Raspberry leaf tea in pregnancy.

[clothmama]

I'm just looking at what I'm going to be doing to encourage labour in a timely manner and a good strong labour again. I didn't use it last time but I've been looking at getting RLT and starting to drink that. There doesn't seem to be a lot of evidence or studies into it but the anecdotal evidence is pretty good, and from what I've read the studies that have been done show it is unlikely to cause harm.

Did you use it? What was your experience if you did?

Have also done a poll as we haven’t' had one for a while !

I used it with both girls as well as raspberry leaf capsules and did nothing. Naomi used it with Daisy (had one mug and next day went into labour) have tried to explain that it doesn't actually encourage labour it just helps the contractions once in labour but she's having none of it. You're meant to have 1 cup a day from 34weeks then moving up to 2 cups at 36 weeks or something like that. X

I was wondering about this too, I've ended up being given about 3 boxes of the stuff from different friends but I'm a bit skeptical

Oh this is the first I've heard of this!
Saying that tho i've never been terribly late and believe that baby will make its entrance when its ready, unless for medical reasons baby has to make its entrance a different way.
Not that I wasn't fed up of being pregnant mind

I tried it had the capsules, but having never been in labour before pips or since no idea if it helped

Had it for all three. Don't know if it helped, it's impossible to really tell isn't it! My theory was it can't do any harm...

I took raspberry leaf tablets from 34w, as i couldn't get the actual tea.

Have also done a poll as we haven’t' had one for a while

no idea if it helped as i have no basis for comparison, however:-
I laboured quickly, effectively and without pain relief at home for 36h.
(by quickly, i mean i dilated quickly...)
When my waters had been broken for 24h and i had been fully dilated for several hours, i was transferred to hospital, and eventually had a EMCS (no distress, just out of options)
I theatre, his head was so lodged into my pelvis that the doctor stood over the tble to pull him back up, and someone needed to push pv also. I had had no syntocin.
He still has the ring around his head at 11 :O
I'm inclined to think that this suggests strong contractions (and I gestated a heffalump)

On another note, I think it is contraindicated after previous CS, is that right?

my 'other' vote is for the fact that I tried it but due to weird pregnancy taste buds actually couldn't stand the taste!

I looked all over for it but couldn't find any as my midwife recommended it (in a sort of unofficial way)... Spotted it in holland and Barrett a few weeks after she was born
I'd give it a go if I have another though, anything's worth a try in my opinion and it's not going to do harm.