You are trying to conceive, and you are being so careful about what you eat and drink. You reach for your soothing afternoon cup of peppermint tea, and then you think, “Wait! Is it safe to be drinking this??” You then google “herbals teas in pregnancy” or “herbal teas while trying to get pregnant” and now you are overwhelmed by so much conflicting information!
The reality is this: information on the safety of herbal/botanical medicines is in relation to potent extracts of those plants. Teas are not potent extracts – in fact, as plant-based medicines go, using a tea is just about the weakest or mildest way to derive medicinal benefit from that plant! So fear not! You can still enjoy your peppermint, your chamomile, your ginger or your lavender teas, even if you are pregnant. Even if you are trying to get pregnant and don’t know whether or not you are pregnant just yet. When used as a beverage, herbs in tea form are very safe and can be consumed daily.
Some of my favourite herbal teas for women to use while trying to get pregnant are red raspberry leaf, nettle and oatstraw. Red raspberry leaf is a “uterine tonic” and has a long history of use for alleviating menstrual concerns such as heavy and crampy periods. Nettle is very high in minerals such as iron, which is something I find often lacking in menstruating women. Oatstraw has a calming effect on the nervous system and is also high in minerals.
As the weather turns cooler, I start to reach for my herbal teas. I encourage you to do so as well! (Remember, though, that green tea is not an herbal tea. Green tea, black tea, and white tea all contain caffeine, which should be minimized when pregnant or trying.)
Dr. Joanna Thiessen, ND, is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, Birth Doula, and HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator. Her clinic, George Street Naturopathic Medicine, is located in a beautiful home in Uptown Waterloo. Dr. Joanna uses nutrition, botanical medicine and acupuncture to help families get pregnant, have healthy pregnancies, and raise healthy children. When not at her office, Dr. Joanna can be found experimenting in her kitchen or chasing her 3 kiddos at the park.
Read Dr. Joanna’s other Guest Post here.
