Often, pregnant women are distrustful of medical treatment and prefer to drink decoctions of herbs. But is it safe? Herbs are primarily drugs and have a fairly strong effect. Not for nothing that even with the modern level of development of medicine, doctors do not refuse to use various decoctions. What herbs can you drink during pregnancy so as not to harm yourself and your baby?
general information
Herbs have a restorative, prophylactic and therapeutic effect. Medicinal herbs during pregnancy should be used with extreme caution. Some of them may have an abortive, toxic, or hormone-like effect.
By action, they can be divided into general strengthening and healing. What herbs can I drink during pregnancy? It must be well understood that in small quantities it is permissible to use only firming herbs. Any treatment, including herbal medicine, can be carried out only on the recommendation and under the supervision of a specialist. You can apply herbal treatment only taking into account the state of health and the gestational age of the woman. First, consider what herbs you can drink during pregnancy.
Narrow-leaf fireweed (Ivan tea)
Herbs that are useful during pregnancy are primarily a general strengthening effect. One of the most useful nutritious herbs is narrow-leaved fireweed. It is better known as ivan tea. This plant today is undeservedly forgotten, but before the fireweed was widely exported. The infusion of this plant is fragrant and pleasant to the taste, in addition, it has many useful properties:
- Ivan tea has a pronounced calming effect.
- The amount of vitamin C in fireweed is comparable to the content of this vitamin in blackcurrant berries.
- Fireweed is an indispensable source of minerals.
- A decoction of it has a mild analgesic effect.
- Relieves anxiety and normalizes sleep.
- Improves blood counts.
Fatigue brings tiredness to a tired person, while calmness and a normal sleep give to the alarmed. You can buy Ivan tea at the pharmacy, but due to the peculiarities of drying, the pharmacy product does not have the whole range of nutrients and a rich taste. It is better to procure firewood on your own or purchase from people who constantly collect for themselves a certain amount of this herb. You can drink infusion of fireweed during pregnancy instead of tea.
How to prepare ivan tea?
Gather fireweed in the summer, at the time of flowering. For drying, take one part of the flowers and two parts of the leaves. The mass before fermentation should let the juice go. It can be crumbled in a mortar, minced or simply mashed thoroughly with your hands.
Now the crumpled leaves are stacked in piles in a dark place. Fermentation can last from a few hours (for lovers of green tea) to a day (for lovers of black tea). During fermentation, the smell of fireweed changes from the aroma of freshly cut grass to a sweet fruity fragrance.
Dry fireweed in the sun or in the oven, oven. In damp, the flesh will begin to deteriorate. Store tea in a glass container.
Currant leaf
What herbs to drink during pregnancy? Currant leaves are successfully used to treat vitamin deficiency, increase hemoglobin, increase appetite, for colds from coughs and as a diaphoretic. In addition, currants have an anti-inflammatory effect, removes uric acid and stimulates the adrenal cortex.
Currant leaves are used to treat eczema, neurodermatitis, diathesis, rheumatism, liver, kidney disease. There is more vitamin C in currant leaves than in berries. What is the use of currants for pregnant women?
- It supplies the body with a large number of vitamins and minerals.
- Increases immunity, which is especially important in the autumn-winter period.
- Increases hemoglobin level.
- Helps reduce kidney stress.
Raspberry leaf
What herbs can I drink during pregnancy? Raspberry leaf. It has invaluable qualities, especially useful for pregnant women. The fact is that the leaves contain phytoestrogens, which will help prepare for childbirth. It is important to know that many doctors strongly recommend not eating raspberry leaves in the first and second trimester. It is better to start drinking a decoction of them no earlier than 8 weeks before giving birth. This prepares the uterus for childbirth, helps to open the cervix and prevents the weakness of labor. With constipation, it is not recommended to drink a raspberry decoction, since it has astringent properties.
It is also used for influenza, tonsillitis, cough, female diseases, menstrual irregularities, hemorrhoids.
Herbs That May Cause Abortion
Herbs contraindicated during pregnancy can cause abortion and endanger the health of the mother and baby. The list of dangerous herbs and those whose use is possible only under the supervision of a doctor is very extensive.
A green pharmacy is not as harmless as it seems to an inexperienced person. And midwives could use herbs against pregnancy. Herbs, which include alkaloids and essential oils, stimulate muscle contraction. When used, miscarriage may occur. This is extremely dangerous both for the fetus and for the health of the mother. We will understand what herbs are not allowed during pregnancy.
Miscarriage can cause:
- Aloe tree grows in almost every home, and its beneficial properties are known to all. But during pregnancy with this plant you need to be extremely careful. Aloe can be included in various fees to strengthen immunity, stimulate appetite, and in the gastrointestinal collections. The plant can cause bleeding.
- Barberry ordinary. You can not use tincture of leaves and unripe berries. It can be found in collections to improve liver function, stimulate appetite, antianemic, and cholelithiasis. It is allowed to use barberry berries as a seasoning, but in small quantities.
- Medicinal oregano causes uterine tone and uterine bleeding. It can be found in sedative, improving appetite, pulmonary-bronchial and gastric collections. Dangerous in any form.
- Lovage officinalis helps to reduce uterine muscles, is dangerous in any form. It can be a part of seasonings, it is found in diuretics, expectorants, sedatives, painkillers.
- Unbreakable buckthorn is used as a laxative. It can cause hyperemia.
- Ergot is poisonous, causes uterine tone and is contraindicated during pregnancy.
- Garlic is used in herbal medicine, but treatment is contraindicated during pregnancy.
- Common tansy is part of the fees for anemia, stress, headaches, edema.
