The most fertile years of a woman's life are those between 18 and 28. Even into the mid-thirties
it is usually fairly easy to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. During these years the hormones that control ovulation
enhance conception
and ensure a healthy pregnancy are usually made easily and in generous quantities. And detrimental life-style choices have not had decades of repetition to create chronic problems.
But more and more women are waiting until their late thirties
early forties
even late forties
to have children. Is this too late? Are these destined to have high-risk pregnancies? Will these children have more birth defects?
The answer to these questions - and others like them - is "no!" for wise women who enlist the help of green allies to increase fertility
ensure conception
prevent birth defects
and promote a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.
INCREASING FERTILITY; ENSURING CONCEPTION
Increase your chances of conception by meditating. Cultivating a calm attitude
not surprisingly
enhances fertility. Even taking a quiet five minutes alone just for you
free of all responsibilities
can bring big results if done frequently enough.
Use lunaception to time your ovulation so you have the best odds of conceiving. It's fine to have sex in the weeks before ovulation
especially if the sex is focused on the woman and her orgasm
but do save your best efforts for those three nights when your "moon" is full and bright and ready to frolic.
Orgasm on the part of the male is necessary for fertilization. The woman's orgasm does increase the possibility of conception. Women who experience orgasm after their partner (up to 40 minutes after his ejaculation) have the very best chance of becoming pregnant.
Red clover is the single best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can't - even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such as blocked tubes
diabetes
ovarian cysts
internal scarring
or endometriosis. There are many heart-warming success stories I could share about red clover! But suffice to say
drinking 2-4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) seems to do wonders for fertility
no matter what your age.
PREVENTING BIRTH DEFECTS
Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid
calcium
magnesium
and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures
pills
and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)
Vitamin E is an especially critical nutrient for fertility after forty and freedom from birth defects. Freshly-ground wheat flour
cold-pressed oils
and nut butters are all good sources of vitamin E
as are stinging nettle infusion and most cooked seaweed
such as kelp. The man's vitamin E level has as much
if not more
bearing on freedom from birth defects as does the woman's vitamin E level.
Avoid heat
both of you. Hot tubs
even prolonged soaking in a hot bath
can cause temporary (up to several months) sterility in some men. In women
it can endanger the early embryo and trigger a miscarriage or birth defects.
Avoid drugs
both of you
including alcohol
tobacco
coffee
as well as over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs (except those you absolutely need). Your liver needs to be strong and so do your kidneys
so you can conceive and gestate a child. Instead of alcohol
which damages the liver
drink herbal infusions or alcohol-free wine or beer. Instead of tobacco
which may contribute to birth defects and low birth weight
try smoking a little dried peppermint
or
better yet
go for a walk. Instead of coffee
which challenges the kidneys
you may wish to drink green tea or black tea
or try coffee substitutes
especially the one made with dandelion roots. Instead of drugs to ease everyday aches and pains
use the gentle herbal remedies in this book instead.
EMOTIONAL ISSUES
Ambivalence about pregnancy and parenthood is normal and natural. But the older a woman gets
the more complicated her emotions about it may be. Add to her emotional soup pot strong opinions from family and friends
confusing information spread by the popular media
and fear-inducing pronouncements from "helpful" medical professionals
and that pot will be in danger of boiling over. Herewith then
some wise woman hints for keeping your cool in the midst of overt and covert confusion.
Contrary to current opinion
having children in your forties is ordinary and common worldwide. The Bible mentions several women having children in their fifties. What is unusual and unique to our time is having a first child in one's forties. Our mother’s
mother’s
mothers were having their fifth or eighth or tenth child when they were in their forties
not their first. If people tell you it just isn't done
close your eyes and call upon the spirit of your great-great-great-great grandmother
then smile and tell them it seems utterly ordinary to you.
Feeling tense and distressed about choosing or refusing motherhood? Motherwort tincture is my favorite calmative. A dose of 10-20 drops helps clear your mind
eases your tension
and assists you in discerning the best path to follow.
