Teas to help labor

For Labor, Other Benefits, More

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

People have been passing along home remedies for inducing labor for as long as people have been having babies. Once you get near, or even past, your due date, you will probably have everyone from your best friend to perfect strangers in the grocery store suggesting ways you can induce labor. While many methods are harmless, if ineffective, there are some that can actually be dangerous. Chamomile tea is often suggested as an easy way to get your labor started. However, there is currently not enough scientific evidence to support that, and some healthcare providers recommend that pregnant women not take chamomile.

In 2013, a study was done in Iran on the effects of chamomile for inducing labor. In this study, 80 post-term women who had low-risk pregnancies were divided into two groups. One group of 40 was given 1,000 milligrams of chamomile every 8 hours for 1 week. The other group was given a placebo. After a week, 92.5% of the women in the chamomile group started having symptoms of labor. Only 62.5% of women in the placebo group had symptoms of labor.

However, a systematic review of studies done in 2019 recommended that herbal medicines, including chamomile, be discouraged until more evidence of its safety is available. This review found that chamomile use in the third trimester was linked to increased incidents of babies being born early, being shorter, and having a lower birth weight, although a different study did not show an increase in babies born with a low birth weight.

Health Benefits of Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is a daisy-like plant whose flowers are used in herbal medicine and tea. There are two types of chamomile, German and Roman. People have been using both types for a long time. Chamomile was considered an important herbal medicine in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Today, people use it for a variety of conditions, including upset stomach, anxiety, insomnia, and skin problems.

Since chamomile is one of the most ancient herbs around, it has been used and studied extensively for properties that may help many health conditions, including:

Anti-inflammatory and fever-reducing properties
Anticancer activity
Common cold
Cardiovascular conditions
Colic and diarrhea in children
Eczema
Gastrointestinal problems
Hemorrhoids
Boosting the immune system
Inflammatory diseases such as esophageal reflux, diverticulitis, and inflammatory skin problems
Mouth ulcers
Osteoporosis
Insomnia
Anxiety
Seizures
Diabetes
Sore throat
Vaginitis
Wound healing
Quality of life in people with cancer

A review of these studies found that chamomile may offer some therapeutic effects because of its phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are chemicals found in plants that contribute to a plant's color, taste, and smell. We are just starting to learn about them, but they may help fight heart disease and cancer. Terpenoids like the ones present in chamomile may help slow cancer cell growth and fight viruses. Chamomile also contains flavonoids, another phytochemical that may fight inflammation and tumor growth.

Chamomile may also help stimulate the immune system, improve cardiovascular conditions, and provide some level of protection against cancer. However, more research is needed to discover if the proper use of chamomile is safe and helpful for these conditions. And improper use of chamomile can be harmful.

Is Chamomile Tea Safe During Pregnancy?

There is not enough information to determine if the amount of chamomile normally used in tea is safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Some healthcare providers advise you to avoid taking chamomile internally but think it is okay to use topically on your skin.

Since it has been associated with both miscarriage and premature labor, chamomile definitely should not be used in large or medicinal amounts during pregnancy without first talking with your doctor about its use.

Chamomile can cause adverse reactions, particularly in people who are allergic to ragweed or other members of the Asteraceae family. These reactions depend on how the chamomile was taken and can include:

Anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction that can be deadly
Skin irritation
Stomach upset
Sneezing
Vomiting
Allergic eye infections from chamomile eye drops
Asthma
Diarrhea

Chamomile may also be unsafe to take with other medicines you may be on, including:

Blood thinners
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Salicylates like aspirin
Thrombolytic agents, which are medicines used to treat blood clots

Can You Use Tea to Induce Your Labour?

If your due date has come and gone, and you’re feeling uncomfortable and anxious, you’ll perhaps be willing to try anything and everything to bring on the labour, herbal teas being one of them. Herbal teas were earlier used to bring on the labour, but do they really work? Let’s find out!

Does Tea Help Induce Labour?

