Herbal Pregnancy Tea Blend

ByKristen Smith, Herbalist & Aromatherapist

Herbal tea is a great way to stay hydrated and help prepare the body for birth during pregnancy. This blend is suitable for before, during, and after pregnancy, and really, anytime!

Herbal Pregnancy Tea Blend, a simple and effective herbal mix for strengthening your body before, during, and after pregnancy

Staying hydrated is a major concern during pregnancy. Our bodies are building an entire new person, another organ, and increasing our blood supply by 50%, and that requires sufficient fluid intake.

Drinking lots of plain water is a great step. A squeeze of lemon does a lot for me when I’m battling early nausea! But other beverages can be a great addition to a woman’s diet during pregnancy, too.

One of my favorite things to drink during pregnancy is an herbal tea blend featuring red raspberry leaf, other nutrient herbs, and some herbs with a pleasing, soothing flavor. Though I’ve bought blends premade, I really like making my own.

This blend that I’m sharing here is just right to drink before, during, and after pregnancy, or anytime you want some gentle nutrients along with your hydration.

Beneficial Herbs for Pregnancy

This herbal tea blend is filled with herbs that are beneficial during pregnancy.

  • Red raspberry leaf is a uterine tonic, strengthening the organ and helping prepare it for labor.
  • Alfalfa is a nutrient herb that offers many vitamins and minerals, particularly Vitamin K.
  • Nettle is a general body tonic and mild detoxifying herb that is safe for pregnancy. It also provide many nutrients.
  • Chamomile encourages good digestion and can help sooth nausea, while also promoting restfulness.
  • Spearmint is milder and sweeter than peppermint while providing similar gentle benefits to digestion and reducing nausea.
  • Rose hips provide Vitamin C and add a touch of tart flavor to the tea blend.

While these herbs were specifically chosen with pregnancy in mind, the blend really is an excellent combination to drink anytime. It is also safe for children and would make an excellent drink for them during sickness.

Pregnancy tea blend close up

Herbal Pregnancy Tea Blend

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I like measuring herbs by weight when I am creating blends. Measuring by volume for an end product like this wouldn’t be dangerous, but it would be more difficult to tell how much of each herb is really in the blend. My inexpensive digital kitchen scale works really well for accurately measuring herbs.

For this blend, you’ll need:

  • 40 grams red raspberry leaf
  • 20 grams alfalfa
  • 20 grams nettle
  • 10 grams chamomile
  • 10 grams spearmint
  • 10 grams rose hips

Combine the herbs in a bowl, then scoop into a quart sized mason jar or other glass storage container. Store away from heat and light if at all possible.

To brew the tea, scoop one loose tablespoon of leaves into a mesh tea ball or muslin tea bag, then steep in 2 cups of boiled water. The tea can be steeped for as little at 15 minutes, but more beneficial compounds will be released with a longer infusion time.

I typically make a double batch of this in a quart jar, let it steep for a couple of hours, and then drink it over ice through the afternoon or evening. In the winter I occasionally drink it hot. If you prefer, you can of course add some honey or lemon to add more flavor, too.

I get my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs and Bulk Herb Store. Both of these excellent herbal suppliers also carry tea supplies and their own suitable blends for pregnancy. If buying the individual herbs needed for this blend is more than you’d like to do, I’d recommend either of their blends.

Herbal Pregnancy Tea Blend 2

Is there an herbal tea you enjoy during pregnancy?

References

Fritchey, Philip. Practical Herbalism. Whitman Publications, Warsaw, Indiana. 2004. (found here).

Hawkins, Jessie. Botanical Medicine in the Home. Vintage Remedies, Franklin, Tennessee. 2013. (found here).

Hoffman, David. Medicinal Herbalism. Healing Arts Press, Rochester, Vermont. 2003. (found here).

Great selection of bulk herbs, books, and remedies. Articles, Research Aids and much more.

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    Kristen Smith, Herbalist & Aromatherapist

    I believe natural health is a blessing from God that you can start enjoying right now, one step at a time. As a certified herbalist and aromatherapist, I can give you trusted guidance and practical help, grounded in solid research and established tradition, so you can make progress in your journey toward thriving health. Learn more here.

