Raspberry leaf tea

[Sweetpea86]

Does it bring on labour or is it another wives tale. I'm only 35 weeks so not going to drink any of it yet but would give it a go.

[ithoughtofitfirst]

Hi me again! Lol

I drank shitloads of it from 36 and went 40+12. I was gutted too cause i spent a bastard fortune on them.

Get a madras down you when you're 40 weeks. That's what kicked mine off.

Mind you everyone is different and a bit of tea can't hurt!

[KLou1105]

Raspberry leaf tea is not supposed to bring on labor just softens the cervix ready for labor, and I think is supposed to speed up 2nd stage of labor, I've been taking the RL capsules since 34 weeks started on 1 a day now I'm on 4 a day at 37+2

[LavenderFox]

The theory is that it makes your body more ready to respond to labour hormones, and helps avoid a prolonged latent phase of labour (which often is the make-or-break part for most). It doesn't do anything to stimulate the labour to start as such. Home birthers drink it in labour to avoid slow progress which might cause a hospital transfer to be necessary.

[ThursdayLast]

Didn't make a damn bit of difference to me.

[gamerchick]

no... raspberry leaf is to make for a shorter pushing stage. That is all.

it does not do anything else but that.

[Sweetpea86]

Oh I don't no were I heard it brings on labour then lol.

Will give it a try still shorter pushing stage sounds good to me.

[NancyJones]

It helps soften your cervix and supposedly helps it work more efficiently during labour. It doesn't bring on labour although I think you're still advised not to take it before 34wks.

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

Yes, it's a uterine topic aimed at making contractions effective. Theory is it makes the pushing stage shorter. Nowt to do with starting labour.

Nothing induces labour. Curry, walking, sex, pineapple etc. They are old wives' tales. Of course you can find women who had sex at 41 weeks pregnant and 'went into labour 6 hours later'. But they were 41 weeks pregnant, probably did 100 other things in that 6 hours and didn't associate labour starting with that and hundreds of other women will have sex and not go into labour. It's coincidence, no more, no less. Only chemical induction will start labour, otherwise it happens when it happens.

[Slh122]

I drank it religiously (about 5 or 6 cups a day) from about 34 weeks onward and DS was born at 38+5 after a 50 minute labour and 10 minutes of pushing. Have no idea if the tea helped but I'll definitely be trying it again should I have another!

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

I drink raspberry leaf tea anyway as I like it (have it mixed with nettle tea usually). I eased off in pregnancy until 34 weeks and then went back to drinking it regularly. I was in labour for 31hrs and 38hrs respectively. Pushing stage with dc1 was 8hrs, with dc2 I'd had an emcs before getting to that stage. I don't think bathing in the blooming stuff would have helped tbh! I'm just crap at labour.

[YokoUhOh]

I drank it from far too early on in my pregnancy and DS was born at 38 weeks. Contractions started at about 7.30pm and he was here at 3.40am. Totally unscientific, of course :)

[Sweetpea86]

Yeah the only one that's suppose to be true (my hubby says) is sex. I don't care if it was a garenteed thing I'm not falling for it lol

He seems very set on helping any way he can :p

Think I will give the raspberry tea a go for help with labour I'm 35 weeks so will maybe start next week

[GingerMaman]

I drank it and had baby three days before due date, and was my 1st too. I think it might helped with speeding up 1st stage of labour, mine was only three hours thankfully.

[NancyJones]

Raxa, I actually think you're wrong to include sex in that list. Not used it myself but my understanding is that there is science behind it. Something to do with a chemical in semen which is like or the same as the chemical your body releases to start labour. Only works if your cervix is ripe and ready to go though but there is science behind it!

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

Nancy, that's not quite true. Most of the old wives tales are based on a basic scientific theory, but very loosely. The one with sex is that the prostaglandins in semen are associated with the induction of labour. BUT the prostaglandins are not strong enough to achieve this (and even if they were they'd be more effective taken orally). In no study ever has it been shown to work and we know that it's because those prostaglandins, whilst associated with labour induction, it's not in those quantities and in that method of delivery. The science behind something like pineapple for example is that similarly, it contains an enzyme again associated with the induction of labour. In the case of pineapple, you'd have to eat 8 whole pineapples, including the skin and leaves and in one very quick sitting in order to even start to replicate the level of enzyme needed.

