Raspberry tea to help labour??

Lemontree

Hello everyone, was just wondering if anyone has tried taking raspberry tea or the tablet form during pregnancy? I overheard two women talking about it the other day and have never heard of it before! Am 30 weeks pregnant now and was wondering it it could help ease labour pain, Im willing to try anything to help it run more smoothly!

janbaby

I've never of heard of that but sounds interesting. As you said if something can help its worth a try

Cookie Jar

One word: Epidural:P

January

Raspberry leaf tea is supposed to help strengthen and tone the uterus to aid labour.
Here's a link that might help you http://www.askbaby.com/raspberry-leaf-tea.htm

You shouldn't take it before 36 weeks though, or at least thats the general consensus!

embee

Cookie Jar wrote: »

One word: Epidural:P

Epidurals have nothing whatsoever to do with raspberry leaf tea.

foxy06

I thought it was used to help you go into labour rather than with the labour?

Nevyn

It is meant to help strengthen the muscles making labour easier.
I took it in tablet form and as a tea in the 3rd trimester of both my pregnancys.
Why not ask your chemist/midwife about it.

foxy06

Was always under the impression though that women used it to bring on labour.

Planning on going without epi this time. got through the last one without it and felt great. Had epi on the 1st and took ages to get back to normal so may give the raspberry leaf tea a go if it will help with labour.
Doesn't taste like pond water or anything though does it??

midwife2b?

i took it from 38 weeks and was still 8 days late..since then though i have been on placement in a maternity ward and the midwives were not recommending it..they were telling the ladys that were having their pre-natal check-ups that, from there observation, the ladies that took rasp leaf tea had contractions that were on top of eachother, meaning they had no time between them to get their breath/chill/relax..which believe you need!! And looking back mine were just like that!! So i woudnt take any next time.. im just going to try walking..spicy food and sex!! (well if im able! lol)

htp

b*

Nevyn

and it was those very effects that I was greatful for tbh.

Oryx

It tastes horrible. I tried it for a little while but couldnt stand the flavour of it, even when I chilled it. I was a week late and my labour was pretty standard fare.

January

I loved the taste of it! Drank 3-4 cups of it a day from 37 weeks... the girl beside me in work didn't like the smell of it though!

Lemlin

My OH and I were told by the nurse at the ante-natal class in Cavan that there is no 'scientific' proof of it working so she couldn't recommend it but could just mention it.

She said the midwives there have been researching it and the differences between people who do use it and people who don't.

The only difference she said they found is that the initial labour tends to be shorter for people who take it ie. the initial contractions don't last as long and the "actual" labour tends to start quicker for those who use it.

trotter_inc

My wife is overdue by 3 days and has been taking raspberry leaf tea for the past month. Her reflexologist and antenatal widwife recommended it, I think it was to help strengthen the uterus...

ziggy23

I'm drinking 3 cups a day of the heath and heather raspberry leaf tea. it says not to drink more than 3 cups a day and only in the late stages of pregnancy. Its actually quite nice. U cant dunk a biccie in it but thats probably a good thing:p we'll see what happens anyway. Am 36 weeks pregnant

SanFran07

There's been 2 small Aussie studies on the use of RLT and both showed a shorter 2nd stage of labour. It won't start labour but it is used to tone and strenghten the uterus.

Although in Ireland mums take it in the last few weeks it's a traditional uterine tonic used by Native American Indians all through a womans life.

HTH

Tracy