Raspberry leaf tea

[Superslinger]

I'm 38 weeks, just bought some and flipping love it! My question is now, how much should I be drinking - and is there such thing as too much?

I'm about to start it today and I'm 33 weeks and on the capsules. Then will be starting on the Evening Primrose Oil at 36 weeks.

here

HTH

I've got the tincture and started it this week at 34 weeks. Like you i'm not really sure how much to take as most of the info I've found on the next relates to cups per day made from ?tea bags. So, i'm just taking 1ml per day this week and will build it up to 2.5mls next week then 5mls per day at 36 weeks. Does this seem to much or too little to anyone?

I don't think there is such a thing as too much at the stage you're at, Super - I started taking it last time around 39w, and was drinking the tea at least 3 times a day and double dosing on the tablets as well, in an effort to bring on labour. Didn't work, but I think it did have a very beneficial effect on my actual labour when it eventually got going (induced at 42w) as stage 2 was only half an hour and the placenta came out 3mins after DS did. I think I worked out that I was on about 4x the suggested amount in all - didn't do any harm. :)

I plan to start it up again at 34w this time, and might take it a bit easier on the intake, mostly because of cost!

I thought you weren't supposed to take it until 36 weeks pregnant??

I've got the tea and was advised to start it at 37 weeks and not to have more than 3 cups a day. It doesn't bring on labour, just makes contractions more effective. Not worked so far - waters went at 2.30am and no contractions at all yet

Could be a coincidence but it I feel it worked for me- I had good strong contractions and delivered within 11 hours. I was planning on using it again this time round but unfortunatley I'm ELCS this time. Good luck with the tea!!!!

Oh, I can't remember how much I took but started on the actual tea until I was advised that the capsules are much more effective, so I took those (and drunk the tea alongside it), think I did have quite a bit of it!

AFAIK, raspberry leaf tea will help the cervix to mature, i.e get thinner and shorter, it is said it should not be taken before the 9th month, 3 cups a day. It does not help on contractions, Sage should then be used to get these contractions more effective.
I have started both of them last Friday, at 38+3, coincidence or not I dont know, but had more BH and cervix is now 1 cm dilated.
Good luck everyone

Raspberry leaf helps with uterine tone - it strengthen the muscle tone and can make contractions more efficient, therefore it does help with contractions in that way - it just doesn't help to bring them on.

Since there is a high chance of me being induced anywhere from 37w onwards thanks to my age and other factors, 34w is about right for me.

Oh, and it did bugger all to help with my cervix - when I was induced, at 40+14, my cervix was not ready at all and refused to play ball for over 24h, even with 3 pessaries. However, I went from 1cm dilated at 11:30pm to delivery at 2:03am, so when it went, it really went quickly!

I don't think you're old though TW. Did you have ds1 in?

I was induced with both at 40+11 and had rlt 2nd time round and I felt that it help pop ds2 out quicker.

Notgrownup - I'm 45. And have a blood clotting condition and for some reason the Aussie docs are convinced that I am far more likely to have problems if I go anywhere near 40w, despite having DS at 40+16 when I was 40.

I have a nice doc who is prepared to "see how I go" before insisting; but the general reaction from most HCPs here is "No way are we letting you go to term, nor to go into labour naturally, you're on a blood thinner, for God's sake!" Well yes, and I was in the UK as well - amazingly, you just stop jabbing yourself if you go into labour, it only last 24h (unlike warfarin).

I dont think 45 is old. If your body can still do what its there for then its still meant to do it. If that makes sense?!

What if you needed a section? I thought all medicine would be the same wherever but hey ho.

What does the tea taste like?

I had this. It tastes disgusting! I took the capsules from 35 weeks I think. I started on one a day and was on 4 a day up until I was induced. DD showed up at 42 weeks in the end! Quick labour though, 4hrs 55m, 4cm dilated to out in less than 30 minutes. Midwives were shocked and said the raspberry leaf could have been the reason. Good luck.

I quite like the tea, tbh. It's not nasty like, say, camomile (which is foul). But then I also like the fennel tea that I drank for helping with milk production as well. :) (they're not remotely similar, btw!)

I know what you're saying, Notgrownup, but tbf to the docs (which I'm not often!) the risk factors for all sorts of things do go up the older you get, and I've already said to them that I'm not going to be silly about it - placental disintegration/failure is my worst fear for going overdue this time. Didn't even cross my mind with DS, but 3 MCs in between do cause more circumspection.

C-Section - well, they have things that can reverse the effects of the heparin that they can use. My bf also has a blood clotting condition - she bleeds too freely and whenever she needs an op (including her CS) they use desmopressin to restrict the bleeding potential.

Blimey, so you've had alot to deal with then!

Ill try some tea later, cant taste much any way with my cold