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Herbal Allies for Pregnant Women

Copyright Susun S. Weed

Pregnancy is a special time. One that brings joys and pains. Many minor, but distressing health complaints can accompany pregnancy, such as morning sickness, varicose veins, skin discoloration, hemorrhoids, constipation, folic acid anemia, iron deficiency anemia, muscle/leg cramps, backache, heartburn, fatigue and mood changes, bladder infections, and high blood pressure. What can the expectant mother use that is safe for her unborn child as well as herself?

Most women would agree that drugs are to be avoided during pregnancy. Many over‑the‑counter remedies, especially antihistamines, acne medicines, and laxatives, have been shown to cause birth defects in animals or humans. Antibiotics may cause fetal abnormalities and sulfur drugs can cause neo-natal jaundice. Tranquilizers and painkillers can cause birth defects and addict the fetus. Antacids can cause muscle problems in the baby and edema in the mother. (In addition, they mess up a woman’s calcium metabolism; see discussion following.)

And it is well accepted that the drug-like actions of alcohol, tobacco, and coffee are best avoided both before conception, during pregnancy, and while lactating.

Few women, however, understand that vitamin/mineral supplements are more drug-like than food-like. Though they are widely recommended, even by orthodox MDs, supplements are problematic for pregnant women and ought to be avoided. A study of 23,000 pregnant women, reported in The New England Journal of Medicine (1995) found 4.8 times more birth defects among the children of women who consumed 10,000 IU or more of vitamin A in supplemental form. And if that isn’t enough to make you hesitate before reaching for the pills, consider this: the amount of iron in four prenatal-formula tablets can kill a child under the age of three.

In addition to drugs and supplements, many common herbal remedies, including golden seal, and flax seed are best avoided during the weeks of gestation. See below for herbs that may be problematic during pregnancy.

Nevertheless, there are many simple, safe home and herbal remedies available to ease the discomforts of pregnancy. The remedies of wise women, or “old wives,” have persisted for centuries, passed from woman to woman. They are not strict protocols designed to work with the greatest possible number of women. Rather, they are part of the ever-changing wisdom ways of women, meant to be applied to the unique individual in unique and ever-changing ways. Although they have not been subjected to double blind studies, they are not superstition and dumb custom, but the results of millions of careful observations over thousands of generations. These remedies are the gifts of our foremothers. They are gifts from women who were deeply intuitive, immersed in day-to-day practice, and in tune with women’s needs – emotional and spiritual, as well as physical.

Wise women believe that most of the problems of pregnancy can be prevented by attention to nutrition. Morning sickness and mood swings are connected to low blood sugar; backaches and severe labor pains often result from insufficient calcium; and varicose veins, hemorrhoids, constipation, skin discolorations and anemias are also related to lack of specific nutrients.

Excellent nutrition for pregnant women includes not just vital foodstuffs and nourishing herbal infusions, but also pure water and air, abundant light, loving and respectful relationships, beauty and harmony in daily life, and joyous thoughts.

All nutrients are needed in abundance during pregnancy as the gestating woman forms two extra pounds of uterine muscle; the nerves, bones, organs, muscles, glands and skin of the baby; several pounds of amniotic fluid; the placenta; and a great increase in blood volume. In addition, extra kidney and liver cells are created to process the waste of two beings instead of one.

Wild and organically grown foods are the best source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients needed during pregnancy. All the better if the expectant mother can get out and gather her own herbs: stretching, bending, breathing, moving, touching the earth, taking time to talk with the plants and to open herself to their spiritual world.

Red Raspberry (Rubus ideaus and other species)

For centuries herbalists have relied on the leaves of red raspberry to nourish pregnant women and relieve difficulties during pregnancy and birth. Scientific herbalists are baffled by these claims, as they find no chemical constituents in raspberry leaves that are capable of inducing these purported effects. Nonetheless, “if pregnant women believe that it provides relief from various unpleasant effects associated with their condition, no harm is done,” says Varro Tyler in The Honest Herbal.

Most of the benefits associated with regular use of raspberry throughout pregnancy can be traced to its astringent, strengthening, and nourishing powers. Raspberry leaves contain tannins and fragrine, which give tone to the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus. They also contain nourishing vitamins and minerals. Of special note are the concentrations of vitamins A, C, E, and B, plus generous amounts of easily assimilated calcium, iron, phosphorous, and potassium salts.

