Until now recommended for young breastfeeding mothers to stimulate lactation, this herbal tea is now not recommended by the European Medicines Agency.
Breastfeeding women apply certain advice and recipes from grandmothers to avoid breast pain and stimulate lactation. And to have enough milk, young mothers have long been recommended to drink fennel herbal tea regularly. But now it’s the opposite! This herbal tea is not recommended by the European Medicines Agency during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as specified by the National Association of Liberal Midwives (ANFLS) on its website: “On February 14, 2024, a turnaround: the Swiss Federation of Midwives explains that fennel herbal tea is no longer recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women. This is what the European Medicines Agency subsequently recommends. from a risk assessment dating from May 2023“. In question: the concentration of estragol, an organic substance which, in high doses, is potentially carcinogenic.
Besides fennel, this organic compound is found in other plants such as lemon balm, basil and green anise. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, pregnant women and children under 4 years old should not consume products containing estragol, as the authorized daily dose is difficult to control.
So, which herbal teas to avoid and which ones you can drink after the baby is born? The naturopath Hélène Comlan, also author of the book “Herbal teas with a thousand virtues, 80 pleasure & well-being recipes” also advises against herbal teas rich in estrogens such as raspberry or sage, because they have an action on the uterus . “Whatever the herbal tea, it is never good to drink too much.“, she tells us.
As for young mothers who are prone to circulation problems, Hélène Comlan suggests they drink herbal teas made from red vines. “To combat constipation, it is advisable to drink a lot and add mallow. And for urinary discomfort, heather can be useful. It can also be combined with mallow to also treat the intestines.“, she explains.
When there are sleep problems, nocturnal awakenings, most of the time, it is linked to digestion problems. In this case, lemon balm can help the breastfeeding mother. We can also combine it with lime blossom (1 tsp of each), and drink our herbal tea before going to bed. Hélène Comlan also suggests recommending this herbal tea in the morning for mothers who are a little stressed in order to help them start the day more peacefully.