With the arrival of a child in the family, the first difficulties are coping with sleepless nights and baby colic. This raises questions: can folk wisdom help at these times? 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 only breast milk until at least 6 months old1. The issue is that it is not possible to know exactly what the safe amount is for liquids that a newborn could ingest without harming them, and this includes water.

And if you need help overcoming challenges with breastfeeding, I have a suggestion: I recommend scheduling a pre-consultation with a breastfeeding specialist, to receive personalized and appropriate guidance for your needs and your baby. Click here to learn more!

Why You Should Not Give Tea

Their stomach is still very small, and the fact is that they do not need any other liquids or foods other than breast milk at this age. If they replace one of their feedings with another liquid, they will be missing out on the essential vitamins from milk that are so important for their development. Even when it’s hot, for example, a 1-month-old baby will only need, as a result, to nurse more frequently, and to keep up with the baby’s needs, the mother should drink more water herself. Following this line of reasoning, the mother herself can drink the teas recommended for colic or to sleep better, fennel (for colic) and chamomile (to sleep), so the nutrients may reach the breast milk and the baby in an indirect and safer way. Although there is no scientific proof for this, many mothers report seeing results when doing it this way2.

Alternatives to Tea

Because of the risks of giving tea to your baby, it’s best to avoid it and talk to your pediatrician about what can be done when putting the baby to sleep or to relieve stomach pain and other discomforts that make newborns cry.

Helping the Baby Sleep

When your concern is to help the baby sleep, you can try:

  • Giving him a warm bath, which helps relax. Herbs can be added to the bath, such as chamomile, valerian, or lemon balm.
  • Breastfeeding the baby, so he doesn’t feel hungry before sleeping.
  • Checking if the room temperature is not too hot or cold: the ideal temperature for the baby is between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius.
  • If the baby has light sleep or gets bothered by outside noises, ensure silence or use a white noise machine.
  • Read a book, sing, or rock the baby in your arms before bed.
  • Turn off the lights so the room is completely dark. Our sleep hormones only work in the absence of light.

If you are also concerned about the baby’s stomach pain3, instead of giving tea to the newborn, alongside the relaxation options above, you can use other strategies to ease the issue or calm the baby:

Relaxation Techniques for the Baby

  • Rock the baby face down on your forearm, so that their head rests in your hand. Support with the other arm and gently swing.
  • Place the baby with their tummy against the mother’s tummy, preferably with bare skin, and the head between your breasts listening to your heartbeat. Only keep them like this to calm them down, then turn them over to sleep.
  • Use a warm/hot water bottle on the baby’s tummy, being careful not to make it too hot.
  • Try “bucket therapy,” placing the baby inside a bucket with warm water, with the water at the baby’s chest. Hold the baby’s head securely.
  • Be careful to ensure that the baby does not swallow air while breastfeeding.
  • Use “drops” if prescribed by the pediatrician.

Once the baby starts eating other foods, such as fruits and soups – which can happen from 6 months or older – liquids should also be offered, especially in hot or dry weather. Although it is better to give them plain water in small amounts (especially until age 1), tea is allowed at this stage to hydrate and calm the baby. Do not give it hot, only at room temperature. A tip is to give the child tea in small teaspoons, unsweetened. Some precautions when preparing tea include choosing fresh or organic herbs, and letting them steep in filtered water after boiling for 3 to 5 minutes, then straining and allowing it to cool before giving it to the baby. It’s best to avoid giving tea bags or industrially processed teas to children. The most recommended teas are the mildest, which do not cause side effects, and whose herbs are widely recognized as safe. The best known are mint tea, chamomile, and fennel. Mate tea, for example, which is a stimulating plant or naturally high in caffeine, should not be used! Also, any change in the baby’s diet should be discussed with the pediatrician. Also see: Soup Recipes for Toddlers Photo: Alexas_fotos