Is Lemongrass Tea Safe While Breastfeeding? A Nursing Mom's Evidence-Based Guide

If you've poured yourself a cup of lemongrass tea and paused mid-sip wondering, "Wait — is this actually safe for my baby?" — you're asking the right question. Nursing moms get told to "watch what you eat and drink" approximately a thousand times, but the actual evidence on most herbal teas is messier than the advice suggests. Lemongrass sits squarely in that gray zone: traditionally used in nursing households across Africa, Asia, and Latin America for generations, but with surprisingly thin formal research backing it.

This guide walks through what the science actually says (and doesn't say), how much is reasonable, and the situations where you'd want to pause and check with your pediatrician or lactation consultant first.

The 60-second answer

• Culinary amounts of lemongrass (a few sprigs in soup, a sprinkle in a stir-fry) are widely considered safe during breastfeeding.
• Lemongrass tea in moderation — generally 1 to 3 cups a day — is what most nursing moms drink, and there are no documented infant-harm cases from this kind of use.
• Concentrated lemongrass supplements or essential oils are a different story — those should be avoided while nursing because safety data isn't established.
• Talk to your provider if you're on medications, your baby is premature, or your baby has any chronic condition.

What lemongrass actually is

Lemongrass (botanical name Cymbopogon citratus) is a tall, grassy plant native to South and Southeast Asia. The stalks contain natural compounds like citral, myrcene, and geraniol — the same kinds of plant chemicals that give lemons and roses their bright, citrusy scent. In traditional medicine systems from Ayurveda to West African herbalism, lemongrass has been brewed as a tea to ease digestion, calm nerves, and — in nursing households — to support healthy milk flow.

You'll find lemongrass in three main forms, and the safety picture is different for each:

• Fresh or dried stalks — what you cook with, and what gets steeped into tea bags. Low concentration of active compounds per serving.
• Lemongrass tea — typically 1 to 2 grams of dried herb per cup. The form most nursing moms ask about.
• Concentrated extracts and essential oils — much higher dose, far less safety data in nursing mothers. Generally avoided during breastfeeding.

So is lemongrass tea actually safe while breastfeeding?

The honest answer is: most evidence and traditional use suggests yes for moderate tea consumption, but formal clinical research is limited.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health's LactMed database — the gold standard reference for what's safe during breastfeeding — doesn't have a dedicated entry warning against lemongrass. When LactMed reviews herbal blends that include lemongrass as one of multiple ingredients, it's described as a minor component without standalone safety concerns.

The InfantRisk Center at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, founded by Dr. Thomas Hale (author of the widely cited reference Medications and Mothers' Milk), generally categorizes lemongrass in culinary and tea amounts as compatible with breastfeeding, while noting that concentrated forms haven't been adequately studied.

What "limited evidence" actually means in plain language:

• There are no published reports of infants being harmed by their mom's moderate lemongrass tea consumption.
• There are no large randomized clinical trials proving it's beneficial either — most of what we know is from generations of traditional use plus small observational studies.
• The very small amount of plant compounds that might transfer to breast milk would be diluted further, and lemongrass's active components (like citral) are also present in trace amounts in everyday foods like lemons and lemon peel.

How much is "moderate"?

Lactation consultants and herbalists typically suggest the following ranges as a reasonable starting point for healthy, full-term nursing mothers:

• 1 to 3 cups of lemongrass tea per day — brewed from standard tea-bag amounts (about 1 to 2 grams of dried herb per cup)
• Spread throughout the day rather than all at once
• Brewed fresh, not steeped for hours — over-steeping can concentrate the brew unnecessarily

If you're new to herbal teas, the smart move is to start with one cup a day for about a week and watch your baby's behavior — feeding, sleep, fussiness, diaper output. Babies sometimes show subtle responses to anything new in mom's diet, and a slow ramp lets you spot it early. If everything looks normal, you can comfortably move up to two or three cups.

For nursing moms looking for a blend that's already been balanced for daily use, Secrets of Tea's Lemongrass Lactation Tea combines organic lemongrass with chamomile and fennel — three herbs with long traditional use in nursing households — in tea-bag portions designed for routine daily brewing.

Does lemongrass actually help milk supply?

This is the question most moms really want answered, and here's where you'll want to manage expectations.

Lemongrass appears in many traditional "nursing tea" blends across cultures, and many moms report finding it a calming, hydrating part of their nursing routine. The plant is traditionally associated with calming properties in herbal practice, which may indirectly support a more relaxed nursing environment — and relaxation matters more for milk flow than most people realize, since stress can affect the let-down reflex.

That said, the formal research on lemongrass specifically as a galactagogue (a substance that increases milk supply) is thin. Most clinical studies have looked at fenugreek, blessed thistle, and goat's rue rather than lemongrass on its own. So if your goal is a dramatic supply boost, lemongrass is best understood as a gentle, supportive part of a broader nursing routine rather than a guaranteed supply solution.

