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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

raspberry leaf tea

18 replies

pinkyp · 20/10/2010 16:20

Bought 2 boxes from holland and barret on monday,started having 1 cup a day (35weeks just) and i'm planning on increasing this to 2 cups in a few days and so on. I've heard the advantages are 1) it helps tone 'stuff' up (cant remember wot now) 2) it speeds up the 2nd stage of labour by making each contraction more 'effective'.

What are your experiences regarding this or do u think its a waste of time? I quite like the taste luckly so thats a bonus!

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planner26 · 20/10/2010 16:43

I'm interested too pinkyp and started drinking two cups a day at the weekend (and yes it is pretty tasty!). I'm chanelling a 2 hour labour whilst I drink.....ha!

ConnorTraceptive · 20/10/2010 16:45

I took took the capsules rather than drinking the tea. I had a fairly quick labour (4hours) and the second stage was very quick and contractions very strong. Only pushed for about ten minutes. Not sure if the capsules had anything to do with it but it was a vast improvement on my first labour

Original poster

pinkyp · 20/10/2010 21:13

i was gonna have 2 cups but i didnt want to tempt fate and go into labour too early lol!

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sotough · 20/10/2010 21:33

total waste of time in my experience and tasted horrible. baby was ten days over due and labour lasted over 30hrs.

lurcherlover · 20/10/2010 21:55

It doesn't bring labour on sooner - it's meant to help with the second stage as it's supposed to tone/strengthen the uterus so it's better able to cope with contractions. My mw said a study in monkeys did show it shortened labour, so I reckon it's worth a shot!

Sarahlou8 · 20/10/2010 22:08

It intensifies my Braxton Hicks tenfold! To the point where if I take the capsules before bed I am kept awake by them going off every half hour or so throughout the night - so they definitely do something!

Restrainedrabbit · 20/10/2010 22:13

My labours were 28hrs, 2.5 hrs and 1.5hrs long, second stage was 50mins, 5 mins and 1 min long took raspberry leaf capsules for all three births so make of that what you will!!!

felicity10 · 20/10/2010 22:37

I drank a box of it from the day i was due, DD born 8 days late and within 4 hours of arriving at hospital.

I do remember the midwife saying that you'd have to drink significant amounts of it to make a difference. Frankly, looking back,need not have bothered, would have been much better to just put feet up and chill out - why was i in such a hurry, it's been a long time since i have been able to sit and do nothing!

Star82 · 20/10/2010 22:41

I LOVE Raspberry Leaf Tea!!

Took it not very regularly with my first. A bit here and there. 14 hour labour from first twinge to delivery. Pushing for 2 hours and needed episiotomy.

Second time around i hammered it took it more regulary. If you look at recomendations, you can have unlimited cups of tea but are restricted on the tablets. I took max tablets per day and had a 2-3 cups of tea a day. I had a 2 hour labour from start to finish with pushing stage of probably not 5 minutes.

I did also use Evening Primrose Oil too if you look at the benefits of that.

Original poster

pinkyp · 21/10/2010 10:08

right sod it i'm gonna have 2 cups a day and move on to 3 on monday! Never knew about evening primrose best get googling!

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BerryLellooooooooooow · 21/10/2010 10:10

Drank this with second pg, definitely had a short second stage, DS nearly flew out! It also used to set off BH so hard that mw thought I was in proper labour. I wasn't.

Original poster

pinkyp · 21/10/2010 10:17

i'm finding mix reviews about evening primrose...hmmm off to make a cup of raspberry leaf tea!

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mamacorner · 21/10/2010 10:51

I tried raspberry leaf tea with my first, 12 hour labour , very long and exhausting second stage I'm afraid ( I can remember thinking next time I'm going to get fit!) didn't bother with the tea ( or the getting fit bit!) for my second, just chilled out , took things as they went, very relaxed labour, two pushes and out he popped!

I think every pregnancy & birth are different, if you believe something will help, then it probably will, mainly it's about good baby positioning, relaxed attitude about birth and a dollop of good luck!!!

Original poster

pinkyp · 21/10/2010 22:08

my first labour was 13 days over due and 23hours long so i'm up for trying anything lol

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Bloodberrybatbait · 21/10/2010 22:11

I maxed out on the tablets and drank 2 or 3 cups a day from 36 weeks. DD was born at 39+6 in a very rapid 1 hour labour with less than 3 mins pushing. I also took Evening Primrose oik capsules which are supposed to help soften and ripen the cervix.

omaoma · 21/10/2010 22:18

who knows but at least you're getting fluids and keeping off the caffeine? can't do any harm

Original poster

pinkyp · 21/10/2010 22:58

well thats my thoughts too omaoma, plus i quite like the taste too

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wetnoodle · 23/10/2010 14:17

Here's my experience, make of it what you will:

I started taking the tablets at 37 weeks and DS arrived spontaneously on EDD after a 5 hour labor (from waters breaking to delivery).

At 38 weeks I noticed my Braxton Hicks definitely got stronger after I took the tablets. I went a couple of days not taking them to see if there was a difference and the BH's felt milder.

For the sake of presenting the whole picture I also had a sweep the day before my due date b/c I really couldn't face another day being pregnant.

This is my first baby so I suspect I'll be having a home birth for the next one!

Hope that helps x

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