SH has just bought home Raspberry Leaf Tea - how much, how strong, how often? (Am 37 weeks)

[BellaBear]

I am being Organised now I am on ML. I've been washing baby clothes today and trying to sort out my hospital bag. [proud of myself emoticon]

Shall I make myself a cup now? There's no chance of it bringing on any contractions is there?

DH not SH, must preview, must preview

have googled and answered myself

I took 1 capsule on Sunday and baby was born on Monday. I would wait at least another week if it was me.

definitely don't want that to happen yet!

Bellabear, you couldn't tell me what you found out, could you? Am 38 weeks. Must NOT go into labour before saturday (when my mum arrives to look after dd ) but then MUST go into labour in the 2 week period following that!! TIA

Its commonly believed that drinking raspberry leaf tea or taking raspberry leaf tablets will help to induce labour and as such this supplement is taken by many a pregnant woman keen to speed up their baby's arrival into the world. Unfortunately this is a misconception; raspberry leaf tea doesn't actually help to bring on labour at all. Having said this it is thought to have many other benefits for the birthing process and has been used as a labour-aid for hundreds of years.

The benefits

Raspberry leaf tea is nutrient rich and contains many of the vitamins and minerals necessary for a healthy pregnancy including vitamins A, C, E and B, magnesium, calcium and iron. Consuming raspberry leaf tea not only helps mother and baby to get all the nutrients they need but can also help to replenish a new mothers stores after the birth.

Raspberry leaf tea also contains the alkaloid 'fragine' which is said to strengthen and tone the muscles of the uterus, helping them to contract more efficiently during labour. Research has found that taking raspberry leaf during the weeks prior to delivery helps to shorten the second stage of labour by making contractions more effective. Some studies have also found that it reduces the need for an assisted delivery (i.e. an emergency cesarean or use of forceps or ventouse).

Sipping raspberry leaf tea during and after the birth is also said to help the uterus contract back down to size, reduce after birth bleeding and help initiate the let down of breastmilk.

While there hasn't been a huge amount of research into this area, the general consensus does seem to be that drinking raspberry leaf tea during the latter stages of pregnancy can help to make for a 'better' labour with few side effects.

How to take raspberry leaf tea

From www.askbaby.com/raspberry-leaf-tea.htm

Raspberry leaf tea can be taken in tea bag, loose leaf, tablet or tincture form and is available from most herbalists and health food stores.

It is advisable to wait until the 32nd week of pregnancy before trying raspberry leaf tea as there is a concern that consumption before this time in the more fragile, earlier stages of pregnancy could lead to problems. Once you have reached the 32nd week of your pregnancy you could begin with one cup of raspberry leaf tea a day and gradually increase up to 4 cups or tables a day (although this may vary in accordance with the strength of the blend and the manufacturers instructions).

While there is no guarantee that raspberry leaf tea will help speed up the labour process, if you like the taste it might just be worth a try.

From www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/planningyourbabysbirth/raspberryteaeaselabourexpert/

I've heard that raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy can help to make labour easier. If so, when should I start taking it and how much should I take?

Wisty Hoyland answers:
In a study carried out in Sydney, Australia, 192 first-time mums were given at random either a 1.2g raspberry leaf tablet or a placebo twice a day from 32 weeks of pregnancy. The herb had no harmful effects on mother or baby, and those women who had taken raspberry leaf tablets were found to have a shorter second stage of labour and a lower rate of forceps delivery (19.3% versus 30.4%). However, far more research is needed to confirm these results.

It is very important not to use raspberry leaves until the last two months of pregnancy because of their stimulating effect on the uterus. Start with one cup of tea a day or one tablet and build up gradually to a maximum of four cups of tea or tablets daily. The tea can be sipped freely during labour, too.

