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Pregnancy
It is a time to build and tone the body, to balance feeding oneself and the baby within, without over-burdening the heart, circulatory system and other organs with unwanted weight gain or any other condition. Before pregnancy is even entered into, it is wise to cleanse the colon, liver and kidneys, and to be consistently eating nutritious foods. This pattern should be established long before conception, if possible - even though pregnancy is not, of course, always planned! Pregnancy is not the time to heavily cleanse and detoxify the system, although some minor cleansing work can be carried out with guidance and under supervision. However, good food, herbs, and a well-functioning colon are vital. Once the placenta has grown (by the third month) and, your baby has its own line of nutrition and detoxification processes, you should attempt only very minor cleansing programmes, guided by a professional.
Nutrition
Naturally, the better food you put into your body, the better nutrition you will have to nourish your growing baby with, so as organic and natural as possible.
Avoid large quantities of coffee, tea, alcohol and sugars. Drink herb teas and lots of water.
Natural Healing
Take gentle, rhythmic exercise but do not overdo it. Extensive running, swimming and jogging should be reduced; aerobics could be replaced by yoga. Tune in and listen to what your body is telling you.
Breathing is very important, and practising different breathing patterns will get you ready to use them to ease pain and steer labour when the time comes. Deep breathing in the belly during pregnancy provides extra oxygen for the baby and is very calming for it.
Give more time to relaxation and be creative. Notice colours or delightful sounds, and cut out shocking or upsetting television programmes, arguments, and stress. If stress does enter your life, talk to your baby in calming tones so as to form a close relationship. This helps to minimise trauma inside the womb and, later, outside it.
Herbs
Although there are several herbs that one can take whilst pregnant, many are also contra-indicated, so seek professional advice on which ones avoid. Nettles and chickweed are safe, ideal choices.
Any pregnant woman who feels she ought to rush to the vitamin and mineral counter at the chemists in order to do the best for the development of her baby should stop to consider that, if she has the time, her best source for these is essentially nature and her plants. The body finds natural sources easiest to assimilate, and these should come first, and the synthetic version second. ‘The Green Stuff’ vitamin & mineral food concentrate is an ideal choice, containing all the organic and wild-crafted nutrition (including folic acid) in one dose to help build a healthy baby.
For individual problems like protein in the urine (this often means that B vitamins are low - particularly choline), high blood pressure (in this case cayenne pods and hawthorn herb should be used) or heartburn (this indicates that the liver is overburdened and needs help), consult a practitioner.
Morning Sickness
Pregnant women have used a range of safe hormone balancing herbs during pregnancy to alleviate morning sickness, but only after consultation with a herbalist. Choices can include agnus castus berries, squaw vine herb, blessed thistle herb, wild yam root and dandelion root and leaves.
Echinacea, however, is a useful herb to know about should you have an infection or virus while pregnant. As this is a complicated herb with many difference dosages, seek guidance from a herbalist and avoid if you have an auto-immune imbalance.
The same rule applies to using essential oils. However, making your own rose and lavender oils by soaking rose petals and lavender flowers in a base oil of almond and wheatgerm oil for 24 hours in sunshine, would be safe and a lovely idea, producing a nourishing scented gift for your skin. Wheatgerm oil is also rich in vitamin E, which will help prevent stretch marks if massaged daily. Rosehip oil is also recommended for to help prevent stretch marks.
Herbal Formulae Suggestions
‘The Green Stuff’ vitamin & mineral food concentrate
Alfalfa & Nettle Pregnancy Tea from throughout pregnancy for essential vitamins and minerals, and helpful with morning sickness.
Red Raspberry & Lemon Balm Tea for last trimester to birth to prepare the body for the big day!
6-week Pre-Birth Formula taken 6 weeks prior to birth. Helps ready the body for labour and an easier birth – especially if it’s your first time! Tried & tested over many decades.
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