Tea for newborn

[tudorqueenie]

Hi all,
I am originally from Hungary and in Hungary, hospitals (and families) give "baby teas" (basically herbal teas) to newborns. They always do this when jaundice is an issue. As far as i am aware, giving tea is not suitable to babies under 6 months old. It can mess up their electrolyte & iron levels. My family keeps calling me stupid for not giving my baby tea (she has a bit of jaundice), and I keep telling them that it is unsafe. Am I right? Can someone point me to the direction of some reliable content I can show them? I'm sick of their arguments.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/weaning-and-feeding/drinks-and-cups-for-babies-and-young-children/

"'Baby' and herbal drinks: These usually contain sugars and are not recommended."

My family keeps calling me stupid

I think the issue runs deeper than tea. I wouldn't waste my time looking to justify your choices. I would sort out the issue of nasty family members.

Just ignore them as it isn't UK advice.

That said, my 2018 baby was given chamomile tea in NICU he was less than a day old.

Sorry forgot to add the important info: in Germany! So I think it is still done in some EU countries.

@elelel

My family keeps calling me stupid

I think the issue runs deeper than tea. I wouldn't waste my time looking to justify your choices. I would sort out the issue of nasty family members.

That is unfortunately very true.

It's your baby so you do it your way. My youngest was slightly jaundiced like many babies and medical advice was boiled cooled water to keep fluid levels up. It worked fine

@Georgeskitchen

It's your baby so you do it your way. My youngest was slightly jaundiced like many babies and medical advice was boiled cooled water to keep fluid levels up. It worked fine

Really? Interesting!

So gripe water, infacol etc all have various ingredients. Gripe waters seems to be largely sugar! I don't know the ingredients of the traditional teas your refer to.
I wouldn't give anything for jaundice. We were told to just hold him near a window in the winter!
But for digestion issues etc I can't see much difference between giving 2.5ml of camomile tea and 2.5 ml gripe water...
But as pp have said no one should be calling you stupid for your parenting decisions especially not family.

My family keeps calling me stupid for not giving my baby tea (she has a bit of jaundice), and I keep telling them that it is unsafe. Am I right?

It doesn't matter one hoot whether you are right (although you are!)

The issue is your family. The corect answer is:

'This is my baby and so it's my choice. Let's get one thing straight - if you think you get to try and tell me how to parent and call me stupid if I don't agree with you, then you won't be seeing MY baby - or me for that matter. Your choice. You parented your way, I'll be choosing my way - the only thing I ask of you is basic politeness and respect or you won't be around my child. Ok?'

Current NHS jaundice advice is just to feed as much milk as possible to flush the bilirubin out of the system. Nothing else no water or tea. Are you having support from HV or midwife about jaundice?

@Workin8til6

Current NHS jaundice advice is just to feed as much milk as possible to flush the bilirubin out of the system. Nothing else no water or tea. Are you having support from HV or midwife about jaundice?

Exactly. She's feeding on demand and I don't mind at all. She's peeing a lot. The midwife is coming back on Thursday to see if her levels got any better, if not, then she's sending us to hospital. I'm doing everything I can (breastfeeding as often as she wants), but I'm not going to give teas and stuff like that if that's not safe.

I would do exactly as you are doing. Fluid is important in flushing it out but if you give anything other than milk, they will possibly have less milk as a consequence. So milk it is! Excellent that she is peeing lots. Only thing I would suggest is to make sure you are well hydrated. Perhaps you could have the tea, will that do them?!

@SummerHouse

I would do exactly as you are doing. Fluid is important in flushing it out but if you give anything other than milk, they will possibly have less milk as a consequence. So milk it is! Excellent that she is peeing lots. Only thing I would suggest is to make sure you are well hydrated. Perhaps you could have the tea, will that do them?!

Exactly!! I'm drinking some breastfeeding tea, which is actually very very similar to the type of tea my family would give to newborns.

@BertieBotts

Just ignore them as it isn't UK advice.

That said, my 2018 baby was given chamomile tea in NICU he was less than a day old.

In the UK?

I think the issue with giving newborns fluids other than milk, is that it fills them up without giving them any calories. Which they need at that age.

Please do not feed your newborn anything other than breastmilk or formula.
While it was once acceptable to give babies water to keep them hydrated it is no longer recommended.

I found these links helpful when my baby was a newborn -

www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/when-can-babies-drink-water

www.healthline.com/health/baby/why-cant-babies-have-water
(the part about water intoxication being really dangerous and can harm your baby's kidney was a real eye opener!)

