A supplementation is not known, though it may well be higher than 10,000 IU per day. Nevertheless, women who are pregnant should talk with a nutritionally oriented doctor before supplementing with more than 10,000 IU per day. Refer to the individual supplement for information about any side effects or interactions. Examples of these tonic herbs include dandelion leaf and root, red raspberry leaf, and nettles . Dandelion leaf and root are rich sources of vitamins and minerals, including beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, and iron.
Dandelion root tones the liver.
19 Red raspberry leaf is the most often mentioned traditional herbal tonic for general support of pregnancy and breast-feeding. 20 Nettle leaf provides the minerals calcium and iron, is mildly diuretic, and aids in the elimination of excess water from tissues. Nettle enriches and increases the flow of breast milk and restores the mother's energy following childbirth. In one study, addition of lavender oil to a bath was more effective than a placebo in relieving perineal pain after childbirth. However, the improvement was not statistically significant, so more research is needed to determine if lavender oil is truly effective.