Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

when did you start drinking raspberry leaf tea?

36 replies

becks130 · 19/01/2010 07:53

I'll be 36 weeks tomorrow and wanted to start drinking it, When did you start? Also when can you change from the tea to the tablets?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

KayloHalo · 19/01/2010 10:32

Hi Becks

With my last pregnancy I started drinking raspberry leaf tea at 36 weeks - switched to tablets at 38 weeks. Not sure how much difference it made tho cos he was born at 39+6

Oh well.

BusyMissIzzy · 19/01/2010 11:45

I've been thinking about this too. I'm 33+4 and thinking of starting it (the tea rather than tablets, I think) at about 36 weeks. Where can I buy it?

Stientje · 19/01/2010 12:41

I am 32 weeks and am thinking on starting to drink it soon. Apparently the effect is not that it brings on labour but that it reduces the time of labour....
Does anyone know if that is correct?

Ohwhatacrapmasfear · 19/01/2010 12:49

That is correct Stientje, it tones the uterus to make contractions more productive in the pushing stage. It doesn't help to bring on labour.

Original poster

becks130 · 19/01/2010 13:01

Stientje I really do think that it helps, I drank it with DS1, I didn't start until I was actually overdue but my labour from when my contractions starting was about 5 hours! So I am defo gonna try it again.

BusyMissIzzy you can get it from holland and barrett or any health food shop, as behind the counter.

OP posts:

chocoholic16 · 19/01/2010 14:43

I have bought some raspberry leaf tablets 400mg that say to take 6 times a day! But they also say to check with a doctor if you are pregnant. Is there a certain strength / type you need to take when pregnant?

HooperMummy · 19/01/2010 17:47

Sorry to hijack your post becks but I was just wondering - is there a difference in effectiveness between the tea and the tablets? If so, which one is 'better'?

xkatyx · 19/01/2010 18:00

I don't think there is much diffrence in the 2, i think the tablets are for people that can't drink the tea (it doesnt taste great)

It doesn't bring on labour but helps your cervix apparently. i took it with my 1st child who was 41+6 late but my labour was very quick, 2nd pregnancy didnt take it because i was induced early but my labor was a lot longer. i was also induce with my 1st.

hope that helps you out ladies :-)

all in all it can't hurt just give it a go

PfftTheMagicDragon · 19/01/2010 18:01

About thirty seconds before I stopped drinking it.

Vile stuff

cassell · 19/01/2010 18:21

I actually liked the taste! I drank about 4-5 cups a day from 36 weeks (when I went on ML and had time to make & drink tea all day!). I had ds at 38+3 and labour was only 3.5hrs and only needed gas & air. Don't know if the raspberry leaf tea helped but I'll certainly be drinking it again if/when I have another. Don't know about the tablets.

Original poster

becks130 · 19/01/2010 20:05

HooperMummy I asked the lady in the Health Food Shop and she said that the tablets were stronger. Sorry Cassell I agree with the others it does take awful!

OP posts:

HooperMummy · 19/01/2010 22:32

Thanks becks - I'm a bit of a squinny when it comes to drinking things that taste gross so I was hoping that the tablets were the stronger of the two!

booboomonster · 19/01/2010 23:40

I liked the taste too! Mine was from Neals yard. No idea if it helped but had a good birth so will do it again - nothing to lose!

booboomonster · 19/01/2010 23:42

Sorry just realised I didn't answer the question - truth is I can't remember when I took it, but 36 wks seems about right!

midori1999 · 20/01/2010 00:24

I drank it with my first from 37 weeks (Holland and Barrat wouldn't sell it to me before then, but it was along time ago) DS 1 was born at 40+1 after a seven hour labour.

I didn't take it with DS's 2 and 3. DS2 was born at 38 weeks after a 4 hour labour and DS3 wa born at 37 weeks after a 3 hour labour, so it didn't appear to make any difference to me.

PlumBumMum · 20/01/2010 00:29

Tesco has Twinnings raspberry & ecchinaecea(sp) on offer at min for 64p

flyingcloud · 20/01/2010 08:42

PlumBumMum - is it actually raspberry leaf or just raspberry flavoured.

How much can one drink? I actually really like it (from Neal's Yard).

Becks glad to see you are ok - we were on the same ante-natal thread, but haven't seen you for a while, although I saw your thread about your waters a couple of weeks ago so we were busy clucking away on the thread worrying about you!

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2010 10:56

Drank the tea first time round and dd was born at 38+ weeks. No idea if it helped - labour still took over 24 hours (contractions fine but baby stubborn). This time round started the tablets at 36 weeks and boy have they made a difference to the frequency of Braxton Hicks contractions (at least I hope that's what they are)... Expecting to push this one out in record time!

BabyGiraffes · 20/01/2010 10:58

chocoholic The tablets you have sound quite a lot, six a day. The ones I got from a health food shop are 750mg and I take two a day.

Original poster

becks130 · 20/01/2010 12:31

Flyingcloud I'm good, How are you?? I think the midwife was trying to scare me last week It all turned out to be fine.

I have just noticed that I have Red Raspberry leaf tea, what is the difference and how much do I take? They are 500mg.

OP posts:

Schnitzel · 20/01/2010 18:16

Has anybody here been group B strep positive and drunk the tea? I would like to try it, but because I have to have intravenous antibiotics at least 4 hours before birth due to the Group B Strep, maybe it's not such a good idea to look at ways of actually trying to speed up labour!

pecanpie · 20/01/2010 18:46

Apparently the tea doesn't bring on labour, it just tones the uterus and makes contractions more efficient and potentially less painful (having said that, friend had 3 hour labour but immense pain). Nettle tea is also supposed to be a good tonic for the uterus, aiding the speed of labour. I read something about how one of them helps to soften the cervix for better dilation but it doesn't reduce the pain of the dilation itself.

Almost 35 weeks and stocked up ready to start having both raspberry leaf and nettle tea. Someone mentioned Twinings raspberry and echinacea tea on page 2 of the thread - just to say this isn't the same as raspberry leaf.

flyingcloud · 21/01/2010 14:07

Becks - glad that you are ok, I think red raspberry leaf is the same thing, but not sure. I am drinking tea, three cups a day.

watercress · 21/01/2010 16:15

Becks we (the Feb 2010 antenatal thread) were wondering what had happened to you! Glad you're OK.

I'm 36 weeks and haven't started the tea yet. I didn't find it made much difference last time as I had a loooong second stage, but I quite like herbal teas anyway so it's no hardship to drink.

LJB36 · 20/01/2011 12:35

I just bought my tea bags in readiness today! I am only 28 weeks and won't start until 32 weeks though. I have no idea if it REALLY works but did not take with son No1 and labout intensely painful and slow. With daughter born in 2009 I started it at 32 weeks and she came at 38 +1. Labour was 1 hour and 20 from start to finish with time for three puffs of gas and air. Based on that there is no way I would risk not taking it myself now...I live in hope!

Flip

1 2