Teas for Pregnancy
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Herbal Teas in Pregnancy, Written by Clare Hall, Midwife - Australia
HERBAL TEAS IN PREGNANCY
Written by Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
An Herbal tea is made from an infusion from the leaves, bark, roots, fruits or berries of plants. Any water-soluble substance contained in the tea "ingredients" will end up in your brewed tea. This includes beneficial vitamins and minerals as well as potentially harmful chemicals, depending on the ingredients of the tea. We choose herbal teas because they are refreshing, have many health benefits, and to avoid harmful chemicals like caffeine and tannin. It is important to keep in mind though, that herbs are nature’s drugs as well as food, and an herb may contain dissolved substances which have a drug-like effect on the body. Side effects, range from allergies, dizziness, headache, nausea, toxic reactions or stimulation of the uterus. These effects would also apply to your unborn baby, so care needs to be taken.
Often there is conflicting advice about which herbs are safe and which could be harmful. This is because herbal medicines (medicinals) are especially formulated to contain a more concentrated and stronger form of the herb, and it is in this form that some adverse effects may be evident. When the Therapeutic Goods Administration lists a herb as being unsafe to use in pregnancy, it is usually because a/ there are no studies to confirm it’s safety or b/ an adverse effect has been demonstrated in it’s medicinal (ie strengthened) form. On the other hand, herbal teas using the exact same herb contain a much smaller amount of the active ingredient/s and are blended for flavour only, not for medicinal effects. If you are unsure of a particular herbal tea’s safety, it is best to check with a Naturopath or Doctor. Do not assume that it will be harmless because it is an herb.
If an herb is listed in the “teas to avoid” category, you can still eat food that contains these herbs (eg rosemary and sage) because the amounts used in food are generally much smaller than those used in tea — and not as potent (while not as strong as medicinal herbs, the brewing process for making tea concentrates the chemicals of the herbs as compared with eating the whole herb in it’s original state). It is a wise idea to consult a professional herbalist if medication with herbs is required, rather than to self medicate. Never make a tea from any plant unless you're 100% sure what it is and that you can safely take it while you're pregnant. Having said that, there are many, many wonderful combinations of teas that we can make that are not harmful, but rather wonderfully refreshing and nutritious. Enjoy your cuppa!!
Some Common Teas Safe to Drink in Pregnancy
Teas to avoid in Pregnancy (unless prescribed by a professional)
http://www.todaysparent.com/pregnancybirth/nutrition/article.jsp?content=937&page=1
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/3537.html
http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/psafe/0,,3vxq,00.html.
Claire Hall, Midwife – Australia
Email: charisbirthsupport@bigpond.com
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Herbal Teas in Pregnancy, Written by Clare Hall, Midwife - Australia
HERBAL TEAS IN PREGNANCY
Written by Claire Hall, Midwife - Australia
An Herbal tea is made from an infusion from the leaves, bark, roots, fruits or berries of plants. Any water-soluble substance contained in the tea "ingredients" will end up in your brewed tea. This includes beneficial vitamins and minerals as well as potentially harmful chemicals, depending on the ingredients of the tea. We choose herbal teas because they are refreshing, have many health benefits, and to avoid harmful chemicals like caffeine and tannin. It is important to keep in mind though, that herbs are nature’s drugs as well as food, and an herb may contain dissolved substances which have a drug-like effect on the body. Side effects, range from allergies, dizziness, headache, nausea, toxic reactions or stimulation of the uterus. These effects would also apply to your unborn baby, so care needs to be taken.
Often there is conflicting advice about which herbs are safe and which could be harmful. This is because herbal medicines (medicinals) are especially formulated to contain a more concentrated and stronger form of the herb, and it is in this form that some adverse effects may be evident. When the Therapeutic Goods Administration lists a herb as being unsafe to use in pregnancy, it is usually because a/ there are no studies to confirm it’s safety or b/ an adverse effect has been demonstrated in it’s medicinal (ie strengthened) form. On the other hand, herbal teas using the exact same herb contain a much smaller amount of the active ingredient/s and are blended for flavour only, not for medicinal effects. If you are unsure of a particular herbal tea’s safety, it is best to check with a Naturopath or Doctor. Do not assume that it will be harmless because it is an herb.
If an herb is listed in the “teas to avoid” category, you can still eat food that contains these herbs (eg rosemary and sage) because the amounts used in food are generally much smaller than those used in tea — and not as potent (while not as strong as medicinal herbs, the brewing process for making tea concentrates the chemicals of the herbs as compared with eating the whole herb in it’s original state). It is a wise idea to consult a professional herbalist if medication with herbs is required, rather than to self medicate. Never make a tea from any plant unless you're 100% sure what it is and that you can safely take it while you're pregnant. Having said that, there are many, many wonderful combinations of teas that we can make that are not harmful, but rather wonderfully refreshing and nutritious. Enjoy your cuppa!!
Some Common Teas Safe to Drink in Pregnancy
- Chamomile
- Nettle
- Fennel
- Fenugreek
- Ginger
- Hibiscus
- Lemon grass
- Peppermint
- Linden
- Blackberry
- Raspberry leaf (not in the first 28 weeks of pregnancy unless prescribed)
- Spearmint
- Citrus peel
- Lemon balm
- Orange peel
- Rose hip
- Alfalfa (only in last 5 weeks of pregnancy)
Teas to avoid in Pregnancy (unless prescribed by a professional)
- Comfrey
- Kava root
- Skullcap
- Valerian
- Lobelia
- Calamus root
- Chicory root
- Coltsfoot
- Elder flowers
- Feverfew
- Ginseng
- Goldenseal
- Groundsel
- Hawthorne berries
- Kombucha tea
- Juniper berries
- Liquorice
- Mistletoe
- Pennyroyal
- Pokeroot
- Sassafras
- St John’s wort
- Catnip
- Basil,
- Rosemary
- Sage
http://www.todaysparent.com/pregnancybirth/nutrition/article.jsp?content=937&page=1
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/3537.html
http://parenting.ivillage.com/pregnancy/psafe/0,,3vxq,00.html.
Claire Hall, Midwife – Australia
Email: charisbirthsupport@bigpond.com
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