A strong infusion of dried raspberry leaves increases fertility, tonifies the uterus, aids in easy birthing, helps prevent miscarriage, alleviates morning sickness, reduces muscle/leg cramps and backache, and counters fatigue.

To make it:

Put one ounce of the dried raspberry leaves in a quart jar; fill it to the top with boiling water, and cap tightly.

After steeping for at least four hours, strain the leaves out of the infusion.

Drink the liquid hot or cold, with honey, or anyway you like it.

Refrigerate left-overs.

Capsules, tinctures, and teas of raspberry are not as effective.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)

Some people dislike nettle because of its strong sting, but it is an herb with myriad benefits for the expectant mother. A strong infusion (prepared by brewing one ounce of dried nettle leaves in a quart of boiling water for at least four hours) helps prevent varicose veins and hemorrhoids, eases leg cramps and backache, reduces the incidence of hemorrhage after birth, and increases the richness of breast milk.

Every cup of nettle infusion supplies amazing amounts of energy as well as huge amounts of calcium, magnesium and vitamins A, D, C, B, and K. It prevents folic acid anemia and iron deficiency anemia, and is also a digestive aid, a strengthener to the lungs, an ally of the kidneys, and a restorative to the hair and skin.

Capsules, tinctures, and teas of nettle are not as effective.

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

As a keeper of dairy animals, I was introduced to this herb as an ally to keep my goats’ fertility high and their milk production generous. It took only a little imagination for me to begin to use it for women, too. Red clover blossoms are best taken as a strong infusion (one ounce of dried blossoms brewed overnight in a quart of boiling water). The tincture is a sedative; pills and capsules have very little effect.

To date, I know of dozens of women who, unable to conceive, have found success after drinking up to a quart of red clover infusion every day for at least six weeks. The generous amounts of minerals, proteins, antioxidants, and phytoestrogens in red clover restore health to the entire reproductive system. It’s great for men, too. Most notable are the amounts of vitamin E and the presence of selenium and zinc. Red clover has ten times more plant hormones than soy.

Don’t stop drinking red clover infusion once you get pregnant though. The infusion prevents and eases the constipation so common during pregnancy. It also strengthens the liver and improves appetite, especially when morning sickness is a problem. And it relieves anxiety.

And keep on drinking red clover once your child is born. There is no more valuable herb to keep breast milk rich and the breasts healthy then red clover. In fact, it is the world’s most respected anti-cancer herb, acting not only to eliminate cancer but to stop its occurrence as well.

Seaweeds (including kelp, nori, dulse, kombu, and wakame)

One of the best green allies for women in their fertile years is seaweed, both for its mineral richness, and for the special substances it contains which directly counter birth defects. Algin or alginic acid, found in many seaweeds, absorbs radioactive neucleotides and heavy metals. When eaten by the prospective mother and father, seaweed protects them from cancer and protects the fetus from faulty genes. Seaweeds also protect the fetus and parents from the harmful effects of chemicals and carcinogens.

Seaweed is one of the most nutritious plants known. Earl Mindell, in his book Vitamin Bible notes that kelp contains vitamins A, B, C, and E, as well as choline, carotenes, and 23 minerals including calcium, selenium, iron, magnesium, and zinc. He recommends it especially for nourishing the brain, spinal cord, and nerves of the fetus. Eating seaweeds regularly improves the fertility and the health of the pregnant woman, too, strengthening her digestive system, increasing her overall energy, and helping to prevent constipation, muscle cramps, backaches, anemias, hemorrhoids, and depression. For healthy skin, hair, and bones, there is no better food or herb than seaweed.

Capsules, tablets, and powdered seaweeds are not as effective as eating seaweed as a vegetable several times a week. In addition to buying seaweed at your health food store, you can harvest it yourself. There are no poisonous seaweeds. For more information on harvesting and using seaweeds, consult the Lewallens’ Sea Vegetable Gourmet Cookbook.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis)

This common weed of suburban lawns is one of the best liver tonics known. All parts of the dandelion are medicinal: the roots, leaves, and flowers are brewed into tinctures, medicinal vinegars, cordials, wines, and bitter infusions.

If you dig your own, use them to make a mineral-rich vinegar: Fill a jar with cut dandelion, then fill the jar to the top with pasteurized apple cider vinegar. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap held on with a rubber band. Label, with the date; it’s ready to use in six weeks. Try it as a salad dressing, or a condiment for beans. Some women like to drink it first thing in the morning: 1-2 tablespoonsful in a glass of water.

