You have a warm cup of chamomile tea when you have trouble sleeping or want to relax. But can chamomile tea for babies work the same way? Though it has relaxing and soothing properties, you may want to know in detail before you give it to your little one. Infusing this popular home remedy in your baby’s cup could help control colic and ease fussiness, but does it have other benefits? Keep reading this post as we tell you how safe chamomile tea is for babies, its side effects, and more.
What Is Chamomile Tea?
Chamomile tea is an herbal infusion made with dry chamomile flowers and hot water (1). The chamomile plant is commonly found in Europe and comes in two varieties: German chamomile and Roman chamomile (2). The US Food and Drug Administration has categorized chamomile as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) for use in food. Although there is no data available on the safety of chamomile in nursing mothers or infants, it is safely used for infants. However, there might be a rare risk of sensitization (3). Therefore, you need to talk to your pediatrician before using chamomile tea for your baby.
When Can Babies Have Chamomile Tea?
Chamomile tea could be given to babies aged six months or older (4). It is considered safe after the baby is a year old, when you can also introduce other foods and the chance of food allergies is less (5). Babies under the age of six months should only have breast milk. In any case, do NOT introduce chamomile tea without consulting your pediatrician or a pediatric dietitian. If you get the go-ahead, you may introduce it in small amounts.
How Much Chamomile Tea Can A Baby Have?
For the first dose, you could stick to 0.5oz (15ml). If the baby accepts it well, then you can start giving 1oz (30ml) of tea per dose whenever the baby has colic, fussiness, gastric discomfort, and other conditions that are considered to be relieved by chamomile tea. A study has found that about 5oz (147ml) of herbal tea per dose displayed the maximum benefit to the baby (6). However, it is best to choose a smaller quantity. About 2-3oz (60-90ml) of chamomile tea per day (24 hours) is considered safe to use and could be beneficial too. In any case, your baby’s doctor could suggest the ideal dosage of this tea for the baby.
Benefits Of Chamomile Tea For Babies
Chamomile tea could provide the following benefits to an infant:
1. Could subdue colic and fussiness
Studies have found that chamomile tea could help control colic in infants. However, clinical trials supporting this claim are limited (4). In some studies, regular use of the tea has shown to control chronic colic. It was also found that babies who tend to be fussy also felt better after the consumption of chamomile tea. However, it is not known how chamomile works on these conditions.
2. Could aid in sleep
In traditional medicine, chamomile extract has been used to treat sleep problems. Both oral and topical application of chamomile has shown to have calming effects that help induce sleep (1). Thus, its use may prove to be useful in cases where the infant has a disturbed sleep schedule. However, there are limited clinical studies to support the proposed benefit.
3. Works as a digestive relaxant
Traditionally, chamomile tea has been used to treat digestive issues. It is believed that chamomile has several bioactive compounds that could help relax the digestive tract, thus aiding in digestion (1). Chamomile tea is considered to provide relief from stomach cramps as well (7).
4. Aids in relieving common cold symptoms
Chamomile tea is considered to relieve upper respiratory discomfort caused due to common cold and cough. Giving your baby some chamomile tea during cold could help in making breathing easier. It might also help in stimulating the immune system to fight off the viral infection (9).
5. Has anti-inflammatory properties
Chamomile has been found to have antioxidant properties (8). This property could be useful when the baby suffers from an inflammatory skin condition such as a sunburn or diaper rash. It is owing to the same property that chamomile tea is also believed to be helpful in reducing inflammation and irritation of the gums during teething (9).
6. Possibly ease some medical conditions
As per the folklore and traditional medicine practices, chamomile tea is believed to reduce the intensity of some gastrointestinal tract conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux (GER). However, clinical studies supporting the belief are limited. Please note that there isn’t enough research on the benefits of chamomile tea for adults, let alone infants. So, take the advice of your baby’s pediatrician on giving chamomile tea to your baby. Also, if you are using chamomile for the baby, you need to be careful while buying it.
How To Purchase Chamomile Tea For Babies?
Here is how you can pick the best chamomile tea for your baby: Babies below the age of 12 months are most at risk of botulism since their natural intestinal bacterial floral cannot overpower the Clostridium bacteria (10). After the first year, the baby’s intestines have enough good bacteria to compete with harmful bacteria. Nevertheless, avoid using loose chamomile tea for babies. Once you buy the tea from the right source, you need to prepare it right. Let’s see how to do it.
How To Prepare Chamomile Tea For Babies?
Follow these steps to make chamomile tea for babies: But before you give chamomile tea to your baby, it is good to know about its side-effects.
Are There Any Side-Effects Of Chamomile Tea For Infants?
Yes. Like any other food item, chamomile tea could have side-effects. The following are the possible side-effects in babies:
1. Food allergy:
A baby can be allergic to chamomile tea. Symptoms include skin hives, nausea, vomiting, swelling of the face, and immense lethargy. Severe allergy causes a condition called anaphylactic shock, where the symptoms multiply (11). Take your baby to a doctor if you suspect an allergic reaction to chamomile tea. Chamomile might also have the possibility of cross-reactivity with echinacea, feverfew, milk thistle, and other members of the aster family. So, if your baby is allergic to any one of these, then the chances of allergy to chamomile are higher, too.
2. Reaction to medicines:
Chamomile may react with some drugs, including antifungal drugs. So if your baby is on some medication, then double-check with the doctor before giving chamomile tea to the baby (12).
3. Reaction to other food items:
Chamomile may react with other food items consumed by the infant. It can react with other plants within the same botanical family as chamomile, such as the sunflower (13). So be extra careful when you want to give chamomile to the baby.
4. May complicate some medical conditions:
If your baby suffers from some congenital problems, then chamomile may complicate the disease. For example, if your baby has congenital type-1 diabetes, then chamomile may cause a drastic dip in blood sugar, causing hypoglycemia, which can be harmful to the baby. Check with the pediatrician before giving chamomile tea to your baby, especially if the baby is on medication or has a congenital health issue. Have you tried chamomile tea for your baby? Tell us about it in the comments section.
