These Herbs Can Help You Get Through Labor

Pregnancy and birth are among the many areas of women's lives that have become increasingly medicalized and depersonalized. A woman birthing in the United States has a tremendous chance of having labor induced, a high likelihood of receiving pain medication in labor, and a one-in-three chance of a cesarean section. Each of these interventions—although of course, sometimes necessary and lifesaving—also carry the risk of "unintended consequences," which include, to name a few, a substantially higher rate of adverse medication reactions, hemorrhage, organ damage, infections, and dangerous blood clots above and beyond that for vaginal birth.

In fact, U.S. hospitals are now one of the riskiest places in the Western world for a woman to give birth. Most of us have heard our fair share of horror stories about long labors and challenging births, long before we've even become pregnant ourselves. Naturally, we want to do our best to prepare our bodies ahead of time to have the healthiest and easiest labor possible.

Thirty-five years of practice initially as a homebirth midwife, and then as an M.D. specializing in women's health, including obstetrics—as well as being a momma of four—has shown me that labor and birth can be hard work but also a beautiful, powerful event. While there should be absolutely no judgment about what type of birth experience you prefer or ultimately require, it's worthwhile to consider what natural tools we have at our disposal to can help us avoid the speed bumps that often lead to preventable birth interventions (the most common being not going into labor within a reasonable amount of time after your due date, having a long labor, or needing pain medication).

It might surprise you, but having the support of another woman in labor—whether it be a doula who is supportive of you and knows the tricks of the trade and how to protect your space if you're birthing in hospital or a midwife in a hospital or at home—has been shown to dramatically reduce the need for medications, forceps, and caesareans. Oftentimes, calling upon these resources leads to happier, healthier moms and babies at the end of the day.

Red raspberry leaf comes from the leaves of the plant that provides us with delicious raspberry fruits. It's been used for centuries in Europe and among North American native tribes as a mineral-rich tonic tea to support a healthy pregnancy and to "tone" the uterus, which helps women prepare for birth. It remains popular today, with about 63 percent of midwives in the United States recommending it.

Red raspberry (RRL) leaf is high in vitamins C, E, A, and B and has significant amounts of major minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus that not only nourish the uterus but provide the minerals it needs to contract and relax—which is exactly the combination required for labor to work effectively and for the powerful muscles of your uterus to push your baby out. It's also rich in a natural plant constituent called fragarine, which is thought to also tonify and stimulate uterine muscle.

Are there any risks? While RRL has been used for a long time without any obvious downsides, two studies on rats did find some curious results that I want you to at least be aware of. In one study, RRL tea and capsules at typical doses were found to have the effect of stimulating uterine contractions—as we'd expect them to do to support healthy labor. However, in very high concentrations, contractions were inhibited, which is quite the opposite effect we'd be looking for. In another study, this one also conducted on rats, the authors observed that pregnancy seemed to last longer, and there were some changes in the rat offspring (they appeared to go into puberty early). Now, these are not problems that have been observed in humans, in spite of centuries of use, and the rat mamas in both studies consumed RRL products in doses far higher than humans would normally ingest. So while we should be aware of these findings, the bottom line is that there are a lot of differences between rats and humans.

When should you start taking RRL? As a pregnant midwife-herbal-momma, I drank RRL daily starting about halfway into my pregnancy, always carrying my Mason jar of tea with me. This was in the 1980s (long before the days of green juice!), so I got some strange looks when I was out and about having a swig! While some recommend starting it in the first trimester, I generally recommend avoiding it then because, while there are no studies associating it with pregnancy loss, there is some evidence that it increases uterine contractility. Herbalists and midwives consider raspberry leaf to be a gentle, effective, nutritious herb to use in the second and third trimesters—and I concur.

Many of the popular pregnancy teas you see on the market came from one of my original blends, published in my now classic book The Natural Pregnancy Book. This is a simple, delicious version you can drink hot or iced. For use as a "Labor Day" tea, I actually use 4 tablespoons of RRL and make the whole thing in a quart of water for sipping throughout labor and after the baby is born. You can even make ice pops to enjoy during labor.

Ingredients:

● 1 tablespoon red raspberry leaf

● 2 teaspoons spearmint leaf

● 1 teaspoon rose hips

Method:

1. Place into a tea bag or teapot strainer.

2. Steep in 8 ounces of boiling water for 20 minutes. Strain and drink 1 to 2 cups daily.

3. Will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

Date fruits are perhaps one of the most ancient "sweets." Delicious, they are also nutrient-rich, loaded with fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and a variety of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. It also turns out that they are a common remedy for preparing for labor in certain parts of the world. In one study 919 Iranian women were asked what natural remedies they used in pregnancy for labor preparation, and 26 percent said they ate red dates as part of their preparation at the end of pregnancy1. Talk about food as medicine! While we still don't fully know how dates work, it appears they might have an impact on the oxytocin we need for labor to start and progress effectively and on time.

Three scientific studies have shown that red dates are associated with:

● Increased cervical "ripening"

● Less need for labor induction

● Greater likelihood of being more dilated when arriving at the hospital

● Less need for Pitocin to stimulate labor and greater likelihood of induction working if it's needed

A 2011 study found that women who ate six dates a day for the four weeks leading up to their due date were significantly more dilated2 when they got to the hospital, had a significantly higher rate of intact membranes, were significantly more likely to go into labor spontaneously (i.e., without induction), and had nearly half the length of the first stage of labor. A 2014 study found that women who ate dates from 37 weeks on had greater cervical dilation at admission and higher success rates of labor induction when needed. Another study found that eating dates in pregnancy led to less bleeding immediately after birth.

Are there any risks? Dates are delicious, and unfortunately, they are also high in sugar—which means there are concerns about their effects on insulin levels and blood sugar balance. Studies have looked at blood sugar levels in women eating dates this way and have found no significant negative changes; however, this has not been studied in women with diabetes, so if you do have gestational, type 2, or type 1 diabetes, do discuss their use with your midwife or doctor.