Raspberry leaf tea - yes or no?

[daydreamdaisy]

Have seen raspberry leaf tea recommended to ease
/speed up labour, but just wondering whether anyone has used it and what your thoughts are?

I always thought it was to bring on labour but apparently it's to prepare for it and make it easier?

If you did, when did you start drinking it? Should I start ASAP at 35 weeks to get the benefits or wait a few weeks till I'm full term?
Some websites say fine from 32 or even earlier, some say wait till 36 so I'm just looking for actual peoples experiences 😅

I started drinking it from 36 weeks, no clue if it helped but I enjoyed drinking it and I'm a sucker for anything that can 'help'🤣

I also tried from 37 weeks waking everyday, bouncing on ball/ pelvic movements. And I do think it all contributed to dilating faster however it could also be a coincidence.

I personally wouldn't do anything till you are full term

I drank it from 38 weeks and ended up having a c-section at 40 weeks because the 3 loads of Inducton pessaries hasn't speeded up labour either so I'm gonna say it's not that effective

The other thing you could try that is common in other cultures is to eat a couple of dates a day. Plus, they're pretty good for you and I like the taste! I did for both of mine. I heard it helped with the birth process rather than induced it but even if it's all placebo, what does it matter?!

evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-eating-dates-to-start-labor/

I drank it twice a day from 38 weeks and was induced at 40+1 and had a 56 hour labour .
That said, some people swear by it.

I started drinking it from 36 weeks with my last and same with this one (now 37+2). My first labour was 7 hours start to finish so it may have helped. However I just like the flavour haha

I also loved the taste. Drank it from 36 weeks. Had a long labour but was contracting when I arrived at hospital for induction (diabetic) and the first pessary worked.

Tbh I think all the old tales are rubbish and people just perpetuate them as it makes you feel like you have some control over the situation. I tried literally everything with my second from walking to curry, sex, tea and two cervical sweeps. Nothing happened, baby was c section at 41+3. They really will just come when they are ready.

I drank it from 36 weeks and also ate 4 dates a day from then as well. I'd read that they can make labour easier, rather than bring it on.
However, I also tried all the other old wives tales and in all honesty, I ended up having DAYS of latent labour before active labour actually started, and I blame doing all of that (eating pineapples, walking up and down the stairs, having sex, bouncing on the yoga ball, spicy curry)
Days of on and off contractions are a nightmare and mean you can't sleep or eat properly for days before you go into proper labour.
So as impossible as it is to wait, I'd just wait
But the tea and the dates are a preparation rather than 'induction' I believe, so worth a try even if it just makes you feel better. Maybe ask your midwife?

Ooh I love dates - good excuse to buy some! Hadn't heard that.
I will mention it to my midwife at my 36 week check, prob will hold off the tea till then although now I want to try it as everyone seems to like the taste 😂

Drank it with all three of mine. Started at 37 weeks. First was born day after I started drinking it, 2nd two days after and third a month 😂 (he was a week over...) all quick labours, (less than a couple of hours) I really don’t think the tea had anything to do with it though as think they just come when they are ready like my youngest did, like the flavour though so still drink it

I took the tablets from 36 weeks, labour under 2 hours at 42 weeks, so a positive from me

Its not meant to speed up/bring on labour. Its meant to help with a shorter pushing stage.

That's all.

Its meant to help with a shorter pushing stage.

How is it supposed to do that?

Its supposed to tone up the uterus so it is more effective at pushing the baby out.

Took the raspberry leaf tablets from 37 weeks onwards. Found them tricky to swallow 🤢
Waters broke at 40+2, 50 hour labour with 1.5 hours of pushing 🙄😂

I drank quite a lot with my last baby, and had a super fast delivery. Probably wouldn't recommend quite such a fast delivery.

I also ate a lot of fresh pineapple as that was at least a pleasant fol remedy.

My first labour was an awful experience with assisted delivery in the end. Found raspberry leaf tea during second pregnancy and gave it a try, from 37 weeks. I can't remember how much I had but maybe just once a day. False labour feeling just before 40 weeks, then a week later very quick onset of labour and baby came quickly - within a couple of hours of star and 45 mins after waters broke! Bit too fast really, as she didn't get enough of a time in birth canal to expell mucous from lungs so had to stay in midwife unit a couple of days. Can't say if the tea had that effect, but I would go easy - one cup a day, from 37 weeks? I guess it affects people differently or could have no affect. Difficult to say!

Oh and I had to try and refrain from pushing!

I drank it from 36 weeks 3 cups a day and I ate bloody dates, I went 10 days overdue and contracted really irregularly even when I was in established labour, I did have a sweep though and was already 3cm without having much pain at all though so who knows! I never got to the pushing stage as I had a c section so can’t comment!! Anything is with a try I reckon🤷🏼‍♀️

I started at 36 weeks on one cup a day and increased by one cup up to 40 weeks. My waters went at 40+3 and labour started straight away but 32 hours later after merconium was detected and they worked out he was actually breech I had an EMCS. Apparently RLT is not reccomended for breech presentation as well. Pretty sure his head was stuck under my ribs so there was no way he was coming anyway 🤣 if I got for a VBAC this time I'll try it again. I used to let it go cold and down it whilst holding my nose because I couldn't bare it, don't know how people like 🤢