Botanica WestHolistic Healing & Therapy from a Master Herbalist

Many patients in there child bearing years wanted Information on what to and what not to take during pregnancy. I chose ta carry all of Dr. Christopher formulas because almost all are safe for pregnant and nursing mothers. And they carry children’s formulas as well.

This was from an herbal course from over ten years ago but the same herbs are still used by midwives.

Exhaustion and Tension
~ Chamomile.  A cup of tea is an excellent relaxant.  Drink as much as you like J
~ Skullcap Tincture.  Brings on sleep. Begin with 3-5 dropper dosage and repeat as needed.

Lactation
~ Teas made with nourishing herbs promote an abundant supply of milk… Red raspberry, Red Clover, Nettles, Comfrey and Alfalfa.  Also specific are:  Blessed thistle, Borage and Fennel

Early Labor
~ Ginger Tea with honey ~ not too close to birth however.

Laborade
~ To balance electrolytes:  Combine 1/3 cup lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, one crushed calcium tablet and enough water to make one quart.  ( I use hot water to dissolve honey, salt & calcium – let cool then add lemon juice and chill )

Raspberry Tea & Ice Chips
~ Uterine tonic and vitamins and minerals

Rescue Remedy
~ Strength and calm during labor.  Can help a slow infant start to breathe.  Shock for anyone in the room.  Headaches & migraines.

For Hemorrhage
~ Black & blue cohosh under tongue. Use 2-3 droppers as needed.  Shepherds Purse AFTER placenta exits – use 2 droppers under tongue – repeat every two minutes as needed.
~ The tincture of fresh or dried witch hazel bark, through its powerful astringent action, stops bleeding quickly without constricting the os or slowing delivery of placenta. Use 10-20 drops.
~ Motherwort tincture – 10 drops given routinely after birth is claimed to prevent hemorrhage.

Postpartum Hemorrhage
~ Shepherds Purse. A vasoconstrictor, the tincture stops bleeding & promotes uterine contractions.  A dropper full ( 20-40 drops ) under tongue can stop a postpartum hemorrhage in five seconds.  ** NOT to be used as a preventative before placenta is delivered because it forms clots which are hard to pass **

Shock
~ Cayenne, vinegar and honey in water.  Or add a dash of cayenne and vinegar to laborade.
~ Rescue Remedy – repeat dose every 5 minutes as long as needed.
~ A woman feeling “shock” MUST stay awake, lay down, legs elevated, keep warm, keep still and consistently reassure her.
~ Tincture of Cayenne – stimulates circulation
~ Lobelia Tincture – in small repeated doses is specific for shock.  3-5 drops under tongue every five minutes as needed.

Fever
~ Echinacea Root – the herbalist antibiotic.  If infection is present, use for at least one week, but expect response in 48 hours.

After Pains
~ Catnip Tea – keeps flow moving, relaxes nervous tension and acts as a pain killer.
~ Motherwort – 5-20 drops in a glass of water helps tone the uterus and eases the nervous system.

HEALING SALVE FOR BABY’S BOTTOM
~ and any other affliction of the skin J

Plantain & Comfrey & Goldenseal – optional – (root powder)
~ It is preferable to use the fresh, rich green leaves of these plants but I’ve had good success with dry herbs as well.
~ Chop coarsely and fill a clean dry jar 2/3 full with plantain 1/3 full with comfrey
~ Add olive oil alone or in combination with almond oil to fill jar again
~ Let sit 4 to 6 weeks – I try to start my herbs soaking on a new moon and drain on a full moon six weeks later
~ Let the oil sit out of direct sunlight on a surface that won’t be damaged by possibly oozing oil
~ When its time to process into salve pour off oil and plant material into cheesecloth and squeeze excess oil from plant material then discard herb.
~ Heat the oil in an enamel pan.  Add 1 TBS grated beeswax for each ounce of oil.  Stir with wooden spoon as wax melts.
~ Remove from heat and add a few drops of Benzoin Tincture as a preservative. (Benzoin Tincture is available at pharmacies)
~ Pour liquid in small jars, let cool (if salve feels too oily it can be reheated and more beeswax added-careful not to overdo)
~ Use for diaper rash, insect bites, itches, minor wounds, lips ….

TO MAKE A TINCTURE …  A simple … uses one herb
~ Fill a clean dry jar with your chosen herb
~ Fill a second time with alcohol – 100 proof vodka, ever clear or brandy.
~ Allow it to sit 4-6 weeks brewing … or longer is fine too!
~ Pour through cheesecloth to strain & squeeze out all you can from the herb. Decant in brown glass bottles.

