Harness the power of herbal tea during pregnancy and postpartum! This post explores some of the best herbal tea for pregnancy. Herbal tea is a healthy pregnancy drink option loaded with vitamins and nutrients so that you can grow a healthy baby. During the postpartum period, herbal tea can provide nourishment for the body to heal.
Are you wondering if you can you drink tea when pregnant? Wondering what teas are safe during pregnancy? Want to know the best pregnancy tea?
Tea is not only a safe drink during pregnancy, but also a nourishing one. Drinking tea is actually a secret weapon of many mamas to having a healthy pregnancy and preparing for an easy labor.
For thousands of years, women have used herbs to strengthen their bodies for labor and childbirth. Today it is easier than ever to access this wisdom and the herbal teas that can help nourish and heal your body throughout the childbearing period.
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This post is Part 2 of the Nourishing Your Pregnant Body Series dedicated to helping you learn how to care for yourself during pregnancy and postpartum by focusing on what you put in your body.
Drinking tea during pregnancy is one of those essential things you really should be doing in conjunction with starting a healthy pregnancy routine and nourishing your body.
Read on to learn which herbal teas are the best to drink when pregnant, how to use herbal tea to ease pregnancy related ailments, and how to heal during postpartum recovery.
Make sure to download your FREE PDF – it’s a quick list of some of the BEST foods and supplements for having a healthy pregnancy (and baby).
Common questions about herbal tea during pregnancy
Here are the answers to a few common questions that mamas ask about drinking herbal tea during pregnancy.
What is herbal tea?
Herbal tea, or what some might call herbal tonic or infusion, uses flowers, seeds, roots, berries or leaves of plants that aren’t from the tea plant. Steeping the herbs in hot water for an extended time (anywhere from 10 minutes to 4 hours), just as you would tea releases the medicinal properties.
Is tea safe for pregnancy?
Yes! Tea has less caffeine than coffee and many beneficial nutrients for mom and baby.
Teas that are generally considered safe for pregnant women include:
- black tea
- green tea
- rooibos tea
- chai tea
- the herbal teas listed below
- matcha green tea while pregnant
Why should I be drinking tea during pregnancy?
Well the simple answer is because its good for you. Herbal tea is packed with nutrients including calcium, iron and magnesium that you need to nourish your pregnant body and grow a healthy baby.
Plus herbal tea is caffeine free, making it a good alternative to coffee.
And herbal tea can relieve pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness and swelling, as well as help your body recover from childbirth naturally. Herbal tea is a natural alternative to over the counter medications during pregnancy.
Is it safe to drink herbal tea during pregnancy?
It is always best to consult your care provider for guidance, but all of the teas listed in this article are generally accepted as being safe to drink during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Always look for adverse reactions with anything you put in your body during pregnancy and discontinue if unwanted symptoms occur.
How often should I drink herbal tea while pregnant?
With most daily, up to 3 times is generally safe. According to Susun Weed, the author of Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year,
Most tonics need to be used regularly, for a tonic is to the cells what much like exercise is to the muscles: not much use when done erratically.
Best Herbal Tea for Pregnancy
Always having been fascinated by the healing power of herbs, I was blessed to be gifted a copy of Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year early in my motherhood journey. It is filled with excellent advice on how to use herbs to nourish your body during pregnancy and postpartum. I used the advice that I found in this book and my personal experience as the basis for the best pregnancy tea recommendations.
#1 – Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Perhaps the most widely recommend tea for pregnancy, red raspberry leaf is known for its ability to tone the uterus and aide in fast and easy births. I drank red raspberry leaf tea religiously during my pregnancies.
It has a wonderful taste and I ended up with 4 relatively fast, easy labors. (But its not the magic pill! There are a few other things that will help you have a natural delivery that shouldn’t be ignored.)
Here are the benefits of drinking red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy:
First Trimester:
- Prevent miscarriage – Red raspberry leaf tones the uterus
- Morning sickness – relief of nausea and stomach discomfort
Throughout pregnancy:
- Added nutrients -Red raspberry leaf contains a high amount of vitamin C, as well as, vitamin E, calcium and iron. It also contain vitamin A and B complex.