Nourishing the liver is critical during pregnancy. Lack of strong liver functioning is implicated in morning sickness, hemorrhoids, constipation, heartburn, indigestion, lack of energy, headaches, and mood swings. If using the tincture, try a dose of 10-20 drops in a small glass of water just before meals.

Fennel Seed (Foeniculum vulgare)

Anise Seed (Pimpinella anisum)

Dill Seed (Anethum graveolens)

Caraway Seed (Carum carvi)

Coriander Seed (Coriandrum sativum)

The aromatic seeds are members of the “carrot family” of plants and are used around the world to ease indigestion, freshen breath, and increase milk supply. As the medicinal value is found in a volatile oil, the seeds are quickly and easily brewed: add a heaping tablespoonful to a mug and fill it with water just off the boil, letting it steep for 2-5 minutes. A spoonful of honey is a delightful addition.

For a somewhat more complicated brew, midwife Elizabeth Davis (in her book Heart and Hands) relates this old wives’ remedy to increase milk supply: Boil ½ cup pearled barley in three cups water for 25 minutes. Strain and refrigerate. Heat (but do not boil) one cup of barley water and pour it over one teaspoon fennel seeds. Steep no longer than thirty minutes.

And how delightful that the ease imparted by the brew influences the infant through the breastmilk, relieving colic, turning fretfulness into slumber, and countering teething pain. For best results drink your brew, hot or cold, while nursing your baby. Herbalist Juliette de Bairacli Levy advises mothers of infants and young children to always carry some aromatic seeds in their pocket for the children to chew should they be car-sick or become argumentative.

Ginger (Zingiber officinalis)

When it comes to quelling nausea or morning sickness (motion sickness, too) there is no better herb than ginger root. Whether you use it fresh or dried, a little ginger goes a long way toward warming the belly and relieving queasy feelings. Some books mistakenly list ginger as an herb that can cause a miscarriage. This misinformation no doubt got started by a hopeful woman who had noticed that drinking ginger tea made her menses flow more easily. But midwives agree that ginger is safe, even in early pregnancy.

In addition to quelling morning sickness, ginger helps prevent constipation of pregnancy, keeps the pelvic muscles warmed and toned, relieves intestinal cramping and gas (in infants, too), increases digestive force by encouraging the secretion of digestive enzymes, lowers blood pressure, and restores vitality.

Calcium

Of course calcium is a mineral, not an herb, but it is so important during pregnancy that it deserves our attention. Lack of adequate calcium during pregnancy can cause muscle cramps, backache, high blood pressure, intense labor pains, severe afterbirth pains, loss of teeth, and pre-eclampsia. Lack of calcium also contributes to feeble fetal heart action, a difficult birth, and “cranky” babies with easily irritated nervous and digestive systems. For optimum health of mother and child, eat plenty of foods rich in calcium and other minerals.

The calcium found in foods and herbs is metabolized by the body far more effectively than the calcium in pills. Calcium in plants is found in the form of minerals salts, which are naturally chelated. In addition, the varied forms of these salts aids in assimilation. And, of course, no plant contains only one mineral. The multitude of mineral salts found in herbs and foods act synergistically with the calcium salts, improving utilization by all the body’s tissues.

In general, to improve calcium assimilation, women are advised to consume it with acidic foods (antacids interfere with calcium absorption), plenty of vitamin D (which can be produced by sitting in the sun for 15-20 minutes), magnesium, and daily exercise. Stress, use of antacids, consumption of coffee, use of steroids, drinking fluoridated water, and too much phosphorous in the diet also interfere with calcium assimilation.

Getting 1500 to 2000 milligrams of nourishing calcium salts every day is not hard with the help of Wise Woman ways.

• Many wild greens are exceptionally rich in calcium and other mineral salts. The leaves of lamb’s quarters, mallow, galinsoga, shepherd’s purse, knotweed, bidens, amaranth, or dandelion, when cooked until tender, supply more calcium per half-cup serving than a half-cup of milk.

