Pregnancy brings with it a lot of changes for every woman, including changing your diet and giving up caffeine. Some women will exchange coffee for tea when pregnant, so they still get some caffeine, but some teas can also be harmful to consume while pregnant. These are some teas that are safe to drink and some you should avoid while pregnant.
Safe Teas
Ginger Tea
Ginger is good for easing nausea, which can help with morning sickness. It also helps with digestion, and stimulates circulation; plus, it is a good source of zinc.
Black Tea
While black tea does have caffeine in it, it can still be drunk during pregnancy, as long as you do not overdo it. Getting a decaf black tea is a good way to enjoy it; there is usually still some caffeine in decaf tea, but nowhere near as much as regular black tea has.
Lemon Balm Tea
This tea can help lower your stress and anxiety levels and help you sleep better. Lemon balm tea also helps with digestion.
Raspberry Leaf Tea
The rich mineral content in this tea can help prepare the uterus for labor. It is not recommended to drink until the second trimester though.
Raspberry leaf has an astringent effect that can help prevent postpartum hemorrhage. It also helps with breast milk production.
Green Tea
So long as you watch out for the amount of caffeine in the tea, you can safely drink green tea while pregnant.
Teas to Avoid
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is commonly used to help ease stress and promote sleep. You can drink it while pregnant, but not regularly or in large quantities. Doctors will often recommend avoiding chamomile completely while pregnant, because it can trigger contractions, causing early labor or miscarriages.
Peppermint Tea
This is another tea you need to limit yourself on while pregnant, especially in the first trimester. Peppermint can cause some mild contractions, so there is a risk of miscarriages early in pregnancy.
Peppermint can help ease nausea, so having some on hand is a good idea, especially if ginger does not help.
Nettle Tea
This tea has conflicting opinions on whether it is safe to drink during pregnancy. Nettle leaf has high amounts of iron, calcium, and magnesium, so it is often considered safe, especially in the first trimester. However, tea made from nettle roots can lead to contractions or miscarriage. Unless you know for sure that your nettle tea is made only from the leaves, and not the roots, it is best to avoid this kind of tea altogether while pregnant.
Dandelion Leaf Tea
Dandelion is another tea that should be used with caution in pregnancy. It is high in calcium and vitamin A, and it can help reduce swelling during pregnancy. However, it is a diuretic, so it should be drunk with caution during pregnancy.
Licorice Tea
Licorice contains estrogen, so consuming it during pregnancy has the potential to lead to premature birth or anomalies in the fetus.
