Pregnancy Tea: Does Spearmint During Pregnancy affect my milk supply postpartum?

[EmilyInArgentin]

Hello!  I'm a first time mother-to-be living in Argentina about to have a baby boy.  I'm almost 8 months along and I had a strange question.  My mom sent me 'Traditional Medicinals Organic Pregnancy Tea' which is great and has great all organic ingredients to get ready for birth, but I noticed it contained Spearmint. 

Raspberry Leaf

Strawberry leaf

Nettle Leaf

Spearmint leaf?

Bitter Fennel Fruit

Rose Hip

Alfalfa Leaf

Lemon Verbena Leaf

I know spearmint is used to decrease milk supply in breastfeeding women.  I've been avoiding anything minty since then so as to have plenty of milk for when the baby is born.  I even have to make my own toothpaste!

I thought maybe the other ingredients might counteract the affects of spearmint, or maybe spearmint won't affect my milk supply during pregnancy.  I'm stumped! Can anyone help me out?

[Cynthia Mosher]

That is odd as I thought the same - that you should avoid spearmint.

Bumping for input. 

[Adaline'sMama]

Honestly, it's probably such a minimal amount that it isnt going to affect your supply. FWIW, I drank that tea the whole time I was pg, and I've never had supply issues. As far as decreasing supply goes, when I was trying to get rid of my milk I was drinking sage tea (much more drying than spearmint) and I had to drink 10-15 strong cups per day just to keep from being engorged. I wouldn't drink it once the baby is born, but honestly, what you drink in pregnancy shouldnt effect that much what kind of supply you have. Your milk comes in after the baby is born, so it shouldnt keep you from producing that milk.

[quantumleap]

Agreed, I wouldn't worry in the least. I wouldn't go around drinking mint essential oil, but you really don't need to avoid toothpaste and such things. The spearmint in that mix would mostly be for taste - some of those herbs taste pretty dreadful (nettles. oh my word). All things in moderation! (ok, that rule doesn't apply to some things, like, oh, street drugs for example, but you know what I'm saying). Some of those herbs are traditionally used to increase milk supply (nettle, alfalfa and fennel), so even if you are really concerned about the mint, there's enough in there to more than compensate. 

On a purely individual basis, I drank red raspberry and alfalfa with spearmint all through both of my pregnancies, and continued afterwards, and I actually have an oversupply. 

[MichelleZB]

I think the OP posted this thread twice, as I remember answering this already.

Again, milk supply doesn't "remember" the tea you drank months ago. So the tea you drink now in your pregnancy can't possibly effect the milk supply you have once your baby is born. I have no idea whether spearmint really does effect your milk supply--if it does, avoid it when you're lactating. But not months before you're lactating.

[EmilyInArgentin]

just wanted to let everyone know that I drank the tea during the last trimester up to birth and it hasn't effected my milk supply.  I actually have an overabundance!

[Blessed_Mom]

Ok..am stumped

Mother's milk tea which is supposed to help in lactation as a small amount of spearmint.

I thought peppermint was to be avoided at all costs....

Why would they add spearmint to a lactation tea?????

[1babysmom]

I drink it while nursing, even while pregnant and nursing, and it's never affected my supply. :)