I'm afraid that the old wives' tales are old wives' tales. They don't work. Like most things, they come from some kind of loose scientific reasoning but in reality and in studies, it just doesn't work.

[Cariad007]

Sex brought on Braxton Hicks for me every time and I went into labour at 40+2 after doing the deed. But that doesn't necessarily mean anything - I might've gone into labour anyway. I also took raspberry leaf capsules from 36 weeks and had a 1 hour second stage. I've been taking them in the 3 weeks since I gave birth too as they apparently help contract the uterus back down to size. Seems to be working but who knows if I'd have had the same result without taking them.

[NancyJones]

Happy to stand corrected, Raxa! I think it was a midwife who told me initially although I've heard it since.

What about keeping active? Is that all rubbish too? I read somewhere that you were less likely to need induction if you were up and active in the later part of pregnancy especially lots of walking than if you were either immobile or sedentary sat on the sofa every night. Is there any science behind that? Just curious as I didn't go over with ds1 or ds2 and was very active. With ds3 I has pelvic issues and barely moved from 7mths and went 13days over. No issues this time so far more active. Just wondering if that means it will be more like my older boys.

[Aliama]

I heard the same thing from a midwife too, nancy, with my first pregnancy. She said something along the lines of sex being the only PROVEN way of bringing on labour (almost wrote 'bringing on pregnancy' then - yeah, no kidding). But I'm pretty sure Raxa is right.

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

All studies definitely show there is no link between sex and induction of labour.

Not sure on the keeping active thing. There is no evidence that anything other than chemical induction in hospital has a positive effect on labour starting really. Keeping active can reasonably linked to other positive effects though. In terms of keeping the mother healthy and encouraging a good position, it is beneficial so not to be sniffed at. Conversely, both of my DC were severely malpositioned which caused my waters to break early. This is a known corellation with a badly positioned baby so I suppose you could reasonably assume that a well positioned baby encourages labour to happen at an optimum time. The thing is I suppose, these things don't happen in isolation. Keeping active might be a good idea in general terms but an individual's need for rest might overrule this and in that case it's worth remembering that the difference being active makes is negligible.

[Cariad007]

I stays very active with gym classes til 38 weeks and yoga and long walks every day for the two weeks after that and am convinced it helped me with my very straightforward birth and quick recovery.

[Bumbershoot]

It tones the uterine muscles, which can in theory make labour progress faster and make Braxton Hicks stronger, but it does not bring on labour.

[Bumbershoot]

Evening Primrose is what's supposed to soften the cervix. That and spunk (as if you're feeling even slightly horny at this stage). But neither will do much unless you're about ready to go anyway.

[Cariad007]

I asked the midwife who was running the antenatal class I attended about EPO and she said absolutely not, and that inserting anything was a no-no.

[NancyJones]

Oh the other thing I heard that could start labour was strong nipple stimulation. Again this was from my midwife. I asked because I was leaking a huge amount of milk from about 30wks last time and was wondering whether I should pump and store. She said absolutely not for 2reasons. Firstly, I would pump out the collostrum meaning baby wouldn't get it when most needed at the beginning and secondly, strong nipple stimulation could send me into prem labour.

[Raxacoricofallapatorius]

I posted on a thread about nipple stimulation the other day. Hang on. Here. This is one of the myths where there was a review of evidence and there was possibly, maybe a link but only in women with a favourable cervix (so coincidence couldn't be ruled out) and it's also clear that it's not recommended at all if there's any chance you're high risk. Interestingly, nipple stimulation is sometimes helpful once you're in labour but in terms of induction, it's another unlikely candidate.

I think if you want to have sex whilst eating a pineapple curry and twiddling your nipples, chances are it won't cause any harm but the problem with all these myths is what they usually cause is heartburn, discomfort and a lot of demoralised women when it doesn't work. I'm all for encouraging heavily pregnant women to trust their bodies to know when the baby is ready and do whatever the heck they feel like in the last days and weeks. You realistically won't start labour so you may as well find ways of making the wait more comfortable.