Chinese Medicine Supports Unassisted Childbearing, Maternal and Infant Care by Cory L. Trusty.
International Chinese Medical Journal of Daytona. July 2004.
Cosmic Moon of Presence. White Spectral Wizard Year.
Our midwife demanded blood tests against our consent three weeks before
my due date, and dischared me when I refused.
I was very nervous at first, but after
researching various
information on unassisted childbirth
on the Internet, I felt much more
confident to birth at home with my husband. I felt this was a safer
option compared to showing up at the ill-reputed local hospital with no insurance,
midwife, or doctor. We prepared as best we could and delivered our baby
at home alone. It was an empowering experience, and we are very glad we did it on
our own. Our baby was born at 41 weeks, 6.5 pounds, and 21 inches.
The labor was normal lasting about eight and a half hours. Two
months later, she
doubled her weight and was 2 inches longer. Healthy and strong at four and a half months,
she has still not visited a doctor.
The following is information on herbs, formula, etc.
for pregnancy, childbirth, post-partum, and infant care, which I hope
will be useful for others who are planning an unassisted childbirth.
Pregnancy Herbs and Formulae:
Pregnancy tonic: Red Raspberry Leaf, Oatstraw, Nettle, Alfalfa leaf
Red Raspberry leaf is reputed to strengthen the uterus muscle. Oatstraw tonifies
Qi and Calms the Shen. Nettle tonifies Kidney, Liver and Wei Qi.
Fresh Ginger Sheng Jiang Tea: use a mild fresh ginger tea to
reduce mild nausea.
Though some advise against Ginger for use during pregnancy, fresh ginger tea
is specifically recommended in Traditional Chinese Medicine to reduce
nausea during pregnancy.
Marijuana Cannabis sp.: A recent editorial published
in Mothering magazine by Erin Hildebrandt praises marijuana for severe nausea. Many
problematic deliveries have their root in malnourishment and undernourishment during
pregnancy. Says Hildebrandt, "I spent hour after hour poring over library books that contained
references to medical marijuana and marijuana in pregnancy. Most of what I
found was either a reference to the legal or political status of marijuana in
medicine, or medical references that simply said that doctors discourage the
use of any "recreational drug" during pregnancy. This was before I discovered
the Internet, so my resources were limited. The little I could find claimed
that a mother's smoking cannabis had little to no detectable effect on the
fetus, but as this area was relatively unstudied, it would be unethical to
call it "safe." I later discovered that midwives had safely given their
patients marijuana in pregnancy and birth for thousands of years. Old doctors'
tales to the contrary, this herb was far safer than any of the pharmaceuticals
prescribed for me by my doctors to treat the same condition. I confidently
continued my use of marijuana, knowing that, among all options available to
me, it was the safest, wisest choice."
Stress Incontinence Formula* for Pregnancy and Postpartum:
My allergies that I had eliminated years previously with Chinese
Nutrition and herbs came back during my pregnancy. Along with
this, I experienced stress incontinence when sneezing. I developed
this formula to eliminate the allergic sneezing together with stress incontinence.
King Herbs: unripened Raspberry Fruit Fu Pen Zi 8g
Rose Hips Jin Ying Zi 8 g
Astringe the Essence
Minister Herbs:
Astragalus root Huang Qi 10 g tonify Lung Qi, Wei Qi (defensive energy, similar
like immunity/immune system) and Spleen and Stomach Qi
Assistants: Codonopsis root Dang Shen 6 g Tonify Spleen and Stomach Qi
Envoys: Licorice root Gan Cao 3g harmonize the formula
Jujube Da Zao 3 pieces
Tonify Spleen
Hawthorn
Shan Zha 5 g Promote digestion of formula
Functions and Indications: This formula astringes
essence,
tonifies Wei
and Spleen Qi to stop stress incontinence with
sneezing.
Preparation:
Soak herbs in water for 30 minutes. Boil for 30 minutes.
Strain solution and reboil herbs. Combine decoctions
and drink over 2-3 day period. Continue taking as necessary.
*start at lower dosage of herbs if they are new to you.
Huang Qin Scutellaria Baikal Skullcap Root: Calms the fetus. Clears heat. Antimicrobial. I used this
herbs along with Jin Yin Hua and Fa Ban Xia in the first trimester of pregnancy
when I had pneumonia. Pneumonia, like allergies was something that I had experienced
relatively often prior to using Chinese nutrition and herbs. It seemed that
my Wei Qi was significantly weakened by pregnancy. This is interesting as there is
a significant decline in cell-mediated immune response during pregnancy (Weinberg, 1984).
