It's the little things that make a big difference!

We all know how amazing it is being pregnant and welcoming your brand new baby into the world. It can also be pretty overwhelming at times too. So anything we can do to help is always gratefully received!

Anyone who has visited the studio recently knows that with all my experiences, but particularly my Little Bean and Teeny Weeny Perfect Newborn experiences, you get a goodie bag to take home with you.

I was so excited when I first heard about HotTea Mama and the fantastic selection of teas they offer, all designed to help support women's wellness. I was even more excited to be able to add some of these teas to my goodie bags. The feedback from my clients has been so positive. I can also add that I absolutely love them too.....and I'm not a tea drinker!

To give you some more information about their fab selection of teas, I asked Bethan from HotTea Mama to write a blog for me to share here, all about their teas and what they can do.

So grab a cuppa, sit back, and enjoy learning more about HotTea Mama and their fantastic selection of teas!

HotTea Mama - teas for each trimester of your pregnancy

Your body changes so much through pregnancy, it needs to be nourished and nurtured in the right way, at the right time, and tea can be a great way to naturally do this. 

We were inspired to set up HotTea Mama as the generic ‘pregnancy teas’ available just weren’t doing what we needed them to. So hopefully explaining why we picked certain herbs and flowers for our teas can help support you.

There are also a few herbs and teas that you need to avoid at any point in your pregnancy. 

• Firstly, make sure you limit your caffeine to a maximum 200mg per day. This level is completely safe according to the NHS guidelines and is the equivalent of 1 cup of coffee and 1 cup of black tea.
• Avoid liquorice if you’re at risk of preeclampsia or have high blood pressure. It is put into many fruit and herbal blends but will raise your blood pressure and can put you at risk.
• Raspberry leaf – only drink this from 32 weeks on – it is often put in ‘pregnancy tea’ but the NHS says not to drink until your third trimester as studies suggest it makes uterine muscles contract slightly and strengthens them. But you don’t want your uterine muscles to be impacted early in pregnancy.

First trimester

Morning Sickness relief – if you suffer from morning sickness (or all day sickness) during pregnancy, you are not alone. Hopefully it passes soon, but to support yourself, anti-inflammatory herbs can help ease sickness. Our Morning Rescue tea is full of these - ginger contains gingerols which reduce inflammation and have been shown in studies with chemotherapy patients to reduce nausea during treatment. Citrals in lemon-y herbs work in the same way – lemongrass, lemon balm and lemon verbena all contain them and can help ease nausea.

Second trimester

You may feel amazing in your second trimester, but it isn’t guaranteed. If you’re missing the elusive pregnancy ‘glow’ that you were promised, our Get Up & Glow tea can help give you a boost. With grapes as the base, it is a great alternative to a second coffee. 

Third trimester

Prepare for labour with our Final Push raspberry leaf tea. Raspberry leaf has been used for millennia to help prepare the body for labour, with studies showing it contains an active ingredient called fragerine. Fragerine stimulated uterine muscles slightly to tone and strengthen them, and small scale studies show that those who take raspberry leaf in their final trimester had a shorter second stage of labour (where you push) and fewer intervenetions (use of forceps) in birth. There are not negative outcomes in drinking raspberry leaf, so whilst the results can’t be guaranteed, there’s no harm in trying!

Fourth trimester

Whilst you aren’t pregnant anymore, the fourth trimester is still extremely challenging and tea can help support your body if you plan to breastfeed or just need a little sleep support.

Milk’s Up breastfeeding tea contains ingredients called galactagogues which are natural herbs that have been used to support milk supply for millennia. Fenugreek and fennel have the most research behind them, and have been shows in small scale studies to help increase milk supply and fat content in those who drank it.  3 cups a day is also a great way to stay hydrated while helping your supply.

Night Owl calming tea can help ease anxiety and support sleep, which can be in short supply with a newborn baby around. The herbs and flowers selected have been chosen for their anxiolytic benefits (easing symptoms of anxiety) and have also been linked to improving sleep. Chamomile flowers and lavender include linalool which is hugely calming, and valerian root has been shown to be more effective than a sedative in one sleep study!

Newborn Wonder is a blend of high caffeine white tea (c. 90mg of caffeine per cup) and rosebuds. It can give you a lift when you need it most but is more gentle than a coffee – this is because it includes theanine, which is a natural relaxant and gives the tea a slow release effect of caffeine.

So pick the right tea for the right time – they’re all delicious so can be enjoyed long after the specific trimester you need, but they should be able to give you a boost when you need it.

Look out for your HotTea Mama samples in your goodie bags!

I think you'll agree, there is a tea for every stage of your pregnancy there. They also offer teas for other stages a woman's life too. If you would like any more information do have a look at the HotTea Mama website. For anyone who is visiting the studio for a Little Bean or Teeny Weeny Perfect Newborn experience, look out for your tea samples too.