RRL tea and braxton hicks

[mrsbrunette]

Hi all.. I'm only about 27 weeks along and I started drinking a cup of Red Raspberry Leaf tea for the past 5 days. Ever since then, I've been getting about 4-5 braxton hicks a day. I know the RRL is supposed to tone everything, but am I experiencing too much, too soon? I don't remember this happening with my first until I was further along.

[ein328]

RRL shouldn't cause BH. That being said, it can cause the uterus to contract more effectively when it does, so you could have been experiencing BH before and not noticing them as much. On the other hand, other mamas have reporteded experiencing fewer BH after RRL, so it definitely depends on the person.

With my first daughter, I didn't start experiencing BH until much later in pregnancy. This time around, I was probably only 21 weeks or so. I learned from my MW that with each subsequent pregnancy, it's common to experience BH earlier. As long as the BH aren't becoming too frequent (I believe the cutoff is 6/hour), or regular (as in every few minutes), or causing cervical change, they shouldn't be a concern. Think of it as your body training for labor! You should definitely check with your MW, but I don't believe 27 weeks to be "too early" at all.

So maybe feeling BH is more of a result of this being your second pregnancy, and less of it being related to RRL? One cup a day isn't very much, either. Are you doing loose-leaf or pre-bagged (like Traditional Medicinals?) Because the bagged teas actually have far less RRL.

[mrsbrunette]

thanks! i was thinking that too. everything seems a bit different the second time around!

im doing bagged tea right now but about to order the loose leaf.

[DanielleT]

I have found it to cause more noticeable BH; there is a whole tribe of RLT drinkers and there is a ton of information and some talk about having more bh...

[Pirogi]

I know that people say, no, no, RRL can't cause contractions! Well, it did for me. I was taking a prenatal with RRL, and they were close to but still before the expiration date, and whoa! At about 20/21 weeks, I started having LOTS of contractions. Like, more than 4 an hour, all day long. If I eased up on the vitamins, they went away. MW checked my cervix, but it was still pretty long/firm/closed. I dunno, but I stopped taking RRL. I'll start again around 36 weeks.

[nova22]

I always had contractions after drinking Traditional Medicines RRL tea. When I drink my loose RRL tea I don't notice a difference and they're certainly not painful. I wonder if there's something TM puts in their tea that my midwife doesn't that may be triggering contractions.

[WifeofAnt]

If RRL tea causes Braxton Hicks I'm definitely thankful its been so hard for me to find! I could probably use the Old Wives Tales tomorrow morning and put myself in labor with how sensitive my uterus seems to be! DTD, Braxton Hicks one on top of another for an hour. Walk to the corner store and back, Braxton Hicks on the way home... especially when I'm walking with my DH because he walks too fast. I accidentally took an Omega with Borage Oil a while back and had very uncomfortable BH every 20 minutes on and off for 3 days, even after I'd stopped taking it!

[mrsbrunette]

thanks for all the replies! it might be the RRL or the fact that ive been busier than normal plus the fact im drinking the tea and maybe getting dehydrated? hmm either way, i should be taking it easier next week.