- Toning the uterus and preparing the pelvic region
- Reducing pain during labor and after birth
- Encourages the uterus to let go and function without tension and more effectively
- Can help to bring down an undelivered placenta.
Red Raspberry Leaf – the best pregnancy tea! Click image to get it on Amazon.
To get the full benefits of red raspberry leaf while pregnant drink 1-3 times daily throughout pregnancy.
I highly recommend bulking up on this tea, as you will go through A LOT of it if you drink it daily. This is my favorite big bag of loose red raspberry leaf to make tea available on Amazon. It’s organic and super fresh!
There is conflicting information all over the internet in regard to when to start drinking red raspberry leaf tea. The book I trust is the Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year which recommends it for morning sickness.
Other sources say to err of the side of caution and wait until at least 16 weeks. Consult sources you trust and your care provider before drinking red raspberry leaf tea in the 1st trimester.
Ways to Drink Raspberry leaf in Pregnancy
Give this recipe for Red Raspberry Leaf Pregnancy Iced Tea with a few of the best teas for pregnancy listed here.
Are you getting close to labor? This labor inducing tea is worth a try if you want a fast labor.
Wondering if drinking this tea will help you have an easier labor? Read more about raspberry leaf benefits here (it includes several Moms sharing their personal labor outcomes with drinking this herbal tea!)
#2 – Nettle Leaf Tea Pregnancy
After reading about nettle tea in Wise Woman Herbal, I was sold on drinking it daily. I actually like mine with a little almond milk and honey. I love the flavor so much that I still drink it almost daily now for postpartum.
What are the benefits of nettle leaf tea during pregnancy?
- Has more chlorophyll than any other herb
- It is high in calcium, vitamins A, C, D and K, as well as, potassium, phosphorus, iron and sulfur.
- Aids in kidney function
- Helps ease leg cramps – I had severe leg cramps during my 1st pregnancy. After adding nettle tea to my daily routine during my later pregnancies, I rarely experienced leg cramps.
This nettles tea for pregnancy will help boost nutrients and tastes great mixed with other teas!
#3 – Ginger Tea
This is my go-to morning sickness remedy. Ginger tea has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, aids in digestion, and contains a wealth of antioxidants (source) making it perhaps the best tea for the first trimester. You can use either fresh ginger root or prepackaged tea.
Here are some additional benefits of drinking ginger tea during pregnancy:
- Lowers blood sugar
- Can help reduce muscle pain and soreness
- Eases indigestion – if you are having a lot of indigestion early in pregnancy, maybe you are having a boy! (That’s an old wives tales that turned out true for me.) But really, drinking ginger tea during pregnancy reduces indigestion.
#4 – Dandelion Tea and Pregnancy
The earthy taste of dandelion root makes this tea one of my favorites. I used it to help with bladder and kidney issues.
Fair warning you may find yourself going to the bathroom more (I know, you are thinking – as if that is even possible), but the cool thing about it is the bladder actual feels more empty and relieved.
The benefits of drinking dandelion tea during pregnancy: (source)
- High in vitamins A, B, C, D, calcium, potassium and iron. Source of folic acid.
- Cleanses the liver
- Gentle diuretic that can be used for pregnancy related water retention and swelling.
- Reduces risk for urinary track infections.
- Helps to purify the blood, regulate blood sugar and improves blood circulation.
- Helps with constipation
- For preeclampsia – In Wise Woman Herbal, Susun has a whole section on the best herbs for preeclampsia and diet recommendations used to help women have healthy pregnancies. It’s a great resource for anyone diagnosed with preeclampsia. Definitely check it out.
#5 – Peppermint tea
Peppermint is another safe herb for pregnancy. Drinking peppermint tea while pregnant can have an uplifting affect. Many moms find drinking peppermint tea in early pregnancy helps with nausea. While many prefer the taste alone, I like to mix it with other teas.
