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Ok - I think I'm nearly convinced now. Think I'll start it at 32 weeks and see what happens.. I haven't had any BH yet so it'll be interesting to see if they start after I begin taking the RLT... will let you all know.
Thanks again Janie for the link.
You're welcome Nettie :). If you find that you get increased BHs (I did) to the point that they're bothering you, you can always just back off on the RLT a little bit.
Good luck hun, wishing you a wonderful labour and birth :D
I've been doing all kinds of research on various aspects of pg/birth since I found out I was pg, and it just amazes me the variety of contradictory information out there- not just on the internet/ from well-meaning grandmother types, but also from Obs and Midwives, who should bloody know this sort of stuff. Its like pg and birth are these huge mysteries. Heck, even my GP shrugged her shoulders at one point and told me that the best modern medicine really has to offer is damage control and "sheparding" a woman through... Weird. RLT seems to be a good example. I think I'll start taking it soon though.
hi there , with me the RLT worked extremely well, i started taking one tablet a day at 28 weeks but the end of 29 weeks i went into labour , the whole time i was taking them i could feel the contractions produced.since they have been able to keep my bub in there im not going to take them untill at leat 37 weeks again , ive drunk the tea the with my last 2 pregnancys and had them both on their due date. so i believe it works, just start on one as if your body is ready you will feel the effects , i know if i had have taken the recommended dosage of 3 3x a day , i would have def had my baby at 29 weeks so just becareful. good luck all the best
Well, I've been having cups of RLT about once every two days - no side effects. Then I did once a day for a couple of days - still no ill effects, so now I've tried 2 cups today. We'll see if there's any problems tomorrow.
If not, I'll stay on 2 cups a day for a week and see what happens. Been kinda expecting it to start the BH up (haven't had any yet) but maybe it wont.
Feel good still so here's hoping taking the RLT will help when it's 'showtime'!! :clap:
i started taking RLT tablets on the weekend, and last night i seemed to have more braxton hicks than normal.... so i'd say its having an effect! :) Im taking 3 tablets 3 times a day at the moment!
I'm now on up to 2 cups a day (whenever I remember!) and still no BH. Although I have occasionally had slight 'tightening' feelings - like a period cramp but quite unspecific... more like the aching feeling that drains your energy - iykwim.
Also doing the Perinium massage now (in the mornings whenever I get time!) - hopefully all this prep will help on the big day!!
RLT is used as a uteran toner if you like. It prepares the uterus for labour, and helps to relax it. It also assists with the delivery and seperation of the placenta, and the relief of post partum bleeding. It has anecdotal evidence of helping labour by easing pain of pre labour contractions and even encouraging labour when the time is right.
I have never heard of any ill effects from anyone - the midwives at teh hospital even suggested drinking it if DTD didnt successfully bring on labour! lol
Its not the nicest, but you can put sugar in it, but DONT add milk as it can affect the tea.
You can also continue to use it post partum as it helps milk supply and production and can help reduce you uterus to normal size :)
Just a tip, I found it nicer with honey rather than sugar :)
Just thought I'd let everyone know that I'm certainly feeling an increase in 'period pain' type cramps. They're not so much painful, as much as they drain my energy and make me catch my breath. It's all across the front of my belly (not in my back at all) so I don't really think they're BH yet.
I'm now on 2 cups of RLT a day (usually) so we'll see if they get worse...
I'm sorry if this has been discussed already, but are the tablets as effective as the tea?
Nettie, they sound like BH to me - aren't BH just any type of practice contractions? They don't have to be full on? Just like everyone's contractions feel different, I guess everyone's BH's feel different too!
Hmm Shoe. I'll take a guess at muchness of a muchness? The tea might be more effective because it's a liquid, so could be absorbed much easier. But then the tablets might be more concentrated, and it's easier to take tablets than make up tea, so you're more likely to be consistent...
I got some tea today! Will hopefully pack the labour bag tonight and then I'll feel safe to have my first cup. :p
I was deciding between the tea and tablets too, and decided on the tea because I figure I'm killing two birds with one stone there - the tea will keep me hydrated too, and I'm definitely not drinking enough lately! (or ever really, I'll be honest. :redface:)
Thanks Nelle, I've bought the tablets and will start Friday when I'll be 35 weeks as per OB instructions.
Nettie yeah they sound like BH to me definately. they weren't painful for me at all with ds, got quite uncomfortably strong near the end though. This time round unfortunately they've been pretty bad for ages.
Shoegal I've heard that the tea is definately more potent and therefore more effective so you don't need to take it as much. I think it'd work out cheaper too. I've been taking one-two cups a day but have it with a fruit tea like strawberry and a little honey and it's really nice. If you'll have time to sit down for a cuppa once a day then I'd say try the tea after you've finished the tablets maybe, or combine the two iykwim.
Nelle don't wanna sound rude or anything but didn't I read that you were gonna pack your bag a few weeks ago? It just reminds me SO much of when I was pg with ds coz I put it off for so long dh had to pack it when I was in labour. Hope this doesn't happen to you though :D
:redface::
Yeah well, forget all the natural birth philosophies, I think I have found the real attraction of homebirthing...:p
I discovered a whole lot of stuff I need to buy...and who knows what happened to the lot of dark undies I bought for after Riv was born...
I've been consistently drinking 2-3 cups of tea for a week now (was haphazard before that) and I still haven't one BH. So don't panic that it'll bring things on- it might appear to do nothing for you like me. hopefully it'll make things nice and functional at the birth and afterwards though.
I drank rlf tea from 36 weeks with my second and third pregnancies. I must be strange as I actually liked the taste. It brought on bh for me and both my vbac births were 1hr 45min at 39 and 38 weeks.
My naturopath recommended 1 cup a day for weeks 28 to 32 and then 1 cups a day from then on. Well it took until week 31 to find the tea - and I too must be strange as I like it and coud happily drink it all day if I wasn't concerned about it bringing on an early arrival which I do not want.
Anyway, because DS was 3 weeks early without any intervention and the labour from waters breaking to birth was around 12 hours with only 5 hours of contractions and less than 3 of serious labour pain, I've only started with 1 cup every other day or 1 cup each day using the same tea bag for two cups and I have noticed BH have started and thinking maybe I should wait a few more weeks before having the tea - like until week 36.