Customer Reviews

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year (Wise Woman Herbal Series, Book 1) (Wise Woman Herbal Series : No. 1)

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4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

You've heard of the "For Dummies" books? This should have been called "Herbal Medicine for Pregnant Dummies." The Wise Woman Herbal: The Childbearing Year is an excellent resource for any pregnant women, whether she has never considered herbal remedies before, dabbles in them occasionally, or is a full-fledged herbal practitioner, but it is very friendly to the newcomer to herbal medicine. The book includes simple prescriptions for those who don't want to get deeply involved in herbal medicine, such as drinking raspberry leaf tea daily throughout the pregnancy to strengthen the uterus. However, for those who are interested in more complex remedies, the author explains in great detail how to make infusions, tinctures, oils, etc., more so than any other herbal medicine book I've read. This is very helpful to people who have dabbled a little in herbology but have not found a mentor to teach them the ropes.

Included in the book is everything from herbal birth control to remedies for the newborn. Especially helpful is the listing of teratogens, or substances that can cause birth defects -- unlike other books on pregnancy, this book lists some common cooking herbs that should be avoided. Appendices include a listing of herbal sources for vitamins and minerals, and recipes for herbal tonics and medicines. A glossary is also included.

The author's interesting New Age spirituality and suspicion of technology (such as ultrasound) does not detract from the practical aspects of the book, but adds a sort of charm to the whole process. If asking a plant's permission before picking it isn't your cup of tea, just read those paragraphs with a grain of salt and take the information you need from the book.

I came to my midwifery career (see my memoir, BABY CATCHER, Scribner 2002) via the traditional route of nursing school, working in hospital delivery rooms and alternative birth centers, then going to midwifery school, graduating as a CNM. Nowhere along the way was I taught anything about herbs. When I found myself doing home births in Berkeley, CA, many of my clients assumed I was an herbalist. Although I never once claimed to have a knowledge base in that field, I learned enough from Wise Woman Herbal to talk intelligently on the subject. Many women who choose home birth shun not just hospitals but also traditional Western medications. Wise Woman Herbal was always the resource to which I turned when I needed to know if a particular herb a woman wanted to use was safe and/or efficacious in pregnancy. And eventually I carried and recommended certain ones with confidence, especially blue and black cohosh, ginger, and oil of evening primrose.
From me and from all midwives when they were new: Thank you, Susan Weed.

I got this book in my last month of pregancy. My hopes where to find some help in getting labor started. My first child was two weeks late and it drove me nuts. I loved it I also had a problem with infertility and this gave me some good ideas to try next time. I loved it and the labor tips and herbal healpers worked well to ease the labor and seem to be much calmer than the first. Even if you don't think the herbal way is best this book is a must read for the pregnant woman/ couples. And the after care info is a goddess sent book of gold. The diaper rash treatments really work. And the nursing fourmla kept my milk flowing even when I had to go back to work and could not pump that much. Hope everyone enjoies the book as much as I did.

Really great book for people into alternative medicine and herbs. Full of lots of hard to find information about herbs and remedies to take and not take while pregnant. Also good pre and post pregnancy and baby info!

This is a wonderful book... it's concise and to the point... true, it doesn't go into a lot of detail about why things are or aren't good to take, but that info is easily researched... I like that it tells you what to do or not to do in short simple ways... makes it SOOOOOO much easier to find the information I want and need.

Throughout this pregnancy my blood pressure has been on the high side... after only a few days of following the cream of tartar protocol (pg 47) my blood pressure is now down to PERFECT!!! This book has greatly improved my health... I recommend it to EVERYONE!

I used this guide through two births, and I only wish I'd known about it for my first one. It proved invaluable for remedying problems during pregnancy, making childbirth much easier, and alleviating colic in newborns. Most of the herbs are easy to find for purchase and simple to prepare. I have lent it to friends who also found it wonderfully helpful.

