I'm having a heck of a time drinking all the water my OB wants me to drink. If I were to drink unsweetened, decaffeinated herbal tea, would that be counted toward my water intake? I know that some herbs are dangerous during pregnancy, so I plan to stick with the run-of-the-mill raspberry and orange spice varieties."

I consulted the opinions of two of my co-workers who are both Registered Dieticians. They agreed that tea should not be a substitute for good ole' H20. Juices and milk should be the replacement over tea, if you are trying to get the right amount of fluids during the day.

Juices and milk contain benefitial nutrients for you and your baby. Juices are a good source of carbohydrate -- the fuel we need to get energy. Milk supplies both carbohydrate and 8 grams of protein per 8 oz serving (regardless of what percent fat content it has). Of course, nothing replaces water, so try to drink it with your lunch and dinner, when it won't be so hard to stomach. I also think you should make sure it's ice cold, and try squeezing fresh lemon or lime into it to spruce up the taste.

The reason there is a ôcautionö sign trailing all herbal teas (not some) is because the herbs are not regulated by the FDA. That also goes for the popular Over-the-Counter herbs people are snatching up to help increase memory, increase muscle performance, etc. I don't think that it matters what type of herb you choose, it's the way it is produced that could be the problem. I do believe herbal tea every now and then probably won't hurt. Everyone's opinion is different regarding this issue. You will find those that tell you never to drink herbal teas while pregnant and those that disregard the warning all together. If you choose to be an occasional herbal tea drinker stick to the well known brand names, like Celestial Seasonings for example.