Raspberry leaf tea/tablets???

[pearl297]

I'm 36 weeks and am wondering when the best time to start taking Raspberry leaf tea is? I've bought both the tablets and tea but am not sure how much i should be drinking/taking and when i should be starting! .

Also is it meant to induce labour or just soften the cervix?? I don't want to be taking it if it induces labour, obviously i don't want her to come out until she's nice and cooked i just also have a take that concert that i want to make on the 10th!!

Does anyone have any experience of this??

I've been taking it since 32 weeks. It doesn't bring on labour, it helps strengthen your uterus so it works more efficiently in labour. I couldn't find any consistent advice on the amounts to take, though it all says to start off with small amounts (a cup or two a day) and build up to lots! I started with a cup a day for the first couple of weeks and for the last two weeks I've been taking a tablet a day. I'm going to start a cup + a tablet tomorrow when I hit 36 weeks.

AFAIK there isn't good evidence that it works at all.

It most definitely doesn't induce labour. I've been on 6 cups a day for 4 weeks now. I'm now 18 days overdue! I hope it makes things swifter when labour finally happens though

I've been taking the tablets from 32 weeks. Am now at 39 weeks and having 4 tablets a day - 2 morning, 2 evening. I gradually built up from 1 tablet a day. Nothing yet.

There isn't any good evidence that it does anything, but old wives tales say it helps strengthen the uterus. The best the evidence does say is that it can't hurt.

Thanks everyone, think i'll start with a cup and a tablet a day then build it up. Anythings worth a shot if it might help make labour a little easier i reckon
xx

Himalaya, there haven't been enough studies but the best two there are showed that lt works for the purpose for which it is taken i.e. effectively shortens the second stage of labour. More study is definitely needed, but the current evidence is promising.

I used the tea from 36 weeks with both mine, did an internet search and there were studies in Australia that said it shortens the pushing bit of labour by eight and a half minutes. So if eight and a half minutes less shoving seems like a good idea, go for it!

(personally I'd do ANYTHING that shortened the second stage, that's the bit when they take the gas and air off you!!)

My advice is to just let your body get on with it, regular exercise is the BEST thing to do to get everything nice and strong and also loosen up. I went for a really long walk two days before due date and went in to mild labour that night. Had DD the following night. No raspberry leaf tea nonsense for me

I took 4 tablets a day for five days at 38/39 weeks and went into labour last night, was 6cm dilated by the time I went to hospital not even sure what I was experiencing were real contractions. Within 6 hours had my 8lbs 13.5oz boy in my arms. Can't be sure it was the raspberry leaf that got my cervix so well prepared but got to be worth a try!

Congratulations thistle, sounds like a fantastic experience.

I started on the RLT at about 32 weeks, built up to about 6 cups a day by 40 weeks. Went 10 days overdue, 30 hour labour, 3 hour second stage, forceps and a manual removal of placenta - it's safe to assume I won't be bothering with them this time round :-)

But it was delicious and maybe it would have been even worse without it!

i have some in my cupboard anyway... didnt think anything of it and have had 2 cups since being preg... im only 11 weeks and now really worried as i can cause mc in early pregnancy :-(

I started on 1 cup a day from 32 weeks, 1 cup 1 tablet a day at 33 weeks, increasing each alternate weeks until I went into labour. It doesn't make you go into labour, it strengthens the uterus so contractions are stronger and takes less time to dilate cervix. Dunno if it works or not officially, but I will definitely use it again if i have dc2, I was only 4 hrs from first contraction to 10cm!