Raspberry Leaf Tea / Tablets - Whats the deal there?

[ThePFJ]

Hi everyone,

My Midwife recommended I start Raspberry Leaf tea or tablets now as I am in the last stages of pregnancy. I have heard of this stuff being mentioned before, but I come to look it up on the net only to find that it 'supposedly makes labour faster'. It can't just be for that reason.
Can you enlighten me as to why I should go find some tabs to take please?

Thank you so much girls.
xxx

That is the only reason that I know of. I drank some the day after my due date and had my ds the following day. It may have nothing to do with the Raspberry Leaf tea.
It does taste horrible though so if you do get some the tablets might be better.

it's meant to make contractions more effective. i drank it for the last few weeks and had a very short labour. maybe coincidence but will definitely do it again! won't do any harm and may well help!

Actually, it sounds like a good idea then. Thanks everyone. xx

It basically tones the uterus, hence making the contractions more effective.

I had an irritable uterus with DS2's pregnancy (basically non-stop contractions, real ones, with PAIN, for the best part of 9 weeks). The Raspberry leaf tablets, did make the contractions worse, but come labour time, I had just under 2 hour labour with 4 minutes of pushing, so was perhaps worth it .

OMG, why am I even considering going through another 9 weeks of contractions? I must be absolutely off my rocker.....

thepfj - hi there!
alot of uson the april 07 thread were avid takers of RLT. I used the tea bags - had hot cups, brewed pots up and drank it cold, used it as ice cubes and moxed with soda water. i must have consumed gallons!
my actual established labour was quick - about 6 hrs and i only pushed for about 1/2 hr.
be careful tho - alot of us had quick 2nd stages and almost got caught unawarres! babies born in kitchens, in car parks and in my case - we made it to the hospital with 7 minutes to spare!

when can i have it from? 33 weeks now.

You can only take it from 37 weeks

i drank loads of pure high quality RL tea. I was in labour for 48 hours and did about 20 pushes. drink it all up. baby was 3 days late.

I drank the tea with both my pgs and had fast easy labours. I will def be getting some again. I have a couple of rl friends who agree.

I think you can drink the tea from 35 weeks, tablets are stronger and you have to wait longer.

My midwife said to start taklng it from 35 weeks... Is that right?

Ah I get it. So if I get the tabs I should wait til 37 weeks?

Research says from 32 weeks (there is only one piece of research though- will dig it out) BUT I would say 35 weeks probably more sensible as I did find it helped me to go into labour (tablets, tea was useless) with ds3 when he was overdue. Am taking now, 35 +3.

Will find research for you.

there you go

My midwife said i could start taking them and I am only 32 weeks.

Thanks for the reassurance. And cheers for the link Peachy. I have tabs on the way from Holland and Barrett online right now. (There are no shops that do this sort of thing for miles from me). Will start them when I get them. The label says 3-5 a day.
I assume I just see how many more than 3 I remember to take everyday without going over.

I am SO excited about the baby now..
Less than 5 weeks to go!

I think you can take them earlier in subsequent pregnancies (maybe the old uterus is baggier?!) I took the tablets with all 3, and my longest labour was 4h 40mins (back to back). Not saying they were the reason, but definitely worth a bash! Good luck

With ds2 labour was 40 hours plus, with ds3 about 4 hours- raspberry leaf in second of those labours (ds1 delivered early by induction).

May well be a conincidence but good enough for me LOL!

I take one with each main meal, to help me remember- useless at that.

I took it from about 38 weeks. DD arrived after three day labour at 42+1...
But I will try it again this time.