Pregnancy Herbs
by Letha Hadady
Select herbs can ease discomforts and help to insure a safe, healthy
pregnancy and speedy delivery. Before becoming pregnant, I advise
my clients to take out a year to increase vitality, prepare husband/
lover/family, and create a room for the baby. It's better to first enhance
emotional balance and endurance, then get pregnant. Carrying baby
to full term requires strong muscles, healthy blood and vitality.
Stop Smoking !
If you don't stop smoking before becoming pregnant your baby will
most likely be born asthmatic. Acupuncture works to stop smoking.
The "stop smoking" teas taste like bitter and have limited results.
Acupuncture or even acupressure massage can alleviate some of
the craving. The points to stress are ear points for the lungs,
nervous system, and mouth. Reducing inflammation in those points
can reduce nervous jumpy feelings and make smoking feel
uncomfortable.
With a drop of a cooling oil such as essential oil of jasmine,
lavender, or sandalwood, use your fingertips to massage your ears.
The areas you need to massage are the ridge of the ear, which
relaxes the spine and nerves, and the lobe, which eases circulation
in the head. Using your fingers, you don't have to be as exact with
massage. They may feel warmer. You may become flushed in the
face as inflammation leaves the upper body.
After acupuncture done professionally with needles or a laser, you
may smell dank smoke fumes escape through your skin as your
lungs feel more refreshed. Your lungs are on their way to
rejuvenation.
I once gave acupuncture to a women for fertility. Her main problem
was anxiety. She was so upset and nervous, that she became too
acidic (in the vagina), which killed the sperm. After she relaxed she
was able to become pregnant.
Herbs to Regulate Periods and Enhance Fertility
Blood-enhancing herbs and those that ease circulation will give you
a complete, healthy period. That is important to prevent fibroids, pain,
and a nasty case of PMS.
To enhance fertility, women between 30 - 40 can benefit from tonic
herbs that enhance wellness and reduce chronic inflammation--from
work, smoking, fussing, etc. I sometimes recommend Fertile Garden
pills. They are made by Health Concern and combine: herbs to
regulate hormones such as false unicorn root, shatavari a wild
asparagus from India that rejuvenates female sexual organs, lycium
and dong quai, which are blood tonics, herbs for circulation including
ligustrum, and ashwagandha root an energy tonic for muscles and
nerves.
I use this combination as an example because it illustrates that
fertility is complex. You need adequate blood for a full period and to
nourish the fetus. And you need strength to maintain your pregnancy.
Sick, weak women miscarry. Your herbalist will know exactly which
herbs to stress and can recommend a tea to suit your needs.