The Best Postpartum Teas and Drinks to Sip On for Healing
The early postpartum days are a blur of milk-stained shirts, cozy baby snuggles, and figuring out your new normal. But amid the chaos, there’s one ritual that has grounded me more than anything else: my nighttime tea.
I’m recently postpartum myself, and those moments when my toddler is asleep, baby is down for her first stretch, and I finally sink into the couch with a warm mug… it feels like exhaling for the first time that day. Yes, it soothes the soul—but certain teas and warm beverages can also do far more than comfort. They can genuinely support your body’s healing.
Hydration plays a major role in postpartum recovery, from aiding digestion (umm hi, first postpartum bowel movement), calming inflammation, to supporting milk supply, to helping your body recalibrate fluid balance. Warm drinks specifically have been used in postpartum care across cultures for centuries because they help circulation, digestion, and internal healing.
All the beverages listed here are considered safe for breastfeeding and offer gentle, nourishing support during your recovery. So settle in with your favorite mug and keep reading for the best postpartum teas and beverages you can drink during this time.
photo credit: Jessica Mangano
Why Hydration Matters So Much Postpartum
Whether you had a vaginal birth or a C-section, your body has a significant healing journey ahead of it. Fluids shift dramatically, hormones fluctuate, and your nutritional needs are higher than ever.
Staying hydrated helps:
Support milk production
Improve digestion and bowel movements
Replenish fluids lost during birth
Enhance circulation and healing
Keep energy levels up
Soothe the nervous system
Aim for 80–100 ounces per day (10–12 cups), including water and the healing drinks below.
Pro tip: Be sure to pack a few of these in your hospital bag for some instant boosts post-birth! Those first warm sips after birth are magic.
Healing beverages to drink during postpartum recovery
While water will always be an excellent choice for hydration, sometimes you’re craving something a bit more soothing and warm. Here are my favorite beverages to sip on during postpartum
Red Raspberry
Red Raspberry Leaf tea for postpartum recovery has been celebrated by midwives for centuries for its uterine-toning properties. Since your uterus has to contract back down from watermelon-size to pear-size after birth, it can use all the help it can get! Plus, it’s loaded with antioxidants that support healing.
Ginger tea
So warming, anti-inflammatory, and an excellent digestive aid, ginger is one of the best postpartum foods to include in your diet—and tea is such an easy way to do it.
Moringa tea
Known as the “miracle tree” for its nutrient and antioxidant content and healing properties, moringa stands out as a true postpartum star. It’s been clinically shown to act as a galactagogue (milk booster), with studies showing an average increase of 400 mL—or over 10 ounces!—in milk supply with moringa supplementation. I’ve been loving this moringa tea from Republic of Tea to help keep my milk supply strong.
Turmeric tea
The ultimate anti-inflammatory food—so warming and soothing—turmeric tea is a wonderful addition to your daily routine. This Honey Chai Turmeric tea from Yogi is a great choice.
Dandelion tea
Dandelion tea is one of my favorite postpartum staples—not just because many moms swear it gives a gentle boost to milk supply, but because it’s incredibly supportive of your liver.
After pregnancy, your body is clearing out a surge of hormones, shifting fluid balances, and recalibrating digestion. Dandelion is a natural bitter that helps stimulate bile flow and support the liver’s detox pathways, which can ease that “postpartum sluggish” feeling and support more balanced hormones in the weeks after birth.
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is a nervine, meaning it can sooth your nervous system in those chaotic postpartum times. A bonus is that, anecdotally, it can help ease digestive discomfort for your breastfed baby.
Broths
Broths are the triple threat of postpartum recovery—easy to digest, warm and comforting, and (especially in the case of bone broth) packed with amino acids essential for tissue repair and gut health. I was seriously planning the logistics of bringing my own bone broth to my birth when my best friend sent me these instant packets in my final weeks of pregnancy—they were such a blessing to have right after birth.
Coconut water
Naturally rich in potassium for electrolyte balance, coconut water is a super hydrating choice. Add a pinch of real salt for your own natural “Gatorade.” I don’t drink caffeinated coffee, and I swear this gives me so much energy on those mornings when I wake up and just can’t.
Teas to skip if breastfeeding
Teas you may want to skip postpartum if you are breastfeeding:
Peppermint tea
Licorice
Lemon balm
Sage
These can negatively affect milk supply and potentially affect baby as well. Licorice is notoriously included in tea blends so be sure to read your labels carefully.
photo credit: Parker Johnson
Sip, Soothe, and Support Your Healing
Postpartum healing isn’t just about what you eat—it’s also about what you drink. Warm, healing teas and broths offer nourishment, hydration, and a sense of grounding comfort during a time when your body is working overtime.
Whether it’s a mug of chamomile during the witching hour or a thermos of bone broth during a long cluster-feeding stretch, these small rituals matter. And they support not just physical healing, but emotional recovery too.
Now that you have what to drink covered, be sure to check out my post on the best foods to eat for postpartum recovery. And if you need to take all the guesswork about what to eat—grab my free 3-day postpartum recovery meal plan to best support yourself with easy one handed and freezer-friendly meals.