For example:
3 tea bags of red raspberry leaf tea + 1 bag of peppermint tea + 4 quarts of water + 2 tbsp of raw honey. Then chill. It makes a lovely pregnancy iced tea.
Here are the benefits of drinking peppermint tea during pregnancy: (source)
- High in potassium, and a good source of manganese, copper and vitamin C.
- Helps ease morning sickness
- A safe, natural way to treat coughs and cold during pregnancy
- Helps with indigestion, heartburn and bloating
- Relieve headaches
Be advised that while peppermint is considered safe for pregnancy, it is also known to decrease milk supply. Consider discontinuing use in the final weeks of pregnancy so that milk supply is not affected. See the comment section below for more on this.
Also, take a look at this article on Matcha during Pregnancy. While it’s not an herbal tea, it is a safe tea option for pregnant Moms.
Best Herbal Teas for Postpartum Recovery
What is the best postpartum tea to drink? These teas are all safe for breastfeeding moms and baby! Wondering what to eat to produce quality breast milk? Read this post for foods that can increase your milk supply!
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – Again red raspberry leaf is the star herb for postpartum recovery.
- Drink it for aiding in relief from after pains.
- Help with producing adequate supply of breast milk.
- Can help with postpartum bleeding – contains vitamin K and increase the available hemoglobin
- Helps ease pains after birth – due to its high calcium content, nettle is an excellent choice for easing uterus and leg pain in the days after childbirth.
- Encourages breast milk production
- Can help to prevent jaundice in newborn
- Aides in kidney and liver function
- Mood booster
- Helps with baby blues and postpartum depression
{ TIP: Lemon balm can decrease breast milk supply, so be mindful of this if your are breastfeeding}
- Mental relaxer
- Reduce pain after birth
- Helps to go to sleep easily
- Helps ease digestive issues (source)
- Aids in healthy breast milk production
- Reduces inflammation in the body
The recommendations in this post just barely touch the surface of the wealth of wisdom that lies within Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year. It covers pregnancy, postpartum and infant herbal care. It’s a resource that all natural mama’s should have on hand! Read it for FREE here with Amazon Kindle Unlimited!
Disclaimer: The information in this post is not intended to replace medical information. Do your own research and consult your care provider before consuming any of the products mentioned.
Read More from Birth Eat Love
Our goal here at Birth Eat Love is to make healthy eating easier for pregnant and postpartum Moms because eating healthy and feeding your family shouldn’t be hard or stressful!
Check out our collection of the best recipes for pregnant moms with ideas for every meal.
Looking for more healthy drink options during pregnancy? This list of pregnancy drinks will help you figure out what to drink besides water.
Are you looking for something cool and refreshing to get through the summer heat? Try these fruity iced teas
Are you a busy Mom trying to eat healthier and not go crazy? These 21 Time Saving Kitchen Tips can help!
Preparing for the postpartum period? Or just had your baby? Check out this post for a list of items that can help you recover naturally after having a baby!
Check our our best tea for pregnancy web story here.
Make sure to download your FREE 1 page pdf below with 17 Ways to Nourish Your Pregnant Body
Hello! I just found out I was pregnant a few days ago, and instantly took to the internet to find out what teas to avoid, since I am an avid tea drinker. I found your website and went to the store and purchased some of your recommended teas, one being raspberry leaf. I was doing further reading and I found several websites that say do not drink raspberry leaf tea until after the first trimester as it is said to cause miscarriages. Of course other websites says it’s ok to drink throughout pregnancy. I am just curious how you obtained your information about this tea and if you could provide your source. This is actually my first time drinking raspberry leaf tea and I love it! I would just like to find a more concrete answer! Thank you for all of the information on this website!
Thanks for your comment Kayla! You are right, there is a lot of conflicting information out there about raspberry leaf tea. I relied on my source which was the book Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susun Weed which suggests (on pg 19) its use for morning sickness, as well as my own personal experience. That said there are more medical based resources that suggest its best to err on the side of caution and wait until at least 16 weeks to consume. I find as in many things in pregnancy there are conflicting sides when it comes to anything “natural” and that you have to make the call as to which sources you trust. As always, consult your midwife or care provider when making decisions regarding your pregnancy.
