Herbal Nursing Mom Tea Recipe (2024)

I had a slight panic moment the other day when I realized (while drinking my pregnancy tea) that I will have a newborn in a month or so (nesting is now in hyperdrive).

With a precious new little one comes baby coos and tiny clothes and… breastfeeding! I love the newborn phase but the early days of nursing are always a little tough for me and I feel that it is harder to get enough calories and nutrients when I’m nursing a baby.

This time, I’ve prepared ahead of time asI’ve mixed up a batch of nursing mom tea to have on hand when this little one makes an entrance. I’ve also been busy getting my birth kit in order, eating dates (I’ll keep you posted on that one!), obsessively cleaning (nesting for the win!), and optimizingall of these factors to help make labor easier!

Nursing Mom Tea

Having a baby is a couple years of wonderful exhaustion, and while it is easy to focus on the beautiful baby, it is also important for us as moms to nourish and support our own bodies during this physically taxing time.To the extent possible, it is important to get enough sleep during pregnancy and breastfeeding, eat a nutrient-dense diet, and nourish the body in other ways. I’ve found that this is often easier said than done, especially when you have other children too, but sincebreastfeeding is often done sitting down it is a great time to hydrate and replenish.

Enter… nursing tea!

Tea contains actual vitamins and minerals (really!) and a nursing tea blend also has herbs that may boost and protect milk supply. (More on that below.)

Pair with one of these lactation cookies (or a few… nursing hunger is real!) for a satisfying and nourishing treat.

The Nourishing Ingredients…

This tea has a combination of beneficial ingredients to help nourish the body and support adequate milk supply:

• Red raspberry leaf– High in vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium. Raspberry leaf is also recommended to support hormone health.
• Nettle leaf– High in chlorophyll and trace minerals, it is said to support urinary health.
• Fenugreek– Used as a spice in many parts of the world and often added to curries. Contains potassium, vitamin C, anddiosgenin which is the compound that is said to help breastfeeding and milk supply.
• Fennel– Source of iron, folate, and vitamin C and also helps improve digestion. Some midwives claim that adding fennel to a nursing tea can also help alleviate digestive struggles or colic in the baby as the benefits can pass through the milk.
• Alfalfa– Known as the “father of all foods” alfalfa is a nutrient dense plant high in vitamin K, vitamin C, and chlorophyll. It is often used in multivitamin blends.
• Chamomile– One of my favorite herbsand one I use often for children. It is a calming and relaxing herb and can support restful sleep for mom and baby.
• Dandelion– Good source of vitamins A, C, D, and B, as well as minerals like iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, choline, calcium, boron, and silicon.

I order all the herbsin bulk (click links above to see the ones I use) so I canmake big batches of these and other herbal teas very inexpensively. If you aren’t a DIYer and don’t want the initial expense of purchasing herbs in bulk, you can also find this tea pre-made in tea bags.

Some of these herbs are not recommended during pregnancy, so I only drinkthis tea after the baby is born. It is also important to check with your doctor or midwife before consuming any herb while breastfeeding.

I’m grateful to have been able to nurse my babies, butrealize that there are many cases where breastfeeding is not possible. Though I have not personally tried it, I have many friends who used this homemade organic formula option with great results.

What helps you stay nourished during breastfeeding? Ever tried a nursing mom tea?