Herbal Tea an alternative holistic treatment for mothers in pregnancy and post partum

Sometimes the cup you have your tea in or the way your brew it makes all the difference.

I have been using herbal tea for a LONG time. Initially because I thought it would help me “stay thin” and support my digestion. I used to drink lemon green tea. It tasted awful but I had convinced myself it was so nourishing so powerful it was doing me good. 

In my late 20’s I started to drink more fruity teas mainly because I was drinking a lot of hot drinks and was conscious of the caffeine especially closer to bed time. 

Now I drink rose tea daily and I have started to introduce raspberry leaf tea into my daily ritual with an intention of making the bleeding phase of my cycle feel better. (for me that means more bleeding to clear the uterus. I feel stagnation in this part of my body particularly in times of depletion) Which manifests as bloating, aching in my womb and generally feeling tired. When I move my body, use breaths that bring heat and eat foods that warm my body I feel better.

What is the evidence base for herbal teas supporting pregnancy and birth?

Now there is very little scientific evidence to suggest that teas significantly support health outcomes. I’ve linked a study about raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy here. It’s by Dr Sara Whickham who is a truly fabulous midwife and researcher in birth. She has written many books so her work is very relevant if you are pregnant and want the low down on evidence based research! I used her “Birthing your placenta" book To make decisions in my second pregnancy. And her words had a profound impact on my experience.

For me the intention behind the tea I drink especially in the last 12 months has been really powerful. In fact I think the intention is the most important part of my tea drinking practice and the subsequent effects that I experience. 

Pregnancy yoga flow - the beginning of my connection to true nourishment with food and plants.

What if the tea is just the vessel in which you allow the intention too flow?

…and integrate into your body? What if you can only access the true magic of the plant you are consuming if you believe in its qualities.

Let me explain. The first time I tried rose tea I was welcomed into a space by an incredible woman. At the time I did not know her well. I was meeting her to talk about how we could work to support women in pregnancy in our local Northumberland town of Morpeth. Rachel, is the creator of LIFE holistic therapies in Morpeth and you can see her expansive (quite literally) offerings here.

The magic of Rose Tea, the gift of safety and softness.

The first thing Rachel offered me was Rose Tea. It tasted so soft and gentle and I felt so safe and seen in her presence. I left feeling inspired, but also seen.

The second time I had rose tea was more recently in August last year we closed a beautiful cacao ceremony held by Evolve Motherhood. Jec runs cacao ceremonies in and around south Northumberland and North Newcastle. The whole experience was so feminine and soft and once again I felt safe, witnessed and seen!

Rose kept popping up for me in August, my garden was full of them. William was obsessed with using them to decorate our table and make perfumes. And I felt a call to draw, smell and touch them. Rose is also my middle name, gifted because a Rose tree that hadn’t flowered for years in at my Grandparents home showed its first bloom the day I was born. I decided to drink the petals with the intention of softening into the feminine. Of embracing the mother archetype that my life seems to be holding me in at the moment. Leaning into caring nourishing and loving my family, yes absolutely, but also myself. 

A practiced nervous system response to the taste of Tea.

And so now I drink rose tea every day. And as the liquid flows over my tongue and down into my body I feel a gentle landing. I feel soft. I feel feminine and I feel safe. My brain has linked all of my encounters with rose together and every time I experience the taste now my nervous system knows it is safe. 

Much like using anchors connecting to your senses for birth preparation. We often explore these§ things in my birth bio mechanics classes. For example using the smell of lavender in a pillow spray in pregnancy to support sleep, will then help your nervous system in labour. As you start to shift into a fight, flight or panic in response to the environment you can see like a hospital room or because the pain is becoming overwhelming you use the lavender spray. Your brain knows that when it smells this it usually means you are safe and are relaxing and so it triggers the response of rest and digest. Your body stops tensing, the sensation of contractions become less painful and the hospital room feels less scary to you. If you are not local to Mis Northumberland and would like to access my online birth bio mechanics course you do so here.

For me an intentional tea is just the same except I am now using it to mange my nervous system on a daily basis. And it is the most wonderful gift. I taste tea, I remember I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Holding my family nurturing two incredible little people and allowing myself to soften into being a woman instead of trying to push against my intuition I am honouring it. Something my body has always been asking me to do and something I ignored for far to long.

Using raspberry leaf tea to support the toning of uterine muscle.

Raspberry leaf tea is said to improve muscle tone. Including that of the uterine wall. It is often used by women to “bring on labour” and avoided in the first part of pregnancy. There is some evidence to suggest that the plant does indeed tone the uterine wall and provide more efficient contractions. My experience has certainly been positive over my last few cycles my bleeding has been much stronger in the first few days of my cycle after using the tea with exactly that intention. 

Do plant based teas work to nourish the feminine body?

Yes I believe they do. My personal experience would certainly suggest that plants have magical qualities that support our wellbeing but I also feel that you have to put quite a lot of your energy into trusting that the medicine will work. Your brain is by far the most powerful tool in your body. And it can be used for so much good. BUT it has to feel safe first. 

It’s a journey not a quick fix. This work is so worthy of your time.

I landed with intentional tea after 5 years of yoga, self enquiry and some really deep work on the pieces of me I found/find hard to manage. 

I don’t believe that we can separate the the pieces when assessing the impact or effect of using holistc or indeed medical practices to support wellbeing. Plant medicine, brain, body. It is a combined piece. The magic of the mind, the magic of the plant. Or the breath practice or the yoga pose or what ever it is that you are doing to support your well being. 

All of this is powerful stuff when used with clear intention, purpose or ideal outcome. (I write softly because I am female and softening into the mother. but you can use what ever terms of phrase help you)

The point of this piece? Your brain is the magic, your body acts accordingly. Nervous system regulation is absolutely available to you but it takes a lot of effort. It takes a lot of practice for some too.

I am now 5 years in. And this stuff has only really landed the last 12 to 18 months after two pregnancies and births. And after a whole year of intentional massage therapy too! (With the beautiful Rachel and LIFE Hollistic Therapies)

If you need support in regulating your nervous system them I know a few magical women in the North East that I can help.

Yoga in pregnancy and postnatal yoga, pregnancy and postnatal massage, closing the bones, cacao ceremonies in the Morpeth and mid Northumberland- ME you can click on these individually to get more information.

Rachel at LIFE holistic therapies, Massage, sound baths, energy work, reflexology, reiki all across northumberland

Aly - Mindfulness if movement and hands on is less you thing Aly is your woman working directly with your mind. I know Aly through my work and know you will be welcomed into a safe space with kindness and compassion.

Dec - Evolve Motherhood cacao ceremonies in Newcastle and south Northumberland also a beautiful inspiring woman to follow in socials. Jec is the lady I reffered to earlier in this piece. And I look forward to seeing her again this year