So often the conventional message around herbs is that they are not safe during pregnancy — especially any which have special action on the bloodstream as a cleanser or regulator. Each individual’s situation warrants different considerations of which herb may be best or safest – pregnant or not. But we must not let fear overcome our faith and reliance on true principles.

When I was still partway through the Master Herbalist program, a friend came to my house and asked, “What do you have for miscarriage?” I had not known she was pregnant - she was in her first trimester and had been bleeding since that morning. I was excited to put some of my knowledge to use but deeply humbled by the seriousness of the situation.

I said a prayer and did a little bit of reading through my various textbooks. I simply didn’t have the right formulas on hand! Then yarrow came to mind. I had grown it from seed in my garden for the first time that year, and it was flowering beautifully and ready for harvest. As a blood regulator and uterine tonic, it made sense as something to try to quickly halt the bleeding. I explained how yarrow worked and asked her if she wanted to try it. We filled a half-gallon bag of fresh yarrow flowers for her to make into a tea with 3 tablespoons fresh flowers per pint of hot water, a half cup taken every half hour. I also gave her the rest of my personal stash of prenatal/lactation tea that I had leftover from the last time I was pregnant and nursing: red raspberry leaf, alfalfa, nettles, chamomile, and shatavari root. I sent her an article on how to use Dr. Christopher’s False Unicorn & Lobelia formula and a list of stores she could get it from.

As she drove away I prayed and prayed and prayed that what I gave her would be exactly what she needed, and not cause any harm. From what I understood, even if the baby could not be saved, these herbs would strengthen her body to handle whatever came next. I did some searches on generic internet sites regarding yarrow and pregnancy, and every page that yielded results strongly cautioned against its use. I began to get really nervous having just sent my friend home with a large amount of it!

Within a few hours, she texted me that the bleeding had stopped! 24 hours later, I received the most beautiful text I have ever received in my life: “Sarah, they found a heartbeat!” Her OB had confirmed that the baby was alive and well. My friend continued the yarrow tea until it was gone. The bleeding did not return, but for extra assurance, she purchased the Anti-Miscarriage formula capsules and followed Dr. Christopher’s protocol of taking them every hour for one day, then three times a day for three weeks. She asked for the recipe for my prenatal tea, ordered the ingredients herself and blended up a large batch which she drank faithfully through the rest of her pregnancy. She was thrilled to know that there were things she could actively DO to heal whatever had caused the bleeding AND continue to strengthen her body and her baby throughout pregnancy. She already ate a whole foods, plant-based diet.

My friend birthed a beautiful and healthy baby boy 7 months later, at home, during a snowstorm! She had no complications. I am so grateful to have had this experience with my friend, but even more so I am in awe that she took action and consistently followed through. We all have times when we need a hand to hold. It’s my dream that we all have access to someone (hopefully an herbalist!) who can hold our hand, then empower us to move forward with faith and strength and the knowledge to do what is needed. 

False Unicorn and Lobelia (herballegacy.com)

Miscarriage (herballegacy.com)

Sarah Vezzani is a Master Herbalist graduate from the School of Natural Healing. She and her husband (with 3 going on 4 children) are building a homestead in Utah’s West Desert. She enjoys experimenting with growing herbs and veggies – you can follow along with her adventures on Instagram or Facebook @aplacetocometofarmstead. Her deepest passion is coaching others towards a healthier lifestyle through diet, herbs, and awareness in movement. You can contact her at https://www.everydayanexperiment.com