Herbal teas? Do's and don'ts

[MyBaby'sSmile]

Does any one have a good list of the herbal teas to avoid while pregnant? I can't remember.

Also when is the best time to drink Red Raspberry tea? I was thinking the first and third trimester but I can't remember.

Thanks

[Persephone]

Don't drink parsley tea. A friend and I were trying to find herbs to drink with lots of minerals, and I remembered I took parsley once to bring on a late period! But it has to be very concentrated for that to happen, so dont' worry about eating it on your food; you wouldn't eat enough of it to make a difference.

RRL tea is best in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, because it helps tone the uterus. I also happen to think it's ok in the first trimester, but some people say not to drink it then, because it might cause bleeding. I would say only avoid it if you are at risk for miscarriage, and drink a ton of it.

Mints can cause your milk to dry up sometimes, so after pregnancy, and in the later trimester, you might want to avoid that.

Those are the ones that I know.

[vegetalien]

hi,

i highly recommend the book "the natural pregnancy book" by aviva jill romm. she's a midwife and herbalist and the book is fantastic.

the following herbs are safe:
-alfalfa
-burdock root
-chamomile (don't exceed one cup of tea per day for the first 4 months of pregnancy)
-dandelion root and leaves
-ginger root (no more than one gram per day)
-kelp
-lavender
-lemon balm
-motherwort
-nettle (this is the one she recommends the most highly. it's got tons of vitamins and minerals and you could drink quarts of it per day if you want)
-oatstraw
-partridge berry
-red raspberry leaves
-rose hips
-st.john's wort
-yellow dock

of course this is just a general guide, she specifies exactly how much to use so it's best to find a good book or website if you plan on using herbs throughout your pregnancy, just to be safe.

rowan

[ahuva]

A good rule is to think of herbs in three categories, nourishing, tonics and medicinal (see herbalist Susun Weed's books. She has one for the childbearing year that is a great reference.). The nourishing herbs are fantastic for pregnancy, especially nettles and oatstraw. Nettles builds the blood and prevents swelling and is packed with vitamins and minerals. Oatstraw is really calming for the nerves and has lots of calcium other nutrients...all the benefits of oatmeal, really. Red Raspberry is a tonic herb, and is best in the second or third trimester.

Trust your body to know which herbs to avoid. If they are bitter or overly strong tasting (medicinal), you want to steer clear, but your body will know that if you listen. I bet you could do a google for a good list of herbs to avoid, but for the most part they are not things you would commonly come across. Of course, massive amounts of parsley, oregano, ginger, etc. aren't great, but you would have to take a LOT all at once. Regular amounts in your diet is fine.

Good luck!