The growing interest in home births has led people to search for drugless, non-toxic methods of maintaining the health of the mother and the baby during the months of pregnancy, through the process of delivery, and afterward, including the nursing period. Naturally, many have turned back to the old reliable herbs which have been used for centuries. In this newsletter we will summarize the herbs most commonly used by midwives during pre-natal care and childbirth. In these days we hear of so many complicated deliveries, unnecessary Cesarian sections and other situations where the well-being of the mother and baby are threatened. When we use the aids placed on the earth by the Good Lord, we are following the divine plan to bring children into the world who will be a blessing to those around them from the very beginning.
We have always maintained that pre-natal care begins at the time before conception. The quality of life can only be the sum total of the quality of its creators. Before marriage is the time to set the stage for healthy generations to follow. If all prospective parents would follow the mucusless diet, the new generation would appear and the thousand years of millennial peace would be heralded in by a new race of disease-free people.

If one has been living on the mucusless diet and is now expecting a new healthy child, remember, "faith without works" is not the proper way to go. To carry on the good works of proper diet and preparation for the new mother-to-be, one should include additional aids to purify her body, in order to pass on good health to the expected child.

Besides keeping away from mucus-forming and toxic "food stuffs," she should also be using "special" foods and wholistic procedures to assist the new one coming, and to also give her an easier time of pregnancy and delivery.

One of the herbal foods is red raspberry leaf tea. This is made by using a heaping teaspoon of red raspberry leaves to each cup of hot steam-distilled water, or one ounce of the herbs, (two heaping teaspoons, approximately) to each pint of distilled water. Never let the tea boil, but put the boiling water over the herbs and then steep fifteen or twenty minutes in a warm place, strain and drink. It is best to drink three or more cups a day of this tea during the entire pregnancy. It is a pleasant-tasting tea and is also anti-nausea.

To learn a little more about this wonderful red raspberry leaf tea, let's go to a good source for seeing what values it carries. We quote from TABER'S CYCLOPEDIC MEDICAL DICTIONARY (Clarence Wilbur Taber, F.A. David Co., Philadelphia):

Raspberry (raz beri) (red) comp.:
Contains three times as much cellulose and less ash than strawberry.
average serving:
75 gm., pro. 0.8, fat 0.4, carbo. 7.3
vitamins: A+ +, B+, C+ + +.
ash const.: Ca. 0.049, Mg. 0.024, K 0.173, Na none, S 0.052, Cl none, S0.017, Fe 0.0006.

Identifying Characteristics:

Erect and freely branched, 3-6 feet high, glaucous, spiny (covered with small, straight and slender prickles).

Leaves Pinnate, stalked, 2 pairs of ovate leaflets and a larger terminal leaflet, rounded base, double serrate margins, abruptly pointed at apex, pale green above, grayish-white beneath with appressed felted hairs, 2½-3 ½ inches long, 2-3 inches broad.

Flowers Small, white pendulous (hanging), clusters of five, cupshaped corolla.

Fruit Red berry, globular cluster of 20-30 small, rounded and succulent drupelets, numerous hairs, fleshly, red juice (sweet, pleasant, acidulous), small stony endocarps (pits).

Taste Astringent.

Odor None.

Parts used: Leaves, also rootbark, fruit.

Therapeutic action: Astringent, tonic, stimulant, alterative, stomachic, anti-emetic, parturient, hemostatic, cathartic, anti-septic, anti-abortive, anti-gonorrheal, anti-leucorrheal, anti-malarial. Fruit: Mildly laxative, esculent, antacid, parturient, refrigerant.