Bach flower remedies excel as helpers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Try:
- Aspen when you feel anxious
apprehensive
or afraid of the unknown. - Mimulus when you are dwelling on a specific fear.
- Elm when you feel overwhelmed or inadequate.
- Red Chestnut when you are afraid for or worried about your baby to be.
- Rock Rose when you are trembling
shaking
or weeping from anxiety or fear.
Regular gentle massage or Reiki treatments not only help you calm your distress
they also guide you in creating a strong center that's resistant to being pushed around by other people's opinions. Massage and/or Reiki also help prepare your mind/body for a healthy pregnancy and a safe birth.
SPECIAL ALLIES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN OVER FORTY
The single most important herb for pregnant women over forty is comfrey (Symphytum uplandica hybrids). The leaves of the mature plant contain an abundance of constituents beneficial to mother and babe
including generous amounts of minerals
alantoin
proteins
and many vitamins. The minerals in comfrey help ensure healthy nervous system growth; the fetus’s developing brain uses the proteins. And the alantoin helps the mother's tissues become stretchy and elastic.
Aging can lead to increased stiffness and brittleness in bones and muscles
making pregnancy more arduous and painful
labor slower and more difficult
and injury more likely during birth. The hormones of pregnancy
which help soften and relax the pelvic tissues
may not be produced in adequate amounts. Comfrey comes to the rescue! Comfrey creates flexible and strong tissues throughout the body especially mucus surfaces (including intestines
uterus
bladder and vagina)
the bones
the ligaments and tendons
and the skin.
Regular use of the leaf infusion
at least a quart a week
promotes a safe delivery by:
- strengthening uterine muscles and preparing them to work easily and well
- strengthening perineal tissues so they become resistant to tearing
- strengthening uterine ligaments so the uterus does not prolapse
- strengthening the bladder and increasing resistance to bacterial infection
- strengthening the vagina and helping to promote an environment hostile to infection
- providing easily assimilated minerals to prevent eclampsia and other complications
- helping the bones of the pelvis flex and open during birth
- increasing iron in the blood and thus forestalling post-partum hemorrhage.
I harvest the flowering stalks when they are fully formed; and I am careful to use the cultivated garden comfrey
which grows very tall and has purplish
pinkish
bluish flowers. I avoid wild comfrey
which stays rather small even when flowering
and has cream-colored
white
or yellowish flowers.
Some people feel that comfrey is not safe to use during pregnancy. Some people feel comfrey is not safe to use internally at all. I disagree. The roots of comfrey do contain compounds that are best avoided during pregnancy (as do all parts of the wild plant). In fact
I rarely use comfrey root because of the possibility of liver congestion
and I strongly caution those who have had hepatitis
chemotherapy
or alcohol problems to strictly avoid comfrey root. Yet even these people can benefit from use of comfrey leaf infusions.
Another important herbal ally for women over forty who desire a child is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castii). It has been used in Africa and parts of Europe for several thousand years to discourage the male libido. In women
the effects seem to be the opposite! It may also be a fertility enhancer. Most importantly
chaste tree is a strengthening tonic for the pituitary gland
the master control gland for the endocrine system. Daily use of the tincture of the berries (1 dropperful/1 ml 2-3 times daily) had been shown to increase progesterone - the hormone of pregnancy - and luteinizing hormone - which promotes conception. Because it can lower prolactin levels
chaste tree is best discontinued during the last trimester of pregnancy.
Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is not recommended for women over forty. In general
this herb promotes blood flow to the uterus and surrounding tissues. This can promote the growth of fibroids and increase the risk of post-partum hemorrhage. Ginger is a better warming tonic; motherwort is better at relieving pain; and raspberry is better at preparing the uterus for birth.
Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock
NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081
For permission to reprint this article
contact us at: susunweed@herbshealing.com