Herbal Remedies & Supplements for Pregnancy

Seeing as this is a frequently posted topic we have decided to start a permanent thread here.

If you are using or have used any herbal remedies or supplements for Pregnancy or you would like information relating to a particular remedy feel free to post here. There are quite a few available for different purposes (eg Raspberry Leaf, Evening Primrose Oil), so why not post your recommendations or experiences.

If you would like information regarding multivitamins (eg Blackmores, Elevit etc) you can find more information in the following thread:

Multivitamins for TTC, Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

If you would like information regarding Herbal Remedies & Supplements while TTC or Breastfeeding, you can find more information in the following threads:

Herbal Remedies & Supplements for TTC
Herbal Remedies & Supplements for Breastfeeding

*hugs*
Cailin

I've been taking Folate while TTC and when i get pregnant i'm going to take blackmores pregnancy and breastfeeding formula. Would I have to still continue the folate or will the other one have enough folate in it?

Cailin I can't find the thread - the link takes you in a loop back here

can you direct me to pregnancy thread please

This thread is for Supplements & Herbal remedies during pregnancy

THIS thread is for Vitamins (ie. Blackmores) which can be used for TTC, pregnancy & breastfeeding..

Am I making sense?

*hugs*
Cailin

Regarding Supplements

My question is how much calcium is everyone talking ? ( I need more for twins)

and is anyone talking an iron supplement as there is not much in Elevit ?

What can you take for foot cramps - I read somewhere magnesium is good for this ? This morning driving DS to school I had excrutiating feet cramps - very hard to drive with them.


? on Iodine - our diets are apparently deficient in iodine and they recommend we use iodised salt - does anyone have any info on this ?

Tegan - Blackmores Pregnancy has folate in it - though I am not sure how much - it is less than Elevit. Many ladies are taking Elevit which has 800mg in it - only have to take one a day and not as chunky as Blackmores (you take 2 of these) and when you are nauseous it can be hard to get them down or to stay down. Goodluck this month.

Some people do continue to take more as per Dr's - those at high risk of neural tube defects etc.

Trish - here's what I take:

Calcium - at least 600mg/day. However I also try and have yoghurt, cheese and a glass of milk each day. If constipation isn't a problem for you take 2. I take a calcium/magnesium combo as mag is needed for absorption of calcium (can often offset the constipation issue). Always take this at night as it increases absorption.

Multi - Elevit 1 per day

Zinc - 1 per day. I don't think there's enough in Elevit and our requirements increase during preg.

Fish Oil 1g 2-3/ day. I eat NO fish and omega 3 is important for bubs brain development and have read studies that it reduces allergy problems once born.

Iron - currently not taking iron as my meat consumption is Ok but will probably start again soon esp 3rd trim when I get quite tired and anaemic and bubs needs more. Always take this with vit C or OJ and apart from other vitamins esp zinc and calcium.

I suffered a bit last time from cramps but only rarely and only towards the end. Magnesium is usually (not always) the main culprit.

I think there's enough iodine in your diet if you have a balanced and variety of foods but best to ask your OB.

Anyway, this is just my concoction and it works well for me. I had a healthy pregnancy and DS was a healthy baby. I separate these thoughout the day, especially Fish oil as they are huge and can sometimes have a funny aftertaste. Also my pee is a radioactive yellow colour Lol!!!!! I'm prolly flushing most of them down the drain! I guess nothing beats a healthy diet, however my lack of enthusiasm over food means I'm not as good as I could be.

Can someone help me out in regards to how much fish oil I should be taking?

The packet I have is 1000mgs and it says to take 2 tablets three times a day, do you think this would be too much to take during pregnancy, it seems a lot to me?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Take Care

Deeanne

I asked one of the experts in another thread will try to find the answer :-k
Can't remember and I stopped for a while because of nausea trying to reduce number of pills - thnaks ofr reminding me better get back on them.

It was actually flaxseed oil - but here is thread

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ic.php?t=17773

Trish - I`m going to show my ignorance here and ask what is Flaxseed Oil?

