Raspberry leaf tea - I know, I know...

[Orenishii]

I know this has been done to death - forgive me! But I am 34 weeks today, can't trust my brain for anything and not taking anything for granted.

I'd read on here that the actual tea was dreadful. I've had some pretty bad herbs/sticks Chinese medicine tea so maybe my definition of bad-tasting tea is way off. But I've also read on here that there's a difference between raspberry and raspberry leaf?

I got some raspberry leaf tea and also some capsules in case it was so bad, I gagged. But it's nice - like Cranberry and Echinicea - and perfectly drinkable, not what I was expecting at all. And now I am suspicious I have the wrong thing...

I got this: www.vit-shop.co.uk/store/p/12956/1/Heath-and-Heather-Raspberry-Leaf--50-bags.html

I think I am being a bit mental but it kind of feels like all bets are off when it comes to my grey matter at the moment

You have the teabags but should really get the loose leaf tea- the strong stuff! You can get it from Neal's Yard and health food shops. The teabags are very nice but I think they are only about 30% raspberry leaf so you would need to drink gallons of it!
I would drink it for now but buy some of the proper stuff for when that runs out. The loose leaf tea is perfectly drinkable with a bit of honey. The capsules are supposed to work well too so if you can't get hold of the loose leaf you could always start on the capsules when the teabags run out.

Well, that is the one I had and I drank it in my last pregnancy too. I found the taste fine too (I add agave to sweeten) but I like fruit teas too which some people say taste like grass. I assume I have the correct product and would say you do too! I think when people refer to raspberry tea they mean ones like Twinings raspberry and cranberry etc.

There are far worse tasting things in my opinion (like nivaquine malaria medicine for eg). I have also got the tablets, and have started taking one a day, and a cup of tea if I can remember/be bothered. I am 33.5 weeks.

Hope that helps!

Ah I see someone beat me too it! Thanks teacher - I was actually thinking to myself last night I am sure the capsules must be far more effective than the tea and was wondering how much the tea actually has in it. Perhaps it's the loose leaf tea to which people refer as disgusting!

Hijack alert! at what point should you start drinking RLT? I was thinking of going to get some this weekend? x

Ah-ha OK I have my info mixed up - I might start using the tea to neck the capsules then

I can order some loose tea easy but since I have 100 capsules I might as well work my way through those first. I thought it was the tea that was stronger but thanks for the clarification that it's the loose stuff that's the potent stuff!

sammyleh I think it's 33 weeks - I started at 33+4.

How funny, just been googling and reading all about RLT. Then logged in here and the first thread is about the same thing.

Think i'm a bit late with it - 38 weeks today, gonna chat to the midwife about it later and then will drink what i've got in the cupboard (some freebie samples)

I have read 32 weeks. I believe it doesn't induce labour, despite myths that it does, but it strengthens the uterus in preparation for the birth/cx. Some places say suitable during the last trimester.

Awesome, I'm 33 weeks :) perfect, thanks ladies x

Secondhandnews that's what I read too - it's a misconception (boom boom!) that it brings on labour, just that it prepares the uterus for labour and can help with shortening labour.

I took RLT capsules in first pregnancy - Can anyone confirm it actually had reduced their labour time?

Am just wondering, how would you know if it does if it's your first labour? What can you compare it to?

I drank loose raspberry leaf tea through my last trimester, gallons of it in the last few weeks of pregnancy. I went overdue and had a 30+ hour labour... I have no idea if it would have been longer without the tea though

What I found good was that it encouraged me to drink a lot of liquid. I am still drinking it now in the hope that I'll get back to pre pregnancy size quickly.

When I went overdue I tried all the suggested ways to bring on labour.... none of this worked either.

On a more positive note I did use Bio Oil religiously and I do not have stretch marks...

I drank raspberry leaf tea in teabags (clipper, I think they were, but can't find them this time round) for the last couple of months of my last pg. My labour was pretty short (about 8hrs from start to finish) - surprised the midwives who sent me home for an unplanned homebirth

There's no way of knowing if it's the RLT or not, though, sadly... Still, I'm drinking it again - heath & heather bags this time. I don't like the taste as much as the clipper ones.

Elsqueak - I had a 6.5hr established labour (4cm onwards I think) and that was waiting 1.5 hours between being fully dilated and pushing - had an epidural so they thought may as well let the baby descend on its own etc. and the epidural slowed my cx down considerably. My cx were super powerful I was almost blacking out pre epidural at 6cm and if it hadn't been for her head being slightly off centre and therefore not dilating me as efficiently despite cx frequency and length (every 2 mins lasting 1m40s) I would have popped her out a lot quicker. I think I actually may have overdone the RLT a bit actually and this time won't be taking quite so many capsules I think!

I bought some capsules at the weekend from Holland & Barrett. I read somewhere not to start with the suggested dose and to build it up. I'm 34+2 and was starting with 2 capsules a day and planning to increase to 3 or 4 from 36 weeks. Does this sound right? If anyone else on capsules, how many are you taking?

It may or may not work, I'll probably never know if it's effective but I'm certainly willing to give it a try. I like fruit teas anyway so worth a try I guess :) anything to take edge off a craving for caffeine!

milli I'm taking those capsules too, I'm having 3 a day and seeing how things go. I'm getting a lot of Braxton Hicks at the moment so probably won't up the dose while that's happening. I'm 35 weeks and started taking them at 34 weeks.

crazypaving I've got some of the clipper ones from Ocado.

Another hijack - I had a low lying placenta at 20 weeks so not sure whether to drink it or not?

I have another scan tomorrow (32 weeks) and if it's moved, I'll start. Anyone any ideas if it hasnt moved?

Oh I jumped straight in with the capsules at 6 day - I won't be upping the quantity though.

I just had my first baby and gave birth 45 minutes after getting to the hospital. Labour progressed very quickly and pushing stage was ten minutes. I had been taking the RLT tablets from 35 weeks and gave birth at 38 + 4. May be a coincidence, but maybe not?

I asked my midwife about this last week (I'm 35w today) she said you shouldn't start taking it till 37 weeks. Although it doesn't induce labour it can speed it up when it gets going and if you go into premature labour they are more likely to want to slow it down/stop it rather than speed it up.

Haggis - interesting, thanks - I hadn't actually thought about it that way!