Can I drink a cold tea while breast-feeding?
One often hears that one should not drink a cold tea not only during pregnancy but also during the breastfeeding period. However, most types of tea and their ingredients are harmless. Only cold teas containing sage should not be drunk during the nursing period.
Active ingredients contained in sage can influence milk production and even have a lactating effect. It is, however, possible to gargle the hot sage tea and then spit it out, for example to relieve sore throats when having a cold. If you want to drink tea for colds while nursing, you can also use one based on ginger.
It is best to cut fresh ginger into thin slices and pour boiling water over them. In the case of ready-to-drink cold teas from the drugstore or health food store, you may find information on the package insert as to whether it can be drunk without hesitation while breast-feeding. In case of doubt, you can also ask a pharmacist or your family doctor or gynecologist which types of cold teas are suitable at this stage.
Are there also cold teas for the baby?
Also babies can be given a cold tea to drink when they have a cold. There are, for example, in the drugstore or health food store various products that are specially designed for babies or toddlers. Normal herbal teas such as peppermint or chamomile can also be given to a baby in case of an infection.
It is essential to make sure that the tea is not too hot! Some cold teas are not necessarily suitable for babies due to their ingredients. In some cases a minimum age is even declared on the packaging.
Although no harm is to be expected if a baby drinks such a tea nevertheless, there are sometimes no safe experiences available that prove the harmlessness of the herbal ingredients for babies. Ginger, for example, should rather be avoided due to its pungent substances (gingerols). In case of doubt, the pediatrician can also be asked for advice on which type of cold tea is suitable for the child. In general, the addition of sugar should be avoided to make the drink more appealing for the baby. Honey should also not be added, as it is a natural product that can contain germs that a baby’s defense system is not yet able to cope with.