Certains herbal teas like red raspberry leaf tea are known to induce labour. It is believed that drinking herbal teas like raspberry tea strengthens the labour and promotes healthy labour, but there is not enough evidence that suggests raspberry tea or another herbal tea can help with labour induction. Hence, they are best avoided.

Teas That May Help Induce Labour

Here are some of the tea varieties that possess labour-inducing properties:

1. Red Raspberry Leaf Tea to Induce Labour

Red raspberry leaf tea is supposedly beneficial for toning the muscles of the uterus which help it work more efficiently when a woman goes into labour. Toned muscles can help the labour progress smoothly without fatigue once underway. However, it is not recommended to have raspberry tea to kick start labour once you’re due. It could cause bad contractions that can distress the baby. This tea can be consumed gradually from the time a woman enters the 32th week of her pregnancy.

2. Basil Tea to Induce Labour

Basil is an emmenagogue, a substance that can increase the menstrual flow. Basil tea has other compounds than can help smooth muscles to relax and bring on a late period. In higher doses, basil and oregano tea can induce labour. Midwives and natural health care providers have used this combination to induce labour in women who are overdue. But basil is never recommended in higher dosage. Therefore, if you wish to use this tea to bring on the labour, you must check with your healthcare provider to understand if you should use it and how!

3. Chamomile Tea to Induce Labour

Chamomile is a herb closely related to the common daisy, and there are some reports of the German and Roman chamomile causing miscarriage. Hence the herb gets its reputation as being helpful in inducing labour although there is no credible evidence to back up the general belief. The flower of the herb is dried to make tea, capsules and extracts. If you wish to use this herb to bring on the labour, you must check with your doctor.

4. Cinnamon and Clove Tea to Induce Labour

Cinnamon and clove are spices that are safe to consume in limited quantities during pregnancy. The effectiveness of cinnamon and clove tea in inducing labour hasn’t been demonstrated to a credible extent although it is tried with other herbs as a labour-inducer.

5. Cumin Tea to Induce Labour

Cumin tea has also been used to kick start labour by midwives in women who have mostly gone past their 40 weeks mark. The tea is known to stimulate contractions in women who have shot past their due dates. Like many other spicy foods, cumin tea increases the metabolic rate which is thought to stimulate labour potentially. Cumin tea, unfortunately, isn’t a tasty beverage. To overcome its bitterness, a small chunk of potato can be added into the mix while preparing the tea.

How to Make Your Own Tea to Induce Labour

The method of making tea to induce labour is a bit different than your usual way of making tea. This might take a little longer. Here’s what you need to do:

Add one tablespoon of a herbal tea powder in a mug.
Pour boiling water in it.
Cover the mug with a saucer to conserve as much heat and steam as possible in the mug.
Let the tea steep in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
Strain the herb before drinking.

A Word of Caution

Before trying any herbs or herbal teas to induce labour, do consult a doctor. While some doctors are of the opinion that some labour inducing varieties of tea may work to bring on the labour, others are of the opinion that they may not work and hence should not be consumed while pregnant. Although a herbal tea seems harmless enough, it’s unsafe to drink it to induce labour without consulting your doctor or midwife. If you wish to use a herbal tea to bring on th labour, check with your doctor. She may guide you to use the best drink for your condition or warn you against trying it at all.

Like all herbal preparations, the effectiveness of herbal teas to bring on the labour is not thoroughly established. Hence, they are best avoided while pregnant!

Disclaimer: The information given in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We urge readers to seek the advice of a physician before trying any herbal teas mentioned in the article.

Also Read:

Foods That Can Help Induce Labour
How to Induce Labour Naturally
Consuming Dates to Help Induce Labour

We eat in childbirth! - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"

Artsybysheva Ludmila Romanovna

Obstetrician-gynecologist

Clinical hospital Lapino-1 "Mother and Child", Clinic KG "Lapino" in Odintsovo (branch)

yes or no

did not even arise, the doctors believed that with the onset of contractions, food and drink should be forgotten. This was explained by the fact that if suddenly, for some reason, an emergency caesarean section is required, then general anesthesia will be needed, and before this anesthesia, you can’t drink, let alone eat (during such anesthesia, food residues can be thrown from the stomach into the lungs) . The only thing allowed was a few sips of water. But now everything has changed: childbirth has ceased to be a medical event, but has moved into the category of natural processes, no one thinks about “you never know what will happen”. In addition, even if a caesarean section is needed, then it (even an emergency one) is done almost everywhere with the help of epidural anesthesia (and eating does not affect it). So now doctors are not so categorical in relation to food in childbirth and even believe that food and water will help a woman avoid dehydration and maintain strength for experiencing contractions. nine0003