Red raspberry is a great agent for cleansing a canker condition of the mucous membranes in the alimentary tract, leaving the tissue toned. In pregnancy the infusion, when taken regularly, will quiet premature pains, and will produce a safe, speedy and easy delivery. Raspberry leaves stimulate, tone and regulate (both the leaves and fruit are high in citrate of iron which is the active alterative, blood-making, astringent and contractive agent for the reproductive area) before and during childbearing, assisting contractions and checking hemorrhage during labor, relieving afterpains, then strengthening, cleansing, and enriching the milk of the mother in the post-delivery period. The tea is a valuable and effective agent for female menstrual problems, decreasing the menstrual flow without stopping it abruptly. Raspberry leaves are soothing and toning to the stomach and bowels, with healing action to sore mouths, sore throats, nausea, aphtha, stomatitis, diabetes, diarrhea and dysentery. They are especially valuable in stomach and bowel complaints of children.

Medicinal uses: Constipation, nausea, diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes, pregnancy, uterine hemorrhage, parturition, uterine cramps, labor pains, cholera infantum, leucorrhea, prolapsus uteri, prolapsus ani, hemorrhoids, dyspepsia, vomiting, colds, fevers, intestinal flu, bowel complaint, thrush, relaxed sore throat, ophthalmia, sore mouth, sore throat, spongy gums, ulcers, wounds, gonorrhea.

Preparation: Decoction, fluid extract, infusion, powder, tincture.

Before and during the pregnancy it is extremely important to see that the reproductive organs are functioning properly, and as well as being healthy and producing the correct amounts of hormones and estrogens.

If the female organs are in a questionable condition, it is well before and during pregnancy (also in the post-delivery period) to use our female corrective formula (an herbal food to strengthen and rebuild the entire reproductive area) and the estrogen-hormone combination (herbal aid) to assist in supplying needed hormones and estrogens in the correct amount (Nu Fem and Changease). The human body is computerized to a point that it will take from an herbal formula such as this one the different types of estrogens and hormones it needs, and easily discard the ones not used. These herbs can be not only accepted into the body, but assimilated when needed and eliminated when not required. Many of the inorganic drugs can be accepted into the body and only a small amount assimilated. The rest of the prescription, being inorganic and of a low vibration, cannot be eliminated with ease and lies in weakened areas, accumulative, to cause side-effects and aftereffects as time progresses.

Herbal aid for female reproductive organs.

Nu Fem - This is an amazing combination of herbs to aid in rebuilding a malfunctioning reproductive system (uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, etc.) Over the years herbalists and patients have seen painful menstruations, heavy flowing, cramps, irregularity, etc., that have been helped and the patient now has a painless menstrual period, good menstrual timing, and a new outlook on life by using these aids to readjust the malfunctioning areas. The female corrective formula consists of three parts of golden seal root and one part of each of the following: blessed thistle, cayenne, cramp bark, false unicorn root, ginger, red raspberry leaves, squaw vine, and uva ursi.

Recommended dosage is one cup or 2 capsules or tablets morning and evening or three times a day if desired, six days a week for as long as required to get results desired. We have seen many severe cases who have had many years of suffering cleared up in 90 to 120 days. Some get relief sooner, some take longer--no two cases are alike. This is a food to rebuild the malfunctioning organs.

Herbal aids to equalize hormones and estrogen.

Changease - Here are herbs that are an aid to assist the function of developing the hormone and estrogen balance in both female and male. This combination consists of the following herbs: black cohosh, sarsaparilla, ginseng, blessed thistle herb, licorice root, false unicorn root and squaw vine. Adult suggested amount is one to three number "0" capsules morning and evening, as desired. Used as an aid for youth going into puberty, for expecting mothers, as well as at menopause times.

These two combinations, the female corrective and the hormone-estrogen combinations can be used during the entire time of pregnancy (and also before and following) as it is an herbal food like any other food and "is there to be used, if needed," but can do NO harm in any way.

If there is yeast infection and/or Herpes Simplex before or during pregnancy, add also the vaginal-rectal Bolus Combination and the slant board routine (Yellow Dock Combination) included herein. These are very beneficial and yet are harmless to the mother and child-to-be.