Perilla leaf and stem
Zi Su Ye and Zi Su Geng: Useful for Wind-Cold
after the first trimester of pregnancy. Calms the fetus.
Correction of Breech presentation. Moxabustion at the point Urinary Bladder 67
has been used traditionally to correct breech presentation.
This point is located lateral to the outside corner of the pinky toenails.
Modern research also supports
this practice. Cardini and Weixin found that moxabustion at this point
for 1 to 2 weeks significantly increased fetal activity and
turning to the head-down position at delivery.
Urinary Bladder 67 location from Peter Deadman's points cards with Notes from Lectures by
Heather McFarlane:
Delivery Materials:
Labor Inducing formula: Equal Parts Vodka, Orange Juice, Castor Oil Beverage; 2 oz. ea.
(Susun Weed, 1986)
It was a Sunday night when I went into heavy labor with Moira.
The night before my water had broken, but I was not having contractions
was a slowly leaking amniotic fluid. I knew that there was a potential for
infection with premature rupture of membranes, and I was about a week past my
estimated due date. So Sunday morning a went about finding what I could to
induce labor. I had not planned to induce and did not have anything herbal to
do the trick. I sent out my husband to get castor oil and orange juice,
while our friend went for vodka. I mostly stayed in bed to prevent amniotic leakage.
From what I had read of other women's stories, the labor is quite difficult if
the amniotic fluid is too depleted. When all the supplies were rounded up I took
one dose each hour for 3 hours of the Castor Oil, Vodka, Orange Juice Beverage
(see materials below). This formula completely cleared my Intestines and
induced contractions after the third dose. Some recommend and enema of castor oil, but
I didn't want one. The following is a summary from Rachel Westfall's review of Black Cohosh and Castor Oil.
She advises against the use of Castor oil.: "Castorbean Ricinus communis (L.)
Castorbean seeds, from which castor oil is pressed, contain the toxic compound ricinic acid. The compound is used medicinally in small, controlled doses to cause abortion and female sterility; it is a teratogen (causes birth defects).
Castor oil has been widely used to induce labour for the past century, not just by women in their homes (as we tend to think of it now) but by the medical system. It appears to work only if the cervix is ripe, meaning the woman must be physiologically ready to have her baby already.
The safety of castor oil is being questioned as reports come in of increased meconium staining of amniotic fluid, something which is usually interpreted as an indicator of fetal distress (and will therefore precipitate further interventions). In women, there have been reports of thrombosed hemorrhoids, precipitous labour, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and flatulence as a result of castor oil."
During my labor and delivery there was no meconium
in the amniotic fluid nor hemorrhoids nor nausea. Diarrhea did follow the doses of castor oil, which I
had expected.
Evening Primrose Oil softens the cervix:
My sister experienced premature rupture of membranes with her
first child, so family history may be significant in what I experienced.
I suspect however that evening primrose oil caused my membranes to rupture
prematurely. I had been taking regular doses (one capsules a day)
of evening primrose oil in the 2 weeks leading up to my due date. I did this because
it was reputed to soften the cervix in preparation for delivery, specifically
3 capsules a day for up to a week (Susun
Weed, 1986). At 7 days past
my due date I took 3 capsules of evening primrose oil over the
course of the day, and that night my membranes ruptured.
I don't
have access to the full article from the Journal of Nurse Midwifery, but
the following quote from Alan
Greene, MD has led
my to this speculation
"Researchers at the Holistic Women's
HealthCare Birth Center in Wilmington, Delaware set out to test whether it really works.
Their findings were published in the Journal of Nurse-Midwifery in May/ June 1999. They
found that evening primrose oil does nothing to shorten gestation or improve labor.
Instead they found an increase of premature rupture of membranes (and increased
infection risk), oxytocin augmentation, arrest of decent, and vacuum extraction.
Our birth kit: chux pads, 2 umbilical cord clamps, sterile knife,
sterile gauze pads, hydrogen peroxide,
Liquid Bandage (super glue) for perineal tear,
crock pot with water and wash cloths, towels and vinyl table cloth
Acupuncture needles: I had needles prepared in case of a breathing emergency with
the baby, specifically I had planned to needle Du 26, the point between the nose and
upper lip, in case she didn't start breathing. I also know infant CPR and my husband
planned to call 911 if we needed help.
Raspberry Leaf/Pregnancy Tonic decoction: red raspberry leaf helps strengthen the uterus.