• Herbal teas and tinctures contain little or no calcium salts. For mineral richness, make herbal infusions by steeping one ounce of dried herb (such as raspberry, nettle, or red clover) overnight in a quart of boiling water. Or make mineral-rich vinegars by steeping fresh herbs in apple cider vinegar for six weeks. The long steeping of the water infusion releases minerals, the acid of the vinegar does it too. A cup of herbal infusion can have 150-300 milligrams of calcium salts. A tablespoon of medicinal herbal vinegar can contain 75-150 milligrams of calcium salts.

• Cultivated greens are good sources of calcium, better if they are cooked thoroughly, and best if they are organic. Kale, collards, mustard greens, oriental greens, broccoli de rape, turnip greens, even cabbage supply 100-250 milligrams of calcium salts per half-cup serving.

• Fresh dairy products are the best place to get mineral salts, especially calcium, but there is controversy about the assimilability of calcium from pasteurized milk. Fortunately, raw milk cheeses are now easily available; look for them as a reliable source of nutrients.

• When milk is made into yogurt, it becomes superbly digestible and the calcium content increases by fifty percent (up to 450 milligrams of calcium in just one cup). A daily cup of plain yogurt not only prevents pregnancy problems, it also counteracts vaginal and bladder infections. Women who eat yogurt regularly are far less likely to be diagnosed with cancer as well. When buying yogurt, I look for plain yogurt that contains only milk and culture. I absolutely avoid dried milk powder, skim milk powder, pectin, and other thickeners.

• Other great-tasting sources of calcium include goat milk and goat cheese, canned fish eaten with the bones such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel, and tahini (ground sesame seeds).

• There are roughly 200 milligrams of calcium in two ounces of nuts (excluding peanuts), one ounce of dried seaweed, two ounces of carob powder, one ounce of cheese, half a cup of cooked greens, half a cup of milk, three eggs, four ounces of fish, or one tablespoon of molasses.

• Many fruits are rich in calcium (though not as rich as the above foods). Dried dates, figs raisins, prunes, papaya and elderberries are the best.

• Avoid foods high in oxalic acid such as spinach, swiss chard, beet greens, rhubarb, and brewer’s yeast. They interfere with your ability to absorb calcium.

• Do not use bone meal or oyster shell tablets as sources of supplemental calcium. They have been found to be high in lead, mercury, cadmium and other toxic metals, which can cause birth defects in your child.

Herbs Women May Wish to Avoid During Pregnancy and While Lactating

Agave and Yucca (Agave species): contain large quantities of irritating saponins

Aloes (Aloe species): purging cathartic

Birthroot (Trillium species): contains oxytocin

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa): may irritate the uterus

Blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides): contains oxytocin

Buckthorn  (Rhamnus cathartica, Rhamnus frangula): purging cathartic

Cascara sagrada (Rhamnus purshiana): purging cathartic

Castor oil (Ricinus communis): purging cathartic

Comfrey (Symphytum uplandica): alkaloids in roots are dangerous to the liver; leaves are safe to use

Cotton root bark (Gossypium harbaceum): contains oxytocin

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis): contains coumarins which may irritate uterus and liver

Ephedra (all species): increases blood pressure; may cause heart palpitations, insomnia, headaches

Evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis): used by midwives to initiate labor

Ginseng (Panax quinquefolium): may cause headaches, irritability, insomnia

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis): contains irritating alkaloids which stress liver and kidneys

Juniper berries (Juniperus communis): very harsh on the kidneys

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): increases blood pressure; large doses can cause heart failure, headache, lethargy, water retention, and excessive excretion of potassium

Ma-huang (another name for ephedra)

Mistletoe (Viscum album): large doses can have detrimental effects on the heart

Mistletoe, American (Phoradendron flavescens): raises blood pressure, causes uterine contractions

Rue (Ruta graveolens): contains essential oils that can damage the kidneys and liver

Senna (Cassia senna): potent purging cathartic

Thuja (Thuja occidentalis): contains essential oils that can damage the kidneys and liver

Turkey rhubarb (Rheum palmatum): purgative; may cause uterine contractions

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium): essential oils can adversely affect brain

Women Who Miscarry Easily May Also Want to Avoid These Herbs

Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale): also known as saffron; large doses can cause miscarriage

Basil (Basilicum species): see mints

Bearberry (Berberis vulgaris):  bark contains similar alkaloids to goldenseal; berries and leaves OK

Catnip (Nepeta cataria): see mints

Flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum): large doses may stimulate uterine contractions

Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium): contains essential oils that can damage liver and kidneys

