Raspberry Leaf Tea? Yes or No? Experiances please.

[LaurenCaddy]

I've got myself some Raspberry Leaf Tea, to take from 30 weeks. But i've heard so many mixed reviews. Like when to start taking it and how often ect.

My original thoughts where based on this report on the babycentre website:

Raspberry leaf tea is thought to tone the muscles of your uterus (womb) to help it work better during labour. The idea is not so much to speed up your labour, but to help it to progress at a nice, steady pace. Because raspberry leaf tea takes several weeks to accumulate in your body, it won't work to bring on labour if you are overdue.

www.babycentre.co.uk/x545986/can-raspberry-leaf-tea-help-to-ease-labour#ixzz2GlA71DLv

Has anyone got any thoughts, opinions or reviews on it?

Many Thanks ladies :)

I know this is a zombie thread, but hey ho.

I drank fucking gallons of rapsberry leaf tea with DS. I was induced at 41+4 and he was born via EMCS at 41+6.

I did tons of reading on this. Started 1 cup of loose leaf tea with 1 tsp of tea at 30 weeks. Built up by 1 teaspoon each week till 34 weeks when I was making a big gallon of tea with 5 teaspoons.

Then, once it was in my system for that time, moved to 1 tablet daily from natures aid (750 mg in each tablet) in the 35th week. No more tea.

Now at the recommended 2 tablets from Natures Aid (total 1500 mg) in the 36th week, no tea, and will hold that as maximum till I pop.

Any changes I see over these past 7 weeks? Stronger braxton hicks this week, increasingly good amounts of colostrum - it's known to help either breastmilk, but no labour threats etc. Baby dropped at 33+5 and now fully engaged at 35+4. May have nowt to do with the tea.

Also to add, I've had RLT from before to help either pms cramps etc so it wasn't new to my system at all.

had with ds1, was a long labour (52 hours from first twinge!) but the actually pushing stage was only 12 minutes which is amazingly short for a first birth (had previously had a C-section) and i'm certain it was the tea that helped. took again with ds2, shorter labour (16hours from first twinge) but pushing was 20minutes however he came out awkwardly - his arm and shoulder came out with his head, and i'm not sure if that slowed things a bit. either way, worst case scenario raspberry leaf will change nothing but do no harm, best case scenario - very short second stage.
currently 29 weeks and will start with 1 cup or capsual at 32 weeks, then 2 at 34 weeks then 3 from 36 week onwards x

Right I've got some of the Heath &Heather bags (have had several years ago before pregnancy) so will have one a day over the next week and then build up gradually with the capsules once I've run it past my midwife a week on monday (I can already envisage her face) by which point I'll be 34 weeks.

Not had a single Braxton Hicks yet so we'll see if the tea or capsules have an effect. I don't expect anything much.

I drank shedloads with DS1. Had no effect at all - he was born after his due date, following a very long and difficult labour.

I drank loads when pg with DS. Went nearly 2 weeks overdue had to be induced, labour didn't progress and I ended up with an emcs. I won't be bothering with it this time.