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I know Rasberry Leaf tea or tablets are supposed to help late in pregnancy to get your uterus ready for birth. What I wondered though is when are you supposed to start taking it & how much?
I thought I'd have a look around the net & see what I can find out (will post my results here). But I'm also interested in what you guys have to say about it....
TIA
I heard something along the lines of that once you reach your due date (or maybe even 2 weeks before?) you can drink up to three cups a day. But if its before that time then only one cup a day as having too much could help stimulate contractions.
I'm not sure if this is correct info or not, my memory is very fuzzy on this!!!
I read on the box of the tea that you can take it from 2nd trimester
Sarah, when I had my last visit with my Midwife at 28 weeks she told me then that it was fine to start drinking it then. So yep, once your in your into your third tri seems to be about right. Basically all its supposed to do is to help tone your uterus and help you to have more affective contractions. Don't know that my uterus need ths much more convincing to contract although the closer the big days I hav have them connect an IV to me with it flowing through it. LOL
Take care
Trish
mmmm my midwives said 34 weeks...
well...i religiously drank my raspberry leaf tea and it must of toned up my uterus so much that I ended up having a very, very long labour with the most intense pain...only 1 cm dilated after 20 hours...and then decided it was time for drugs...finally after 28 hours I had my lovely baby..
I will NOT be drinking it again...ever.
I drank it from late 2nd trimester onwards, just one cup a day. Towards my due date it gave me cramping after drinking it, like it caused my uterus to contract. It didn't seem to have any affect my labour and birth though, but I was augmented with synto so I didn't have a 'natural' labour.
I just I remember that I was given fairly strict instructions about the timing. I think you could only have a certain amount, you could have TOO much tea.
All I know is that after a big day of shopping I had two cups spaced out about 1/2 hour...... and began contracyions approx 40mins later.
I think I was a 50/50 combination of the tea, and finding the perfect outfit for labour.!
Thanks for the info ellen.
I have also done some research on RLT and found similar to your info. I don't like herbal teas so I am going to start taking tablets in a couple of weeks. From what I read, the tablets are stronger but I'm sure it would depend on the strenght of each.
i heard it was 30 weeks or somehting around that
From 32 weeks I took the tablets & it did nothing for me.. I still went 8 days over & had to be induced. I will take it again though just incase,lol
I was told 28 to 30 weeks. I only drink 1-2 cups a day but I think you can have more than that.
It is safe to take Raspberry Leaf for the second and third trimesters - up to three cups a day, or 1.2 to 2.4g/day in tablet form. In the lead up to labour you can increase the dosage of tea to six times daily. It doesn't have any safety issues, except that it should be avoided in the first trimester, and it should be taken away from mineral supplements as it can reduce your absorption of the minerals. Let me know if you would like any detailled info about this special herb x
Did you ever find out the answer Sarah??
I've been reading about it but am a bit scared to start taking it yet. I was thinking 34-35 weeks.
Ive been drinking the tea since 28 weeks and its not given me any problems yet...LOL
There is no need to be fearful of this beautiful herb. It contains high levels of Calcium and Magnesium, and also Iron, and really does have the ability to aid the uterus to both contract AND relax. It will not cause lengthened labours etc.
Try to look at it more as a food that contains many of the nutrients that your uterus requires during the labour process. It is very safe, and can be used from the second trimester onwards.
xxx
Thanks Kim and Nicole!
I used a raspberry leaf tincture this time around - I would like to think it definitely helped - my acupuncture practitioner made it for me - started at 36 wks, he didn't want me to start it any earlier.
my history was #1 - spurious labour, contractions irregular for 48 hours, then ARM and epi cos I was so damn tired after 2 days. I had used the Blackmores RL tablets :rolleyes:
#2 - waters broke, no contractions, start/stop/start/stop - synto drip with peth - drank tea from 34 weeks
#3 - acupuncture from 20 weeks, tincture from 36 weeks, epo orally only from 36 weeks, and waters broke, contractions started 24 hours later (we were checked etc and everyone was ok) - then once they started - 6 hr labour with textbook contraction increase in intensity etc - 3 minute second stage LOL
Anyway, I would take the tincture again, believed in really helped in the uterus toning - belief is a powerful thing ;) -
Hmmmmm I'm thinking of starting on some RLT but am hesitant as I have been told I WILL go early!!
So do i take RL tea or RL tabs??
MelanieKate - it is a uterus toner - it isn't used to bring on labour early etc, just once contractions start they keep on going etc.
Personally as I wrote in last post I would use a tincture again - personal choice. With tea you can get just the natural raw product, with tablets they are still manufactured artificially even though they contain real product.
With tea, hard to tell if you get the same amount in every cup. But if you haven't had any probs with contractions regularity, would be fine I would think.
Tincutre, you get the same amount every time :)
Just my thoughts :)
Any idea what tables are available these days?
Someone told blackmore ones are out of stock
Thanks
I got the actual tea from a health food store I think...and just drank it with loads of sugar. :p So that might be an option if you can't find any tablets. I think asking your local health food store about tablets might be worth a try though.
Just checked the cupboard, mine are "natures own" got them from the local chemist. Couldn't find the tea at woolies & we don't have a health food store here.
I drank RLT religously, cant remember exactly when I started, whatever it says on the box. lol
I really believe that it worked, I had an 8 hour labour, no intervention, and - from what I've heard - comparitively easy, pretty good for a 1st.
I also drank it post birth. About a month, maybe 2 after my tummy was looking great(aside from the stretch marks) and it is now as flat as it was pre-preg.
It may just have been my genetics but I dont want to find out the hard way. I swear by it and will definately be drinking it again next time.
Also, I dont like herbal teas either but I really liked the RLT.
herbs of gold brand are good cos you only have to take 2 - 3 a day instead of the 10 or so of the blackmores. The healthfood shop should stock them. I took the tablets and drank a couple of cups of tea a day as well.
I would look for the tablets in a health food shop too or see a naturopath.
I've just started drinking the tea and have got the leaves. I brew them for 8-10 minutes because I think it gives a nicer flavour than the recommended 5 minutes. I started drinking tea last week (approx 34/5 weeks). I'm drinking 3 cups a day and will probably try and squeeze in more over the next few weeks.
Bit late getting here ;)
I took RLT tablets in both pregnancies, though with DD1 I started at 39 weeks (too late) so with DD2 I started at 34 weeks.
I used the tablets, (blackmores) and the drink.
The uterus is a muscle, and like any muscle it works better when used/toned,and this is what RLT does, helps your uterus 'work' better.
Beware though, some women who have sensitive uterus can go into early labour from RLT and also it can make your labour quick, I know you are all thinking yay quick labour, but sometimes it is too quick.
I talked to my GP/midwife about taking it as I had terrible first birth, and it was advised I take it. My labour shortened from 20 hours to just 5hrs :o
Good luck...