When do we start RRL Tea and EPO?

[saslewis11]

Is it around 36 weeks, or earlier (for RRL)?  I can't remember, lol!

[AnnieA]

I was thinking about starting at 30 weeks but I'm not sure. Whenever I have had RRL when I was on my period, it made my cramping worse. I don't want to induce contractions by drinking it even though it's not supposed to. I guess I can try one cup and see what happens. If no contractions then I am going to try to drink it daily from 30 weeks.

[Janae]

I've been drinking RRL since about 16 weeks. I did the same with my last birth also. 

What does EPO stand for?? 

[saslewis11]

Yeah, I was thinking I could start RRL tea earlier than EPO (Evening Primrose Oil :) )

[guatemama1]

My midwifey told me to start RRL at 28 weeks - however I have a limited stash (having brought it from the US since I can't buy it here) so I think I'm going to wait a few weeks. Is it better to drink more at the end rather than a little the for a longer period of time? I have read in various places that 2-4 cups a day is best. My stash isn't enough for that, I have only about 4 weeks worth if I drink several cups a day. I'm 31 weeks now and have had a few cups here & there. And yes, what is EPO? Oh, and I got nettle tea today from the midwifey to mix with RRL, anyone use that, too?

[guatemama1]

And do you start EPO orally or vaginally? Or??? When do you start this typically?

[artekah]

EPO is evening primrose oil. You can take it orally and/or vaginally. It is a natural prostaglandin aka cervical ripener, and you should never take it before 37 weeks! I don't think I'm going to take it at all because my cervix needed no help ripening on it's own last time.

RRL tea I've been drinking since the end of the first trimester. During second tri I aimed for a quart a day. Now I make 4-6 quarts at a time to keep in my fridge and just drink as much as I can. It doesn't cause contractions--what it does is tone your uterus so any contractions you have are stronger and more effective. It also balances your hormones, and is a fantastic source of iron and other nutrients! It's great for all women pregnant or not.

My pregnancy tea mix: I buy my herbs in bulk and mix them in a large bowl then store in a jar: 2 parts RRL, 1 part nettles (extra iron), 1 part mint (for flavor plus good for digestion), 1 part oat straw (extra calcium.)

I really believe drinking this tea in my last pregnancy helped me to have an awesome, easy fast birth and quick healing time. It's great to keep drinking postpartum as you heal too!

I put about an inch of herbs in the bottom of a quart-size mason jar, fill with boiling water, cap loosely and steep overnight, then strain and cut with water to dilute it to my taste. You can also mix it with juice or sweeten it however you like. I like it best iced!

Rosemary Gladstar's book Herbal Healing For Women has lots of pregnancy tea recipes and is a great source for which herbs are great for pregnancy as well as what to avoid and why.

[HawaiianBlesing]

Every pregnancy tea I see uses nettle (for iron) but so many people tell you to stay away from it because it's a diuretic, same with alfalfa.

I use all of these in my tea and haven't had any problems thus far.  I also make a mixture and store it in a big jar then just either make a pot at a time or an infusion in the french press.   I don't think I'm drinking enough of it consistently though.  Must get better with this and my hypnobabies.

[greenmama66]

I also make up my own tea- nettle, RRL , oatstraw and some peppermint for flavor. EPO I took once and won't use it again, with that birth I had light mec issue on baby and I felt perhaps I added stress to baby's system by trying to get him out on time (I was nervous about going overdue as my first babies were overdue). And I've had 2 more births since the EPO one and didn't need help either. I start drinking RRL tea early on- since my first trimester to be precise.

[ArcticRose]

I started the RRL in first trimester. I had an occasional cup now and then. Once I got into second trimester, I started having at least one cup a day, sometimes two. Now I'm in the third trimester, I have three tall glasses of iced tea (I was drinking it hot before).

I buy my RRL and Nettle from Mountain Rose herbs and mix them in a big tin (2 parts RRL to 1 part Nettle). I put a hefty handful of this mixture into a quart jar with a couple spoonfuls of Red Rooibos tea (also from Mountain Rose Herbs) add boiling water and let it steep over night. The next day I put about 1/3 of the tea into a tall glass, fill the rest of the way with water, add a splash of lemon and a touch of agave nectar. I do this three times a day to use up the tea. It's fairly tasty and rather refreshing.