Ground ivy (Hedeoma hederacea): see mints

Mints – such as basil, catnip, rosemary, thyme, savory, peppermint, oregano, ground ivy, sage, and spearmint – contain essential oils that, used internally (or extracted into a tincture) may harm the kidneys and liver; the infusion, taken in large enough quantity, may stimulate uterine contractions

Mugwort/Cronewort (Artemisia vulgaris): used to help bring on labor

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans): a large dose of this spice contains the essential oils that could adversely affect the brain, liver, and kidneys

Oregano (Oreganum species ): see  mints

Osha (Ligusticum porterii): may irritate the uterus

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum): a well-known, and quite effective, abortifacient

Poke root (Phytolacca americana): large dose (more than 4 drops) may stress kidneys

Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium or Hedeoma pulegiodes): essential oil may harm kidneys and liver; also see mints

Peppermint (Mentha piperita): see mints

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): see mints

Sage (Salvia officinalis): see mints

Savory (Satureja hortensis): see mints

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum): essential oils, similar to those in wormwood, are easily extracted into tinctures and can adversely affect the brain

Spearmint (Mentha spicata): see mints

Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare): essential oils in tincture may damage kidneys and liver

Thyme (Thymus species): see mints

For more information about herbs and pregnancy, including herbs to use during birth, to improve lactation, and to help the newborn infant, see: Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, by Ash Tree Publishing. To receive a free brochure of classes and correspondence courses available from Susun S Weed, contact her at:

Susun Weed

PO Box 64

Woodstock, NY 12498

Fax:  1-845-246-8081

I recently received permission to reprint a couple of information-rich articles written by Susun Weed. I’ve broken the article into smaller chunks, with a link to the entire article below. Enjoy!

Fertility After Forty, copyright 2000 by Susun S. Weed

Emotional Issues

Ambivalence about pregnancy and parenthood is normal and natural. But the older a woman gets, the more complicated her emotions about it may be. Add to her emotional soup pot strong opinions from family and friends, confusing information spread by the popular media, and fear-inducing pronouncements from “helpful” medical professionals, and that pot will be in danger of boiling over. Herewith then, some wise woman hints for keeping your cool in the midst of overt and covert confusion.

Contrary to current opinion, having children in your forties is ordinary and common worldwide. The Bible mentions several women having children in their fifties. What is unusual and unique to our time is having a first child in one’s forties. Our mothers, mothers, mothers were having their fifth or eighth or tenth child when they were in their forties, not their first. If people tell you it just isn’t done, close your eyes and call upon the spirit of your great, great, great, great grandmother, then smile and tell them it seems utterly ordinary to you.

Feeling tense and distressed about choosing or refusing motherhood? Motherwort tincture is my favorite calmative. A dose of 10-20 drops helps clear your mind, eases your tension, and assists you in discerning the best path to follow.

Bach flower remedies excel as helpers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Try:

• Aspen when you feel anxious, apprehensive, or afraid of the unknown.

• Mimulus when you are dwelling on a specific fear.

• Elm when you feel overwhelmed or inadequate.

• Red Chestnut when you are afraid for or worried about your baby to be.

• Rock Rose when you are trembling, shaking, or weeping from anxiety or fear.

Regular gentle massage or Reiki treatments not only help you calm your distress, they also guide you in creating a strong center that’s resistant to being pushed around by other people’s opinions. Massage and/or Reiki also help prepare your mind/body for a healthy pregnancy and a safe birth.

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Fertility After Forty copyright 2000 by Susun S. Weed

Special Allies for Pregnant Women over Forty

The single most important herb for pregnant women over forty is comfrey (Symphytum uplandica hybrids). The leaves of the mature plant contain an abundance of constituents beneficial to mother and babe, including generous amounts of minerals, alantoin, proteins, and many vitamins. The minerals in comfrey help insure healthy nervous system growth; the fetus’s developing brain uses the proteins. And the alantoin helps the mother’s tissues become stretchy and elastic.

Aging can lead to increases stiffness and brittleness in bones and muscles, making pregnancy more arduous and painful, labor slower and more difficult, and injury more likely during birth. The hormones of pregnancy, which help soften and relax the pelvic tissues, may not be produced in adequate amounts. Comfrey comes to the rescue! Comfrey creates flexible and strong tissues throughout the body especially mucus surfaces (including intestines, uterus, bladder and vagina) the bones, the ligaments and tendons, and the skin.