You can buy raspberry leaf tablets from health food stores. However many women prefer to make a tea from the dried herb, which is available from some health shops and from herbal suppliers, such as Neal's Yard Remedies. It can also be obtained from a herbalist. To find a registered herbalist near you, contact the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. The tea, or infusion, can be made as follows: put 25g/1oz of the dried herb in a pot and pour on 600ml/1 pint of boiling water. Cover and infuse for 15 minutes. Alternatively, add 1 teaspoonful of the dried herb to a cup of boiling water.

Another herbal remedy that can be used in conjunction with raspberry leaves is squaw vine. Like raspberry leaves, it has traditionally been considered a useful aid to labour and childbirth. As its name suggests, North American Indian women regularly took it in the weeks leading up to childbirth. Like raspberry leaves, it is a uterine tonic which helps to ease and speed up labour and birth. There is no research about the effectiveness of squaw vine.

Squaw vine can be obtained from a herbalist in the form of a tincture. She will advise you of how much to take and how often. It should not be taken until the last few weeks of pregnancy.

that's all I read so far. Sorry, the link in the first post should be at the top of the post, not the middle.

Bum. So doesn't actually bring on labour at all! Thought it was probably a swizz! Better get nipple twiddling instead then. Thanks a lot for all the info

I'll be 38 weeks on Thursday. Have bought pineapple pieces, just had sex and am planning curry on Saturday night.

Bring it on!!!!

I drank Raspberry leaf tea for about the last 3 months of my pregnancy with DS1 and he was 12 days over due, lol!

Teh midwife who examined me the next day was shocked by my uterus, andaid it was like a cricket ball. I only dreank it as my sister said it helped your tummy go flat.

Message withdrawn

1 cup of tea isn't going to kick start labour... I drank tons of it from about 38 weeks and ended up having my DS at 40+9!

Heard that it's meant to help shorten the second stage, rather than bring on labour, but nobody seems to know for sure.

Sorry, not being very helpful!

Thanks everyone for replies. I made a cup this morning and then had to go and do something and now it is cold, but actually more pleasant!

FWIW I took the capsules and drank the tea from about 36 weeks with DD2 and she was 6 days late. Don't build your hopes up on it working wonders.

Good Luck

Well if it's supposed to shorten second stage I can vouch for that, DD2 was out in 2 pushes.

God I can't believe I am talking about labour - I swore I wasn't even going to think about it until I was in labour this time (only another 28 weeks to go )

Thank you FL. I'm not interesting in bringing on labour at all (IT CANNOT HAPPEN BEFORE 22nd JANUARY!!!!) just very interested in teh speeding up labour once it starts aspect.

It is true that it doesn't actually bring on labour. It just strengthens the uterus so the second part of labour is quicker and easier. Also, one cup would not do anything. You have to drink enough for it to work. I drank 2 cups a day from 34 wks. Ds arrived on his due date but the labour was straightforward, 2hrs and the pushing part was 10 mins. I would definitely reccomend it, but do think you have to drink enough for it to work.

Can I ask where you get it from, looked for it in boots today but couldn't see any?

health food shops, holland and barratt, that kind of place. Boots doesn't seem to sell it.

Get the proper stuff, rather than the teabags - apparently the teabags are weaker and a bit pointless.

Holland and Barratt will sell it, or other health food stores.

Thank you

Am 40wks + 3days now and have tried all of the above, raspberry leaf tea, caster oil, pineapple, hot curry and sex!!! All bollocks if you ask me as none have worked....maybe if you try them all at the same time perhaps

bellabear im a little confused with your thread, in the first message it seems your asking people's opinion on weather rasberry leaf tea will bring on contractions, but a little further down youve written a paragraph claiming that it dosent actually do anything as far as contractions go... ive just started drinking it, at 37wks and wondering if its a waste of time now, having read this and should i stick to sex and curry instead !

Don't want to scare anyone but it was posted on my due in Nov 07 thread that midwives Newzealand had conducted research proving that women who drank raspberry leaf tea/ took tablets bleed more in labour.

so i stayed clear.