Tea Cures

Morning sickness? There's a tea for that

In my first trimester, I was fortunate enough to have a fairly easy time with morning sickness - most of it went away when I ate breakfast - but peppermint tea also would have helped, I was told.
After discussing digestive issues with my obstetrician-gynaecologist, she wrote me a prescription, but told me to try fennel tea, or Fencheltee, first. I have yet to fill the prescription and will probably stick to the tea.

Against the leg cramps that I'm waiting to start any day now, I'm to drink chamomile tea, or Kamillentee. To combat the increased mucous my body produces (“A totally normal thing,” says my doctor), I drink the occasional cup of thyme tea, or Thymiantee.

There is even an herbal tea mixed specifically for pregnant women, appropriately called Schwangerschaftstee, or “pregnancy tea.” I got my leafy mixture at my local Apotheke.
The blend varies and most pharmacies work with midwives to make their mix, but almost all agree they should have Alchemella or Lady's Mantle (Frauenmantel), lemon balm (Zitronen Melisse), nettle (Brennnesseln) and raspberry plant leaves (Himbeerblätter). The first two ingredients are meant to calm and relax while stabilising the influx of hormones in the body. Nettles help the body build up the extra 30 percent blood flow it needs to support the work of growing a baby. The raspberry leaves are the most important. They contain vitamin C, important for boosting my weakened immune system, and calcium and iron to boost the baby's growing bones.

After Baby, I'll have to stop drinking peppermint tea, as midwives say it hinders milk production, and switch to a blend of breastfeeding tea (Stilltee), made of fennel, caraway, anise and fenugreek. According to my experienced mom friends, it's delicious.