My Bubba also came out a bit jaundiced and our paediatrician just said to keep breastfeeding.

Your doing a great job OP keep doing what you're doing. My DM was always harping on about how her grandchild needed water. I ignored her and told her that 'my healthcare provider has recommended he doesn't need anything other than breastmilk and that is what I am going to do'.

OP the newborn stage is hard enough without everyone trying to give advice (Especially advice that is outdated and unsafe!), just remember you are the best mum for your baby, not anyone else

Hi OP

Congratulations on your baby.

I'm a HV. For jaundice we advise breastfeeding on demand and lots of sunlight. Sunlight breaks the bilirubin down so they can pass it in their urine easily.

Please, please, do not give your baby anything other than your breast milk, not even water.

In Germany it is given to babies but its usually Fenchel tee or Fennel tea Just plain tea / tea bag cooled without sugar . It also counteracts wind and colic in babies .Fennel tea is also recommended for breast feeding mothers to up their fluid intake and help to alleviate wind in the baby. I drank gallons of the stuff every day while breastfeeding .My kids didn't really like the tea though.Most german babies seem to love it!

@potatomylove

Please do not feed your newborn anything other than breastmilk or formula. While it was once acceptable to give babies water to keep them hydrated it is no longer recommended.

I found these links helpful when my baby was a newborn -

www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/when-can-babies-drink-water

www.healthline.com/health/baby/why-cant-babies-have-water
(the part about water intoxication being really dangerous and can harm your baby's kidney was a real eye opener!)

My Bubba also came out a bit jaundiced and our paediatrician just said to keep breastfeeding.

Your doing a great job OP keep doing what you're doing. My DM was always harping on about how her grandchild needed water. I ignored her and told her that 'my healthcare provider has recommended he doesn't need anything other than breastmilk and that is what I am going to do'.

OP the newborn stage is hard enough without everyone trying to give advice (Especially advice that is outdated and unsafe!), just remember you are the best mum for your baby, not anyone else

Thank you!! Very reassuring

@uhohspaghettiohh

Hi OP

Congratulations on your baby.

I'm a HV. For jaundice we advise breastfeeding on demand and lots of sunlight. Sunlight breaks the bilirubin down so they can pass it in their urine easily.

Please, please, do not give your baby anything other than your breast milk, not even water.

Thank you!! It's very helpful to read that what I've read on this topic is right.

@schnubbins

In Germany it is given to babies but its usually Fenchel tee or Fennel tea Just plain tea / tea bag cooled without sugar . It also counteracts wind and colic in babies .Fennel tea is also recommended for breast feeding mothers to up their fluid intake and help to alleviate wind in the baby. I drank gallons of the stuff every day while breastfeeding .My kids didn't really like the tea though.Most german babies seem to love it!

Yeah that's the type of tea they're referring to for sure. I find it very confusing how it's okay to do it there when it seems to be dangerous!

Lots of good advice here...my family are not from the UK and it is usual to give a kind of aniseed tea to babies. I didn't give any, just breastfed on demand and drank that and fennel tea. You sound like you're doing really well. The sun is out today, sit by a window and get some light onto her too x

Medical advice, particularly for babies, seems to change like the weather. Put baby to sleep on tummy. Don't put baby to sleep on tummy.
Give baby water. Don't give baby water.
When my 1st son was born in 1988 midwife told me that babies get thirsty as well as hungry. Give a small bottle of water periodically. I did and it harmed none of my children. My mum.told me that when my sister was born in 1967 it was recommended to start giving rusk in milk at 3 weeks old!!

Hi, it is a cultural issue, not one of right and wrong. As previous posters said in Germany and other countries, fennel tea (and some other herbs) are recommended for newborn babies and for establishing milk flow. Tea for babies is also used in hospital.
This tea has nothing to do with what used to be marketed as infant tea in the UK which was mainly sugar.
The baby tea on the continent is pure herbs in a teabag.
I used them on all my five when they were colicky or when it was hot and I am sure it worked.
Some things that are done /seen as normal re baby care would be seen as dangerous or bonkers in Germany or Hungary.
Do whatever feels right for you lending both your cultures.

As long theres no honey or sugar and its just herbal(camomile or fennel to help for gas or colics for example) and it is not used as a substitute for breastmilk theres really nothing wrong in baby tea. Your family shouldnt call you stupid but why dismiss entire generations experience? Theres nothing harmful in it.