herbal remedies for birth???

[maggs]

hi everyone my name is maggie and im expecting my second baby at the end of september.im going into a family birth centre,the same one i had my first child at.during my third stage,my placenta was retained and i had to go into theatre and get it manually removed.i was devasted and i dont want to go through that again.so i wondering if anyone knoe of any herbal remedies or essential oils i could use,so i dont end up in that ame situation.any advice would be great,thanks

[Julie Doula]

Hi Maggie,

Hope you won't go through that again! Ulp.

Herbalist Nan Koehler recommends these:

*Squaw vine during the last rwo weeks of pregnancy

*This is Nan's favourite birthing tea (to drink during labour):
Raspberry Leaf Tea is known to nourish the uterus and promote effective contractions. You can add lavendar, basil and grated nutmeg to this tea.

* To expel the placenta: Camomile, pennyroyal, basil and angelica root

* To heal placenta site: comfrey and plantain

* To stop excess bleeding: yarrow,shepherd's purse and nettle

Nan Koehler is also the author of this book, which is recommended by Birthrites:Healing After Ceasarian Inc. www.birthrites.org (http://www.birthrites.org)

"A.r.temis Speaks: VBAC stories and natural childbirth information" by Nan Koehler.

Here's another suggestion from:
http://www.herbs2000.com/disorders/labor_pains.htm:
After labor
A cup of red raspberry leaf tea, sweetened with some honey (http://www.herbs2000.com/h_menu/bp_honey.htm) can be used if the placenta is not expelled even after a long period of labor. To expel the placenta, tea made from the ground ivy (http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_ground_ivy.htm), the catnip (http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_catnip.htm), herbs like basil (http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_basil.htm), motherwort or dong quai (http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_angelica_chinese.htm) can be drunk to speed things up.

N.B. - The various websites about herbs usually carry a disclaimer saying it is for general informational purposes and not prescriptive, check with your cargiver first, etc.

Hope that helps! All the best for a lovely birth in future, Maggie.