Also known as Linseed oil -

• Vegetable source of Omega 3 fatty acids

OMEGA-3 's are available from flaxseed oil - or fish oil

:

---

Flaxseed (also known as Linseed) comes from the Flax plant - a small, single stemmed plant that has greyish green leaves and sky blue flowers. The amber oil which is obtained from the Flax seeds is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is an Omega 3 fatty acid. Various literature states that essential fatty acids are beneficial for the heart and may help reduce high blood pressure and high triglyceride levels.

Flaxseed Oil is also a source of phytoestrogens making it useful for breast tenderness and may alleviate symptoms of PMS.

---

Mine are in capsule form.

I have taken flaxseed oil from before pregnancy and still to this day. i switched from teh oil in pregnancy (as it made me sick) to the actual Flaxseeds. I get them in the health aisle in woollies, they're called Linseeds as well, and I have them every morning in a smoothy. Also good in salads. I have found that not only is it healthy, but my nails and skin are much better!! xo

good idea about Linseeds

Hi ladies,

Could someone please tell me if these suppliments should be appropriate?

1. Multi - Blackmores (P and BF)

2. Calcium

3. Iron

p.s I if i switched to elevit, would I need the others?

I dont believe I am getting my RDI through my diet.

Elevit has all of them - check what is Blackmores multi as they recommend you only take pregnancy specific MV as other normal MV are not for pregnant women unless yours is Blackmores the pregnancy & BF one

There is a quiz you can do to see if you are getting enough see the topic here

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...ic.php?t=22385

I played around with it to see what increased my iron/calcuim - so I know where to improve my diet

Emma
there is a quiz you can do to see if you are getting enough calcium- I started a thread. See my post above (over the page actually) for the link. Then play around with the quiz to see what food serves increases it

You can start to take fish oil /OMega 3 or Linseed (flaxseed) at any time I think - maybe ask Brenda the panel expert ?

Quick question
Are there any herbal teas recommended for early pregnancy at all? Or are they all not recommended?

Yeah I found the first link works but not the other two.

I hve been using Blackmores Pregnancy & Breastfeeding. I think the capsules are a bit big and sometimes they make me gag, but anyway.

I had chamomile tea early on because I was rather ill, and its meant to setlle your stomach or something like that.

i would love to know that answer 2 tanby!
my dad recommended i try to drink it...(is this possible or is he makin things up...bless him...)i didnt no u could get them in tablets.i dont know much in this area of herbal.
but i heard they can help labour..is this true also?

Hi everyone,

My friend is looking for a new liquid form of pregnancy multivitamin that her doctor told her about (but he couldn't remember the name!) as she cannot take tablets no matter how hard she trys......

Has anyone heard of this liquid form or have any suggestions on where to look?

Thanks a lot,


Korina

To one of the first posts - I visited my naturopath and she did an analysis of what I was deficient in, and gave me exact amounts of vitamins for my pregnancy. I wasn't deficient in anything, but she said to take a folate tablet as well as the blackmores pregnancy vitamins as it is like Vit C - your body doesn't store the excess and just secretes it - so it is better to have too much than not enough. I was also taking the herbal iron supplements (liquid), forgotten its name. But I have slacked off a bit as I got sick of taking stuff all the time!

This Australian Government Website lists the vitamins/minerals RDI's for people during the various stages in their life, although it doesn't got into the oils and other supplements such as selenium et al..
http://http://www.nrv.gov.au/Calculator.aspx

My wonderful hisband bought me some relaxing lavender bubble bath, moistuizer and massage oil to help in the last few months of this pregnancy. I looked at the bottles last night and it says on all of them that they shouldn't be used if pregnant. Anybody have any idea why? And is it only true for early stages of pregnancy or all of it?

chamomile is for nervous issues, heartburn,and is very supportive of the female cycle.
peppermint is good for stomach but avoid in third trimester as it may increase braxton-hicks contractions.
horsetail is high in silica, for hair, skin and nails
dandelion is good for the liver and helps with odema
ginger and lemon is a great pick-me-up when you just *need* a coffee :D


avoid strong teas such as
rosemary (may elevate blood pressure)
lavender (may decrease blood pressure)
and
red raspberry in early pg as it ripens the cervix for delivery

there's a whole heap more info in "eat right for your baby" by peter j d'adamo, ISBN 0-425-19614-3, we used his books in nutrition class and i've used the type "O" diet for years to control PCOS.

