The purpose of this text is to help clarify the facts and help an expectant mother decide whether or not she should be drinking the tea during her pregnancy and if so then when.

       The two herbs that need close scrutiny are raspberry leaf and cinnamon.

        When it comes to raspberry leaf, there is very clear consensus among health professionals that raspberry leaf is not to be taken during the first trimester. However, during later stages of pregnancy raspberry is traditionally proscribed to help smooth labour. Each teabag of the tea (2 grams) contains approximately 0.3 grams of raspberry leaf     https://www.babycenter.com.au/x545986/can-raspberry-leaf-tea-help-to-ease-labour      https://www.mamanatural.com/red-raspberry-leaf-tea/     

        We use Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum Verum) rather than Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum Cassia). The cinnamon family is one of the groups of plants that contain coumarin which is known to adversely affect the liver. Cassia has 5% coumarin whereas Ceylon has only 0.4%. Cassia is a native of China so this is the cinnamon used by Chinese healers. We have two links to articles of Chinese medicine and cinnamon. One is a comprehensive list of herbs not to be used during pregnancy.  Cinnamon is not on it     http://www.acupuncturebrooklyn.com/articles-by-karen-vaughan/chinese-herbs-contraindicated-in-pregnancy      The other refers to cinnamon being a treatment for morning sickness.             http://www.livestrong.com/article/137103-chinese-herbs-during-pregnancy/                             

        The US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Food and Drug Administration say that cinnamon during pregnancy is safe in moderation.       https://www.curejoy.com/content/is-it-safe-to-have-cinnamon-during-pregnancy/      One teabag of the tea (2 grams) contains approximately 0.1 grams.

       Another consideration regarding whether a mother should be drinking the tea centres rather on the mother’s health and how that may impact on her embryo’s development. For example, gestational diabetes can have direct repercussions for the child including memory impairment.   https://www.babycenter.com/0_i-have-gestational-diabetes-how-will-it-affect-my-baby_10415148.bc            http://www.dana.org/Publications/Brainwork/Details.aspx?id=43695    The tea can have effectiveness with diabetes. 

       We strongly suggest that an expectant mother talks with her health care professional and do her own research. And above all else, the mother must be comfortable with her decision regarding whether or not to drink the tea because it is her call.