use on everything. Each herb has benefits that come together to help heal skin, knit bone, clear rashes, fight infection, pull out poison, and much more. You can rub it on wounds or put some on problem areas, then wrap it, and let the salve work.

Julie's Comfrey Salve  2 oz. tin $6 or 4oz. tin $11

Contains: Comfrey Leaf, Olive Oil, Bees Wax, Vitamin E oil

Uses: Comfrey is high in calcium and vitamin C. It has a strong history of being used as an external application by itself or in poultices for the mending of wounds and broken bones. It is a contact healer, relieving pain and immediately helping to grow new flesh and bone. The Latin name itself translates "knitting together."

Julie's Immunoboost Tincture (alcohol based)   2oz. $12  4oz. $20

Contains: Olive leaf, Burdock root, Echinacea root, Pau D'Arco bark, Dandelion root, Nettle leaf, Red Clover tops, Cat's Claw bark, Butcher's Broom root, and honey

Uses:Immunoboost is a combination of nine different herbs containing natural antibiotic properties to help boost the immune system and fight infections.

Not for pregnant mommies.

Julie's Pregnancy Support Tincture (Alcohol based) 2oz. $12  4oz. $20

Contains: Red raspberry, alfalfa, nettle, peppermint

Uses:

Red Raspberry leaf has a medically proven and trusted track record in helping strengthen the womb of a pregnant woman, and it is also reported to be effective in restoring the womb after delivering.I mixed in some Alfalfa so I could double the nutritional. Nettle has a plethora of healing and supportive properties. Peppermint was added for flavor and to aid digestion.

Julie's Goodnight Tincture (alcohol  based) 2 oz. $12  4oz. $20

Contains: Lemon balm, catnip, chamomile flower, passionflower, oatstraw, hops

Uses: Goodnight Tincture is a combination of herbs that are both good for you and calming. These herbs have no negative effect on children, no addicting properties, and no side effects .Adults and children can quickly regain their calm and feel noticeably better only minutes after taking this tincture. Passionflower is one of the best herbs for chronic insomnia, having no addictive effects and allowing you to awake refreshed and alert in the morning. It has been used as a mild sedative and to treat pain and imbalances of the nervous system. Besides being an excellent herbal sedative, passionflower relieves smooth
muscle spasms.

Julie's Sleep Tight (alcohol tincture) 2oz. $14  4oz. $22

Contains: Lemon balm, catnip, chamomile flower, passionflower, oatstraw, hops, and valerian root

For those of you who need something a little stronger than Goodnight. Sleep Tight has valerian root added whicht targets the higher brain centers, suppressing and regulating the autonomic nervous system. Consequently, valerian is very effective in dispelling psychosomatic diseases which result from a glitch in the regulation of the autonomic nervous system. Valerian pacifies the fear of hypochondriacs, soothes the nervous and calms the hysterical.

*Not for use in children*

Julie's White Willow Bark Tincture (alcohol based) 2oz. $10  4oz. $18

Uses:

White willow bark is known for relieving pain. It has also been used for fevers, rheumatism, inflammation and more.

White Willow’s main substance is salicin. White willow bark is what aspirin was made of in the early days of medicine. The great thing about taking White Willow is that it will not thin the blood or irritate the stomach like aspirin. You can take it internally or rub it on externally.

White willow bark is not considered safe for use by pregnant women.

Julie's Nettle Tincture (alcohol based) 2 oz. $10  4oz. $18

Uses: Contains bitter compounds that increase the flow of urine, are antiseptic, and relieve pains. It also contains astringent compounds that shrink inflamed tissues and stop bleeding. Nettle has been used to treat urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, inflammatory skin conditions, diarrhea, and asthma.

Julie's Ginseng Tincture (alcohol based) 2oz. $10  4oz. $18

Ginseng will give you a boost of energy and vitality. It has been known to treat hormonal imbalances. It is also an immune stimulant. Take ginseng daily to really reap the full benefits. 

Julie's St. John's Wort (alcohol based) 2 oz. $10  4oz. $18

Indicated Usages - Internal: alcohol withdrawal, bruises and muscle pain,post-partum pain and depression,Neuropathy / Bell's Palsy, Parkinson's- BET- RLS, smoking cessation, uterine/menstrual pain, bed wetting, depression/anxiety, herpes, urinary deficiency, HIV, spinal pain/injury
External: Bruises, burns, sunburn, cuts, abrasions, back pain, swollen glands

	Julie's Elderberry Tincture (alcohol based) 2oz. $15  4oz. $28 Elderberries are tasty flu fighters. They contain compounds that inhibit the enzyme flu viruses from penetrating our cell membranes and also prevent the virus from invading respiratory tract cells. Taken early enough, as a tea or tincture, you may be able to head off an upcoming illness before it becomes a full-blown flu. They are especially good for bronchitis, colds, coughing, and influenza. Also contains substances that ease inflammation and pain and soothe the intestines, thus making them useful in all inflammatory bowel diseases. It is known to have a gentle laxative action, and their mild tonic action helps to arrest diarrhea.
	Julie's Bentonite Clay Capsules (kosher) 30 capsules $10 The internal use of Bentonite clay is an excellent and simple way to do an effective cleanse. Among other benefits, it can reduce body odor, skin blemishes, and digestive track issues of all sorts. The clay can be stirred into water, juice or any other beverage of your choice. It can also be sprinkled on foods or encapsulated. We keep it on hand, among other items, to use internally and externally in case of snake bites or any other kind of poisoning. Bentonite clay can be used to benefit anyone: men, women (including before, during or after pregnancy, and nursing), children, and animals. It can be used as often as you would like, and in any way you choose. Just remember to consume LOTS of water while using it internally. Cayenne Pepper Capsules (kosher) 30 capsules $15   One of the most effective stimulants, cayenne targets the digestive and the circulatory system primarily. Cayenne regulates blood pressure, strengthens the pulse, feeds the heart, lowers cholesterol, thins the blood, cleanses the circulatory system, heals ulcers, stops hemorrhaging, speeds healing of wounds, rebuilds damaged tissue, eases congestion, aids digestions, regulates elimination, relieves arthritis and rheumatism, prevents the spread of infection and numbs pain. Spirulina Capsules (organic & kosher) 30 capsules $18  Spirulina is an all natural food source that is made up of a highly nutritious micro salt water plant that is more than 60% proteins and amino acids. • Is a strong Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. • Is a naturally occurring rich vegetable protein. • Protects the cells, organs, and body tissues from oxidative stress. • Stimulates the vitality of cells, in particular red corpuscles to insure proper oxygenation of muscle cells. • Is rich in proteins (18 amino acids), vitamins (E, B1, B2, B3, B12, and ET P), essential fatty acids, minerals, polysaccharides, and trace elements. • Supports the immune system and joint health. • Protects and detoxifies the liver-kidney system. • Supports a healthy inflammatory response and neurological health. Julie's Mama's Milk Tincture (alcohol based) 2oz. $12  4oz. $20 Contains Natural Caffeine Free: Red raspberry leaf, fennel seed, nettle leaf, fenugreek seed, dandelion leaf, blessed thistle Mama's Milk Tincture helps you nursing mamas increase your milk supply and the nutritional value of your milk.
	Prices do not include shipping.
	Contact Julie at jnitzfam@bellsouth.net