What helps milk supply more reliably than any single tea:

• Frequent, effective nursing or pumping (every 2 to 3 hours in the early weeks)
• Staying well hydrated — yes, tea counts, but plain water matters too
• Adequate calorie intake (nursing burns about 450 to 500 extra calories per day)
• Rest, when realistically available
• Skin-to-skin contact, which supports the hormone cascade behind milk production

When to pause and check with your provider

There are a handful of situations where it's worth a quick conversation with your pediatrician, OB, or lactation consultant before adding lemongrass tea — or any herbal tea — to your daily routine:

• Your baby was born premature or has any chronic health condition — premature infants have less mature systems for processing anything that comes through breast milk, even in trace amounts.
• You're taking prescription medications — particularly blood thinners, blood sugar medications, or diuretics. Lemongrass has mild effects on these systems in some people.
• You have a known allergy to grasses or to plants in the same family (Poaceae) — including some citrus-scented plants.
• Your baby develops new symptoms after you start drinking it — increased fussiness, rash, changes in stool or feeding pattern. These could be unrelated, but a brief pause to confirm is reasonable.
• You're considering essential oil or concentrated extract forms rather than tea. These are higher-dose and don't have established safety profiles in nursing.

How to brew lemongrass tea for nursing

If you're working with whole dried lemongrass or bagged tea, the brewing approach matters more than most people realize:

1. Use about 1 to 2 grams of dried lemongrass (or one standard tea bag) per 8-ounce cup.
2. Pour just-boiled water over the herb and cover the cup or pot. Covering matters — many of lemongrass's volatile aromatic compounds evaporate with the steam if you leave it open.
3. Steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Shorter for a milder cup, longer for a stronger one. Longer than 10 minutes doesn't add much benefit and can introduce a faint bitter edge.
4. Strain (if using loose herb) and drink warm or iced. Honey or a slice of fresh ginger pairs nicely if you want to enhance the soothing quality.

A practical rhythm many nursing moms find sustainable: one cup with breakfast, one in the early afternoon, and skip the late-evening cup so it doesn't interfere with the short, precious sleep windows you actually get.

What about lemongrass and the baby's tummy directly?

A question that comes up often: if lemongrass is in mom's tea, does it help baby's digestion too? The honest answer is: probably not in any meaningful way through breast milk alone — the concentration that reaches baby is too low.

If you're specifically looking for gentle digestive support for your baby — colic, gas, fussiness after feeding — that's a separate conversation from what mom drinks. Some families ask their pediatrician about gentle herbal options for their baby; Babies Magic Tea is one example of an organic, caffeine-free blend traditionally used to support infant tummy comfort. Always consult your pediatrician before giving any herbal preparation to an infant.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drink lemongrass tea every day while breastfeeding?

For most healthy, full-term nursing mothers, daily moderate consumption (1 to 3 cups) is widely considered acceptable. If you're new to it, start with one cup a day for a week and observe how you and baby respond before increasing.

Does lemongrass tea increase milk supply?

Traditional use across many cultures suggests it may gently support nursing, and many moms report finding it helpful. However, formal clinical evidence for lemongrass specifically as a milk-boosting herb is limited. It's best thought of as part of a supportive routine alongside frequent nursing, hydration, and rest.

Are there teas I should definitely avoid while breastfeeding?

Yes — sage, peppermint (in large amounts), parsley, and jasmine tea are commonly flagged for potentially reducing milk supply. Black, green, and white teas all contain caffeine, which transfers in small amounts to breast milk. When in doubt, check the LactMed database or ask a lactation consultant.

Is lemongrass essential oil safe to use while nursing?

Essential oils are highly concentrated and don't have established safety data for nursing mothers. The general guidance is to avoid ingesting lemongrass essential oil during breastfeeding, and to be cautious with topical use as well. Stick to tea or culinary forms.

How is lemongrass tea different from a "lactation tea"?

Lactation teas are usually blends — lemongrass plus other traditionally used herbs like fennel, fenugreek, blessed thistle, or chamomile. A pure lemongrass tea is just one ingredient. Blended lactation teas combine multiple supportive herbs for a more comprehensive approach; pure lemongrass tea is gentler and lets you taste exactly what you're drinking.

The bottom line

If you're a healthy nursing mom drinking one to three cups of moderately brewed lemongrass tea per day, you're well within what generations of mothers worldwide and what current safety references consider reasonable. The bigger asterisks are around concentrated forms (skip the essential oil and high-dose extracts), specific medical situations, and premature or medically complex babies — all of which warrant a quick check with your provider.

And give yourself credit for asking the question in the first place. The fact that you paused to look this up is exactly the kind of thoughtful instinct that serves you well for the next eighteen years of decisions about what to put in your body and your baby's. A cup of well-brewed tea isn't going to make or break anything — but the habit of looking things up before you sip will.