Herbs to support a 5th pregnancy

by Susun Weed | Mar 12, 2007 | Columns, Wise Woman Ways | 0 comments

Hi Susun,
I am wondering what herbs or other healing modalities you would suggest for trying to conceive. A little background info: we have 3 children (ages 6, 4 & 2). In February, I had an abortion at 24 weeks of pregnancy and suffered tremendous blood loss afterwards. (We chose to have an abortion because the baby was not viable, but it was an excruciating decision). Through acupuncture and some Chinese herbs, plus a stellar diet, yoga and therapy, I have healed tremendously. What herbs would you suggest to support another healthy pregnancy? Many thanks.

Karen Joy’s response (apprentice to Susun Weed):
Two of the top herbs for those wishing to conceive are red clover blossoms prepared as an infusion and vitex berries prepared as a tincture.

The red clover has been successful in some of the most stubborn cases, helping those with fallopian tube scarring and “abnormal” cells in the reproductive tract. Once prepared, drink 1-4 cups of the infusion daily.

The vitex tincture is tonifying to the hormonal system, and can help one increase progesterone levels as needed to aid in maintaining an early pregancy. We take one dropperful 2-3 times a day in water for best effect.

It seems however that you do not need help conceiving or holding a pregnancy. It sounds like your concern may be the health of the new child. In addition to all you are doing to best deal with your losses, infusions of both nettle leaf and comfrey leaf may be an aid. Both are mineral and protein rich, rebuilding reserves lost through hemorrhage, and adding to the chances of a healthy pregnancy.

To make an infusion, we place an ounce of herb inside a quart jar, pour boiling water over to fill, cap, and let sit on our counter for 4 hours or overnight. We then strain and drink.

love and blessings, Karen Joy
(apprentice to Susun Weed)

Author

Susun Weed

Susun S. Weed has no official diplomas of any kind; she left high school in her junior year to pursue studies in mathematics and artificial intelligence at UCLA and she left college in her junior year to pursue life.

Susun began studying herbal medicine in 1965 when she was living in Manhattan while pregnant with her daughter, Justine Adelaide Swede.

She wrote her first book -- Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year (now in its 30th printing) -- in 1985 and published it as the first title of Ash Tree Publishing in 1986.

It was followed by Healing Wise (1989), New Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way (1992 and revised in 2002), Breast Cancer? Breast Health! The Wise Woman Way (1996), Down There: Sexual and Reproductive Health the Wise Woman Way (2011), Abundantly Well - Seven Medicines (2019).

In addition to her writing, Ms Weed trains apprentices, oversees the work of more than 300 correspondence course students, coordinates the activities of the Wise Woman Center, and is a High Priestess of Dianic Wicca, a member of the Sisterhood of the Shields, and a Peace Elder.

Susun Weed is a contributor to the Routledge International Encyclopedia of Women's Studies, peer- reviewed journals, and popular magazines, including a regular column in Sagewoman.

Her worldwide teaching schedule encompasses herbal medicine, ethnobotany, pharmacognosy, psychology of healing, ecoherbalism, nutrition, and women's health issues and her venues include medical schools, hospital wellness centers, breast cancer centers, midwifery schools, naturopathic colleges, and shamanic training centers, as well as many conferences.

Susun appears on many television and radio shows, including National Public Radio and NBC News.
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