Miriam recommends natural teas and a tincture for third-trimester ladies – and their husbands.
Having actively worked as a doulah for many years, I’ve always used herbalist’s wisdom to support women in pregnancy. Here are some herbs to ease the wait of the lady in waiting: The third trimester can be trying. Exhaustion, possibly return of nausea, feeling fed up. To strengthen the adrenals, supplement minerals and boost hemoglobin, drink this simple nettles tea:
Nettle tea recipe
One tsp. of dried, crumble nettle leaves in a glass jar with a spoon in it to absorb the heat from boiling water. Boil 1 cup of water per teaspoon and pour it over the leaves. Remove the spoon after a minute and cover the jar. Allow the leaves to steep at least four hours, and overnight is best. Strain and drink hot, cold, sweetened, or not.
Nettles are available in health food stores. I advise all pregnant women and nursing mothers to drink nettles tea because their (our) resources can easily become depleted as their bodies nurture a whole new little life.
Add some raspberry leaves
Four weeks before due date, add a teaspoon of dried, crumbled raspberry leaves to each teaspoon of nettles. Raspberry tonifies the uterus by causing tiny ripples in the uterine muscle – a mild exercise for the womb. It will not bring on early contractions in normal, uncomplicated pregnancies.
Ease contractions
Once labor has started, Motherwort herb takes the edge off contractions. The easiest way to take it is as drops – you buy the tincture from a homeopathic drugstore and squeeze 20 drops into a little water. Take it from the time that the contractions become uncomfortable (the very first ones are usually easy and you can just breathe through them).
Motherwort is also a heart tonic and as such, helps calm down nerves. I’ve given it to birthing fathers as well – some husbands get frantic during their wive’s labor. Put 30 drops into a glass of orange juice for him – he’ll feel better in about 10 minutes.
L’chaim!
More on pregnancy and breastfeeding from Green Prophet:
- Pregnancy: the New Fountain of Youth
- Ecomum Goes Back to the Beginning
- Breastfeeding and Keeping Up with the “Supply and Demand”
Photo of wild nettles by Miriam Kresh.
Miriam is a certified doula and an old-fashioned herb lady. She writes her own food blog: www.israelikitchen.com
Author: Miriam Kresh
Miriam Kresh is an American ex-pat living in Israel. Her love of Middle Eastern food evolved from close friendships with enthusiastic Moroccan, Tunisian and Turkish home cooks. She owns too many cookbooks and is always planning the next meal. Miriam can be reached at miriam (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
