How much raspberry leaf tea should I drink?

[ellesabe]

Just that really :)

I'm 37+1 and am happy to help baby along but don't want to over-do it, especially as I'm not madly keen on the stuff!

As much as you can stand! I use the capsules which I understand are more effective (got them from holland and Barrett). That way the occasional cup of tea which I get around to drinking is really just a bonus / extra.

The midwife said at our antenatal class that raspberry tablets are the more effective option because they are stronger. She said to build up to no more than six a day. I took three a day to start with and that was waaaaaaay too much for me especially because I hadn't yet started my maternity leave. I think I will go back to two a day for a couple of days, then three etc.

After about forty minutes of taking the tablet I could really feel it working. I would say that if you can't feel it working you could take more of whatever your preferred option is.

You can feel it working?? That's handy! What does it feel like?

Like period cramp, regular period cramp. Honestly it is the most astonishing thing. Obviously I didn't think I had induced myself but it did make me say to my dh, heaps of times, 'this baby is coming soon.' From speaking to other people I definitely must have taken too much and should have built it up slowly. And, because I was working and extremely shattered I wasn't really resiliant enough to cope with it but I could definitely feel it working. Apparently the pills are much stronger than the tea so it might be worth thinking about.

From what week should you begin to take/drink it?
I dont want to start anything TOO soon, im 32 weeks.

I am pretty certain we were told from week 34.

Also, and I know this isn't exactlly in the raspberry leaf category but the midwife also said to us that when you are in labour and if your dh or birth partner or whoever was to wet a maternity pad with hot water and place it on the perinium bit then it would help it stretch more easily.

I hope you don't mind me saying but I thought it sounded like a great tip!

I started having 1 cup a day from 32 weeks then from 36 about 3cups, by 37+5 my waters had gone and 4hours later I was cuddeling my little man

Everything I've been aware of says it helps with contactions and developing the muscles of the uterus (also helping shrink after birth) - I wasn't aware it helps to bring labour on? I'll be 36 wks on Monday is it still worth starting slowly over the next couple of weeks?

I'm 37 +1 and honestly, since that stressful week at work where I took three a day instead of building up to three a day, I haven't taken any. I had no resiliance because I was so sore for at least six weeks (no idea why and I think since starting maternity leave and I am not exhausted that feeling has subsided - thankfully) and utterly exhausted. I intend to start again today, taking one in the morning and one in the evening. I will still build up to no more than six a day but at a faster pace.

Our midwife said that horses seek out the raspberry leaf when they go into labour and someone at work breeds dogs and said that she would always give them raspberry leaf tablets. I don't suppose horses have a particular schedule they follow but there must be something in it that makes it worthwhile!

I read on another post about taking Evening primrose oil too!
(Well more like inserting a capsule as close the cervix as you can.
It's supposed to help soften the cervix!
It has the same chemical that used to induce but a much milder version.

An update. I had a raspberry leaf tablet this morning. I can definitely feel it working. Definitely!

Crikey!

Raspberry leaf tea/capsule doesn't bring on labour clarrlla it helps to soften cervix so when your in labour it's meant to make things easier/quicker. Not sure how true it is though

That's what I'd read - DH is not keen on me starting though as the building work isn't quite finished!

Something about smoothing the uterine muscle?

Clarella, you should check with your midwife, they were the ones that recommended it to us. I don't suppose taking it during week 30 would be a good idea, or eating mountains of them, but doing it sensibly maybe makes a difference to the delivery?