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Journal of an Herbalist
By Karima Burns, MH, ND 27/07/2001
Client: Afaf
Complaint: Pregnancy
Journal:
Afaf came to me because she was pregnant and wanted to have the healthiest pregnancy she could possibly could. She felt that she had done all the wrong things during her first pregnancy and she wanted this one to be healthier and more natural.
Her Program:
Afaf wanted to start taking some herbs during her pregnancy and was very excited to have me make her a personal formula. So, she was surprised when I recommended that she not use any herbs during the first trimester. Instead, we planned a program for her that focused on healthy eating and nutrition in the first trimester, and healthy eating, herbs and essential oils during her second and third trimesters.
Since good nutrition is especially important during the first few months of pregnancy and essential in the last two trimesters, I recommended some foods that were high in vitamins and minerals and would provide her with energy; she could also make these foods herself. Since taking supplements is risky, especially in the first trimester, I recommended that she try to get some extra folic acid and other minerals and vitamins through the addition of certain foods to her daily diet. During the first trimester I instructed Afaf to eat brown rice, three servings of fruits and one to two servings of dark leafy greens daily. She was also to add chicken and fish to her diet and try to avoid beef and other red meats.
Since caffeine has been shown to cause complications in the development of the fetus and is apt to leach vitamins and minerals from the system, I instructed Afaf to avoid caffeine for the first three months of her pregnancy and then allow herself only one cup (of a caffeinated beverage) a day until she gave birth. She was also to avoid, as much as possible, refined and packaged foods; they would also rob her body of the nutrients she needed to help her baby develop.
The only tea I recommended for Afaf during the first few months of her pregnancy was a "miscarriage prevention tea" which she could take, after seeing her doctor, in case of bleeding or spotting. To make the tea, she had to simmer one ounce of cramp bark in one cup of water for twenty minutes; strain the bark out; and drink the tea with honey. If her risk of a miscarriage was particularly high, she should drink up to three cups per day.
The other herb I recommended she use during her first trimester was ginger. Although it is recommended that women try to avoid taking anything during their first trimester (Castleman, p. 56), in cases of morning sickness or the flu one must take something. Herbal preparations are preferred over potentially toxic prescription drugs. Ginger is the herb of choice for pregnant women because it is mild, safe, has been traditionally used for over 5000 years; it helps many conditions such as colds, a runny nose, sore throat, morning sickness, pain and headaches. I suggested she make a ginger base and then mix her base syrup with water whenever she needed a dose.
To make her homemade "ginger syrup", Afaf took two cups of fresh ginger root, which she sliced but did not peel. She placed the root in four cups of water and simmered them on low heat for half an hour. She then added cup of honey and stored the finished syrup in the refrigerator in a corked glass jar.
To give her extra energy and nutrition during her first trimester I also gave Afaf the following recipe for "Energy Tonic Balls" and an "Energy Nutrition Smoothie":
Honey Tonic Balls
1 cup tahini
1/2 cup honey
1 T. local bee pollen
1 T. black seed (ground or mashed with mortar and pestle)
1 TBS. Sunflower seeds (optional)
1 TBS. black sesame seeds (optional)
Wheat or Oat bran or Muesli
Add any of the following: raisins, dry milk powder, powdered herbs, cayenne, cinnamon, oats, carob powder, etc...Then roll into one-tablespoon balls and eat as a snack.
Pregnancy Shake
AKA: Energy Nutrition Smoothie
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup yogurt
1 orange (fresh squeezed)
2 T. nutritional yeast
2-3 tsp. blackstrap molasses
1 T wheat germ
1/4 tsp. vanilla
Whiz all ingredients together in a blender.
During the second trimester I added: one teaspoon of blackstrap molasses, one tablespoon of sesame seeds, one cup of yogurt (plain), one tablespoon of wheatgerm, one cup of oatmeal, and one serving of dark leafy greens to her daily "must eat" list. She was also to eat liver once a week. In addition, I created a multi-vitamin pregnancy tea that would keep her blood nutrient-rich for her and the baby. Her herbal tea contained: one part red raspberry leaf, two parts nettle leaf, two parts alfalfa grass, four parts of spearmint, two parts of oatstraw, one part horsetail and three parts lemon balm leaf. She was to make an infusion from the tea and drink two cups a day, either hot or iced.
I also recommended that she start rubbing her belly with oil in order to prevent stretch marks. Once a woman has stretch marks, they are almost impossible to get rid of, so prevention is the best policy. To create her special oil blend, we mixed two tablespoons of almond oil with ten drops of borage seed oil. We then added six drops of lavender essential oil and five drops of tangerine essential oil.
Afaf was very enthusiastic about finally getting to use some oils and herbs; but I felt I needed to remind her that not all oils and herbs are safe for pregnant women. I referred her to the list I had made up for pregnant women, which outlined which herbs were safe and which ones were dangerous to use during pregnancy.
During the third trimester, I recommend that she stop her nutritional tea for a while, but still emphasize nutrition in her diet. About six weeks before her due date she should drink three cups of red raspberry tea daily to help tone the uterus and make her labor easier. Many people start drinking red raspberry tea earlier or throughout their entire pregnancy, however, this can reverse the effect of the herb and perhaps increase the pain or length of labor.
I also recommended that she take childbirth classes, which would help her learn about the rhythms of labor. Afaf was typed as a "metal type" (Chinese typology), which made her very susceptible to order and rhythm. Metal types also tend to become tense in stressful situations and exhibit this stress by "holding things in" (a bowel movement, the need to urinate, or possibly even a baby). Classes would help her learn how to release this tendency so that her labor would not be a long and hard one. A metal person is usually more comfortable with a hospital birth because they are so orderly themselves, although a well-planned home birth would perhaps work just as well. Afaf chose to have a hospital birth.
Afaf enjoyed her program and gave birth to a healthy, eight-pound baby girl on December 6th, 2000. Her labor was "normal" and she does not have any stretch marks. She is now nursing her baby at home.
Karima Burns is a naturopath and herbalist. She has published her own newsletter about natural healing for four years and has studied many aspects of natural healing from herbs to homeopathy to aromatherapy for the past 12 years. She is an herbal consultant and teaches people about natural healing from her home in Saudi Arabia. This is a journal of her experiences with her clients.
Sources
Castleman, Michael. "The Healing Herbs." Pennsylvania: Rodale Press.1991.
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