Regular use of the leaf infusion, at least a quart a week, promotes a safe delivery by:

• strengthening uterine muscles and preparing them to work easily and well.

• strengthening perineal tissues so they become resistant to tearing.

• strengthening uterine ligaments so the uterus does not prolapse

• strengthening the bladder and increasing resistance to bacterial infection.

• strengthening the vagina and helping to promote an environment hostile to infection.

• providing easily assimilated minerals to prevent eclampsia and other complications.

• helping the bones of the pelvis flex and open during birth.

• increasing iron in the blood and thus forestalling post-partum hemorrhage.

I harvest the flowering stalks when they are fully formed; and I am careful to use the cultivated garden comfrey, which grows very tall and has purplish, pinkish, bluish flowers. I avoid wild comfrey which stays rather small, even when flowering, and has cream-colored, white, or yellowish flowers.

Some people feel that comfrey is not safe to use during pregnancy. Some people feel comfrey is not safe to use internally at all. I disagree. The roots of comfrey do contain compounds that are best avoided during pregnancy. (As do all parts of the wild plant.) In fact, I rarely use comfrey root because of the possibility of liver congestion, and I strongly caution those who have had hepatitis, chemotherapy, or alcohol problems to strictly avoid comfrey root. Yet even these people can benefit from use of comfrey leaf infusions.

Another important herbal ally for women over forty who desire a child is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castii). It has been used in Africa and parts of Europe for several thousand years to discourage the male libido. In women, the effects seem to be the opposite! It may also be a fertility enhancer. Most importantly, chaste tree is a strengthening tonic for the pituitary gland, the master control gland for the endocrine system. Daily use of the tincture of the berries (1 dropperful/1 ml 2-3 times daily) had been shown to increase progesterone–the hormone of pregnancy–and luteinizing hormone–which promotes conception. Because it can lower prolactin levels, chaste tree is best discontinues during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is not recommended for women over forty. In general, this herb promotes blood flow to the uterus and surrounding tissues. This can promote the growth of fibroids and increase the risk of post-partum hemorrhage. Ginger is a better warming tonic; motherwort is better at relieving pain; and raspberry is better at preparing the uterus for birth.

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I recently received permission to reprint a couple of information-rich articles written by Susun Weed. I’ve broken the article into smaller chunks, with a link to the entire article below. Enjoy!

Fertility After Forty copyright 2000 by Susun S. Weed

Preventing Birth Defects

Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures, pills, and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)

Vitamin E is an especially critical nutrient for fertility after forty and freedom from birth defects. Freshly-ground wheat flour, cold-pressed oils, and nut butters are all good sources of vitamin E, as are stinging nettle infusion and most cooked seaweed, such as kelp. The man’s vitamin E level has as much, if not more, bearing on freedom from birth defects as does the woman’s vitamin E level.

Avoid heat, both of you. Hot tubs, even prolonged soaking in a hot bath, can cause temporary (up to several months) sterility in some men. In women, it can endanger the early embryo and trigger a miscarriage or birth defects.

Avoid drugs, both of you, including alcohol, tobacco, coffee, as well as over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs (except those you absolutely need). Your liver needs to be strong and so do your kidneys, so you can conceive and gestate a child. Instead of alcohol, which damages the liver, drink herbal infusions or alcohol-free wine or beer. Instead of tobacco, which may contribute to birth defects and low birth weight, try smoking a little dried peppermint, or, better yet, go for a walk. Instead of coffee, which challenges the kidneys, you may wish to drink green tea or black tea, or try coffee substitutes, especially the one made with dandelion roots. Instead of drugs to ease everyday aches and pains, use the gentle herbal remedies in this book instead.

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I recently received permission to reprint a couple of information-rich articles written by Susun Weed. I’ve broken the article into smaller chunks, with a link to the entire article below. Enjoy!

Fertility After Forty copyright 2000 by Susun S. Weed

Increasing Fertility; Insuring Conception

Increase your chances of conception by meditating. Cultivating a calm attitude, not surprisingly, enhances fertility. Even taking a quiet five minutes alone just for you, free of all responsibilities, can bring big results if done frequently enough.

Use lunaception to time your ovulation so you have the best odds of conceiving. It’s fine to have sex in the weeks before ovulation, especially if the sex is focused on the woman and her orgasm, but do save your best efforts for those three nights when your “moon” is full and bright and ready to frolic.

