This is the third pregnancy that I have made sure to drink Red Raspberry Leaf tea through out the pregnancy…
I have been learning more about herbs (still need to get my hand on a good book though… any suggestions welcome!) and this time I have made a point of adding more herbs to my tea to add more nutrients and vitamins and of course the other useful effects that herbs can bring.
My home mixed Pregnancy Tea is made primarily of 3 herbs (though I will soon be adding a fourth as soon as I get to the store).
Red Raspberry Leaf: One of the main reasons of taking RRL in pregnancy is that it strengthens the uterine muscles making labour more efficient. RRL is high in Calcium and Magnesium which helps relieve cramps and is also high in Iron, making it great for energy and anaemia. It also helps settle an upset stomach. Taken after birth, it helps with bleeding, helps the Uterus regain tone and increases milk supply.
Nettles: Nettle is an amazing herb. It is rich in Iron, Calcium and Folic Acid which is very important in pregnancy. It strengthens the Kidneys which reduces fluid retention, and also supports the vascular system which helps prevent varicose veins and hemorrhoids. Taken after birth it can help with hemorrhaging and bleeding and also helps increase the milk supply.
Oatstraw: Oatstraw is another herb that is high in Calcium and Magnesium. It is also high in Vit. A, B, C and E. Oatstraw is known to help alleviate pain and has a calming effect on the nervous system which helps with anxiety and depression and also helps for a more restful sleep. It is also an herb that helps the immune system.
The next herb that I will be getting is Dandelion root.
Dandelion root is a great diuretic, helping to clean and strengthen the liver, kidney and gallbladder (though I no longer have the latter). It also replaces the potassium loss in frequent urination.
I put the same amount of each of the herbs in a Jar to make a large batch of loose tea that I can just take a bit of each day without any fuss. I boil my water, place 2 heaping tsp of the tea in a 1L Mason Jar and fill the jar nearly to the brim with the hot water…
I give it a quick stir (mostly because I love to see it swirl)
And then let it cool down… as I prefer to drink this tea warm or even cold… if I am wanting to drink it hot I add a tsp of my favourite “chunky fruit tea” to add a bit of sweetness to the flavour…and now that I am in the third trimester, I make sure to drink at least 3 cups of it every day…
I couldn’t find my tea sieve the other day (I have since cleaned out my tea shelf and found it) but I had an idea and used my Sprout Jar top for the tea. It works perfectly, cleans easily and I definitely will keep on using it… though I do only use it after letting the tea steep and cool down…
**The general rule for RRL in Pregnancy is 1 cup in the first trimester, 2 cups in the second and 3 in the third. So if you make this, make sure that in the first six months you make the adjustment or made it separate from the rest of the herbs.
Of course this tea is not only good in pregnancy but is also great at any time, especially for women and their monthly cycles.
Paxye thanks for posting this! I have been wanting to start drinking herbal tea but I didn’t know where to start or how to easily make it. I have RRL and nettle, and I’ve heard about dandelion root and been planning on getting some. I’ve never heard of oatstraw though. The mason jar seems like an easy way to make it! I even have that same sprout lid…
Mmmmm…. Herbal tea… There are so many useful herbs you can drink, even when you’re pregnant. Don’t forget Nettle’s vitamins and minerals! Burdock Root, too good to list all the benefits, but good for your liver, good for your uterus before, during and after birth, headaches in front and top of head… Yarrow, good for the blood, particularly in your lungs… there is some much more to say about these and there are so many others…
It’s important to make these teas though in not boiling water. Too hot could ruin the healthy elements.
Thanks for mentioning those 🙂
and yeah, my kettle boils the water slightly and then turns off, so by the time I get to it it has stopped and is a perfect temperature…
Brings back memories of how I would scarf down a litre of that stuff every day during my final trimester. I liked Clef des Champs’ Mama Tea blend, before Health Canada forced them to stop selling it as such. You might consider adding red clover, skullcap and peppermint, as this is what Mama Tea contains, in addition to nettle and RRL.
Have you read Susan Weed’s Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year? I liked having that one around during pregnancy.