34weeks pregant, is to too early to take rasberry leaf tea??

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As a mummy to be thought I'd ask all you mums, as you have been there done that.
Im 34+1 today and bought some rasberry leaf tea is it too soon to take it? or is it ok. All advice appreciated.

It's generally not recommended till 36 weeks +.

Lots of sex around 38 weeks worked for me, as did expressing off colostrum to freeze.

Gave birth at 38 weeks+6 days w/DD1 and 38 weeks+3 days w/DD2.

I really wouldnt... thats over a month early. I took it when I was overdue.

I TOOK IT WITH MY 2ND FROM 30 WEEKS AND SHE WAS BORN ON THE DAY. I THEN TOOK IT WITH MY 4TH FROM 28WEEKS AND HE WAS LATE!TRIED EVERYTHING WITH MY 5TH- RASPBERRY LT, PINEAPPLE,CURRY,BATHS,SEX ETC AND HE HAD TO BE INDUCED AT 10DAYS OVER. THESE BABIES WONT BE MOVED UNLESS THEY ARE READY!

I started taking it at 34 weeks, my midwife said it was ok to do that.
It made no difference at all, my little boy was born two weeks late. The rasp leaf tea did make my Braxton Hicks stronger though and it doesn;t induce labour, it makes your contractions stronger. so its worth taking once you're in labour.

I wouldn't until 36 weeks. I took it from 36 weeks, one cup a day, then I forgot I had had one cup and drank two more cups at 36+6 at antenatal group - baby was born that night! Very short hard labour

My midwife said she could always tell the women who had had strong raspberry leaf tea.

If you want to shorten /easier labour the best tip I have is to try and stay nice and active now - do stretches and walk as much as you feel able to that keeps the muscles working.

I thought you could take it for last two months - ie from around 32 weeks? Ds1 was 11 days late, so I took it when pg with ds2. He was only 9 days late , but I did have the most overwhelming braxton hicks for 36/48 hours before onset of labour proper. Even fooled a MW into thinking I was in labour, cos I was having to really breath through them, and they were v regular (every 5 mins I think)

ohhhh dont know what to do!!
I do believe baby wont come untill its good and ready. And was going to take the tea to prepare my body more so than induce labour as I heard it doesnt really work to induce labour anyway.
But thank you all, Your expert advice is appreciated cant wait to be one of you!!!

Hi raspberry leaf tea doesn't induce labour - it 'ripens' the cervix making it easier to dilate when ito does happen and is supposed to make contractions more effective resulting in a shorter one. seehere . I took it from 28 weeks last time and needed to be induced, have been taking it this time since 32 weeks.

Drink it! (with LOTS of sugar)

my doctor said not to take it till 38 weeks - is she just being a spoilsport?

I started at 36 weeks . This is my 3rd and i'm taking it now (37 weeks) but i take a tablet form.
Had 2 very quick Births.

Here's a summary of a research study done by Simpson, M. Parsons, M. Greenwood, J. Wade, K (2001):

OBJECTIVE: Many women consume the raspberry leaf herb during their pregnancies in the belief that it shortens labor and makes labor "easier." METHODOLOGY: Because of the paucity of research regarding this herb, particularly in relation to pregnancy and birth, the authors undertook a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The sample consisted of 192 low-risk, nulliparous women who birthed their babies between May 1999 and February 2000 at a large tertiary-level hospital in Sydney, Australia. The aim of the study was to identify the effect and safety of raspberry leaf tablets (2 x 1.2 g per day), consumed from 32 weeks' gestation until labor, on labor and birth outcomes. RESULTS: Raspberry leaf, consumed in tablet form, was found to cause no adverse effects for mother or baby, but contrary to popular belief, did not shorten the first stage of labor. The only clinically significant findings were a shortening of the second stage of labor (mean difference = 9.59 minutes) and a lower rate of forceps deliveries between the treatment group and the control group (19.3% vs. 30.4%). No significant relationship was found between tablet consumption and birth outcomes. CONCLUSION: The lack of significant differences between the groups on measures expected to demonstrate the effect of raspberry leaf ingestion during pregnancy on labor prompted consideration of the issue of effectiveness of dosage level. Suggestions for further research are offered.

Another study by Parsons, M. Simpson, M. Ponton, T. (1999) found that:

The findings suggest that the raspberry leaf herb can be consumed by women during their pregnancy for the purpose for which it is taken, that is, to shorten labour with no identified side effects for the women or their babies. The findings also suggest ingestion of the drug might decrease the likelihood of pre and post-term gestation. An unexpected finding in this study seems to indicate that women who ingest raspberry leaf might be less likely to receive an artificial rupture of their membranes, or require a caesarean section, forceps or vacuum birth than the women in the control group.

For legal copyright reasons I think I should probably say that if you want the full references I can get them for you

Hope this info helps anyone having a raspberry dilemma!