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    10 Comments

    1. I really love this tea! I’ve used it in multiple pregnancies but this latest pregnancy was the first time I tried it cold in the summer with a little doonk of stevia. Yum! I want to continue drinking it post partum. I was wondering though if spearmint can affect milk production (as I understand peppermint can), and if so, is there a good substitution or just leave it out?

      Reply

      1. Hi Jennifer! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this tea blend. You can absolutely drink spearmint tea during breastfeeding. In fact, peppermint is also fine to drink in moderation while breastfeeding. The claim about it drying up milk supply is exaggerated and not referenced in any of my herbal texts. I’m not actually sure where it originated. There are herbs that can dry up milk supply, sage being one of the most well-known, but mints aren’t known to do that. I hope that helps! And great question… I should add a note about it in the post!

        Reply

    2. I’d also like to comment on the fact that some sources recommend against red raspberry leaf during the first trimester, as some say that it might induce miscarriage. As far as I’ve been able to find, there are no scientific studies to back this up and many ladies have used it even from before becoming pregnant with great success, but on the other hand some have also experienced cramping during the 1st trimester. I’d say that as long as this is just lingering in the air, you might want to know that there is this doubt and take it into account. For my 2nd pregnancy, I chose to leave the raspberry out during the first twelve weeks, but I think every lady knows her own susceptibility and can and should make her own decisions, since it’s not proven to be harmful in any case!

      Reply

      1. Hi Lara! Yes, you are correct. Some sources and midwives are uncomfortable with red raspberry during the first trimester. But, like you said, there is no evidence or research to contraindicate it during the first trimester. The thought is that if it strengthens and tones the uterus, it could potentially irritate it and cause cramping and threaten miscarriage. Red raspberry is a tonic herb, though, and not an emmenogogue (meaning it doesn’t promote or trigger menstrual flow), so it is unlikely to cause problems.

        Again, there is no research to link red raspberry leaf tea to miscarriage or negative pregnancy outcomes. I personally am comfortable with it in moderation in the first trimester. (I wouldn’t advise drinking a gallon of a strong red raspberry brew a day. 😉 ) But if I was working with a momma who had a history of miscarriage and was uncomfortable with red raspberry, or a momma who reported that she felt cramping after drinking a tea with red raspberry, I’d definitely encourage her to avoid it that first trimester.

        Good thoughts! 🙂

        Reply

    3. Thanks, Kristen! I’d seen other similar recipes but this one looks the yummiest. I don’t have rosehips but I have hibiscus—would you substitute it equal parts? Or maybe a bit less hibiscus?

      Reply

      1. Hi Lara,
        I’m not finding a lot of solid information for hibiscus during pregnancy. My initial thoughts are that it might not have the same amount of Vit C as rosehips (but that’s not a big concern), and one source mentioned the possibility of it having emenogogue properties (meaning that it can promote menstrual flow). But it would make up a very small component of the blend, so it would likely be fine in tea form like this.
        Most herbs are just fine in pregnancy when taken in culinary quantities, as opposed to medicinal or therapeutic. That would really be what’s going on here with adding some hibiscus. If you want to be on the extra cautious side, you could reduce the amount of hibiscus, especially if you plan to drink multiple cups per day.
        Does that help?

        Reply

        1. Hi, Kristen,
          Thanks for your answer! Oops, I never knew hibiscus is an emmenagogue; I suppose you’d have to work hard to overdo it, though, as you say. Thanks! =)

          Reply

    4. Kristen, do you use a metric scale to,measure this? My daughter works at the health food store, I am home with sick kiddos, so I asked her to gather the ingredients to make the tea for me. She is going to purchase an ounce of each. Is there a good (easy) formula to convert ounces to grams. We are two miles from the Canadian border, lol, would think we could figure this out!!

      Reply

      1. Just use the same proportions in whichever measurement you like! X ounces (or whatever) each of chamomile, spearmint and rosehips, then 4X red raspberry leaf, then 2X each alfalfa and nettle.

        Reply

        1. Oh goodness, Tammie, I never saw that I didn’t respond to this! Lara has you covered, though. You’ll sometimes see herbal tea ingredients listed by parts, so this one would be 1 part each chamomile, spearmint, and rosehips; 2 parts each alfalfa and nettle; and 4 parts red raspberry leave. Just make sure the parts are measured by weight (ounces) and not volume (cups or measuring spoons) to be the most accurate.

          And thanks, Lara! 🙂

          Reply