RRL tablets @ 29 weeks

[Ilovebean]

Hi All.

Is it safe to start taking RRL tablets at 29 weeks? I've read conflicting stuff around (anything from 20 weeks to nothing before 35 weeks)

Also, I don't want to bring on labour now obviously, but I'm unsure how long they take to build up in your system to actually have an effect.

A friend drank the tea after 37 weeks as advised by her midwife and she had a very long and bloody labour (forceps were needed) so it seems pretty pointless to start so late in pregnancy.

What are these and what are they supposed to do?

It is believed that red raspberry leaf, if taken regularly through pregnancy and labour can:
Ease the symptoms of morning sickness.
Sooth and prevent bleeding gums which many pregnant women often experience.
Relax the smooth muscles of the uterus when it is contracting (Burn & Withell, 1941).
Assist with the birth of the baby and the placenta.
Calm cramping of the uterus.
Provide a rich source of iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium. The magnesium content is especially helpful in strengthening the uterine muscles. Raspberry leaf also contains vitamins B1, B3 and E which are valuable in pregnancy.

Raspberry leaf is also used for the following:
To promote a plentiful supply of breastmilk.
To help stop excess bleeding after birth.
To regulate irregular menstrual cycle and decreases heavy periods.

You can get red raspberry leaf in capsual or tea form.

My midwife said 32 weeks for the tea, 36 for the tablets as they are stronger.

Hmm see, I have just found this information here.

Tablets - Take two 300mg or 400mg tablets with each meal (three times a day) from 32 weeks.
Teabags - 1st trimester- one cup per day -2nd trimester - two cups per day -3rd trimester - up to 4 to 5 teabag cups throughout the day.
Loose leaf tea - Bring one cup of water to the boil. Remove from heat and add one teaspoon of the herb. Stir, cover and let sit for ten minutes (do not boil the herb), strain and sip. Adding sugar or honey many improve the taste. 2 to 3 cups per day is often recommended especially after 28 weeks of pregnancy.
Tincture - A tincture is an alcoholic extract of the herb raspberry leaf. The dosage will depend on the strength of the tincture.

Raspberry Leaf has been recommended by naturopaths and herbalists as well as some midwives and obstetricians. Consult a health care provider regarding the type of preparation and what dosage to take.

When is the best time to start taking Raspberry Leaf?
Many practitioners recommend that raspberry leaf is best commenced at 32 weeks of pregnancy and continued through to the birth. Parsons (2000) found that taking raspberry leaf tablets, 2.4gm per day from 32 weeks, produced no side effects. Other practitioners recommend that Raspberry leaf can be started at the beginning of pregnancy or even prior to pregnancy. However at the present time there is no known research on the safety of taking Raspberry Leaf earlier in pregnancy

I think I'll start one every other day at 32 weeks and go on from there, if I start getting any pains etc then I'll stop.

Hi - Just an update.I spoke to my doctor today (am now 30 weeks) and she said she see's no problem in me talking them now, as long as I stagger the intake. So I'm going to start taking one every other day this week, then one every day but skipping a day next week and so on.

She said leaving it late wouldn't have the desired affect as it needs to build in the system to work.