Herbs for the Mamas: Nurturing Plants for Women’s Health

I believe the garden is a womb space—alive, nourishing, and wise. The earth, like a mother, gives unconditionally: a place where seeds are sown, where life emerges, where roots deepen, and where we return to rest and be made whole again. The soil is our placenta—rich, dark, and full of the nutrients needed to bring forth life. The creeks are veins, pulsing with nourishment. The compost pile is the place of transformation—where what’s been discarded becomes sacred again.

For centuries, women have turned to the earth not only to feed our families but to support our bodies, balance our hormones, and bring healing through every phase of life. In a world that often pulls us away from our own rhythms, reclaiming herbal knowledge is an act of resistance, remembrance, and radical self-care.

This post is for the mamas in every form—those who are raising children, raising communities, raising themselves. Whether you’re tending to your cycle, entering perimenopause, recovering postpartum, or simply seeking herbal allies to feel more grounded, these herbs have your back.

Red Raspberry Leaf – The Toner

Red raspberry leaf is often called the “woman’s herb,” rich in iron, magnesium, and B vitamins. It tones and strengthens the uterus, supports menstrual health, and has long been used in pregnancy to prepare the womb for labor.

Use it for: Easing menstrual cramps, preparing for childbirth (in second and third trimester), and replenishing minerals post-birth.

Fun fact: Red raspberry leaf has been used by Native American and Appalachian women for generations. It’s not the raspberry fruit that carries the medicine—it’s the leaf.

Rose – The Softener

When I’m working with grief—mine or someone else’s—I reach for rose. There’s a kind of medicine in its petals that words can’t reach. I remember the first time I made rose-infused honey. The smell, the softness... it felt like I was preserving love itself.

Rose is like a balm for the body and soul. A physical astringent and gentle healer, it’s a cherished ally for skin care, yoni steaming, and nervous system support—especially during heartache or emotional overwhelm. The Rose Quartz soap I created is a tribute to this tender power. Infused with rose’s loving energy and inspired by the gemstone that symbolizes unconditional love, this bar reminds us that beauty begins with care—from within and without.

Use it for: Nervous system regulation, yoni steams, emotional healing, grief, beauty rituals.

Fun fact: Rose has been used by healers from Persia to the Congo for both medicinal and ceremonial use. In African American folk medicine, rose water is often used to anoint and cleanse sacred spaces.

Motherwort – The Protector

When I first met motherwort, I was in the thick of toddlerhood—the so-called “terrible twos,” though I found it to be more tender than terrible. It was a time of big emotions, tiny hands pulling in every direction, and learning to mother myself while mothering someone else. Motherwort didn’t fix anything overnight, but with just a drop, I felt a steadying. A deep exhale. Like an elder whispering, You got this, Mama.

Motherwort is a bitter but beloved ally for the heart—both physically and emotionally. It soothes anxiety, calms palpitations, and is especially helpful during hormonal transitions. My preferred way to use motherwort is by making a strong tincture.

Use it for: PMS, menopause mood swings, postpartum anxiety, emotional regulation.

Fun fact: Its Latin name Leonurus cardiaca means “lion-hearted,” reminding us that being soft doesn’t mean weak. Sometimes mothering takes fierce tenderness.

Nettles – The Nourisher

Nettles remind me of the women who show up for everyone else but forget to feed themselves. This herb is loaded with nutrients—iron, calcium, magnesium, and chlorophyll—making it a perfect plant for replenishment.

There was a time in my life when nettle tea became my regular drink. I’d pour a mason jar full in the evening with hot water and allow the leaves and water to infuse overnight. The next morning I'd strain the tea and drink directly from the jar. I'd take sips between chores and meetings and it would feel like I was pouring energy back into my own cup.

Use it for: Fatigue, iron deficiency, postpartum recovery, adrenal support, lactation, allergies. Nettle can also be used to pour energy into the land. In the photo above, we are growing out a nice patch of nettle to be used for future biodynamic preparations.

Fun fact: Despite its sting when fresh, nettles lose their bite when dried or cooked—and become deeply nourishing. Just like us when we’re held with care.

Vitex (Chaste Tree Berry) – The Balancer

Vitex works not by replacing hormones, but by nudging the body to balance its own rhythm. It can help with irregular cycles, fibroids, PCOS, and even fertility. But it’s not a quick-fix herb—it’s more like a long-term companion, asking for patience and trust.

I do not personally have a lot of personal experience to share with chaste tree berry. Yet, despite my inexperience with chaste berry I do believe this is worth mentioning. So as a bit of homework for you please, as with all the herbs mentioned in this blog, do additional research and find all the benefits and contraindications for this herb.

Use it for: Irregular or painful cycles, fibroids, hormonal acne, fertility support.

Fun fact: In ancient cultures, women would lie beneath chaste trees during rituals of purification. The berries were believed to promote wisdom and self-possession—an herbal boundary setter.

Mugwort – The Dreamweaver

Growing wild and wise by the creekside here on the land (as pictured in the photo to the left), mugwort has long been honored as a sacred plant for women’s health and spiritual visioning. Traditionally used to support menstrual regulation and bring on delayed cycles, it’s also deeply connected to the womb and intuition.

One of my favorite rituals is drying creekside mugwort and bundling it for steams. There's something about harvesting it with my hands, knowing it's been growing in the same place for decades, that makes the medicine feel extra ancestral. 

Use it for: Dreamwork (as tea or under your pillow), yoni steams, spiritual baths, energetic cleansing.

Fun Fact: In traditional West African spiritual practices, mugwort is burned or placed under pillows to invite prophetic dreams and spirit communication. It’s known as a dreamweaver herb, used by rootworkers and midwives for its ability to open the “dream gates” and heighten intuition. Similarly, among some Native American tribes, mugwort (also called “dream sage” in some regions) was used in smudging rituals and sweat lodges to enhance visions and protect dreamers from nightmares.

We Are the Medicine

Herbs don’t just heal—they remind. They remind us that we are cyclical, not linear. That nourishment takes time. That healing is both soft and strong.

These plants are not trendy supplements—they are ancestral memory keepers. They carry the stories of women who brewed, bathed, and birthed with them long before us. By sipping, steaming, or planting them, we become part of a lineage.

And the truth is: you don’t need to be an herbalist to start. You just need to be curious. To listen. To trust your body and the plants.

Come walk the land, harvest mugwort by the creek, sip nettle tea at our kitchen table. Our hands and soil are open to you.

Which of these herbs calls to you? Have you worked with any of them in your journey? We’d love to hear your story—drop a comment or tag us @yisraelfamilyfarm.