In honor of my daughter, Danielle, who
has recently carried new life in her womb for nine months, and then 11 days
ago gave birth to a new baby girl, I am writing about a very special herb,
Red Raspberry Leaf,
Rubus idaeus.
Red
Raspberry is the best and most useful herb to use throughout a woman’s
entire pregnancy. It is rich in Iron, Vitamin C, Potassium, Vitamin B
and E and Calcium. This good tasting herb can relieve nausea and
vomiting, will help prevent miscarriage and will facilitate childbirth. The
Fragarine in the plant helps tone and relax pelvic and uterine muscles
making it a safe uterine and nutritive tonic. It can enrich and
increase milk flow after birth and will decrease uterine swelling while also
cutting down on postpartum bleeding.
I believe it is best to drink Red
Raspberry tea, as an infusion at the beginning of pregnancy if there is any
concern for miscarriage and to help alleviate nausea. It is best again
to drink it regularly during the last trimester of pregnancy to help prepare
the uterus for delivery. Soon after a vaginal delivery, Red Raspberry
can be used along with other herbs such as Nettles, Comfrey, Chamomile and
Lavender in a Sitz bath to encourage healing of the perineum.
Red Raspberry is native to Europe and
Asia, is found in woodland clearings and grows in moist, nutrient-rich soil.
Well, does that leave out Central Texas??? I do have a couple of
Heritage Red Raspberry plants in a shade section of my garden. They
stay alive but have not yet produced any berries. I have seen Red
Raspberry growing wild in the woods of the Northeast and that is where I
believe it thrives.
Red Raspberry tea is delicious by
itself, but I love it mixed with Red Clover and Nettles which is my
Everywoman’s tea. Red Raspberry is so nutritious that it can be used
by woman of all ages and not only those of childbearing years. The fruit of
the plant can also strengthen and enrich the blood.
So my heart-felt thanks to Red
Raspberry for helping my daughter have a safe, healthy pregnancy, a
beautiful birth, a rich supply of breast milk and a successful post-partum
healing process. I hope that all women get to know this herb
personally.