Pregnancy Herbs
by Letha Hadady
During Pregnancy
Avoid lots of cold raw foods or iced drinks, laxative foods, and very
strong herbs because they may bring on miscarriage.
Consider this: It's an old Chinese custom to drink certain beautifying
herbs during pregnancy to insure a beautiful baby. The most popular
is bird's nest soup. It is tasteless and hard to find outside of
Chinatown. I prefer taking mixed trace minerals and/or homeopathic
minerals--especially the 12 tissue salts--essential minerals in
homeopathic form that are easy to absorb. They are sometimes called
Schuessler Tissue Salts--nothing to do with table salt. They include
various forms of calcium, magnesium, iron, a healthy form of sodium,
silica.
If baby is rambunctious and jumpy wanting to come out too soon,
Chinese women will drink a tea to "quiet the fetus." One nice one is
also recommended for dry skin and arthritis pain. It is called Ramus
Loranthi seu visci. In southern China Loranthus parasiticus (Sang Ji
Sheng) mulberry parasite. It is used for sore lower back and knees,
joint pain and numbness. It " nourishes the blood and calms the
womb, used for restless fetus or uterine bleeding during pregnancy."
Simmer a handful of the dried herb (looks like twigs and leaves) in
water for 10 minutes and drink 1 - 3 cups daily warm or cool between
meals.
After Delivery
At home you will need to take tonic herbs to insure energy, speed
healing and eliminate post-partum depression. Your herbalist will
advise. But many Chinese women use herbs that treat prolapse
problems. Among the most popular Chinese patent remedies for
this problem are Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan. It combines dong shen, a
form of ginseng that lifts "fallen energy" (prolapsed rectum and
uterus) and other blood and energy tonic herbs that tone uterine
muscles, ease pain, and speed recovery. This remedy is also
recommended for anyone who has chronic weakness with chronic
diarrhea.
A useful single herb remedy is ashwagandha, a form of East
Indian ginseng, recommended during the last quarter of pregnancy
to strengthen muscles and, therefore speed delivery. It can also be
used after delivery to help tone muscle strength and speed recovery
from fatigue. Add 1/4 tsp. to a cup of warm water and enjoy it as a tea
between meals. It can improve sleep for exhausted stressed people
and reduce lower back and leg pains from overwork.