Is Chamomile tea safe during pregnancy?
Little is known about chamomile in pregnancy — ask your clinician. While breastfeeding, usual tea amounts are likely fine.
What the sources say
Mayo Clinic advises not drinking herbal tea in pregnancy unless your clinician says it's OK, because little is known about many herbs; NHS suggests no more than 4 cups of herbal tea a day. NCCIH says little is known about chamomile's safety in pregnancy or breastfeeding and warns of allergy in people sensitive to ragweed or daisies. LactMed notes chamomile is GRAS as a food flavoring and that the small amounts expected in milk are likely not harmful at usual doses; botulism spores have been found in some loose-leaf chamomile, which matters for giving tea directly to infants.
Common alternatives
Also listed as
chamomile, camomile, german chamomile, roman chamomile, matricaria, sleepytime tea
Sources
- Mayo Clinic: Pregnancy nutrition: Foods to avoid during pregnancy
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- NIH (NCCIH): Chamomile: Usefulness and Safety
- NIH LactMed: Chamomile
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.