Are Detox Teas Safe While Breastfeeding?
You’ve seen them all over the Internet: Celebrity new moms who seem to have dropped all their baby weight in no time and have touted detox teas as their method.
Maybe you’ve been tempted to try one out, but first, you need to know — are detox drinks safe for breastfeeding?
It turns out that they probably aren’t the best or safest way for breastfeeding moms to get healthy. Let’s look into some reasons for that and explore some more conservative and natural methods you can use to reset your body.
Table of Contents
- What Are Detox Teas?
- What Teas Should I Avoid While Breastfeeding?
- Possible Detox Risks for the Breastfeeding Mom
- Possible Detox Risks for the Breastfeeding Baby
- What Teas Are OK to Drink While Breastfeeding
- 6 Ways to Heal Your New Mom Bod That Are Safe Alternatives to Detox Teas While Breastfeeding
- Why Chiavaye Is Safe to Use While Breastfeeding
What Are Detox Teas?
Detoxing is not a new concept. Traditional herbal medicine has been used for millennia to rid the body of harmful compounds in Indian, Native American, and Chinese cultures — just to name a few.
In recent years, detox teas — or teatox — has become increasingly popular with women who want to:
- Reduce bloat
- Boost energy
- Strengthen the immune system; and
- Speed weight loss.
Many people who choose to drink detox teas have found a variety of benefits, including:
- Getting rid of toxins from the body (hence the name)
- Supporting weight loss
- Improved digestion
- Increased mental alertness; and
- A strengthened immune system.
So is detox tea safe while breastfeeding? Let’s explore some of the possible issues with this.
What Teas Should I Avoid While Breastfeeding?
It has long been known that breastfeeding mothers have to be careful about what they ingest, including medications — herbal remedies are no exception to this. That’s why most doctors agree that all detox teas should be avoided while breastfeeding.
You’re doing all the right things to make sure you aren’t passing anything harmful to your baby, including…
- Avoiding alcohol, or doing a pump and dump when you do have it
- Limiting caffeine
- Not eating fish high in mercury
- Staying away from highly processed foods; and
- Using all-natural lube for your feminine needs
...so why would you risk passing along ingredients in detox teas that may not be good for your baby?
Possible Detox Risks for the Breastfeeding Mom
Because so many liquids are needed for lactation, nursing mothers are already susceptible to dehydration. So drinking a beverage meant to flush fluids from your body is not a good idea during this time.
One of detox tea’s main ingredients, Senna, has side effects that include...
- Cramping
- Diarrhea; and
- Abdominal pain
...which can wreak havoc on the balanced system a nursing mother needs.
The ingredients in detox teas can also interfere with medications or dietary supplements you may be taking, so you always want to check with your doctor before you try one — whether you’re breastfeeding or not.
Possible Detox Risks for the Breastfeeding Baby
It’s possible that the previously mentioned effects mothers feel could be passed on to the baby in some small amounts.
But another danger detox teas cause to breastfeeding babies is that the toxins released by the mother who is drinking the tea could be fed to the baby through breastmilk.
Since you certainly don’t want to rid yourself of these harmful compounds only to then give them to your child, it’s best to avoid drinking these teas while breastfeeding.
What Teas Are OK to Drink While Breastfeeding?
You understand that you should probably stray away from detox teas, but are there any teas that are okay to drink while breastfeeding?
Doctors recommend that you don’t consume more than 300 mg of caffeine per day while breastfeeding. So check your labels, but the following teas are generally safe:
- Green
- White
- Chamomile
- Ginger
- Peppermint
- Dandelion; and
- Rose Hips.
6 Ways to Heal Your New ‘Mom Bod’ That Are Safe Alternatives to Detox Teas While Breastfeeding
You may be in a hurry to get back your pre-baby body and, thanks to celebrities hyping them on Instagram, think that detox teas are a fast way to do that. But now is the time to be gentle with yourself.
Here are some safe ways you can be kind to your delicate systems and start feeling more like you did in the old days without risking your health or your baby’s.
#1: Hydrate, Hydrate, and Hydrate Some More
As we stated previously, nursing mothers can get dehydrated very easily. So you need to make sure you’re drinking enough of the right kinds of beverages. Your best choices are:
#2: Rest When the Baby Rests
You may have rolled your eyes at this bit of advice in the past, but getting enough sleep is essential to helping your body heal itself and get back to normal.
It may be tempting to try to get other things done when your baby is sleeping but take that opportunity to rest. Take care of yourself first and foremost — the other stuff can wait.
#3: Try Oil Pulling
If you want to pull toxins from your body, oil pulling is a safe way to do it without passing the toxins on to your baby through your breastmilk.
This practice originated in ancient India and is as simple as swishing oil (such as coconut) around in your mouth for a set time — which pulls harmful substances out through your gums — and then spitting it out.
As a bonus, this method is also supposed to keep your teeth extremely clean and white.
#4: Keep Your Gut Health in Check
New motherhood and nursing interfere with many of your body’s systems, and one of the most important of those is digestion. You want to make sure everything is working properly on this front to allow your body to detox itself naturally.
Some ways you can help with this are:
- Staying hydrated — you can never hear it enough
- Eating fermented foods and/or taking a probiotic to help the gut stay balanced; and
- Eating lots of fresh fruits and veggies with naturally occurring fiber.
#5: Choose Clean and Healthy Foods
Processed foods contain pesticides and preservatives that can interfere with your body’s ability to lose weight naturally. Make things easier on yourself during this critical time by choosing whole, organic foods for your diet.
#6: Use a Clean, Natural Lube to Heal Your Lady Parts
We already discussed staying well-hydrated by drinking lots of fluids, but there are other ways to hydrate and heal as well. You should strive to keep your body well-moisturized inside and out by using the best lotions, serums, and — of course — lube.
A natural lube free of chemicals, fragrance, and hormones can help moisturize your sensitive feminine areas and lead to faster healing after childbirth.
Why Chiavaye Is Safe to Use While Breastfeeding
At Chiavaye, we only use the safest, most natural ingredients in our lube. Being gentle with your body involves providing it with the best ingredients inside and out.
Our lube is made with:
And that’s it! Six simple ingredients that are pure and beneficial to your body, whether you’re using it to alleviate pain and dryness or getting a little assistance in those intimate moments while your baby sleeps. Let us help you detox your body the natural way.