Can My Baby Drink Tea?
Oct 18th, 2008 by Christine
We occasionally hear from parents who wonder whether or not it is safe for their babies to drink tea – so we thought we’d post about this subject today and take a look at why tea is NOT generally recommended for infants.
The simple fact is that tea hinders the body’s absorption of iron.
That’s because tea contains ‘polyphenols’ – compounds that bind with the iron in your little one’s intestines.
An adequate iron intake is crucial to your baby’s healthy growth and development. The body uses it to make hemoglobin, which supplies oxygen to the body’s cells. It gives red blood cells their colour (which is why iron deficiency anemia is often characterized by paleness of the skin).
In addition, iron is required for the proper development and function of the brain - and iron deficiency in infancy can cause long term learning problems.
Learn more about iron deficiency – and how to avoid it – here
So Is Herbal Tea Safe For Babies?
In some parts of the world, herbal teas are given to babies as they are believed to help soothe certain digestive problems, such as colic.
However, the benefits of giving herbal teas to babies have never been medically proven.
What’s more, experts believe that herbal teas, too, may interfere with your baby’s absorption of iron. They may also contain ‘hidden’ sugars, used to disguise the natural bitterness of the herbs – which could lead to dental decay and cause your baby’s tummy to feel ‘full’. In turn, this may lead him to refuse his breast milk or formula – potentially leading to malnutrition.
It is also important to remember that not ALL herbs are safe for babies – whilst chamomile may be gentle and cause no problems, other herbs may be potentially harmful. If you DO decide to give your baby herbal tea, please check with your doctor first.
Remember, too, that babies of less than 6 months of age do not usually require ANY supplemental fluids.
Breast milk or formula contains enough water to quench your baby’s thirst and also provide the full range of nutrients your little one needs. The exception may be if your baby requires a little water or juice to help ease constipation – but you should always speak to your doctor first.
Do you give YOUR baby tea – herbal or otherwise? Has tea ever been recommended to you by a medical professional?
Please share your comments and opinions below!
I’ve occasionally given my daughter peppermint tea when she’s congested or chamomile when she’s tired but not sleepy (if you know what I mean). Now that she’s a bit older, she has sips of whatever I’m drinking as long as it’s not alchoholic, and I think would drink her daddy’s black tea all the time. Of course, he puts almost enough sugar in it to classify as candy, so I’m not surprised!
Im living in Moldova in Eastern Europe at the moment and they have teas especially for children. You can buy ones to give a child from 1 week old. There are special ones for constipation or to help a baby sleep.
In the summer my daughter would some times refuse plain water so I would give her tea and she drank it no problem but I wont give her my black tea because of the effect on Iron obsorbtion.
Hmm…when I read the above about herbal tea not being recommended it got me thinking. I mean my mother gave us Redbush or “Rooibos” tea. Now I’m not sure if this would also rob my little one of iron. I wanted to give him peppermint tea, but before doing so stumbled upon this site. I have no idea how to relieve him from his dry cough which begun a few days ago. It always seems worse at night. Well, perhaps I could always place a few tea bags to the bath water.
Hi every1.
There is an organic baby food company that makes teas especially for babies and children it is Hipp this is the website in the Uk http://www.hipp.co.uk. I can only find fennal tea on this site but I have bought others in Moldova where I am living. You might be able to contact them and ask about a peppermint tea for your baby when they are congested. On the package I have it said it was made in austria so maybe the austrian factory makes more teas. I am originally from Ireland and I know that they do not sell the teas there but do sell the food and juices.
Good luck finding a tea that you are happy to give your child.
Oh and I forgot to add that the fennal tea is good for babies that get constipated easily.
Thanks for the advise Sabine! I’m living in Germany and I’ve seen the fennel tea in a number of supermarkets. Had loads when I was in hospital. Many midwives believe that Fennel tea help the production of milk. Sadly in my case Fennel tea didn’t make a difference in helping my milk production. I think Germans believe in their tea cause you can find a tea literally for any ailment. It doesn’t surprise me that the tea comes from Austria! I’ll check out the Hipp site! Thanks for the tip!
[...] Can my baby drink tea? [...]
There is a great herbal baby tea available now in the UK: It is called Neuner’s Baby Stomach Ease Tea. It is an organic, sugar-free herbal blend with fennel, camomile and aniseed. It is especially for babies and can be given from the 1st week on . It will help to relieve colic and wind. It was really a lifesaver for my little daughter when she suffered from constipation.
You can get more information here http://www.immergruen.co.uk/index.htm
Hope that information is useful.
MY MOM WAS GIVING MY BABY .25 ML OF ROSEMARY TEA FOR HIS FUSSINESS AND CRYING IS THAT SAFE?
It’s a good idea to double check with your doctor to be on the safe side. It’s only a small amount – however, given on a regular basis it may still have the potential to affect baby’s iron absorption.
Hi there,
my daughter suffered from constipation, colic and wind when she was about 3 month old. I gave my her little amounts of Neuners Baby Stomach Ease herbal tea before and after every feed. It was calming and relaxing for her and I do not think that it had any bad side effects at all. She is still drinking it now that she is a toddler. I have to say I do prefer this to any kind of juices as the herbal tea is sugar-free.