raspberry leaf tea?!

[JulyDreams]

Hi all,

Anyone tried this in third trimester? Does it really help with labour as it's supposed to?

Thank you

Bump anyone?

I haven't bothered as when I asked my midwife about it she just smirked and said it's nonsense. Xx

I used the capsules (long time ago), first labour when I used the most was three and a half hours, next four, final one when I took the least as busy and kept forgetting took 6 hours. Supposed to tone the womb to make it more efficient. Good luck👶

I didn't the first time, and took capsules the second time after 32 weeks. I had a much quicker labour second time, but then you normally do so I don't really know if it helped or not! It certainly didn't do any harm.

For what its worth I was induced both times - first time ended up on pitocin drip after 24 hrs of pessary going nowhere, and it still took over 24 hrs after that and every drug but an epidural for an eventual forceps delivery.

Second time, in at 10am on a Monday, regular quite rapid contractions from just the pessary by 7pm, and baby out by 10:30pm I thought I'd stay propped up on my knees and refused to be lying flat on the bed once labour started - I think the gravity really helps, so stay somewhat upright (or in the pool if you can!).

I took the raspberry leaf capsules from 34 weeks and 70g of dates a day from 36 weeks, and my labour was 5.5 hours with only 10min of pushing - and no tears (I also used the Epi-No from week 36). It was my first, so nothing to compare it to, and no idea if I would have had an easy labout anyway, but it certainly didn't

... posted too soon!
'... certainly didn't do any harm'

I used both pregnancies and had very fast labours. But obviously don’t know if that was why……

No idea if it was the reason but I drank it both times and had two easy labours

It's the tea you need not capsules. I've had 3 and had 3 quick labours

Thank you so much everyone.

Reading all these I might try it lol! Xx

I drank the tea in the last few week of pregnancy both times (I don't know why because it was truly foul, but I was very keen to do everything 'right'). It was actually not recommended for drinking before that point because of a risk of premature labour, so they must think it does something. I did have two very quick births, but perhaps I would have had them anyway. It didn't make DS1 hurry up and get born anywhere near when he was meant to be, though.

@caz198917 im sold!! I'll start drinking 3 cups at 32 weeks.

I drank gallons of the stuff, baby was 8 days overdue, unfavourable cervix for sweeps and induction. Ended up having APH and c section. First baby though! I absolutely sickened myself of the stuff eventually.

Also did perineal massage every night, what a waste of bloody time that was

I took either the tablets or capsules, can't remember. The midwife wasn't sure if it would help, but said it was harmless.
DD arrived after a 7hr labour on her due date

I drank it and enjoyed it, to be fair I still buy it occasionally to this day. My [big] babies were both delivered naturally a day either side of their due dates

I started taking it at 34 weeks and it gave me horrible braxton hicks, only realised that was why when I got busy for a few days and stopped drinking the tea. I did take it in previous pregnancies and I didn’t get BH from them and my labours were quite short

I did with my one and only DD. I drank it from 37 weeks. In my case, I will never know if it really helped or not because it's one of those things where I can't unwind time to see if my labour would of been any different had I not had it.

But, it might be worth mentioning that I had a brilliant first labour and thankfully no complications. Did the raspberry leaf tea help? I'll never know but would still drink it again second time round just incase!