Therefore, if the birth is going well and you suddenly want to eat, then a light snack is allowed. Well, if you don’t even want to think about food, you don’t need to force yourself. In general, everything should be as desired.

when there is

Very often, on the day of childbirth, a woman notices that she does not feel like eating at all, at most - she would eat something light and simple. The same is possible with the onset of contractions: the body is not up to the digestive processes now, so there will be no strong appetite during childbirth. But, nevertheless, you don’t need to go to give birth on an empty stomach either, it will take strength in childbirth, and we take energy for them just from food. Therefore, with the onset of contractions, doctors recommend a woman to have a light snack - this is the best time to eat. Firstly, when the contractions are still weak and rare, you can eat without being distracted by painful sensations. Secondly, there is still a lot of time before the height of labor and the food has time to be digested, and this is important, because often during strong contractions, the woman in labor experiences nausea. Thirdly, at the beginning of labor, a woman is usually at home, where, of course, there is food, then there will simply be no place to take it in the rodblok. nine0003

what to eat

Which dish or product to choose? There are no special prohibitions for food, and you can focus on your wishes, but still it is worth considering that fatty foods are out of place now: it is also heavy for the stomach, and nausea in labor can increase. The same can be said about protein: it does not provide energy and is hard and slow to digest. It is best to eat something from carbohydrates - they are just digested easily and, most importantly, provide the necessary energy. For example, banana, crispbread, toast, cereal, crackers, fruit puree, broth, soup, or yogurt will do. nine0003

what to drink

Contractions are physical work, they are like running a long distance, so during childbirth there is almost always thirst. Another reason why women in labor are thirsty is that it is often too warm or even hot in the birthing room, and the air in it is very dry. So drinking during childbirth is not only possible, but necessary. What is the best choice? Plain water, clarified juice and weak tea will do. Soda, especially sweet, should not be drunk: gas and sugar can irritate the stomach and provoke or increase nausea. You need to drink little by little, but often (sometimes even the usual amount of liquid also causes vomiting). nine0003

caesarean section

As we have already said, now almost everywhere a planned caesarean section is done under epidural anesthesia, and then eating and drinking is not prohibited. But if the operation is done under general anesthesia, then there will be restrictions on food intake. The last time you will be allowed to eat somewhere 8-12 hours before the operation. Since a planned caesarean section is usually performed in the morning, it turns out that the last meal is dinner. It should be light - the same bread, toast, yogurt, broth will do. Meat (even low-fat), cheeses, nuts, fatty cottage cheese - in general, it is better not to eat all foods that take a long time to digest. Also, do not eat a lot of fiber (vegetables and fruits) - it can affect bowel function. nine0003

If you suddenly need general anesthesia during childbirth, and the woman has recently eaten, you should definitely tell the anesthesiologist about this. The doctor will more closely monitor that, under anesthesia, the contents of the stomach do not enter the respiratory tract.

some nuances

– Today, you can take water with you to childbirth in almost all maternity hospitals. Better if it is in a plastic bottle.

– Can I take some food with me to the hospital? Everything here will depend on the rules of the hospital. Usually, it is not allowed to bring food directly into the maternity unit itself, and this is understandable: a woman is already in it during active contractions, when she is not at all up to eating. But there are exceptions, somewhere they are allowed to bring the same toast, bread, chocolate to the rodblok. In any case, you can put some non-perishable products in the bag for the maternity hospital: what if the birth is delayed, or the baby will be born late in the evening, when dinner is already over, and breakfast is still far away? This is where you can have a bite to eat. nine0003

– If a partner (husband, sister, girlfriend) is present at the birth, then in a few hours he will also want to eat. Therefore, something to eat will have to be taken for him.

