Raspberry leaf tea??

[~*familyof3*~]

Ok so we were out and about and at the health food shop and came across raspberry leaf tea as well as some other things.I was told it helps prepare the body for birth can any one give me some more info on it and let me know if its any good? We did grab some as it was that much anyway just want to know a bit more before we give it a go

[MrsBexie]

rasberry leaf tea tones the uterus and helps it learn to contract etc....
The suggest to start drinking one cup per day from 28 weeks, then increasing as you get closer to your due date. I am almost 35 weeks and drinking 2 cups a day, by the end I will be drinking like 6 cups a day!

It's really good to use apparently.

[luna moth]

Yep, uterine tonic. A study in Sydney (which I cannot quote, but maybe someone else can) showed slightly shorter second stage labours among mums who had been taking it from 32 weeks.

I started at 30 weeks with one cup a day, and was up to 5 or 6 cups a day at 36 weeks. Still going, and getting a little bit sick of it! But the end is nigh... and I'm sure it will be worth it

[Daytona's Mummy]

Really?? 28 weeks???? Hey that means I could start using it this week???? OMG how time flies!
Familyof3, There are heaps of helpful threads about it in here, I was planning on using it too this time but didn't realise I'd be starting it so soon! I guess I'd better toddle off & refreash my memory also ! GL with the last little bit of your pregnancy, & up comming birth!

[~*familyof3*~]

thanks ladies cool ima have a cup today and slowly build up then. Thanks Daytona

[Anise3]

Great question! Do the raspberry leaf tablets work the same way as the tea?

[samaraxx]

Just be aware that some medical professions will advise you to only use Raspberry Leaf in the 3rd Trimester after the 34th week of pregnancy, as all women can react to it differently. I know quite a few women that have used it and said it was great, but then one of my friends started on it around 28 weeks and got servere abdomen cramps for about a week and didn't use it again. Also my sis-in-law had 1 cup of it at 31 weeks pregnant, and about 2 hours later she went into pretmature labour and was flown to Sydney Hospital in an emergancy jet to try to stop the labour, which they did successfully, thank God : ) But it was a tramatic experience for her and all of us.
So just remember that it is a uterine tonic and it depends on the individual how greatly or poorly it works, but personally I wouldn't recommend it before 34 weeks....
Good Luck xx

[luna moth]

Same study that I couldn't quote found that RLT intake made no significant difference to the gestation at which onset of labour occurred, i.e. it didn't bring on labour, just resulted in shorter second stage.

[human bean]

Anise I took the tablets instead, there is no way I would have been able to drink several cups of tea a day here in the hot weather. Plus I'm just not a fan of any kind of tea. I could only find them at the health food store, and found stronger ones so didn't have to take as many (some brands you have to take several a few times a day) I think from memory the ones I took were herbs of gold brand/nature's gold or something like that.

[glenny_c]

FO3- I've been taking it from 28 weeks, I'm up to about 3 cups a day. I make up a jug of it and keep it in the fridge. I find it's much easier to drink it cold as I'm not a big tea drinker. In a couple of weeks I'm going to start taking Evening Primrose Oil as well, helps soften the cervix apparently

[gayatri]

My naturopath put me on the rasberry tea leaf on week 24 . 1 cup a day..... then at 30 week increased to 2 cups a day....now at 33 weeks i am at 3 cups a day till week 36 to increase to 5 cups a day.... I like the taste of the tea... i just make a bit more and chill it....rasberry tea leaf is also suppose to help with colostrum production..... tc

[Yarrawin]

I'm drinking it... sporadically! I was told to start with two cups a day! I actually really like it - I make it up and then mix one teaspoon of Orange Blossom honey in it and I love it. It's nice hot or cold too. I'm thinking about making up a jug of it and leaving it in the fridge. I'm terrible at remembering to take anything though, and I really need to get more consistent with this!

[*EJ*]

I have been taking the tablets since 32 weeks with this one, i was told by the staff at the health food shop i got them from that the tablets are equivilent to about 6 cups of the tea. So maybe in the early weeks as a precatution the tea could be better for a lower dose but then move on to the tablets if you don't think you could drink that many cups. I personally have been taking 2 tablets (as written on the bottle) a day since 32 weeks with no side effects.

I was also told it's great to take after pregnancy to help the uterus contract back down. As to how long after i can't remember, i'd have to ask them again when i'm in there next.

I hadn't heard about the 2nd stage statement but it sounds good to me and with DS2 my second stage was definately quick so it could be true.

[MummaSue]

I quite like the tea. I took it in my last trimester increasing the cups as the weeks went on. I spent the last week of my pregnancy in hospital and had it in there with me.... a few of the midwives rolled their eyes at me when they asked what I was taking it for.

Oh well......

[luna moth]

a few of the midwives rolled their eyes at me when they asked what I was taking it for.

Really?!? That sucks! Especially when several middies from the same hospy have recommended it to me! Ergh.

[MummaSue]

Haha, I know. Most of them were really supportive - asking me if I had plenty etc. You know what it's like in hospital though, you get conflicting advice across the board!

[~*familyof3*~]

thanks everyone yep the MW at our class's last night told us about it and said it helps so heck cant be that bad

[KitFaerie]

I've had it reccommended in Birth Class and at midwife appointments, the only thing the birth class teacher said was that some women can get period like pain with it, and not to increase it too quickly.