I just found out I’m pregnant and bought pompadour ginger and lemon tea I having bad morning sickness is this tea safe ? Thank you
Yes Liana, lemon and ginger are both safe during pregnancy. The pompadour tea does have lemongrass which there is some anecdotal evidence that it should be avoided in early pregnancy in concentrated amounts. Definitely consult your care giver and perhaps give a pregnancy tea like this one a try: https://amzn.to/2GKRu1Y
I love how you point out that tea is not only an acceptable drink during pregnancy, but also a nourishing one. My sister is pregnant right now, and she wants to make sure that she gets all the nourishment she can for her little one. I think she would really benefit from drinking tea and learning more about the different benefits.
Do you have a source or is there source information in the book you are using that indicate through testing and studies that these teas do what is claimed without negative side effects. There are a lot of choices to make about what we consume during pregnancy as there are not a lot of opportunities to ethically study the effects of herbs and supplements during pregnancy. The majority of manufactures will opt for safety first “not recommended for use during pregnancy” even if negative effects have not been proven. But just because they haven’t been proven doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I find it best to read the actual data behind such claims before making decisions like this. Let’s not forget thalidomide was recommended by doctors without long term testing and the results changed medical practices in the United States
Hi Victoria! I agree it’s hard to find research to back up everything during pregnancy. One resource I use is the book “Real Food for Pregnancy.” It had 33 pages of citations all specific to pregnancy and food and what’s best. Check it out here: https://amzn.to/2sZh9P5
Read my full review of the book here: https://www.birtheatlove.com/real-food-for-pregnancy/
I think it’s important to mention (which was not clearly done on the article, that mint tea after birth can dry up or restrict your milk supply. Please make this very clear!
Thanks for your comment Lauren. You are right peppermint tea can decrease milk supply so it’s best avoided if you are breastfeeding. That’s why it’s only included under pregnancy teas.
Yes, but it’s not mentioned in the article AT ALL. Many women will continue to drink teas they drank during pregnancy, AFTER they have their baby, because they provide so much natural nourishment. Peppermint, being one of the most tasty, is rarely mentioned as being a cause of low milk supply, yet it is a MAJOR culprit for those who drink herbal teas. If you drink peppermint tea regularly, it will actually cancel out other herbs that usually increase milk supply (such as fenugreek). The article mentions that Lemon Balm could lower milk supply, and although it’s suggested for postpartum, the warning should also be given for the Peppermint. Why? Because if you’re drinking peppermint right up to the day you have the baby, your supply will not be what is should be right at the start. And how many women would just stop drinking peppermint just because they had the baby. Sorry if I’m a bit passionate about this, but I had this issue with 2 of my babies. SUPER low milk supply because I drank peppermint tea. PLEASE add the warning to your article! Comments about it down below just aren’t enough!
Thank you for your comment Valora! And for bringing this to my attention, I’ll update the article. Great advice for pregnant Mamas, thanks for sharing!
This is very helpful. It encouraged me to pick up teas again. (I’m 10 weeks preggo) I’ve avoided them all together so far but I sure miss my teas and I need the nutrients! It encourages me to again trust God’s handiwork in creating such marvelously, intentionally designed plants for our bodies health♡
Yay, I’m so glad Jess! ❤❤
Thank you! I am a fan of tea and couldn’t end a day without a cup. It’s very nice that I can enjoy reading informative books about pregnancy while drinking tea again. I stopped drinking tea the moment I knew I am pregnant so this is very good news to me.
Hi there! I made a cup of stinging nettle tea and after I took my first sip I realized you’re article read “nettle leaf.” Is there a difference between the two and if so is this one safe? Online reading suggest otherwise but I haven’t yet been able to purchase the Wise Woman book yet.
Hey Amy,
My understanding is that stinging nettle is just another name for “nettle leaf”. Just check the ingredients on the package and as long as it says “nettle leaf” or “cut leaf” you should be good. And definitely get the Wise Woman book, there’s a wealth of knowledge in there.