![]() ![]() Some teas claim to soothe an upset tummy, calm you down if you have anxiety, prepare your uterus for labour, or help you sleep. It's always a good idea to talk to your doctor and midwife before you take any natural therapy, including herbal teas. The herbal teas that are considered unsafe are those that are not made commercially, those made with excessive amounts of herbs (amounts larger than those found in common foods or drinks), and those made with herbs that are known to be toxic. Most commercial brands of herbal teas are thought to be safe for anyone to consume in reasonable amounts. There are mixed opinions on the safety of herbal teas, for both pregnant and non-pregnant women. Like other complementary medicines, herbal teas are not studied scientifically like other medicines and they aren't regulated in Australia, so it’s good to use them with caution. These ingredients may pass on to your baby, or they may interfere with other medicines you are taking. The amounts of substances they contain may vary, and they may also contain ingredients that aren’t listed on the label. Are herbal teas safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?Įven though herbal teas contain natural ingredients, that doesn’t mean they are necessarily safe. Some herbal teas are safe to drink while you're pregnant or breastfeeding, as long as you limit it to 1 or 2 cups a day and check with your doctor or midwife first. Sign into Facebook and message the Start4Life Breastfeeding Friend chatbot for fast, friendly, trusted NHS advice any time, day or night.Many women choose to drink herbal tea to help with annoying symptoms when they're pregnant or breastfeeding. If you regularly binge drink, you may find it helpful to discuss this with your health visitor or GP. You may want to express for comfort and to maintain your milk supply. If you are planning on binge drinking, your baby should be cared for by an adult who has not had any alcohol. Risks of binge drinkingīinge drinking, where you have more than 6 units of alcohol in 1 session, may make you less aware of your baby's needs. The level of alcohol in your milk will fall as the level of alcohol in your body falls. You do not need to express to clear your milk of alcohol. You may feel the need to express for comfort. Then you can skip the first breastfeed after the function and feed your baby with your expressed milk instead.īear in mind your breasts may become uncomfortably full if you leave long gaps between feeds. You may want to plan ahead by expressing some milk before a social function. You'll need to make sure breastfeeding is established before you try this. This allows time for the alcohol to leave your breast milk. If you do intend to have a social drink, you could try avoiding breastfeeding for 2 to 3 hours for every drink you have to avoid exposing your baby to any alcohol in your milk. Doing this has a strong association with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Managing social occasions ![]() Never share a bed or sofa with your baby if you have drunk any alcohol. ![]() Use Alcohol Change's alcohol calculator to check your units. If you regularly drink more than 14 units a week, you may find it helpful to discuss this with your health visitor or GP. If you wish to cut down the amount you drink, a good way to help achieve this is to have several drink-free days each week.įourteen units is equivalent to 6 pints of average-strength beer. If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it's best to spread your drinking evenly over 3 or more days. To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level, it's safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. ![]() It may also cause sleep, growth and developmental problems with your baby. Regularly drinking above the recommended limits can be harmful for you and your baby.Īside from the known health risks of excessive alcohol to yourself, drinking too much can decrease your milk supply. Alcohol can pass into your breastmilk and then into your baby when you feed them.Īn occasional drink is unlikely to harm your baby especially if you wait at least 2 hours after having a drink before feeding. ![]()
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