There's a lot of confusing, conflicting information on herbal tea/supplement use in pregnancy. eg. I've read that you shouldn't drink chamomile tea.

A friend recommended Natures Own Travel Well which is just a powdered ginger tablet for morning sickness there's 1000mg of it per tablet. The Blackmores m/s tablets contain 400mg of ginger plus some B6. And yet I have just googled ginger in pregnancy there are a few sources which say that, while it's been proven to be effective there haven't been any studies regarding safety. I even found one which said there had been an increased rate of miscarriage in rats on a ginger trial. Hmmmmm....

When it comes to herbal medicines and safety during pregnancy, it's a bit of a minefield out there! I am in the process of compiling a comprehensive document on safe herbs for pregnancy and lactation, including herbs that are safe to use under certain circumstances. I will post it on BB when complete... could take a little while...but bear with me :)

For now, I can say that Chamomile tea is very safe during pregnancy and lactation (unless you are allergic to plants from the daisy family), and it supplies Calcium and Magnesium, is calming to the stomach and can reduce nausea and reflux. Ginger is also safe, but care should be taken as it is very warming and in very high doses (as were most likely given to those poor little rodents) it can be too warming and too thinning to the blood. I wouldn't exceed 1200 mg (1.2 grams) a day in pregnancy, and I prefer to prescribe fresh ginger root as a tea (a few thin slices per cup of boiled water, up to four times daily). This way, you are not eating the ginger, just drinking the liquid. This is brilliant for m/s provided you can handle the taste - which is yummy to most people, but with m/s, taste buds are a bit less cooperative to say the least ;)

I tend to recommend Spearmint, Chamomile, Meadowsweet, Nettle, Lemon Balm and Ginger in early pregnancy, and Raspberry Leaf (with Spearmint for taste) in the 2nd & 3rd trimesters. These are all safe herbs that can be considered similar to foods ...nettle tea even tastes like spinach, and has many of the same nutrients - including lots of Iron and Magnesium. If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to ask - herbs are one of my greatest loves :) and I'm happy to help out where I can

Hugs
xxx

Thanks for that reply Nicole. That's great news about the chamomile, I love it. I've only been taking a max of one of those ginger tablets, some days I don't have one but will have some Planet Organic Ginger Tea, not the same as the fresh ginger tea my granny makes, but seems to help. I look forward to seeing your document, when you get around to completing it :)

A few of my friends swear by what they call 'The Pregnancy Tea'. They've all had great pregnancies and amazing labours so I'm drinking it myself in hopes of the same. :pray:

The Bulk Herb Store has amounts and directions for the same tea that my friends drink/drank and I'm currently drinking (which they call "Mama's Red Raspberry Brew"). I just bought the herbs here and combined it myself. It actually tastes really good!!

The same website also has a great list of herbs that can be used for different conditions with info on all the major (and a lot of minor) herbs. It's a great site to check out if you're interested in herbal teas and remedies. :D

Thanks for your comprehensive reply Nicole! That answers most of my questions too!

One other though, is caffeine free chai tea OK - I can get an ingredient list (its spi chai from T2) but things like cinnemon, star anise, hmm. Are there any cooking spices that are a no-no?

Hiya,

Have heard there are tablets to take during the last 5 weeks of pregnancy to prepare your body for labour & birth, does anyone know the name??

TIA

Well I had never heard of nettle tea before!

If I have started drinking rasberry leaf tea and nettle tea, how many cups should I have of each per day?

