Smiley Birth Services

12/20/2025

Here we are again looking at the magical nettle plant. This time it’s to battle the fatigue that can accompany pregnancy. In The Natural Pregnancy Book Aviva Romm says that 2-3 cups per day of a strong nettle infusion can “nourish the adrenals, regulate blood sugar, improve nutrient intake, and build iron levels (p. 185)”, all of which could help alleviate fatigue. An article from Peaceful Birth Midwifery states, “Nettle is a gentle yet powerful tonic to the adrenals, and is known to rebuild the adrenal cortex, thus improving energy levels.” Serra Blaine, certified herbalist, reports that nettle tea has numerous benefits including boosting iron levels, reducing inflammation, and providing essential vitamins and minerals. She says to always use caution and to start slowly with about 1 teaspoon of nettle tea per cup of water and monitor how you feel. From the articles I found, nettle seems to be a powerhouse for the body while being very low risk.

https://www.peacefulbirth.co/peacefulbirthmidwife
Is Nettle Tea Safe During Pregnancy? What You Need to Know - Pioneer Health Homestead

12/19/2025

Bleeding in early pregnancy can be a variation of normal, though it can make any mother feel uneasy. In Aviva Romm’s book, The Natural Pregnancy Book, for mild bleeding in early pregnancy she recommends a combination of wild yam plus either cramp bark or black haw to reduce cramping (p. 167). On natural-fertility-info.com, they say that cramp bark and black haw are “extremely effective at reducing uterine contractions and uterine muscle spasm.” They also can decrease pain without negative side effects like medicinal pain relievers. Sun Child’s article states that wild yam has been used for centuries and has anti-inflammatory effects which may help prevent miscarriage. Just like most herbs, wild yam has not been studied extensively for safety in pregnancy. Do the benefits outweigh the risks in your mind? Have you used any of these with success?

https://natural-fertility-info.com/menstruation-cramps-benefits-of-cramp-bark-and-black-haw.html

https://shunchild.com/article/is-wild-yam-root-safe-during-pregnancy

12/18/2025

Appropriate for this time of year, the next topic to discuss is colds, flu and mild illnesses. While there are many things you can do to support your immune system, echinacea root tincture is of interest to me. Aviva Romm recommends taking this tincture as a preventative measure and/or for colds, and then increasing the dosage for acute sickness and flu. An article on myhealthopedia.com states that echinacea enhances the immune system, shortens durations of colds, supports respiratory health, plus has antiviral and antibacterial effects. The NIH says that there are limited studies done on the safety of echinacea in pregnancy, but the studies that have been done have not shown any negative side effects of echinacea use in pregnancy. Echinacea is generally considered safe in pregnancy and appears to have lots of health benefits. Do you feel like echinacea has helped you?

https://myhealthopedia.com/echinacea-proven-benefits-side-effects-dosage/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582687/

12/17/2025

📖I’ve been reading The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Jill Romm and have been learning a lot of helpful information that I wanted to explore further. I will be posting about each of the topics I’ve been looking into and would love your feedback! Have you tried any of these remedies? Did they help? Would you use them again?
The first topic to discuss is anemia. While there are various forms of anemia, most women who are struggling with anemia during pregnancy are dealing with nutritional anemias which can be helped with diet changes and/or supplementation. One of the herbs mentioned again and again in this book is nettles (or stinging nettle leaf). Aviva Romm recommends steeping a large handful of dried nettle leaves in a quart of boiling water for a couple hours and then drinking 1-4 cups a day of this herbal infusion (p. 155). In an article on medicine.net, they mention that while nettles are high in iron, they also can act as a uterine stimulant, so should be used with caution before term. Another article I found on realherbs.com, says that nettles “can offer potential benefits for pregnant women, such as addressing iron deficiency anemia and providing essential nutrients”. They also advise caution due to the uterine stimulant effect nettles can have.Nettle leaf tea has been used for centuries and the health benefits are well-known. It seems to me that in pregnancy, we should be sure to start slowly after the first trimester, and if you feel like you’re having too many contractions, back off. I’d love to know your experience if you have any!

The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Jill Romm, 2014.

https://www.medicinenet.com/what_are_the_benefits_of_drinking_nettle_tea/article.htm

https://www.realherbs.com/blogs/stinging-nettle-leaf/is-stinging-nettle-leaf-safe-during-pregnancy

12/11/2025

I still have room if you’d like to sign up for my next series ☺️

12/08/2025

As a doula who supports mamas wanting natural births, this is one uniform I do my best to avoid. But I am also very thankful for hospitals, caring providers, and even cesareans.

12/02/2025

I have so much availability for next year! If you would, please share with friends to pass the word around! It means so much to me 💞

11/29/2025

Let’s chat soon!

11/28/2025

11/22/2025

I got to have 2 postpartum visits with babies born on the same day 😆. It’s always so nice to see everyone again and try to help troubleshoot issues they’re having. Just as I reminded this mama, I’ll remind you all: please reach out anytime! I’m always here to chat and help however I can. There’s no time limit on when my support ends. I love hearing from families long after the birth and help with their first cold or weaning or any other phase I can talk them through. Seriously! Reach out 💞