Kicking Chamomile For a While

Chamomile tea can be a gorgeous and delicious way to wind down... and feel luxurious while doing so. Many of us drink it before bed, or even in the morning to start our day off feeling Cha Cha. We see it in spas, we see it in our beauty products, we see it as cake garnishes...we see it everywhere. That being said, here at Cha Cha Mamma, we always stress the incredible power that plants have on our bodies. They may seem natural and harmless, but they can actually make a huge impact on our bodies. When consuming plants in any form, it is important not to overlook the fact that they are just as, if not more powerful than any other type of medicine. 

That being said, chamomile is actually a very powerful anti-inflammatory agent, and it is not recommended for pregnancy by many professionals. For the same reason women are advised to stay away from anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, they are also told to stay away from chamomile. 

The reason for this is because the consumption of anti-inflammatory agents, including chamomile, has been seen to potentially constrict the ductus arteriosus, which supplies blood flow to the right ventricle of your baby’s heart. We want to avoid this at all costs. Rest assured that if this is caught early, it can be reversed by having the woman stop all anti-inflammatory agents, and it can be no big deal. We of course want every Cha Cha Mamma to be aware of this, especially because it is easy to consume chamomile without even realizing (Sridharan, Archer & Manning, 2009). 

We know that after a long day of developing a human life, the idea of kicking your feet up, listening to a podcast and drinking a warm cup of tea is just what you feel like, so here are some other amazing teas that you may be able to enjoy while pregnant. Many of these are caffeine free, but just make sure to look out for that in order to reduce your caffeine intake! Take a look at our caffeine post for everything you need to know about caffeine and pregnancy!

• Peppermint Tea

• Lemon Balm Tea

• Ginger Tea

• Nettle Leaf Tea (usually consumed in late pregnancy)

• Dandelion Tea

• We remind you to please consult your doctor/prenatal nutritionist to be sure that these herbal teas are safe for your body and your baby.