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1Information
based on Family Awareness Method as described by Toni Weschler in Taking
Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to
Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive
Health
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Last post I mentioned
wanting to create a post on how to use herbal emmenagogues to induce
menstruation. In this part, I want to describe what an emmenagogue is, what reasons to use one when trying to conceive and various resources and options for you to use in determining the best herbs for your particular needs.
The reason to take an
emmenagogue is if a woman’s period was running late and she wants to hurry it
along. Many women with infertility that are attempting to conceive may often
experience long, anovulatory cycles which can delay the start of a new cycle,
extending the horrid waiting experienced throughout the process of trying to
conceive.
One benefit to be received
from learning to chart fertility signs is the awareness that if ovulation is
known to occur a woman may have to wait no more than 17 days after its
occurrence to experience her menstrual bleed.1 But, for many women
having difficulty conceiving a physical condition is preventing ovulation from
occurring, which will delay shedding of the uterine lining.
To be clear, an emmenagogue
is something best to use when pregnancy is known to have not been achieved and
one wants to ensure that their next cycle will start. Most emmenagogues can be
safe even if the woman is pregnant and would not affect a healthy pregnancy.
Some emmenagogues, however, may be classified as abortifacients meaning it
could be possible to for their use to cause a healthy pregnancy to terminate if
taken very early in the cycle. 2
Part of the problem is that in reading
websites, books and other sources of information on herbs that can be used this
way conflicting information may be listed. The most reliable way to know which
kind of herbal emmenagogue is best for you would be to consult a professional
that specializes in alternative treatments as most will have some knowledge of
herbs.
An example of some
practitioners that may assist you in understanding herbs appropriate to address
your fertility needs might be chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths and
herbalists.3 When
searching for these professionals in your area, be sure to check whether they
have knowledge or experience in addressing fertility issues. This can be done
by reviewing information on their websites or directories they are listed in,
but more reliably by contacting their office and asking how familiar the
practitioners are in addressing fertility issues. It can save a lot of time and
money by making sure the office you schedule with is familiar with treating
your condition.
Another resource available
is a local shop that sells herbs in various forms, such as dried, in tinctures,
essential oils and infusions. If you are comfortable researching herbs on your
own, but would like guidance, this can be a great resource as you will find a
variety of helpful herbs that may not be at your local grocery store and most
staff at herb stores can advise you on the correct herbs to use, the best
method of using them and which ones to avoid. Although they may not be able to cater as individually to
you as one of the practitioners listed above, they can certainly ensure that
you are taking the herbs correctly and not in dangerous combinations. Mostly,
it may only cost you the price of the herbs you decide to purchase.
The most cost efficient way
would be to do the research on use of herbs yourself, either by finding trusted
websites that publish their knowledge of how to use these herbs or checking out
books at the library that instruct on the use of natural herbs. It would be
highly suggested if looking for information on the internet to look at
multiple, reliable sources and verify information with published books on
herbs; these can always be found at your local library if you don’t have the
budget to purchase these books for yourself. This way if you decide to purchase
herbs online you can ensure you are getting the correct ones and using them as
safely as possible.
My next post I will overview the various methods to use an emmenagogue and which I may be trying for myself.
2Information
summarized from this page by Sister Zeus on emmenagogues categorized by how
potent and also in what way they work to induce menstruation http://www.sisterzeus.com/Emmeno.htm
Herbal Fertility
Information by Sister Zeus
http://www.sisterzeus.com/directory.html
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Books on using
herbs and your fertility:
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Women's
Bodies, Women's Wisdom (Revised Edition): Creating Physical and Emotional
Health and Healing
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