Really? I can't have herbal tea?

mmmmkay · November 2015

here i thought it was a good alternative to sodas and such.

any thoughts?

I love Desta Spiced Mint tea and the ingredients seem to innocuous:

Ingredients: organic cardamom, organic fennel, organic allspice, organic peppermint, organic spearmint, organic holy basil, organic licorice root

but then i looked them up and holy basil is associated with miscarraige! and licorice root and fennel are bad too.

anyone know how true this stuff is?

kyraaD · November 2015

i mean.. I've been drinking herbal teas & everything has been fine. i would talk to your OB about it. mine said there was nothing i could eat or drink that would trigger a MC, but i would still talk to yours to get their perspective on it.

PrimRoseMama · November 2015

Medicinal strength? No. But regular is mostly fine. When in doubt, abstain & ask your OB.

goldie987 · November 2015

The biggest issue is that herbal items usually haven't been studied in relation to pregnancy and some herbal ingredients can have active ingredients in them. Give your OB a call and see what they say, if they're comfortable with it, then go for it.

kqualls5 · November 2015

Everything I've read that says "pregnant people don't drink/eat/do this because it will cause ____" I've talked to my OB about, and 9 times out of 10 she's said it was fine. If you have any doubt about it, ask your OB because it's always better to be safe than sorry. I mean there's obvious no no's (alcohol, raw fish, ibuprofen, raw eggs), but try not to stress too much!

mmmmkay · November 2015

i would never have even thought about looking into herbal tea until the "what to expect when you're expecting" book y friend gave me said it was a no no.

i like to think i am someone who doesn't stress about things but i still get riled.

thanks. will talk to the ob when i have my first appt next week.

kimkim86 · November 2015

Have you asked a professional? I would like to know too...

PugsandKisses · November 2015

I would talk to a professional. Most herbal teas are very weak and while yes, all that is in there, is it not 'potent'. It is not like fresh herbs were measured by an herbalist yesterday and then brewed it. We are talking about dried herd (which loses their flavor, strength and potenct) and mass produced in large quantities.
However, many herbal teas have Asian green teas, which can inhibitor folic acid from be absorbed. So just take your PNV /folic acid at a different time.

AdorkablePixie · November 2015

I'd ask a doctor. There are so many things we are and are not supposed to eat and drink and do. I think some things, like the tea, would be okay in small doses but then again I am no doctor!

lillebowski23 · November 2015

Herbal tea is all I can drink except for ginger ale it seems!

cmerribury · November 2015

I asked my OB about it (I was drinking the Tazo Chamomile) and she said not to. Just stick to black or green tea (in moderation) and decaf after I'd reached 200 mg a day.

satcher08 · November 2015

Just find a simple blend with safe ingredients in it. There are plenty out there that are perfectly safe. Without knowing how much of anything you're actually getting with the teas I'd rather be safe than sorry.

shallenkenuck · November 2015

My doctor said to say away from camomile and rose hip tea. Mint and ginger was ok she said. I guess these teas have been known to cause complications.

howie002 · November 2015

Thanks for this post! I am a coffee fiend but just found out I'm pregnant, so I thought switching to caffeine free herbals would be a good idea; I could still get the feeling of drinking a hot beverage at least. Now I am going to look more into what I've got!

emp2642 · November 2015

My OB said all herbal teas you buy at a regular grocery store are fine in moderation, but to avoid anything from an herbalist. She specifically okayed chamomile and peppermint (I asked because those are what I've been drinking), and she said absolutely no problem.

steminist · November 2015

If you are a coffee lover, be especially careful to avoid the "coffee substitute" teas that contain roasted chicory. I picked them for the great toasty flavor, but find out that chicory is on the avoid list for pg ladies. It hides in lots of commercial teas (chai blends, apple cinnamon, etc), so read the labels closely!

iamautumn · November 2015

I could see that, tulsi (holy basil) is an adaptogen which means it supposedly targets whatever healing your body needs. It's possible in this case it would try to clear out any extra fluids, ie baby.

Dutchie28 · November 2015

Oh geeze...here I am sipping on my lemon and ginger tea while I read this. Turns out that the box lists a lot more ingredients like licorice root and rose hips. Grr.

groovylocks · November 2015

Sure you can. I'm coming up on 9 months (i lurk here sometimes), perfectly healthy and amazing pregnancy and I've had teas, sushi, daily coffee, deli meats and even the occasional small glass of wine.

I am not recommending or demonizing a bit of alcohol. That's a personal choice and culturally we believe a bit is beneficial. But there are actually articles popping up everywhere that talk about the sushi danger myth.

Here are some rules that have worked for me.

1. Caffeine: Limit it to the equivalent of 1 small coffee a day

2. Nicotine: DO NOT SMOKE. If you need to use aids to stop, dr will usually help you secure those.

3. raw/undercooked meats: Ensure that your source is very reputable and fresh and / or prep surface is very clean

4. Deli meats: Same as #3. You can also heat them.

5. Raw veggies and fruits: Ensure they're fresh. Don't eat expired or close to expired and wash them all. Raw veggies are the #1 cause of food poisoning

6. Teas: No official opinion but doc says it's perfectly fine and I've been drinking all kinds of herbal teas (my inlaws live on green, chrysanthemum and jasmine so not much option)

You need to decide for yourself what you feel is safe.

mar101483 · November 2015

My nighttime tea has valerian root, which I've read isn't safe to take while pregnant, so I stopped that as soon as I found out. The insomnia is fun, but better safe than sorry.

amoulder423 · December 2015

My OB said that all teas are okay. She's pretty relaxed and I haven't had any issues or complicated with this pregnancy. Your doctor may tell you differently depending on his/her beliefs and your own body.

danalynn86 · December 2015

I fully agree that herbal tea is okay. However, I will disclaimer that with: ask your doctor to make sure they are comfortable with it.

I had been craving Steven Smith chamomile for weeks. At my next prenatal appointment I asked and my doctor said that any herbal tea in the grocery store should be safe so long as I'm not drinking more than a few cups a day.

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