Slant board combination. As an aid in prolapsed uterus, bowel or other organs, to assist in giving relief, make concentrated tea (simmer down to half its amount) of six parts oak bark, three parts mullein herb, four parts yellow dock root, three parts walnut bark or leaves, six parts comfrey root, one part lobelia, three parts marshmallow root. Inject with a syringe (while head down on slant board) into vagina, 1/4 to ½ cup or more; or rectum, one cup or more; for prolapsus or hemorrhoid problems, leave in as long as is possible before voiding. Dose suggested is one-fourth to one cup, one or more times in a day. When the tea is injected into the abdominal area and while on the slant board, knead and massage the pelvic and abdominal area to exercise the muscles, so the herbal tea (food) will be assimilated into the organs.

THE FATHER TO BE

We are also giving here an herbal formula for the father-to-be. If his reproductive organs are in good clean healthy condition the seed for conception will be an improvement over seed of questionable quality. The slant board routine following the rectal bolus at night will also, along with the prostate combination, proper mucusless diet and reproductive organ rebuilding, be an asset to the future family and another aid in preventing childhood diseases.

An aid for the prostate area (Prospallate). In case of malfunction we suggest this combination to assist the male; one part of each of cayenne, ginger, golden seal root, gravel root or queen of the meadow root, juniper berries, marshmallow root, parsley root or herb, uva ursi leaves. This will dissolve the stones that are in the kidneys, as well as clean out other sedimentation and infection in the prostate. Mix the powders and place in No."0" capsules and take two or more morning and night, with parsley tea when possible.

ANTI-MISCARRIAGE FORMULA

A mother-to-be looks forward to the arrival of the new little one, then one day she panics at the discovery of early spotting and then hemorrhaging. This generally is indicative of miscarriage - aborting from weakened conditions of the reproductive organs.

Over the years we have seen many of these cases, because parents-to-be have turned away from good nutrition and healthful living practices so the over-all picture of the human culture is a sad one, more and more heartaches from miscarriage.

We offer you a formula for those who have indication of aborting (False Unicorn & Lobelia). This combination should always be on hand because this emergency can appear so quickly that it is shocking and frightening.

Anti-miscarriage formula. The anti-miscarriage formula consists of these two herbs: False Unicorn & Lobelia. Unless otherwise specified, teas are always made with one teaspoon of herbs to a cup of distilled water if obtainable. If hemorrhaging starts during pregnancy, stay in bed, use a bed pan when needed, and use ½ cup of this tea each ½ hour until bleeding stops, then each waking hour for one day, while in bed as much as possible, and then three times in a day for three weeks. If bleeding continues instead of decreasing, see a doctor.

This combination of false unicorn and lobelia will stop the bleeding as explained in the instructions--if the fetus is in a good healthy condition. If the fetus is dead, in many cases the dead fetus is aborted with ease. Without this help, the fetus, when dead, will rarely abort, lying in the womb and causing infection.

PRE-NATAL

Pre-Natal Tea - We wish to give you another wonderful formula that is used five or six weeks before delivery time. This formula has both black cohosh and pennyroyal herbs in it, which, according to many, are not to be used during times of pregnancy because they could, it is said, cause miscarriage.

This is not so at this late stage (five or six weeks before delivery). If it were so, how could thousands have used this formula so successfully for many years? No, you need have no fear because the amateur herbalist reads that someone had used pennyroyal or black cohosh alone and miscarriage had occurred. We have never had one case of this verified to us. On the other hand we have received angry calls from groups of promiscuous young people who, after reading the warning we gave in our textbook that people have said "these herbs could cause abortion," has used them for this purpose. These young people had given their unmarried pregnant girl-friends quantities of these herbs but no abortion occurred, so they and the girls were angry because of the failure of these herbs (to abort).