Ask the midwife or doctor who will be attending the delivery about food and drink. Or just call the maternity hospital and find out what food you can take with you. Then it will be easier for you to prepare and reschedule the birth.

Make an appointment

to the doctor - Artsybysheva Lyudmila Romanovna

Clinical Hospital Lapino-1 "Mother and Child" Clinic KG "Lapino" in Odintsovo (branch)

Pregnancy

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90,000 tea recommendations for expectant mothers-DW-18.11.2018

Photo: Picture-alliance/Phanie

Culture

Inga Vanner

November 18, 2018 9000 but also helps to relax. What types of tea and types of medicinal herbs do experts from Germany recommend for pregnant women? nine0003

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Contrary to popular belief that pregnant women should eat and drink " for two " , experienced doctors and midwives advise otherwise. According to gynecologist Christian Windelen from Cologne, one and a half to two liters of fluid a day is enough. It is better to drink boiled water, berry, fruit juices and drinks, various teas.

But tea is different for tea, so the choice of a healing drink should be treated very carefully. A detailed study of the use of herbs for the prevention and treatment of various diseases is carried out by a special area of medicine - herbal medicine. nine0087 Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to thoroughly study the effect of herbal drinks on the body of pregnant women for ethical reasons, the German gynecologist explains.

Herbal teas are also medicine Photo: picture-alliance/dpa/imageBROKER

However, based on years of observation, doctors recommend certain types of herbs during pregnancy. Moreover, herbal infusions can and should be used as a medicine, emphasizes Christian Vindelen. But black or green tea should not be carried away. The reason lies in theine, the so-called tea caffeine. With excessive use, it, like caffeine, can provoke a slowdown in intrauterine development of the fetus. nine0087

During pregnancy, no more than three cups a day

Based on the latest research on the benefits and harms of caffeine for pregnant women, the German Nutrition Society (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung) recommendations suggest limiting the invigorating drink to three cups ( black, green tea or coffee) per day. Christian Vindelen advises his patients during pregnancy to replace black tea with herbal infusions that can have a similar invigorating effect - for example, rooibos. nine0003

Midwife Martina Höfel from Minden has been advising expectant mothers for many years. Her favorite is herbal infusion made from raspberry and blackberry leaves. Tea has a mild stimulating effect on the walls of the uterus. It is better to drink it warm, not hot, starting from the 37th week of pregnancy, and no more than three cups a day.

Don't get carried away with German favorite herbal teas like mint, hibiscus or ginger root. All of them can contribute to premature uterine contractions, explains Martina Höfel. Drinks from plants with pronounced abortive properties should be completely excluded. These include verbena, rosemary, parsley, calendula, oregano, sage. It is better to refuse from such herbs widely used in folk medicine as St. nine0003

The best recipe - variety

Linda von Glahn, consultant of the UGB Healthy Food Association in Berlin, believes that the secret to the correct use of herbal drinks during pregnancy is simple: they need to be rotated more often. The recipe is not new at all, but effective. An ecotrophologist and expert in baby and pregnancy nutrition offers a range of well-known and undeniably useful plants to choose from.

These include, for example, fennel, chamomile, lavender and lemon balm, which have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Chamomile and lavender have bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties, help to relax. After a cup of this tea, it is easier and faster to fall asleep. nine0003 Rosehip decoction - a drink useful for expectant mothers Photo: imago/imagebroker/Kröger

Rosehip decoction, like various fruit teas, is rich in vitamins and minerals. Freshly brewed infusions of fruits and berries strengthen the immune system. But the absolute favorite of ecotrophologist Linda von Glahn is rooibos (rooibos) tea. A drink made from the leaves of an African bush contains an impressive amount of antioxidants and various minerals. It is able to weaken the action of the stress hormone cortisol and positively influence the work of the happiness hormone serotonin. This is a real elixir of good mood, emphasizes Linda von Glahn. The Berlin expert once again reminds: infusions and herbal teas are medicines that should be used in moderation and better after consultation with an expert.