Angelica Sinensis Dang Gui Decoction: Prepare for in case of retained placenta
San Qi Rx. Notoginseng Tea: Prepare for in case of maternal hemorrhage. Or
have the red emergency pill from the patent Yun Nan Bai Yao (primarily Yun Nan Bai Yao)
powder bottle on hand. I prepared this to use in case of excessive bleeding after the
delivery. I also probably would have eaten a piece of the placenta if I was bleeding
too much. Thankfully I had no such problems.
Chinese Ginseng Extract Ren Shen: I used Ginseng to relieve shock that occurred
just after the delivery. During the labor
I was in and out of the bathtub to try to relieve the pain. It was warm outside
and the windows were open and fans blowing.
I was dehydrated and chilled and sweating, but trying to deal with the pain there
was not much I could do except dry off in between contractions and drink tea and water.
I finally thought clearly enough to
ask my husband to turn off the fans and maybe close the windows.
As soon as the baby was born and I laid down with her and I started shaking heavily.
I asked my husband to hand me a vial of Ginseng. I sipped it down with the straw and
was still shaking afterwards, so I asked for another. By the time I finished
half of the tube the shaking had stopped.
Post Partum Herbs and Formulae:
For Mother:
Dang Gui, San Qi, Huang Qi Tang: This is a traditional soup prepared with
black boned chicken for after delivery of the baby. It helps to move out
any stagnant clotted blood, stop bleeding, and tonify qi. I ate the soup
prepared with a regular chicken while I was in labor and hungry. I deliver the placenta within about
5 or 10 minutes of my daughter, so the dang gui in the soup might have prevented delay with this part of the labor.
Antai Wan
whose origin is The Chan Hou Bian fromthe Ming
Dynasty, 1368-1644.
Indications: for threat of miscarriage with
abdominal ache and uneasiness during pregnancy
Also for post-partum recovery
Ingredients: Radix Angelica Sinensis
Dang Gui: 28%
Analeptic. Relaxes uterine contractions.
Radix Paeoniae
Alba Bai Shao: 22%
Antispasmodic, analgesic
Scutellaria Root Huang Qin: 16% Clears heat. Calms the fetus
Atractylodes Bai Zhu: 17% nourishes gastric organs. promotes blood circulation
Ligusticum Wallichii Chuan Xiong 16%
Contraindications: cold or fever
Shih San Tai Pao Wan
Functions: Tonifies Qi and Blood. Warms the Uterus. Invigorates blood,
moves damp, transforms phlegm.
Indications: for weakness during pregnancy, blood deficiency,
threatened abortion
nausea and fatigue in first trimester
Take during postpartum to accelerate recovery.
Ingredients:
Rhizoma Ligustica Wallichii Chuan Xiong 18%
Radix Angelicae Sinensis Dang Gui 18%
Radix Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao 14%
Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii Qiang Huo 4%
Fructus Aurantii Zhi Shi 5%
Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis Huo Po 5%
Radix Astragali Huang Qi 6%
Bulbus Fritillariae Cirrrhosae Bei Mu 12%
Semen Cuscutae Tu Su Zi 18%
Contraindications: In some texts Chuan Xiong is contraindicated
for use during pregnancy.
I took both AnTai Wan and Shih San Tai Pao Wan after the delivery as well as homeopathic
arnica. My bleeding stopped after about 10 days.
Constipation due to Blood Deficiency Hemp seed
Huo Ma Ren:
Oily seeds and nuts will help relieve constipation due to blood loss
after delivery. Crush seeds and boil into decoction, 10-30 g.
Brewer's yeast: This is excellent solution for increasing mild supply. I had
trouble with my milk supply after discontinuing breast feeding for about 18 hours
while I was taking strong herbs for a spider bite. I had tried other recommendations to increase
the supply such a Huang Qi/Astragalus, Barley water, and dark beer.
The dark beer also worked well, but brewer's yeast in juice seems a better option.
Mastitis formula:
30g Dandelion herb Pu Gong Ying in decoction.
For Baby:
Ground Rosemary mixed with Talcum Hua Shi: applied to umbilical stump to dry damp and
prevent infection. The stump fell off cleanly in 5 days.
Anti-Diaper Rash Formula: Rx. Lithospermi sue Arnebiae
Zi Cao boiled in Sesame oil or olive oil is the traditional treatment for diaper rash
and is also used for burns. I have found it very effective to relieve itch from
bug bites as well.
Oatmeal Bath: for prickly heat rash. Put a small amount in baby's bath water.
Florida is rough on a little baby when there is no air conditioning. The pores
in the young infant are too small to let out sweat. Instead the heat comes out
in small red dots on the baby's skin. The oatmeal bath is cooling and relieves itch.
