Raspberry leaf tea

**jellybean88** · February 26th, 2013, 08:31 PM

What does it do exactly? And is it worth taking?

**~TT40~** · February 26th, 2013, 08:35 PM

it is meant to help tone your uterine muscles so when they do contract they are strong and effective.
I took it in my 3rd trimester, I had braxton hicks (painless) for a few hours every night for the last few weeks of pregnancy. a week before I went into labour I was already 1cm, and then when I did go into labour my labour was only 5 hours. whether that was cause of the tea or not, who knows =)

edit - I drank the tea, both in leaf form and bag form

**little_O** · February 26th, 2013, 08:39 PM

It's meant to help strengthen the uterine muscles. It's meant to help labour be easier and more efficient. My ob said that some people take it to come early too, but I'd never heard of that prior and I only went39+2.

I didn't take the tea, just the tablets. I found I had a bit of pre labour, but a very easy and efficient birth. I was 2 cm dilated at 36 weeks and 3 cm at 38 weeks. I laboured for 2 hours at home and was 7 cm By the time I got to hospital.

I'll be taking then again for the next

**Mrs P** · February 26th, 2013, 08:40 PM

I'm taking the tablets daily - I'm due on Friday so can't say whether its worked for me yet! Some people don't like the taste of the tea. I found it actually quite bland - even with three tea bags per cup and steeping for ages - so I got the tablets instead

I figure if something as simple as taking a few tablets can help my labour then I'm all for it!

**jellybean88** · February 27th, 2013, 04:37 AM

Bummer I can't swallow tablets that sounds much easier my labour was 5 hours last time

**BellyBelly** · February 27th, 2013, 05:00 AM

Raspberry Leaf Tea in Pregnancy - Benefits of Red Raspberry Leaf

**jellybean88** · February 27th, 2013, 06:11 AM

Thanks!

**HomeStyleMumma** · February 27th, 2013, 07:38 AM

If you don't like the taste of the tea -and yes its pretty boring- just steep with another herbal tea, eg. a fruit tea. Honey is also quite nice to sweeten it up. I have had it before but won't personally ever again because I have delivered early with all my babies and they've all been rather fast straight and straight forward. Oh btw you'll almost certainly have to get the tea in a healthfood shop in case you weren't sure.

**HotI** · February 27th, 2013, 08:29 AM

i am not a tea or coffee drinker, i drank rlt during pregnancy but called it dirt tea cos that's what it tastes like. I added honey to make it taste better.

**~TT40~** · February 27th, 2013, 09:09 AM

I didn't mind the taste. but laughed a bit everytime I made a cup of it cause it looked like pot =P

**jellybean88** · February 27th, 2013, 09:16 AM

Hsm: surprisingly I found it in my chemist when I was getting my iron supplement

I'm happy for plain flavor I always have mine weak with milk and sugar

Although I'm really not much of a tea drinker and this box says work up to 4 cups a day ... Good thing the weather is cooling down

**MLR1901** · February 27th, 2013, 09:18 AM

So when ideally should you start taking it from?
Some say 34weeks, then I've been told by vitamin shop to start at 32weeks.

**jellybean88** · February 27th, 2013, 09:19 AM

This box of tea says 36 weeks , I've read last tri and 32 not very consistent

**little_O** · February 27th, 2013, 09:24 AM

My mum and aunties all swear by taking it from 12 weeks

I took it from 30 weeks.

Other information I read says 36 weeks.

It would be interesting to know if anyone has gone premature by taking it early...guess it would be hard to evaluate though.

**HomeStyleMumma** · February 27th, 2013, 10:45 AM

So when ideally should you start taking it from?
Some say 34weeks, then I've been told by vitamin shop to start at 32weeks.

Mlr in your case I personally wouldn't at all but if you want to then I'd say definitely only from 36wks. Only because you had a sch like I did with dd1, hers was the pg I drank it for less than a week (only 1-2 weak cups a day) and went into preterm labour. It may have been a coincidence but not being able to know makes me cautious.

With no other medical reason not to I would probably take from 34wks, 32 should be ok (its when I started) but I would only have one weak tea a day for at least a week just to be on the safe side.
My sil was telling me about another herbal remedy she tried with her last baby (#7 a month ago) she said it made a HUGE difference and helped with overall health and particularly postpartum recovery. I've been meaning to ask her more and look into it properly I can let you know more when I do if you're interested jelly?

**HomeStyleMumma** · February 27th, 2013, 10:46 AM

*double post* so I figured I may as well add here little o that taking all through pg is most likely fine if you've been taking it prepg anyway which is very good for female health, helps with af pain and longevity etc.

**MLR1901** · February 27th, 2013, 11:02 AM

Thanks HSM - I will look into that!!
Def don't want any red surprises again!!

**Arimeh** · February 27th, 2013, 11:34 AM

I'm surprised in that article that it says if you've had a previous c-section then you shouldn't take it.

I took it for my 3rd and 4th pregnancy (so for my VBA2C and VBA2C2) - from around 34 weeks. If I got really painful BH's then I would drop the amount I was consuming, usually I would have around 3 cups of tea a day.

My labours were 13 hours (4 hours active) and 7 hours (2.5 hours active)