I’m going to share with you my recipe and method for making pregnancy tea. I also want to share the incredible benefits of this tea. It’s so good for you, so easy to make, and I think it’s even delicious! Overall win!
The information I received from my midwife states that drinking 2-3 cups of this tea per day (I try to drink 4 cups) is purported to substantially increase your health throughout your pregnancy as well as lessen pain and bleeding during birth (sign me up for that!). It will also be extremely beneficial when taken postpartum as it helps to tone the uterus and build a healthy milk supply. The reason this tea is so beneficial is that it provides your body with some very important vitamins and minerals in a form that your body can easily assimilate.
Some sources will tell you that red raspberry tea is unsafe to drink during the first trimester. My midwife never told me anything like this, and my doula said that she usually recommends a cup for each trimester (1/day during the first, 2/day during the second, etc). If you have any questions, however, please consult with your midwife or care provider. I drank some red raspberry tea during my first trimester, but didn’t begin in earnest until late in the second. This was due more to laziness than caution. 😉
The main components of the tea are:
Red Raspberry Leaves– Contains vitamins A, B,and E, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and an acid neutralizer. Nourishes, strengthens, and tones the uterus. Has been shown in studies to shorten labor (and my midwives can provide anecdotal evidence of this as well), help reduce premature labor, and lessen bleeding after birth.
Stinging Nettle– It is a blood-cleansing and building herb with a high iron content and vitamin K. Very nourishing to the kidneys and liver and will help to relieve (or prevent altogether) vascular problems common during pregnancy. Helps build a good milk supply. (Also, in case you were wondering, stinging nettle loses its sting when dried or cooked 🙂 )
Optional components that I have added:
Alfalfa– Contains vitamins A, B12, D, and E as well as calcium and phosphorus. Great for the milk supply.
Rose Hips– Contains the entire vitamin C complex. Good for vascular problems (hemorrhoids, varicose veins) and to boost the immune system. Recommended for Rh- women (of which I am one) and for fighting off infections.
Spearmint– Soothing to the stomach, aids in digestion, may help normalize blood sugar, and lends a pleasant taste to the mixture. A little goes a long way.
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There are some very good pregnancy teas that you can buy, but if you’re going to be making and drinking a lot of it (and if you want to put only certain things in), it’s easy (and probably more cost effective) to buy some bulk herbs and make your own. I bought my herbs back in July from iherb.com and spent $58.99 for a large organic bag of each of the five herbs I use. I didn’t begin using them right away, so I still have plenty left.
The first few times I made the tea, it was a mess of trying to measure out some from this bag, some from that bag, etc, so I came up with a much easier method.
Using the amount guidelines given by my midwife, I mix up this recipe all at once in a lidded bowl:
- 2 cups red raspberry leaves
- 2 cups stinging nettle leaf
- 1/2 cup alfalfa
- 1/4 cup spearmint
- 1/4 cup rosehips
Then, when I’m ready to make tea, I can just mix the herbs up a bit (I feel like the rose hips want to sink to the bottom), and put a handful into each quart jar (or a handful per every 4 cups of water). I use canning jars to steep and store my tea in, simply because that’s what I had on hand and I like that they are a quart each, which is 4 cups and the amount I’d like to try to drink each day. You could use any other pickle jar though or whatever glass or non-metal container you have.
Here’s my array of stuff I use when I make tea….
I like to make at least 2 days worth at a time so I’m not making it every day (and my smaller pan will hold enough water for 2 jars), but you can make more in advance and store your tea in the fridge for up to 5 days until you’re ready to drink it. When I make more at a time, it helps keep me from skipping days of drinking my tea. If I do skip days, I really notice the difference! Once, after not drinking it for 2 days, I got cramps in both legs which disappeared when I started back up again. Drinking the tea also helps me get my fluid requirements- I’m done with my jar and I’ve had half of what I need for the day!
After you put your handful of herbs into the jar, pour in almost-boiling water. I’ve never had a problem with my jar cracking, but if you’re worried about it you can place the handle side of a butter knife into the jar before pouring to diffuse the heat. Steep the tea, covered, for 20 minutes.
When done steeping, strain the tea (I use the same 4-cup measuring cup I used for pouring the water in) and discard the herbs (I put mine down the garbage disposal, but it always seems so wasteful. I’m sure if you have a compost pile or garden that would be a great place to put them!).
The jar will be super hot, so use a hot pad or mitt!
I then rinse out the jar (under cold water because it’s too hot to touch otherwise) to get out the remaining herb bits (especially the rose hips which sink to the bottom) and use a smaller strainer to strain the tea back into the jar (this will help remove the little herb pieces that escaped the first straining). You could strain again if you want to be really super picky about stray herb pieces in your tea, but I decided that’s just a waste of time.
There you have it- a beautiful amber jar of delicious nutritious pregnancy tea! It’s called pregnancy tea, but really if you research these herbs you’ll find all kinds of non-pregnancy benefits as well. I just might keep drinking this tea the rest of my life! And I’m pretty much serious about that. I’ve actually begun to look forward to drinking this stuff. You may drink it cold, room temperature, or hot. I really like it hot or room temp (if I’ve stored it in the fridge I’ll take it out to cool down before I drink it).
Happy tea drinking! 🙂
Please note that I am not affiliated with any of the websites or companies that I refer to or provide links to from my blog. I do not profit in any way when you do business with them. The only reason I provide links or refer to where I purchased something is because my goal is to make it as simple as possible for my readers to duplicate what I have done, if they so desire. That is all.
