pregnancy tea recipes

[mamarsupial]

was curious if anyone else has a recipe. i'm also interested in knowing if anyone knows if you can drink TOO much red raspberry and nettle while pg (not to mention the other herbs).

not included in my list is meadowsweet, which is very nutritious as well as helping with upset stomach and heartburn (moms with heartburn should avoid peppermint, since it can aggravate it). couldn't fine meadowsweet in bulk, so i have it in tincture and am adding it to the tea once it is brewed. i also thought about adding dried ginger to the a.m. tea, but decided to use the fresh stuff just during morning sickness spells. i used white tea in the a.m. blend since it has the same anti-oxidant properties as green tea, but very little caffeine. i also couldn't find hops, which would have been nice for the p.m. blend. also, i used licorice, which is sometimes on the 'borderline' list for pregnancy (not sure why), but it is a natural sweetener and laxative...so i just used a small amount. in retrospect, i should of weighed the amounts instead of doing it by cups. anyway, here are the two i came up with based on a few different sources:

a.m. pregnancy tea
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1 cup red raspberry leaf ("herb supreme" for pregnancy, uterine tonic, iron, calcium, potassium, b, c, + e)
1 cup china white spring blossom white tea (anti-oxidants + a wee bit of caffeine)
1 cup spearmint (digestive aid, aromatic, anxiety)
1 cup peppermint (digestive aid, aromatic, anxiety )
3/4 cup nettle (supports kidney function, prevents hemorrhoids, high in iron, potassium, vit k)
1/2 cup rosehips (diuretic, laxative, high in vitamin c)
1/2 cup dandelion (rich in sodium, vitamin a, b, + c, potassium , and calcium "blood purifier", diuretic, digestive aid)
1/2 cup lemongrass (calming, indigestion)
1/2 cup lemon balm (aka melissa, relaxant, antispasmodic, increases sweating, carminative, anti-viral, nerve tonic)
1/4 cup marsh mallow (soothing, anti-inflammatory, and laxative)
2 tbs licorice (sweetener, laxative)



p.m. pregnancy tea
=======================

2 cups chamomile (normalizes appetite, and eliminates insomnia. calms nerves, relieves headaches, soothes the digestive system and women's cramps)
1 cup red raspberry leaf ("herb supreme" for pregnancy, uterine tonic, iron, calcium, potassium, b, c, + e)
1 cup lemon balm (aka melissa, relaxant, antispasmodic, increases sweating, carminative, anti-viral, nerve tonic)
1 cup lemongrass (calming, indigestion))
3/4 cup nettle (supports kidney function, prevents hemorrhoids, high in iron, potassium, vit k)
1/2 cup spearmint (digestive aid, aromatic, anxiety )
1/4 cup marsh mallow (soothing, anti-inflammatory, and laxative)
1/2 cup rosehips (diuretic, laxative, high in vitamin c)
1/2 cup dandelion (rich in sodium, vitamin a, b, + c, potassium , and calcium "blood purifier", diuretic, digestive aid)
2 tbs licorice (sweetener, laxative)



will add to tea
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meadowsweet (aromatic, astringent, diuretic, and sub-tonic )
fresh ginger (stimulant, aids digestion, calms stomach)

[BusyMommy]

T Just had to say I love your name!


I just drank raspberry and nettle tea. Steeped it overnight in an airtight container. 1 tea ball each.

[SpiralWoman]

I just drink RRL & Nettle. I use 2 scoops of each & steep it 10 -15 minutes in a french press with boiling water. After I push the press down, I pour the tea over ice & drink it like iced tea all day. I do pour it out of the press & into a jar and keep the rest in the fridge bcz I don't like it to get to strong. The ice dilutes it too. That's what works for me!
Maria

[elaine]

I am sure those will make some tasty teas... but I really think simpler may be better. Like if one day your stomach feels illin', just use the mints. Another day your constipated, use the laxatives.

For one, the peppermint and spearmint should only be steeped for a couple of minutes to avoid bitterness, but the Red Rasp and nettle (as pointed out by other posters) are more potent and valuable the longer you steep them. For good medicinal infusions of RRL and nettle, use a 1/2 oz of each and a quart of boiling water, steep at least 20 min, strain. Then take a 1/2 cup twice a day. I really reccommend this, especially if you are not planning on taking prenatals.

Also, I know you only use a tad, but licorice is contraindicated in pregnancy as it can facilitate high blood pressure. (there is a thread on it somewhere around here). And I don't know meadowsweet, but have found that generally it is good to avoid astringent diuretics (this goes for mints and rosehip too) during pregnancy.

so, my personal approach has been a blend of equal parts RRL, Nettle and Oatstraw(for calcium!). I steep a tbsp for 10 min. I'm not sure how it's benefited me, but I've got low bp, minimal leg cramps, no vericose veins or 'roids.
But yet, also no baby...10 days overdue.

[DreamWeaver]

Here's mine

This is what I drink, based on a herbal formula I used to drink, and slightly modified by my herbalist after pregnancy:

1/4 oz rosehips
1 oz red clover
1 oz dandelion leaf
11/2 oz milky oats
2 oz RRL

Mix well, put in a glass jar. You can use 1/2 a cup with 6 cups boiling water to make a batch, but what I do now is use a heaping tablespoon with 2 cups boiling water every morning, becoz I suddenly become leary of using the microwave to heat my tea, and also I do not drink cold stuff. hth.