raspberry leaf tablets

Hi, Im just wondering when people started taking the blackmores tablets? It says 3rd trimester and Im well into that, but I thought I'd heard you shouldn't take them until 34-36 weeks? If anyone knows that would be great xo

I'm not sure when the correct time to take them is, but I started taking them from 36 weeks.

All the info I've gotten on the web tends to say that you can start after 28 weeks. I believe I started at 35 weeks because I read that rasberry leaf can cause your uterus to soften and I didn't want to go into early labour, having said that today I went to read up on it & haven't found that info anywhere :smt102

I used the tea from 35 weeks and had 2 cups a day until I was 38 weeks and then began having 3 cups a day. HTH

what do you have it for??

Stayinmybelly!!

For the use of toning the uterus (also known to help with post-partum bleeding and increased milk supply), anything from 32 weeks is fine. If you are that unsure, ask a naturopath, but the advice they give usually varies.

I found this on the Birthrites website:

Raspberry Leaf in Pregnancy.

The study will be published this year in the 'Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health', April edition, 46(2).

A randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study performed by Myra Parsons and Michele Simpson in 1999-2000 at Westmead Hospital in Sydney demonstrated the safety of raspberry leaf tablets (2.4 gms daily) taken from 32 weeks pregnancy until commencement of labour. There were no side effects identified, for mother or baby, by the intake of this herb.

The analysis suggested that raspberry leaf tablets shortened the length of second stage of labour by an average of 10 minutes but made no difference to the length of first stage. It also reduced the incidence of 'artificial rupture of membrane' and forceps/ventouse deliveries. Although not statistically significant, these results are clinically significant. At the present time there is no known research on the safety of taking Raspberry Leaf earlier in pregnancy.

Hehehe... I was thinking the same thing Getinmybelly...

Thanks for that, I will start them at 32 weeks. Im seeing the midwife next week so will talk to her too. Im not sure if they'll make any difference, but Im going to give it a go. For one friend she had the tea religiously and had a 30 hour labour with forceps!! Other girl, 2 hour!! So Im sure it probably doesn't make much difference, but it's good for you anyway!!