Orgasm on the part of the male is necessary for fertilization. The woman’s orgasm does increase the possibility of conception. Women who experience orgasm after their partner (up to 40 minutes after his ejaculation) have the very best chance of becoming pregnant.

Red clover is the single best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can’t — even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such blocked tubes, diabetes, ovarian cysts, internal scaring, endometriosis. There are many heart-warming success stories I could share about red clover! But suffice to say, drinking 2-4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) seems to do wonders for fertility, no matter what your age.

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I recently received permission to reprint a couple of information-rich articles written by Susun Weed. I’ve broken the article into smaller chunks, with a link to the entire article below. Enjoy!

Fertility After Forty

copyright 2000 by Susun S. Weed

The most fertile years of a woman’s life are those between 18 and 28. Even into the mid-thirties, it is usually fairly easy to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. During these years the hormones that control ovulation, enhance conception, and ensure a healthy pregnancy are usually made easily and in generous quantities. And detrimental life-style choices have not had decades of repetition to create chronic problems. The previous section deals with disturbances to that pattern; and the section following deals with herbal ways to decrease or control the teeming fertility of the twenties and early thirties.

But more and more women are waiting until their late thirties, early forties, even late forties, to have children. Is this too late? Are these destined to have high-risk pregnancies? Will these children have more birth defects?

The answer to these questions — and others like them — is “no!” for wise women who enlist the help of green allies to increase fertility, insure conception, prevent birth defects, and promote a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.

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An article by guest blogger, Jennifer M. Carino, L.Ac., MSTC

Although called “morning sickness”, nausea during pregnancy can happen at anytime of day.  While it can start as early as 5 weeks, it might feel more active by week 6 and can continue through until week 12.  Symptoms of morning sickness can include:  nausea, reflux, indigestion, and burping.

According to Chinese Medicine, nausea is a form of “rebellious stomach qi”.  The Qi (energy) of the stomach and digestion should normally travel in a downward and outward motion.  When imbalanced, digestive qi rebels and moves upward.  Morning sickness is most common when the pregnant mother is hungry or at the end of the day when she might be fatigued or exhausted.

To avoid digestive upset try the following:

• Eat frequent meals that combine both protein and carbohydrates like baked tofu with brown rice, goat cheese with manna bread, or trail mix.

• Eat a small snack before bed to avoid waking with morning sickness.

• Eat just a few bites of food every 20 minutes.

• Drink 30 minutes after meals.

• After eating a major meal, take a short walk around the block.

• Do not go to bed full.

• If a you have a history of morning sickness from previous preganancies, begin taking vitamin B6 prior to your next pregnancy.

Please remember that while these symptoms are uncomfortable they are signs of a healthy pregnancy.  However, if you’ve tried the above suggestions and aren’t getting enough relief acupuncture treatments to redirect rebellious stomach qi can be especially helpful.  Treatments can include acupuncture, herbs and/or “gua sha” techniques.  Gua Sha is a from of scraping done with a tool made from jade, buffalo horn, plastic or even a porcelain soup spoon.  The beauty of these treatments is in their simplicity and fast acting relief.

And while acupuncture and herbs can be used to treat hyperemesis, please contact your obstetrician if you’re experiencing extreme vomiting and the inability to keep food down as this can be considered a prenatal emergency.

May you enjoy strong digestive health during your pregnancy!

Jennifer M. Carino, L.Ac., MSTCM practices in San Francisco, CA. To schedule an appointment with her or read more of her articles online, please visit www.jennifercarino.com.

Did you know that if your adrenals are tired during pregnancy, that your baby’s adrenals will support you both during your third trimester? This will deplete your baby and have negative health implications for your precious child. Please make sure you are resourced and supported so that your adrenals are functioning well–for your health and pleasure as well as for baby’s.

Pregnancy is quite a stressor for many women. A common occurrence, however, is the woman who, upon reaching her third trimester of pregnancy, says that she all of a sudden “feels better than I have felt in years.” This is often the case when the first two trimesters were particularly difficult. The fetus’s adrenal glands mature to the point of being able to produce hormones at about the beginning of the third trimester.

If the mother is in the exhaustion stage of the GAS (adrenal function), it is not uncommon for the baby’s adrenals to try to make enough adrenal hormones for both the baby and the mother. The mother feels great. The baby’s adrenals are really supporting the mother’s adrenals. But the baby’s adrenal glands are being stressed before it is even born!