- Rhubarb lowers blood coagulability, provokes a deficiency of calcium due to the high content of oxalic acid, which negatively affects the health of the mother and the formation of bones in the fetus. It is used as a choleretic and laxative.
- Black radish improves appetite and digestion, is used as a cough medicine, but the essential oils that the plant is rich in can cause uterine tone. In salads, you can replace daikon and white radish, which do not contain so many essential oils.
- Curly parsley should be completely excluded from the diet of both a pregnant woman at any time and a woman planning a pregnancy and prone to miscarriages. It provokes abortion and premature birth.
- Anise is used to treat amenorrhea, but it can cause uterine bleeding.
Placental circulation disorders
There are herbs that can disrupt placental circulation. Because of this, the fetus will not be able to get enough nutrients and oxygen. What herbs are not allowed during pregnancy?
- Hyssop officinalis may be part of the collections against anemia, neurosis, angina pectoris, gastrointestinal diseases, bronchial asthma. The plant also causes uterine tone.
- Salvia officinalis is used as a seasoning, a diuretic, a decoction helps with tonsillitis, stomatitis. Sage is useful for those planning to become pregnant, but during pregnancy can cause a miscarriage, since its effect is similar to the hormone estrogen. In addition, it increases blood pressure and promotes blood clots. It is forbidden to use sage inside, but it is suitable for external use. You can gargle and do foot baths.
Herbs that adversely affect the fetus
There are herbs that can increase the likelihood of an allergy. They do not cause a reaction to any particular product, but a general predisposition. This is a wild strawberry and a succession.
Wild strawberries are used for vitamin deficiencies, anemia, urolithiasis, and diseases of the stomach. It can provoke a predisposition to allergic reactions in the fetus, increase the tone of the uterus and cause a miscarriage.
A three-part series seems to be a safe grass, because children bathe in it literally from the first days of life. But it is harmless only when applied externally, but you cannot take it inside during pregnancy.
There are a number of herbs that can trigger the development of defects in a child: seaweed, spinach, sorrel. Sea kale with excessive consumption can cause an overdose of iodine, so pregnant women need to be careful with it. Spinach, sorrel, rhubarb due to the high content of oxalic acid can adversely affect the formation of bones in a child.
Herbs that have a negative effect on the mother's body
A number of herbs can have an adverse effect on the mother's body. These herbs during pregnancy cause edema, increase pain:
- Mordovia is used to treat neurological diseases. In a pregnant woman, it can cause muscle tone, cramps, and increase sensitivity to pain.
- Licorice is a plant that is often recommended for diseases of the bronchi and lungs and is part of many cough syrups. In pregnant women, it causes swelling, increases blood pressure, and affects hormone levels.
- Chaga birch mushroom retains water, causing swelling.
Toxicosis and preeclamps herbs
Herbs in this group can be prescribed pregnant in rare cases, but only by a phytotherapist who has a gynecological specialization. These herbs cause nausea, vomiting, heartburn, etc.:
- Ledum is used as an expectorant, lowers blood pressure, and may cause inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
- Valerian is often taken by pregnant women as a mild sedative. But at high dosages or prolonged use it increases nervousness, causes nausea, vomiting, headache, and disrupts the heart.
- Melilotus officinalis is used as an expectorant and diuretic; it is prescribed for insomnia and rheumatism. The plant is poisonous, causes headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting.
- Wormwood is prescribed for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and as choleretic. May provoke bleeding.
- Celandine in pregnant women causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory depression.
Pressure boosting herbs
High blood pressure is especially dangerous during pregnancy, so herbs that increase it should be used with extreme caution:
- Hypericum perforatum is found in various herbal remedies. This plant violates the placental blood flow, constricts blood vessels, increases pressure.
- Immortelle sand is used in the treatment of the liver and gall bladder, causing an increase in blood pressure.
Herbs Affecting Kidney Function
It is no secret that the kidneys undergo double stress during pregnancy, so it is very important not to overload the organs additionally and not to inhibit their function.
- Marsh calf is part of the gastrointestinal collections, dangerous due to the strong diuretic effect.
- Blue cornflower is included in the cardiovascular, diuretic, choleretic collections. It is dangerous due to the high content of the cyanide complex and the diuretic effect.
- Golden rhododendron depresses the kidneys, breathing, reduces pressure, causes vomiting, pain in the stomach and intestines.
- Juniper is used as a diuretic.
- Elecampane is used as an expectorant, negatively affects the kidneys.
- Do not abuse celery and dill.
Herbs affecting blood coagulation
Blood coagulation parameters are extremely important both during pregnancy and during childbirth. Interfering in the fragile balance of the coagulation system without special knowledge is very dangerous, therefore herbs that affect coagulation should be used with caution:
- Highlander bird not only has a blood-clotting effect, but can also cause uterine contractions.
- The cat's foot increases pressure, has a blood-clotting effect.
- Hemoptysis, like other hemostatic, is not recommended.
Hormonal hormones
The list of herbs that violate the hormonal background is very extensive, and it includes many herbs used in various collections:
- Melissa officinalis ;
- medicinal dandelion;
- Walnut;
- yarrow ;
- common hops;
- Stinging nettle;
- common ginseng;
- Rhodiola rosea;
- eleutherococcus;
- meadow clover.
Of course, with special care you need to treat poisonous herbs, such as hemlock, beladonna, larkspur, comfrey, euphorbia and others. If you prefer to be treated with the gifts of a green pharmacy, then you should well understand which herbs can be drunk during pregnancy and which can not, and be sure to consult a phytotherapist.