Is safe to drink kombucha while pregnant?

Even I found myself asking this. I am an avid kombucha drinker and have been for many years, but still...when I found out I was pregnant, I began questioning everything I put into my body, including kombucha.

The short answer is YES. Kombucha is generally safe to drink while pregnant. There is nothing specific to kombucha that would make it unsafe to drink during pregnancy, but always consult your doctor if you have any questions or are concerned. They will ultimately be your source of health information during this time.

A second point - although kombucha is healthy and safe for pregnant women, pregnancy is not the time to try something new. If you haven't tried kombucha before and you didn't eat a high fermented diet pre-pregnancy, pregnancy is probably not the time to try to rebalance your gut. Introducing probiotics and fermented foods into an unbalanced gut can cause stomach aches & excessive bathroom trips. While good to go through under normal conditions, not really a welcome feeling for pregnant women. So leave any major lifestyle changes until after baby is born.

Now, onto my advice, experience & geeky deets.

My best advice is to listen to your own body. If you go for a smell or a taste and you don't like it - listen to your gut! It's there for a reason and is great at letting you know when something feels right or wrong.

While you're pregnant, your body goes through so many changes, some being your taste and appetite. I was pretty worried that like almost every other part of my diet, my body would reject kombucha. During my first trimester, I had a hard time eating anything more than a bit of plain toast, noodles and water. Almost everything made me queasy - even just the thought of certain food was too much to bear. So I was sure something as punchy as kombucha would do the same. I was pleasantly surprised that kombucha somehow slipped through the cracks and my body was still happy to drink it. Kombucha has been my constant companion through this pregnancy, and I am so thankful for it. Many days, I felt like my homebrews were the best nutrients I was able to give to baby without making myself sick. So for me & my pregnancy, kombucha was a great staple.

Kombucha is an amazing probiotic drink and is packed full of great bacteria to keep your biome bountiful & energized. While you're pregnant, your soft tissues slow down - including your intestinal tract. This slows the movement of food through your body to help maximise nutrient absorption. Like many things with pregnancy, many changes are for the benefit of baby, but not always of mom. This slowed digestive process leaves many women feeling constipated throughout their pregnancy. Kombucha can be a great aid to help alleviate these symptoms. 

In addition, there are studies that show baby's taste buds begin developing in the womb. They taste the tastes you do. So the more diverse foods and flavours you incorporate into your diet while you're pregnant, the better-developed baby's palate will be when they're born & the more open they will be to trying all sorts of healthy foods.

 Key Take-Aways

~ Consult your doctor

~ Kombucha is generally safe to drink during pregnancy.

~ Don't make any drastic lifestyle changes during pregnancy, you have enough changes going on!

~ Trust your gut! It feels right, it's right!

If you like drinking kombucha and it makes you feel good DRINK UP!

Ultimately, the better & happier you feel, the better & happier baby will feel.