The results are doubly negative. The baby is born in a state of adrenal depletion and often exhibits symptoms of hypoadrenia. These symptoms may be varied, but two of the more common symptoms are allergies and recurrent infections. During chronic stress states, the thymus and other lymphatic structures atrophy, lowering the capabilities of the body’s immune mechanisms.

http://tuberose.com/Adrenal_Glands.html

Do you trust your body? If so, is it all the time, some of the time? Or perhaps you trust parts/aspects of your body and not others?

How is this similar for you to trusting your intuition or knowing? How does this relate to fertility and conception?

This topic of trusting your body is coming up often as I talk with women in private sessions and listen to women’s conception and pregnancy stories. And so I wanted to share this with you, and to invite you to share your stories with me, regardless of where you are on your parenting journey.

I often hear the story that a medical professional has decreed it “impossible for you to conceive” due to your “advanced maternal age” or some other such pronouncement based on tests or scans or other metrics which do indeed seem valid. But what of that internal knowing that there is a child who has chosen you, whom you have chosen to parent?

Seriously, how does a woman reconcile this conflicting information, when the inside knowing does not match the information she receives from the outside or it’s not happening in the timing she expected?

Look at all the thought-forms, statistics and feelings about fertility challenges out there in the world, all around us in media, in friends and family, in the medical community. The term infertility is so popular! It’s not a term I embrace. I like fertility support, enhancement, something like this instead.

Each woman has a different story, a different circumstance. Some of us conceive naturally and easily with little or no effort or consciousness. Others struggle for years and never conceive, don’t want adoption or surrogacy, and choose a different path for their life. Still others find their way, a middle way, their own unique way to motherhood, despite what others tell them or what our society projects as “the way it’s supposed to look” meaning prince charming and a nubile young bride who becomes pregnant within the first year, (that’s extreme but you know what I mean).

What of the women who decided to wait, to have a career, to be mature and ready in her own timing to create a family? What about those of us who didn’t even know we wanted children until our late 30’s? It’s really common!

How easy is it to trust yourself and your body, your own knowing when someone is marking all over your files “AMA” (Advanced Maternal Age) or your family is pitying you because you don’t have the guy? Do those external ideas influence your internal sense of yourself and what you are choosing?

What of liberation, of choice, of really trusting your body and your intuition? If you are reading this I know that you are in touch with your body and your knowing and your conviction of “this is real.” “I will be a mother.” You are in touch with this at least to some degree.

And what I wonder is, are you ever knocked off of that clarity? If so, how easily are you knocked off of that trust in your own body, of knowing how to resource yourself? Does it take one trip to the fertility specialist saying, “It isn’t going to happen, too bad” Or perhaps it is the disapproving look from a family member that causes collapse and defeat. How do you press on, finding the resources that fit your internal pictures of what you are creating?

These stories of women persevering in their knowing despite outside authority and social pressure—it’s essentially female, and I keep hearing these inspiring stories. We as women are creatively powerful when we are connected in this way to our own bodies and knowing, connected even to our future child’s soul–that as long as we stay aligned with that knowing, we can create anything.

From that powerful place of knowing and connection, we can draw to us the resources, support and circumstances we need. Our body chemistry changes. We make new friends. We find a new doctor, one who says, “Oh, this is going to be easy.” And I’ve heard this and seen this, once the internal commitment and alignment with knowing sets up, “yes! This is for me!” then all things may re-organize as if in one exhale and suddenly life looks fresh and new.

Maybe you have a story of your own pregnancy to share, or maybe you are navigating your own path, finding your way in the midst of so much information and outside opinion, your personal heroine’s journey.

If you are pre-conception and finding this challenging in any way, please know you aren’t alone. Do whatever you can to nourish yourself and fall into alignment with your deepest knowing, and love, love that body of yours. She knows what to do. You know what to do. I believe that if you desire to be a mom, you will be. What that looks like, how you create your family is your personal masterpiece and it does not have to look like anyone else’s.

Group Appointments: Bringing in the Babies Monday mornings herald the beginning of our week in connection with Spirit. What are we working on? Recently the themes we have been addressing together include the following: Mate attraction Fertility support Navigating relationship and identity changes that come with having a child Healing mastitis Preparing for birth Giving birth (yes actually, during the BiB a child was making her way!) Sign up here