What if you and your client disagree on herb use? - Page 2

[pamamidwife]

re: the OP, I must say that I feel these 'labor prep formulas' send a message that our bodies will somehow not 'work' or will endanger our babies if we dont' take them. the problem ISN'T going overdue or having long labors - it's the expectations and judgements of the providers attending these births.

To prescribe a 'quick fix' based on what we perceive to be 'best' for mom and baby could adversely affect a woman's trust in her body's ability to naturally and effectively birth her baby in the time, manner and course that is best for both.

[BelgianSheepDog]

Originally Posted by pamamidwife

re: the OP, I must say that I feel these 'labor prep formulas' send a message that our bodies will somehow not 'work' or will endanger our babies if we dont' take them. the problem ISN'T going overdue or having long labors - it's the expectations and judgements of the providers attending these births.

I very much agree with this sentiment. Hearing/reading birth stories lately I feel like I am seeing more of a push to rush things along even from the "natural" POV with things like the cohoshes, etc. It bugs me a lot.

I'm all for enjoying teas that are just good for you, like dandelion or red raspberry or nettle and so forth, or that make you feel better and stronger, like lemon balm. But I can't get behind this trend to take powerful herbs to try to basically naturally induce labor for no reason other than "technically I'm term and we can."

[mwherbs]

I feel like labor prep herbs are not essential but can be useful- just like picking out certain dietary things to increase your health or picking things to not eat like simple sugars- or to eat more greens or protein -- certain herbs are nourinshing and some have actions and can help to prevent disease states or are used to treat a disease state. But judicious use is probably in order- I kow that Blue Cohosh has been under some scrtuiny and does have a bit of controversy attached because there has been ONE case where the mother self-dosed and her baby had some severe circulatory problems- now there was one much older case where a baby also had similar problems and the assay on the herbs showed some cocaine like chemicals -- now blue cohosh doesn't have cocaine like compounds so you have to wonder if the herbs were contaminated due to smuggling or if there is another plant that is being mis-identified and added gathered and sold -- if there was only one instance you may think could be anything including just chance- but because of the older incidnence in the 60's it puts more of a cautionary twist to it-- Jill Aviva Rhomm was doing a survey of herbs used by midwives a while back and I don't think that the results have been published yet-once that comes out it may speak more to our concerns but really more studies are in order- as far as cohosh is concerned one herbalist I know has been researching the history of use- and it is relatively short and although there are "claims" that it is an old Indian remedy there is no evidence or ethanobotanical reference to support that claim- it may be something that has been used only a 100-150 years or so which in herbal traditions is not long at all- compared to something like the use of red raspberry or nettles -- berries in general have been used by women as food and health support for 1000's of years and seams to be both used in the new world and Europe so something to consider when looking a "formulas" as for other things in prepratory formulas many have lobelia and the dose of lobelia can be too high for a baby- and I have seen 3 babies who have had some neuro reactions to lobelia so it is not a common reaction but it still exists... so if your mw is not well studied in herbs and you wish to use herbs either do your own study- not only read the couple of herbals out but also read the abstracts and see what info there is out on certain herbs or find an herbalist- someone who doesn't sell a MLM product but plant gathers on their own and knows about uses and constitutents.
as for using a stimulant and a relaxant- if you are looking for "toning" then you would want something that does both- some plants have that ability because of their mineral content- the have bio-available calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron... as well as some vitamins- the best use I have seen of the toning prepratory formulas are in grand and great grand multips these women do need some uterine support and nourishment as well as toning- but I think that herbs like RRL and nettles and some sea weed and maybe a viburnum (cramp bark or black haw) as well as eating berries- not just the leaf tea but the berries too - add to connective tissue strength and help to fight infection- intestinal flora is kept healthier when exposed to berries regularly --- any how I guess my answer is find a good midwife fit- be honest and discuss what the mw's misgivings are as well as what your beliefs and knowledge is... see if you can't work it out or learn from each other

[herbsgirl]

Thank you!! mwherbs! The formula I had considered is made by a family based company that totally research their products out to the tee. It is not a huge "Nature's sunshine" type company. They make all thier own tinctures. If you email them on weekdays they email you back within hours on the same day! On the Gentle Birth Formula it says... http://www.mountainmeadowherbs.com/g...dfa23d8da9e9d1

I would really love it if some of you midwives and mwherbs could look at this link above and tell me what they think. I counted around 81 testemonials on this product (testemonial link towards bottom of information) There are alot more herbs in this formula than JUST the cohosh. There are other things too, so in my opinion, it makes it even safer, your not taking Just the cohosh, but less, because it is a mult- herb product.

I will look forward to hearing what you have to say about it!

[wumanh]

mwherbs I like what you say! I believe that nourishing our bodies helps them do what they do naturally.
So many women in this country do not really know how to nourish themselves with good food, destress or have good support. I agree that the thinking behind these 5 week formulas is more like the medical view of health, rather than wholistic. Don't just plug in herbs in place of drugs!!! That is not how they are meant to be used.
I looked at the formula and to me it does not make sense as a whole. Yes, I understand why they would put each herb in there but it doesn't feel like a harmonious formula. I would rather work with each woman individually and give her herbs specific to her rather that try to make a formula that attempts to hit all possible conditions. False unicorn is at-risk and as herbalists we are trying to use analogues and replant this in the wild or on our own land.
If a woman feels she needs reproductive toning it would be best to work on this between pregnancies. Nourish herself well during the pregnancy.