We have had, just recently, a report come to us about a young mother-to-be for the second time who had never heard of the "pre-natal combination" and her previous labor was very severe (lasted around 30 hours). After she became pregnant the second time she heard about this pre-natal combination, so got some, used it the last week before delivery, and cut the labor time down to about four hours. She just recently had her third baby with a very short labor and more ease than she had dreamed possible, after using the pre-natal formula for the last six weeks. Many people believe the change from difficult to easy delivery results from using red raspberry leaf tea (and squaw vine tea) throughout the nine months of pregnancy and using the pre-natal combination during the last six weeks. Of course, one of the main reasons one can have a healthy baby is when the mother is faithful with the mucusless diet and the three-day cleanse. This cleanse should be used at least once each month during pregnancy as well as later (during the time of lactation).

Pre-Natal Tea formula: Using this tea (or two or three capsules or tablets) morning and evening is an aid in giving elasticity to the pelvic and vaginal area and strengthening the reproductive organs for easier delivery. It should be used only in the last six weeks before time of birth. The herbs used in our number 27 combination are: squaw vine, holy thistle, black cohosh, pennyroyal, false unicorn, raspberry leaves, and lobelia.

CALCIUM

Another way to have a healthy child (one that is not a worry because of repeated sicknesses), is for a mother-to-be to use a good calcium formula during the entire pregnancy and also during the lactation period. There is a good herbal formula (Calc Tea) that we use which is strictly an assimilable vegetable (herbal) type combination. It consists of six parts horsetail grass, four parts comfrey root, three parts oat straw and one part lobelia. The horsetail grass is almost pure silica but by biological transmutation, so says renowned scientist Professor Louis C. Kervran, the human body is able to make the molecular change to transform the silica into assimilated calcium. To aid this we have a number of trace minerals in the comfrey that speeds up the transformation. It is a known fact that there is a lack of adequate calcium in the diet of the average adult today.

The most important thing to remember (even if you do not follow any other of the wonderful advice given during pregnancy) is to KEEP THE BOWELS CLEAN. A clogged plumbing and sewage system can only result in auto-intoxication. The retained morbid waste in the colon has the uncanny ability to seep through to the other organs causing irritation and inflammation. This is especially undesirable in the case where the uterus is providing a temporary home for a new little life. If you keep the bowels open (this means at least three bowel movements a day if you eat three meals a day) that baby will say 'Thank you, Mom!' The way we can do this, of course, is by using the Lower Bowel Formula consisting of one part barberry, one part cayenne, two parts cascara sagrada, one part ginger, one part golden seal, one part lobelia, one part raspberry leaves, one part turkey rhubarb, and one part fennel. The functions of the above herbs are described in the booklets The Three Day Cleanse and Rejuvenation Through Elimination.

One of the finest chapters on pre-natal advice appears in Jethro Kloss's book Back To Eden. In addition to a good diet, cleanliness, loose, comfortable dress, fresh air, sunshine, and positive mental attitude and surroundings, Kloss suggests the use of some herbs. There is the red raspberry tea for relief of nausea and vomiting, to promote uterine contractions and prevent hemorrhaging during labor. Spikenard is suggested for easy and painless childbirth. Many of the midwives we know tell their women not to wait until labor to take spikenard. It may be used throughout the pregnancy as a tea. Spikenard (Aralia racemosa) is an old Indian remedy for the facilitation of childbirth.

Kloss also recommends hot water douche made of white oak bark or wild alum root to arrest hemorrhage if necessary after delivery. Lobelia, as a relaxant during labor, can be used. We generally use it in a tincture form. The tincture is made with apple cider vinegar. One of the old pillars of our church, Priddy Meeks, used lobelia extensively in childbirth cases. He ascribed "supernatural" powers to the herb, and brought many mothers through labor the way Nature intended: without the original curse placed upon Adam and Eve to "bear children in pain and suffering."

Here is an anti-nausea formula we have used throughout the years for morning sickness:

½ oz. Turkey Rhubarb (powdered)
½ oz. powdered cinnamon
½ oz. powdered cloves

Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Pour over 1 oz. spearmint leaves. Let it steep. Strain and drink by the teaspoonful or by the cupful. This formula can also be used for nausea other than morning sickness; in motion sickness, for example. A small thermos bottle will hold enough for an automobile trip.