Why try this pregnancy and postpartum tea recipe?
Here is one of my favorite thoughts that comes to me now and again: what if the earth has everything we are looking for? I mean, what if it’s just waiting to nurture us no matter the ailment, condition, lack or excess? What if it is supplying the exact substance to balance whatever is unbalanced within?
Just thinking this way can open us up to the possibility that there is a gift out there that will help us have the life we want. A gift that we can accept graciously, and have a big affect with a small, simple action.
Don’t think of this as a pregnancy and postpartum tea recipe. Think of as simply a way to say “yes” to the offerings that nature is making you. Simplify it: place a piece of dried plant in boiling water, strain, and drink the water. Now you might say, “how can some water in which a plant has soaked make such a big difference in the well-being of my body and mind?”
Subtl-tea
To which I would say: compare the soft touch on your hand, to the feeling you get from someone give you a huge bear hug. Both have a positive affect; the soft touch is more subtle, and arguably, because of its subtlety, affects us on a deeper level.
So let’s get down to it. As you know, I am always looking for ease, so below is ONE tea that is a wonderful pregnancy tea and a great postpartum tea as well.
Here is how these main herbs nourish us, according to herbalists throughout history. This is true whether or not you are pregnant or nursing:
Nettles – One of the most powerful sources of iron in the plant realm, as well as calcium and lots of other vitamins and minerals, nettles act as a blood cleanser and strengthener. When you feel tired, run down, hyper-sensitive to allergens, or you’re dealing with skin or hair issues, eat nettle leaves.
Red Raspberry Leaf – Known as a uterine toner that pregnant cats stop and nibble on it, this is nourishing for the whole reproductive system and great for lactation.
Alfalfa Leaf – All around restorative, it also rebuilds vitality. The word “alfalfa” comes from an Arabic word meaning “father of all foods” and has been used throughout history in traditional Persian, Chinese and Indian medicine as a great source of nutrients that help create balance in digestion, circulation and immune system.
You can order these at Mountain Rose Herbs, and hey, even if you never get around to drinking it, they look so pretty in jars in your kitchen!
2nd and 3rd Trimester and Postpartum Tea Recipe (and any other time)
1/2 C dried nettle leaf
1/2 C dried red raspberry leaf
1/4 C dried alfalfa leaf
Store in a cool, dry place. Use about 1 tablespoon per cup of boiling water, and try to wait about 15 minutes before drinking. Add a little honey if you like; add room temp water to cool it down if you prefer; and drink 3-5 cups a day if possible (I like to fill my water bottle up with it in the morning and sip my herb water all day).
Here’s a wonderful herb to add if you want to gently stimulate milk production with more of a soft touch than Fenugreek supplements:
1/4 C fennel seed (also tones digestive system and helps relieve baby’s colic)
1/4 C rose hips, full of vitamin C and a natural diuretic so can help get rid of extra fluid
For more from a wonderful American icon of herbalism, Susun Weed, read her Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Years.
Bonus Postpartum Tea Recipe
0.This bonus postpartum tea recipe is awesome for digestion, kickstarting metabolism, and even relieving gas for baby if you’re breastfeeding:
8 C water
1 tsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Fennel seeds
In a large pot, bring water and seeds to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat to very low or off and let the tea steep for 20 minutes. Reheat it to a boil just so it’s nice and hot, then strain it into a carafe to drink throughout the day or night.
Try all the variations to see what suits your palette. If you’re having trouble with milk production, I would use the fenugreek variations more than the others.
This tea should be consumed throughout the day to reduce vata (anxiety), support healing and encourage milk production.
Make the seed mixture in bulk quantity by stirring 1/4 cup coriander seeds, 1/4 cup cumin seeds and 1/2 cup fennel seeds in a
bowl or jar. Using the individual loose-leaf tea bags, add 2 tsp of mixture to each bag and seal.
Plan to bring 15-20 bags with you to the hospital or birth center.
Thanks to Shelley Rahim, Ayurvedic Chef and Postpartum Doula at NewMotherCaregiving.com, for this fabulous postpartum tea recipe!
Want to dive deep into self-care routines, food-as-medicine, and how to use tea, spices, and food for vital wellness throughout pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood?
Join us for Mayurveda: Living Ayurveda for Women.