Ice Blanket for fevers: If the baby has a fever, her temperature can be lowered with an
ice blanket. Crush ice cubes and place in plastic bag. Wrap a blanket around the pack
and apply alternating from baby's back to front.
Ear Infections:
Infants are said to be "Pure Yang" and have "Immature Yin." This
condition makes infants susceptible to damp heat ear infections; instrinsic heat
combined with untransformed damp due to weak Spleen Qi generating a
damp-heat pathogen which lodges in the Shao Yang Meridian. These
infections of the ear may be triggered by exposure to wind and damp in the environment
and be accompanied by initial symptoms of fever, chill, sneezing.
The Shao Yang
meridian is particular to the ear, and it's herbal envoy is Chai Hu or
Radix Bupleuri said
to "activate the Shao Yang meridian". The proper treatment protocol is
to activate the Shao Yang and clear damp-heat. Below find my formula which
affectively treated this condition.
This formula is indicated for the pathern Damp-heat or heat with toxicity in the
Shao Yang with symptoms of lingering low-grade fever, pink around eyes from heat,
ear pulling, waxy discharge, irritability in afternoon, preference to sit upright.
Huang Qin Baical Skullcap root clears damp heat from upper and middle jiao, antimicrobial
Chai Hu envoy to the ear
Jin Yin Hua clears heat, antimicrobial
If you are breast feeding make a decoction of these herbs to give to the
baby through your breast milk. Or instead, just
boil a decoction of a small palmful of each of these herbs. For a 12-15 lbs. baby
Put 1 oz. of the decoction with 2 oz. water in the baby's bottle. Add
100% formula powder. Symptoms should begin to clear after about 2 doses.
Administer 2-3 doses per day. The herbs will turn the stool green. This is a
sign that the herbs are clearing pathogenic heat from the system. Use wise
judgement about when to reduce or discontinue administration of herbs. These
are cold herbs and can easily injure digestive function if applied unnecessarily.
Acupressure or Acupuncture points for Treatment of Ear Infection with heat:
SanJiao 1-3 from Peter Deadman's points cards with Notes from Lectures by
Heather McFarlane:
Chronic and lingering ear infections,
especially those treated by pharmaceutical antibiotics may become damp-cold in
nature. The proper treatment is to clear a lingering pathogen and requires
a different approach.
Tangential:
Birth Certificate: Three impartial witness signatures make a legal document. A state
issued birth certificate is the government's title to your baby.
Witch Hunts: We experienced significant harassment from neighbors
over the way we choose to
deliver and care for our child. The woman (also a drug dealer who had
been reported to the police) called the supposed authorities, Florida
Department of Children
and Families (DCF), claiming that we were unfit parents telling many
unbelievable lies, including the most flagrant that rats were biting the baby.
DCF entered our house without
a warrant threatening to bring police to break down the door if we did not let them in
or if we did not provide our social security numbers. We regret we didn't force them
to get a warrant. Be aware that anyone can make a
false claim against you leading to invasion of your privacy. The DCF attempts to
convince you that you have to take drug tests and sign away your medical records.
They will search your house from top to bottom including ashtrays, refrigerator,
cupboards, etc., etc. They will take pictures
of you herbal medicines. They will force you to remove your baby's diaper. They will
speak to your health care provider against your wishes. After they determining
that you are a fit parent, they will not follow up to prosecute the person who made
false claims against you.
DCF has one attempt to take your child
and cannot return unless a second claim is made by a second individual.
I really regret that we let the DCF into the house. If I could
do it over, I would have demanded a court order or entertained him
on the porch. This attempted take-down was severely disruptive
to our zen. The neighbor has since moved and been arrested for
domestic violence. Yesterday her drug-dealer was arrested for threatened violence.
References:
1. Cardini F, Weixin H.
"Moxibustion for correction of breech presentation: a randomized controlled trial."
JAMA. 1998 Nov 11;280(18):1580-4.
2. Fratkin, Jake Paul. Chinese Herbal Patent Medicines The Clinical Desk Reference.
Boulder, Colorado: Shya Publications, 2001. pp. 588-589
3. Hildebrant, Erin. "Medical Marijuana
A Surprising Solution to Severe Morning Sickness."
Mothering Magazine. May 4, 2004
4. Weed, Susun. Wise Woman Herbal Childbearing Year. Woodstock, New York:
Ash Tree Publishing. 1986
5. Weinberg Ed. "Pregnancy-associated depression of cell-mediated immunity."
Rev Infect Dis. 1984 Nov-Dec;6(6):814-31.
6. Two ways not to induce labour: blue cohosh and oil
From a review of the literature by Rachel Westfall, 2001
