Doubt: Can You Give Tea to Newborns?

With the arrival of a child in the family, the first difficulties are dealing with the sleepless nights and the baby’s cramps . Therefore, the doubts arise: can popular wisdom help in these hours? Can parents give that well-known tea to the newborn?

According to medical knowledge and studies, the answer is no . The baby should preferably drink exclusively breast milk until at least 6 months. The point is that it is not possible to know exactly what the safety measure is for the amount of liquid that the newborn baby could drink without doing it harm, which includes water.

Why Not Give Tea?

His stomach is still very small, and the fact is that he does not need any other liquid or food other than breast milk at this age. If he changes one of the feeds for another liquid, he will be ingesting the milk vitamins he so badly needs for his development. Even when it is hot, for example, a 1-month-old baby will therefore only need to breastfeed more often, and for the mother to keep pace, she should drink more water.

Following this logic, the mother herself can take the teas indicated for colic or to sleep well, such as those of lemongrass (in the first case) and chamomile (in the second case), which, thus, the nutrients can reach the breast milk and the baby indirectly, and more safely. Although this has not yet been scientifically proven, many mothers report feeling results in doing so.

Alternatives to Tea

Because of the risks of giving your baby tea, it is best to avoid and talk to the pediatrician about what you can do when putting the baby to sleep or to relieve stomach pain and other things that make the newborn cry.

Help Baby Sleep

When the concern is to help the baby sleep , some attempts can be made, such as:

  • Give him a warm bath , as it helps to relax. Herbs can be present in the bath, such as chamomile, valerian or melissa .
  • Breastfeed, so that the baby does not feel hungry before going to sleep.
  • Check that the temperature of the room is not too hot or cold: the ideal for the baby is between 16 and 20 degrees .
  • If the baby is a light sleeper or is bothered by outside noises, ensure silence or use a white noise machine .
  • Read a book, sing or lull the baby in your arm before bed.
  • Turn off the lights , ensuring that the room is completely dark. Our sleep hormones only work in the absence of light.

Already when the concern is also with the baby’s stomach ache , instead of giving tea to the newborn, in addition to the above relaxation options, other alternatives can be used to alleviate the problem or calm the baby:

Baby Relaxation Techniques

  • Lull the baby face down on your forearm, so that the head is on the hand. Support with the other arm and swing slightly.
  • Place the baby with the belly against the mother’s belly , preferably without a shirt, and the head between her breasts listening to the heartbeat. Only until it calms down, then turn it over to sleep.
  • Use a hot / warm water bag over the baby’s tummy, being careful not to get too hot .
  • Use “bucket therapy” by placing the baby in a bucket of warm water , tapping the child’s chest. Hold your head firmly.
  • Take care that the baby does not swallow air when breastfeeding
  • Give “droplet” when prescribed by the pediatrician

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After 6 Months: Caring for Baby Tea

From the moment the baby starts to eat other foods in his diet, such as fruits and soups – which can happen from 6 months or more – liquids must be offered as well, especially in the heat or dry climate.

Although it is preferable to give him to drink pure water in small quantities (mainly up to 1 year), tea is already allowed at this age to hydrate and calm the baby. Do not give it hot, only at room temperature .

One tip is to give the child tea in small spoons, without sweetening it. Some precautions when preparing are to select fresh or organic herbs, and leave it in the filtered water after boiling, for 3 to 5 minutes, to finally strain and let it cool before offering it to the baby. It is best to avoid giving your child teabag or industrial tea .

The most suitable teas are the lightest, which do not cause side effects, and whose herbs are known to be safe. The best known are mint, chamomile and fennel tea .

Yerba mate teas, an example of a stimulating plant, or rich in caffeine should not be used! In addition, any changes in the baby’s diet should be discussed with the pediatrician.

See also: Soup Recipes for Crescidinhos

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My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.

Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

Dr. Alexis Hart

My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.

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