Now 35 weeks :)

Info I found:


NETTLE LEAVES (Urtica Dioca) Less well known as a pregnancy tonic but deserving a kinder reputation and use, Urtica is one of the finest nourishing tonics known. It is reputed to have more chlorophyll than any other herb. The list of vitamins and minerals in this herb includes nearly every one known to necessary for human health and growth.
Vitamins A, C, D and K, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, iron and sulphur are particularly abundant in nettles. The infusion is a dark green color approaching black. The taste is deep and rich. If you are blessed with a nettle patch near you, use the fresh plant as a pot herb in the spring.
Some pregnant women alternate weeks of nettle and raspberry brews; others drink raspberry until the last month and then switch to nettles to insure large amounts of vitamin K in the blood before birth.
The benefits of drinking nettle infusion before and throughout pregnancy include:

~ Aiding the kidneys. Nettle infusions were instrumental in rebuilding the kidneys of a woman who was told she would have to be put on a dialysis machine. Since the kidneys must cleanse 150 percent of the normal blood supply for most of the pregnancy, nettle's ability to nourish and strengthen them is of major importance. Any accumulation of minerals in the kidneys, such as gravel or stones, is gently loosened, dissolved and eliminated by the consistent use of nettle infusions.

~ Increasing fertility in women and men.
~ Nourishing mother and fetus.
~ Easing leg cramps and other spasms.
~ Diminishing pain during and after birth. The high calcium content, which is readily assimilated, helps diminish muscle pains in the uterus, in the legs and elsewhere.
~ Preventing hemorrhage after birth. Nettle is a superb source of vitamin K, and increases available hemoglobin, both of which decrease the likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage. Fresh Nettle Juice, in teaspoon doses, slows postpartum bleeding.
~ Reducing hemorrhoids. Nettle's mild astringency and general nourishing action tightens and strengthens blood vessels, helps maintain arterial elasticity and improves venous resilience.
~ Increasing the richness and amount of breast milk.

I know that fish oil is good for the baby, I wonder if I can take the blackmores pregnancy gold multi-vitamin (which has fish oil in it) and also take the double strength fish oil - brand Bioglan.
this has this much fish oil
Each Soft Gel Capsule contains:
Concentrated Omega-3 Triglycerides - fish 1200mg, containing: Omega 3 triglycerides (600mg) as Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 360mg, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 240mg.

will that be ok? i just think the blackmores one doesn't have enough fish oil in it.
Otherwise, can I take elevit or other supplements which doesn't have fish oil and combine Bioglan together?

thanks for everyone's help.

carlini

Hey Carly,

You're absolutely right in taking a separate fish oil supplement along with your multi - as there is only a very small amount of fish oil in the Blackmores multi. There are many studies proving the benefits of omega 3 fish oils on brain and nervous system development in babies, and some studies claim that there is less likelyhood of hyperactivity later in life (ADD & ADHD). You would be fine taking 2 - 3 fish oil capsules along with your multivitamin.

I usually prescribe a practioner only multivitamin and a potent fish oil supplement for both pregnancy and lactation as so many people are deficient in these precious oils. They are also much safer during preg & b/f than large quantities of fish (Mercury risk).

All the best
xxx

Hi Guys,
Im sorry if this is in the wrong area (I didn't know where to put it..but I needed a naturopath opinon!)

I snore (BADLY!), and up until I recently o'd I was taking Snore Stop2...which works wonders!! However since stopping it, I'm back to snoring, and pretty much back to sleeping in the spare room.

I'm hoping :crossfingers: to get a bfp on wednesday, and I really need to know if Snore Stop 2 is safe for pregnancy?
the ingredients are as follows (from the back of the pack):
Each 300mg tablet contains equal parts of:
Cinchona 12x,
Ephedra vulg. 6x,
Grindella 6x,
Histaminum hydrochloricum 12x
Hydrastis 6x
Kali bic. 6x
Latrodectus mac. 12x
Laurocerasus 12x
Nux vom. 5x, 6x
Stramonium 30x
Teucrimum mar. 6x
Zingiber 6x
(dilution scale 6x is equal to one part per million, 12x is equal to one part per trillion)

Thanks so much in advance!!!

Just wondering what is safe to take for high anxiety?

For swelling: I eat strawberries or I juice anti-inflammatory veggies like spinach, kale etc...
Insomnia I eat before bed: almonds, cherries, and walnuts
Leg cramps: calcium from yogurt cheese or calcium supplement