1: Herbs for Birthing Bodies - Part 1, Pregnancy
Milky Oats, Milky Oats, Milky Oats!
Congrats! You’re successfully knocked up! This post is designed for pregnant people who are looking for simple and effective ways to nourish their changing bodies while pregnant. This post is designed for low-risk pregnancies. Herbs are not a substitute for appropriate medical care and/or necessary pharmaceuticals. Herbs are meant to be a complimentary form of support for most people. These are all mostly tonic herbs, which means they nourish you and your growing baby in gentle ways. There is no herb to magically make your gestational diabetes go away or your high blood pressure go down or your anxiety be erased. Proper food, stress relief, lifestyle changes, as well as pharmaceuticals and modern medicine all have their place, and herbs in high risk situations are often not appropriate.
That being said, I have never found any contraindications on the herbs listed below when taken as simple herbal teas. Keep in mind though that evidence based research on some of our most common herbs like Nettles, continue to be scant. But I also love and respect the lineage of folk herbalism that continues to tout Nettles a nourishing tonic for pre-conception to postpartum.
These suggestions are based on synthesizing countless herbal books, consulting online research sources, as well my own experiences with herbs in two full term pregnancies and listening to other friends and clients who’ve been pregnant and given birth. I have also used herbs in support of miscarriage and abortion; since you are considered postpartum after both of those, having delicious warm herbal teas to sip after both of those experiences can be especially soothing and grounding.
Please remember- Pregnancy is not a problem to be managed or solved! Pregnancy is not a disease!
FIRST TRIMESTER
Milky Oats
Ginger- indicated for nausea
Lavender
Linden Leaf
Milky Oats
Nettle
Milky Oats
Rose
SECOND TRIMESTER
Lavender
Linden Leaf
Milky Oats
Nettle
Marshmallow Root and Leaf
Rose
Third Trimester
Alfalfa
Marshmallow Root and Leaf
Milky Oats
Nettle
Raspberry Leaf*
Rose
How to Take Herbs in Pregnancy
Internal- Tea
The best way to work with herbs in pregnancy is by sipping herbal teas throughout your day.
Topical- Herbal Oils, Salves, Balms, Lotions
Herbal oils, salves, balms, and lotions that are made with common sense and gentle herbs like Calendula and Lavender, and non-toxic, plant based ingredients are generally considered safe.
Topical- Hydrosols/Herbal Steams
Spraying Rosewater all over your face when you’re feeling that 3rd trimester-get-this-baby-out-of me feeling is a saving grace. Reset your space with a spritz of Yarrow Hydrosol to ground in your boundaries after a tense talk with family.
While about tinctures?
While the amount of alcohol in a standard dropper dose of tincture is considered the amount of alcohol found in an overly ripe banana, the standard advice for pregnant people is to still avoid alcohol entirely. This is obviously an incredibly personal decision. In both my pregnancies I found that over night infusions, herbal oils and balms, and hydrosols were my go to herbal preparation. HOWEVER, I definitely had several tinctures on hand for labor and postpartum. Cramp Bark tincture alternating with high does of Ibuprofen for 2nd baby after pains made for a relatively smooth transition.
*Wait? Why is Raspberry Leaf only listed in the 3rd trimester you may be asking.. Well… let me explain. Raspberrry Leaf is a mild uterine toner. In the 1st two trimesters your uterus is relaxing and stretching to make room for your growing baby. There’s also some mild concern that any mild uterine contractions that may by stimulated (and I’d guess you’d have to drink A LOT of Raspbery Leaf tea) might be contraindicated. However, plenty of folk wisdom, herbalists and midwives recommend Red Raspberry leaf tea any time for all three phases (and 4th phase- let’s not forget the importance of uterine toners in early postpartum aka The 4th Trimester ) of pregnancy. Still, there are some who think it’s best to focus your generous intake of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea tto the 3rd trimester as you moved towards labor preparation, and the time when your uterus begins to contract more in preparation for childbirth. When I say generous intake I am talking to 3-5 cups of Red Raspberry Leaf Tea prepared as a several hour or overnight infusion, making it a much stronger brew than your standard steep of 10-15 minutes for a baggie of tea.
For more on Raspberry Leaf and pregnancy check out this helpful blog post by mama blogger Genevieve Howland of Mama Natural.
As always, the herbs, herbal remedies and product claims listed on this website have not been evaluated by and are not approved by the FDA. The actions listed of each herb or herbal product are descriptions of their traditional uses and are for informational use only.
As everyone's body is different, herbs and products made from herbs may have varying effects upon each individual using them. Herbs and products made from herbs are not guaranteed to work, or to work the same for everyone.