~ HERBS CAN STRENGTHEN, NOURISH AND TONIFY OUR SYSTEMS ~

DURING PREGNANCY

Materni Tea
~ Red Raspberry Leaf, Peppermint, Nettles, Ginger, Yellowdock or Burdock

Chlorophyll
~ Alfalfa: Rich in minerals, Vitamin K (clotting factor) oxygenates blood – good to use in conjunction with iron

Comfrey Tincture
~ Calcium, Amino Acids & Minerals

Dandelion Tincture
~ Calcium, Potassium, Iron – helps kidneys or lactation

Yellow dock Tincture
~ Iron, Iron, Iron

Nettles Tincture
~ Vitamins A & D, calcium and phosphorus.  Tones kidneys.

Fennel Seed Tea
~ A tonic to the stomach.  This tea gently assists digestion.

Red Clover
~ Reduces acidity.  Helps with the assimilation of iron.

Red Raspberry
~ Contains the alkaloid, fragrine which tones the muscles of the pelvic region and the uterus.  Rich in Vitamin C, Vitamins A, B & E, which are easily assimilated, calcium, iron and many other minerals.

** HERBS THAT ARE NOT SAFE FOR USE DURING PREGNANCY **

*Golden Seal        * Aloe Vera (internally)        * Penny Royal        * Don Quai
* Mug Wort        * Ginseng            * Mistle Toe        * Cottonwood Bark
* Osha Root        * Laxative Herbs – Senna, Mandrake, Cascara Sagrada

* First Trimester Only – Chamomile and Mint     * ONLY colon cleansing with Slippery Elm

TINCTURES FOR LABOR AND BIRTH

Early Labor Pain
~ Motherwort – five drops under tongue or in tea every half hour.
~ St John’s Wort – (or St Joans) 25-30 drops every half hour.

Unripe Cervix
~ Black Cohosh – 10 drops hourly under tongue
~ Evening Primrose oil – capsules. 3x/day one week before birth
~ Evening Primrose oil – capsules opened & oil applied to cervix

Initiating Labor
~ Blue Cohosh – 2 droppers & Black Cohosh – 1 dropper } taken hourly for four hours then take once every four hours for four hours

Labor
~ Relaxation – 5 calcium lactate pills
~ Rigid OS – Hot bath & evening primrose oil applied to the cervix (RV- I have used extra virgin olive oil that works just as well)

Exhaustion
~ Ginger Root Tea – stop at least one hour before birth
~ Ginseng – a vile of Panex Ginseng
~ Honey – a spoonful or dissolve in a cup of tea
~ Lemon Balm & Red Raspberry Tea with honey

Pain
~ Skull cap – 3 to 5 drops along with 25 drops. St Johns Wort hourly
** Skull Cap is an intensifier for other herbs, a large dose alone can be TOXIC.

Retained Placenta
~ Angelica – Don Quai – Powerful emmenagogues & uterine stimulants
A single dose of 30-50 drops under tongue usually works in five minutes.

Undelivered Placenta
~ Angelica:  50 drops & Blue Cohosh 20 drops under tongue.  Repeat in 2-5 minutes if needed to cause rapid emptying & clamping of the uterus.

Tearing After Birth
~ Use steeped Chamomile Tea and Virgin Olive Oil to clean outside area, then gently place seaweed strips onto tears.  Remove and replace every four hours (can leave on overnight) for two to four days.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Gentle Mothering            Dancing Willow Herbs        Herb Pharm
PO Box 2759                125 East 10th Street            PO Box 116
Hesperia CA  92345      Durango CO 81301            Williams OR 97544

Cascade Birth Supplies        Manflower Birth Supplies
PO Box 12203                     2810 Wilderness Place #D
Salem OR  97309                 Boulder CO  80301

REFERENCES

Wise Woman Herbal for the Child Bearing Year             Susan Weed

Every Woman’s Herbal                                                  Dr. John Christopher MHND

The Way of Herbs                                                         Michael Tierra

Natural Healing with Herbs                                          Humbart Santillo

OTHER READINGS

Growing & Using Healing Herbs                                    Weiss & Weiss

Herbally Yours                                                              Penny Royal

Health Through God’s Pharmacy                                  Maria Treben

The Herb Book                                                              John Lust

Today’s Herbal Health                                                  Louise Tenney

Indian Herbology of North America                              Hutchins

Healing With Herbs                                                       Henrietta Diers Rau

Back to Eden                                                                 Jethro Klauss

The How to Herb Book                                                  Kieth & Gordon

The Shepherds Purse                                                     Max Barlow

Herb Bible                                                                      Earl Mindell