Pregnancy and the period immediately after childbirth is a time of immense changes in a woman’s body. Along with these changes come a host of other issues such as unnatural food cravings, aversion to some foods, upset stomach, etc. Sometimes herbal teas are very effective in soothing the mind and body. However, during pregnancy, some things change, for example, a herbal tea that used to soothe your nerves could end up giving you an allergy. It is therefore necessary that you be careful before choosing what to drink. Some kinds of herbal teas should be avoided in this period.

Herbal Teas During Breastfeeding and Pregnancy

Hibiscus herbal tea

The roots and the hibiscus extracts might mess up the oestrogen levels in your body, causing an imbalance. Therefore it is best to avoid the hibiscus tea during and immediately after your pregnancy, while breastfeeding. This is because you need your body performing at its maximum to keep the post-natal processes smooth for the health of both you and your baby.

Ephedra/ma huang tea

This tea contains alkaloids which are related to epidrine. Epidrine is a substance that is used to prevent low blood pressure, i.e, it can cause your blood pressure to increase and even cause a sudden increase in your heart rate which can be severely detrimental to the health of both you and your baby.

Don quai tea

The don quai tea is a chinese tea used to ease the problems related to menstruation or the uterus, mostly. During breastfeeding, it is the time of your uterus shrinking back to its normal size after childbirth. It is therefore important to avoid interfering with this process, which is why you must avoid drinking this herbal tea during breastfeeding and/or pregnancy.

Green tea

Although green tea has a lot of health benefits and anti-oxidant properties, it has quite high caffeine content. Caffeine can be very addictive and when consumed in large amounts regularly, can have adverse effects on your body and your brain. This is not only bad for you, it is also bad for your baby since whatever you consume gets absorbed in your body and transferred to your baby via your breastmilk. So avoid green tea during breastfeeding to protect yourself and your baby from its potentially addictive effects.

Lemongrass tea

Lemongrass tea has a lot of cooling, soothing effects, but can be a bit dangerous for expecting ladies and also women who have just recently given birth. This is because lemongrass tea has properties which can cause your blood pressure to drop leading to many more health complications. Additionally, low blood pressure can harm your normally bodily functions and directly impact your breastmilk production. Therefore, avoid consuming this tea till you are done breastfeeding your baby.

Liquorice root tea

Liquorice root tea is a natural soothing agent and can calm your nerves and soothe inflammation. However, it does not go very well with the fluctuating oestrogen levels in your body during and after pregnancy. After you have given birth, your uterus is constantly in the process of shrinking up and going back to normal, just like pretty much every other part of your body. Oestrogen plays a major role in this. Therefore you must avoid drinking/eating anything that could affect your female hormones.

Ginseng tea

Ginseng tea is known to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and lower blood pressure. However, these very effects of the ginseng tea can prove harmful during breastfeeding. Your body needs a lot of nourishment during breastfeeding, because it is using that to create milk for your baby. If you lower your blood cholesterol or blood sugar too much, it will affect the lactation process, and you will feel weak and dizzy due to lack of nourishment. You have to therefore avoid drinking ginseng tea till you are done breastfeeding your baby.

Pennroyal tea

Pennroyal tea is used mainly for treating menstrual pain. This means it has an effect on the uterus. During and immediately after your pregnancy, you must avoid drinking anything that affects the natural processes of your uterus. Therefore you must avoid drinking pennyroyal tea while pregnant and even after childbirth, till you’re done breastfeeding your baby. The pennyroyal tea has also been known to cause miscarriages  in some cases, therefore you must strictly avoid drinking the pennyroyal tea.

John’s wort tea

John’s wort tea is known to have anti-depressants in it and is known mostly to be a stress reliever. However, there is a debate going on amongst experts about how safe it is to consume this tea during and immediately after pregnancy. The results are inconclusive but there are some reports that say it can have an adverse effect on the development of the baby and can cause uterine abnormalities. Just to be on the safe side, avoid drinking this tea while there is anything going on in your life that has to do with pregnancy, be it carrying the child, childbirth or breastfeeding. Why take chances?

yarrow tea

Yarrow tea is a muscle relaxant which relieves the stress and tension captured within your muscles through the course of the day. It should be avoided because during pregnancy it is best to let the body work on its own, and drinking teas that may affect its natural order could provide potentially harmful. In some cases, it may even lead to a miscarriage. It is therefore best to not drink yarrow until after breastfeeding, just to be safe.

These were some herbs that you should avoid during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Pregnancy is a natural phenomenon and your body is naturally equipped to deal with pregnancy and its after effects. Therefore, unless you are experiencing serious complications and side-effects, it is best to leave the body alone to do its own work.

References:

https://parentinghealthybabies.com/herbal-teas-avoid-pregnancy/

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/safe-herbal-teas