Natural Medicine has been around as long as man and the plants on earth. It is only natural to turn to natural medicine while pregnant for better health for the mother and the baby involved.
In the first stage of pregnancy when some women suffer as I did with terrible or mild morning sickness, the use of ginger in a tea or capsule form can be very helpful. There is also a remedy made specifically for morning sickness that I blend and package and sell at B Natural for those who prefer a tea form.
Many women find great comfort in using teas instead of taking yet another pill when the stomach decides it doesn’t want anything else put into it. Camomile or peppermint tea can be sipped separately or combined and sipped while hot or iced for a cool refreshing, and soothing drink in the summer heat.
I highly recommend that all women that are thinking of becoming pregnant and those already pregnant supplement with an all natural prenatal vitamin. Being careful to use only products that do not have glutens, dies, fillers, or other chemicals that can induce toxicity and nausea. I also ask my patients that are nursing to consider taking the all natural prenatal vitamin to help the body stay as healthy and balanced as possible during lactation.
There are many studies that have been done on infants and school age children that all agree that pregnant women who take omega DHA specifically have children with a higher IQ level than those who do not take this form of omega fatty acids. Recent studies connect the lack of DHA in some cases of ADD. There are many on the market, but the cheaper the product in cost, generally the cheaper the quality of the product. If you buy a fish oil and it smells like dead fish (strongly) don’t take it. Oils that are natural go rancid. It pays to buy fresh, high quality products.
Lots of women experience swollen ankles and feet while pregnant. This can be eliminated by taking a natural anti-inflammatory that also acts as a strong anti-oxidant. White pine bark (pycnogenol) is what I suggest in this situation. Many moms have seen healthier umbilical cords after being on pycnogenol while pregnant. White pine bark is a free radical scavenger and will search out damaged cells and eliminate them from the body. It is also useful in boosting the immune system. Many pregnant women tend to have stuffy sinus problems, and with white pine bark (again natural anti inflammatory), the sinus problems are controlled without nasty side effects to mother and baby on board. I also recommend a daily intake of garlic or a garlic supplement for anyone with a heavy mucous condition. The chemical in garlic kills the bacteria that creates mucous.
I also recommend a high quality coral or citrate calcium at bed time for pregnant women. This will help them to sleep and help to stop any muscle cramping during pregnancy. Calcium is also one of the best ways to pH balance the digestive system. Being in pH balance helps the body to stay healthy and as always, remember that cancer lives in an acid environment, we all want to be pH balanced for good health.
For any acid reflux or indigestion during pregnancy, I recommend drinking 1 ounce of liquid aloe before each meal or as needed during the night for those times of reflux. Liquid aloe heals the entire digestive system and is safe. Having either papaya enzymes on hand or DGL (a form of licorice) may also be helpful in soothing the digestive tract. If symptoms are more severe starting on a digestive building protocol may be necessary.
To keep a healthy red blood cell count and to stay in a level, happy mood I recommend sublingual B-12. Taking this on a daily basis (it should also contain folic acid to be absorbed best), will keep mom from severe mood swings and keep energy levels up. B-12 helps in many cases of depression, PMS, anemia, tingling in the extremities, anxiety, fatigue, and more. It is a safe way to supplement the body without going through the digestive system. The human stomach does not have the intrinsic factor needed to absorb B-12 through the stomach lining. Taking a sub-lingual form of B-12 insures that your body will absorb and be able to use the vitamin you ingest.
There are many more tips and suggestions that can be applied to helping any women stay healthy during pregnancy and all of motherhood. For further information you can contact Dr Amy at B Natural at the above address in Eau Claire, WI.
Dr. Amy was invaluable to me during my last pregnancy! I greatly appreciated having natural help available to me during that time (and now nursing). I feel that with Dr. Amy’s help I had my healthiest pregnancy yet!
Thanks Audrey! We look forward to seeing more pregnant women search out and use natural medicine to stay healthy and to have healthy babies.