Raspberry Leaf Tea

[typhoonsmum]

Read an article in "I'm Pregnant" about Raspberry leaf tea helping with labour. It states you can start drinking it from 30 weeks but when I looked it up on the internet one site said not to try it till 36 weeks.
Has anyone any experience with Raspberry Leaf Tea/Extract. Good/Bad
Also couldn't find any in Tesco this afternoon so got Raspberry and Echinechea. I was looking in the herbal tea section.

[emwad]

I drank it with all 3 of my DC from approx 34 weeks. It has to be the natural tea leaves, not Twinnings (I made that mistake). You can get it from most health food shops or online for example here I wasn't late with any of mine and my friend is a midwife and swears by it for an earlier and easier birth. Don't know how true that is though. Good luck.

[DaisysGotABigBump]

Hi Typhoonsmum...you'll need to go to a heath food shop for it, like Holland and Barrett or smaller independant. It's pretty gagging stuff, but it is available in tablet form which I've been taking since 36 weeks.

If you need proof of its magic...look at all the April birth stories. they were all partaking and there are some remarkably short labours on there. It apparently makes the uterus work more efficiently thereby speeding up the dilation process!

Good Luck

[sar123]

It needs to be pure raspberry leaf tea - not raspberry the fruit which is what you bought in Tesco. I drank loads of the stuff and it made no difference (was 2 weeks late, induced etc) but other people swear by it.

[typhoonsmum]

I'm only 30 weeks at the moment so I'll use up the tesco stuff and get the proper stuff nearer the time. Can't do me any harm at the mo. Was two weeks late with DD and don't fancy being pregnant in August. Mid to late July will do me.

[typhoonsmum]

It says only three cups a day. What would happen if you overdosed. If you drank more that 3 cups or took the tablets with the tea.

[bohemianbint]

Hello,

no one seems to be able to agree when to start drinking it. I had a cup at around 33 weeks but then had loads of contractions which scared me witless, so I didn't risk it again til around 36 weeks. I drank a lot of it, a few cups a day every day, and my first labour was cracking, took about 4 hours and was brillian. Suppose there's no way to prove that the tea was partly responsible but I'll definitely be drinking it again next time.

Oh, and lots of people seem not to like it, I thought it was quite nice but you can have it as iced tea which is also quite nice in teh summer.

Good luck!

[DaisysGotABigBump]

Not sue on that one, but as far as I'm aware, it doesn't actually induce labour, rather makes your labour more efficient. Maybe you'd be spitting bubba out if you OD'd on the stuff . I'd stick with the recommended dose though as herbs are rather potent things!

[DaisysGotABigBump]

oops...I mean not sure

[LittleEgg]

I started drinking the tea at about 36 weeks I think, and had 2 cups a day, I also took the tablets from 38 weeks and I had a nice easy 4 hour labour, two days before I was due. My sis has taken just the tablets with all three of her pregnancies, and all three children have been a few days early and easy labours. Coincidence or not I am taking them again and drinking the tea with my next baby when it happens!

[lulumama]

anecdotally, it does help

i drank the tea at least twice a day from 36 weeks......had DD on her due date, 3 1/4 hours from 3 cm to holding her ! VBAC too

tablets are stronger than the tea, so follow the directions

also, it does not induce labour, but is a tonic for the uterus, to make contractions more efficient, thereby shortening the labour

can be drunk during labour too help, with a spoon of honey for energy, and afterwards to help uterus contract back down

[Katy44]

I had the tablets and drank as much of the tea as I fancied (I quite liked it too). I was 4 days late, but did have a short labour (if labour is actually the bit when you're in hospital).
I was thinking about this today, it's hard to know if it helped, as I have no way of knowing it wouldn't have been like that anyway, but it certainly didn't seem to do any harm.

[Nbg]

I drank the stuff religiously from 36 weeks.

Ds was 10 days late with countless false starts before then.

I only had a 6 hour labour though.

[GColdtimer]

I did too. Although I was 2 weeks late and had to be induced my labour (once it got going) was 5 hours 1st stage, 17mins second so I probably will do it again next time around! My mw as convinced it was down to the tea.

As others have said, get it from a health food shop.

Good luck!

[smittenkitten]

you can buy the capsules from holland and barrett. my partner took them religiously from 36 weeks and only had a 5 hour labour and DS is our first child. midwife couldn't believe it!

[Katy44]

just out of curiosity, what do people class as labour?
I had contractions for just under 2 days, but went from 9cm dilated to ds being born in 2 hrs 35

[lulumama]

established labour is from 3 cm dilated.....

before that it doesn;t count , well, not to the hospitals anyway....

contractions that last around a minute, and are frequent and regular are usually a good sign!

[Katy44]

i was in labour for about 20 seconds then!
(regular contractions - you may remember my dilemma )
Don't know about the 3cm thing, but i remember mw asking me something, how long had they hurt? i guessed since 12, so was in 1st stage for abt 4 hours, 2nd for about an hour and a half
Thanks for clearing that up for me

[Lmccrean]

According to my midwife it can induce labour in some people, but then she also said it was the teas fault I had to have a c-section!

[Katy44]

Why was that?

[sunshineandshowers]

Being 36w I am keen to get going with these. I have just had a look on H&B and there are two tablets. Which are the right ones to get?

1. Raspberry Leaf Extract Tablets (640mg)

1. Raspberry Leaves 400. mg. Tablets.

[purpleduck]

ok, I got my information from a herbalist who knew his stuff!!! I took Raspberry leaf tea through out both my pregnancies beginning at 12 weeks or so. I began with a weak cup, and increased gradually. During the last month I would have a few strong cups a day. It is rich in minerals like magnesium which help your muscles stretch and contract, it doesn't neccesarily bring on labour.
With my son, I did have a long labour, but I did not need stitches, and my uterus went back to normal very quickly (the midwife was shocked!!). With my second I had a short labour, again did not tear, and again my uterus snapped back quickly. I hardly got any stretchmarks, which was worth gagging the stuff down for 6 months!!! Actually, its not bad if you let it cool, then just neck it!!! I would avoid the hard capsules as they don't always absorb very well. Also, the actual process of making the tablets is not the best thing for preserving the ingredients in it iyswim. Tea is the best.
If you want more advice, I'd go to a herbalist - that is their area of specialty after all. Good luck

[purpleduck]

Oh yeah, there is (was?) a place called "Napiers" and they used to have an advice line which is manned by herbalists.

[JennsterSlugSlayer]

Hi Typhoonsmum! I had an 8 hour labour for my first, born a day early having taken the tablets and/or capsules at the maximum dose from 34. Was at home though so that probably had something to do with it.

Now if inducing labour is something you're interested in, then nipple stimulation (don't laugh) was good for me. Couldn't do it for nearly as long as you were meant to coz it hurt too much.

[beckmo]

I was going to post a similar question about raspberry leaf today as I'm also confused about the difference between the 2 forms of tablets and how much tea should be drunk. Also was told yesterday not to take teh tablets as tea works better but told the opposite last week.

Think I'll just keep drinking it when I feel like it and lay off the tablets as I'm not sure of dosage or which ones to take -and am I the only one who thinks it tastes lovely?!