THis is a fabulous book that I always run to for my herbal advice while pregnant, nursing or even for my sickies. It has herbs listed to help out with many needs durring pregnancy, after pregnancy, with the baby and I even run to it for fevers and such. THe information in this book is beyond helpfull, and right now I am finding a second and 3rd copy so that I can lend out my books without risking being without it when I need it myself. I have done that twice. I advise you to get this book...

A friend gave me this book to help me resolve my problem with infertility. Aged 34, I am a product of childhood in the 60's and 70's: I was brought up in an age when short-term, disposable products were the norm, and science, which had taken us to the moon, was likely to solve most of our medical problems with a magic pill. Coming from there, I was delighted to be exposed to the herbal "magic" I found in the pages of Wise Woman. This wholistic approach to natural healing and care for the childbearing year -- fourteen months from pre-conception through delivery -- opened my eyes to a new world. This easy-to-read book will help you to get healthy and to stay healthy, using nature's own tools, throughout one of the most important year's in a woman's life.

WISE WOMAN HERBAL - Childbearing Year
Susun Weed
Ash Tree Publishing 1986
P.O. Box 64, Woodstock N.Y. 12498
PB 171
$9.95
ISBN # 0-9614620-0-0
Review by: Christina Francine

"Aren't herbs dangerous, especially during pregnancy?" a woman asks.

"I've heard they cause cancer," says another. "I can't imagine what they'd do to my unborn baby."

"Its witchery," adds a third, "and I'll stick to regular doctors, thank you."

These are still many women's view on using herbs, a mid-wife, or a holistic approach, pregnant or not. Vast numbers though, are looking into treating themselves, pursuing holistic doctors, and using midwives. They seek natural. In essence, women are going back to the skill they learned millions of years ago. They knew their bodies then and how to care for them. Then, along came those who wanted further power and named this skill witchery. Suddenly men knew women's bodies better than they did. Weed leads readers back to this natural skill and power. She provides preventative and healing remedies, herbal preparations, and points of safety, for before, during, and after pregnancy. Weed even added a chapter on newborns.

Book Contents Include:

-Foreword
-Introduction
-Using This Book
-Using Herbs Safely
-Before Pregnancy with sub-headings & categories
(pages 1-12)
-During Pregnancy with sub-headings & categories
(pages 17-49)
-Childbirth with sub-headings and categories (pages 55-74)
-After Pregnancy with sub-headings and categories
(pages 77-84)
-Your Infant with sub-headings and categories
(pages 95-114)
-Herbal Pharmacy with sub-headings and categories
(pages 121-139)
-Appendix 1 (Herbal sources of vitamins & minerals)
-Appendix 2
-Glossary
-Index

Regular doctors and conservative medicines have their place, but herbal doctors and medicines do as well. Just why are many women going back to treating themselves, visiting holistic doctors, and interested in natural? I believe deep down women know what works, what's safest, and what feels right. They're reacquainting themselves with nature, and listening to and taking responsibility for their own bodies.

`Childbearing Years' is for women wanting to take care their growing baby and of their bodies naturally. Weed's style of presenting, and authenticity of facts, is straightforward and easy to understand. Sketchings, alongside pages, are charming, as well as added notations. Everything about this book is comforting, nurturing, and encouraging. A valuable resource.

Ok, if you aren't a newage-y type you have to skip all the flakey goddess-type stuff in the intro. You get past that and you have an excellant reference for pregnant women. I am a Christian who is interested in holistic approaches to health, esp when pregnant and this is a must have reference in my opinion. You will find stuff in here that no conventional doctor can tell you. For example, the only thing that saved me from heartburn and acid reflux attacks at night when pregnant was to nibble on almonds. What doctor is going to tell you that??? It works like a charm when you feel one coming on and it's good for you. Just one example of many. Anyone interested in herbs will love this book as well. If you want to safely use herbs while pregnant, this book will educate you.
This book is a favorite of mine because it has the kind of wisdom that women used to know and share with each other, the kind of wisdom we have begun to lose. It is recaptured here. You and your baby will be healthier for having read it.