I was having problems with feeling over heated all the time. My midwife told me that RRL tea is a natural coolant and, once I upped the amount I was drinking, I noticed a definite difference in how hot I was feeling. We just spent four nights away from home and I didn't take any RRL tea with me. I started feeling overheated on the second day and it got worse. Now I'm home and drinking my tea again, I'm much cooler.

I'm not planning on using EPO at all.

[ebegreen]

I've been drinking RRL tea since my first trimester. I've been using the Traditional Medicinals tea bags for a mug of hot tea in the morning. I need to increase how much I'm drinking to 2-3 cups a day and now that it's getting warmer I would love to try to make it iced, I love fresh iced mint tea.

Does anyone have a link for where they are buying the loose teas? and suggestions on how much to buy?

I'm hesitant to use the EPO, this is my first baby so I would like to allow my cervix to do it's own thing. But if I go to 41+ weeks I may give it a try.

[saslewis11]

I live in an area where c section rates are high, and homebirths are frowned upon, to give y'all a vibe of what I'm dealing with with regards to trying to prevent inductions ;)  I used EPO with my second, with no problems, and plan to use it again this time in the hope that I can fend off the pit police around 40 weeks, lol.

[noahs.mom06]

RRL is safe throughout pregnancy. I will start EPO around 36 weeks, I've used it in both of my previous pregnancies with no problems. I take it orally starting at 36 weeks, and then start doing it vaginally at 37 or 38 weeks.

[Gismobabe]

Thanks for the info on RRL tea! I am going to start this week then!

I do not use EPO but I use a good oil mixture either from a pharmacy or from Weleda do massage my perenium and I have not had a single tear in 3 births (first even with a suction cup!).

I start that around 34 weeks!

[mamahen2coop]

Anyone familiar with this RRL blend?? It's something that the midwife I talked to last night actually requires her clients to take.

Does it matter where you get the materials? Like if my local grocery has these things are they as good as if I get them from the herb store 45 mins away? Also, do you think I could use fresh Nettle? I've got about an acre of it right out my back door. I also have a giant area of mint wandering out of control, can I use that fresh too? (can you tell I'm new to this herbs thing)

[earth-mama]

Originally Posted by mamahen2coop 

Anyone familiar with this RRL blend?? It's something that the midwife I talked to last night actually requires her clients to take.

Does it matter where you get the materials? Like if my local grocery has these things are they as good as if I get them from the herb store 45 mins away? Also, do you think I could use fresh Nettle? I've got about an acre of it right out my back door. I also have a giant area of mint wandering out of control, can I use that fresh too? (can you tell I'm new to this herbs thing)

I have been drinking the following blend:

2 parts Red Rasberry Leaf
2 parts Nettle
1 part Oatstraw
½ part Alfalfa
½ part Rose Hips
¼ part Red Clover
¼ part Mint

I love it!  If you have mint and nettle growing I would totally use it, but for simplicity sake and also proper proportion I would dry it.  This is easy.  We simply pick a quantity of the herb de-stem it etc, and lay it on some plate that we set in the window.  I stir it periodically until it is dry.  Easy.

I don't think it really matter where you get the herbs from, but I have never seen most of these at a regular grocery store.  I get mine at a local food co-op that has a huge assortment of bulk herbs.  Places like Whole Foods and Vitamin Cottage also have a wide variety of herbs in bulk.
 

[guatemama1]

Originally Posted by Gismobabe 

Thanks for the info on RRL tea! I am going to start this week then!

I do not use EPO but I use a good oil mixture either from a pharmacy or from Weleda do massage my perenium and I have not had a single tear in 3 births (first even with a suction cup!).

I start that around 34 weeks!

Any good resources on correctly doing pereneum massage? I'm intrigued to its benefits but intimidated by the task! And what type of oil is best? I have "Mother's Special Blend" for my belly which is almond, coconut, cocoa butter & vitamin E? Is EPO used for this massage? A friend gave me her EPO and said it goes vaginally as a capsule. I don't know about any of this!

[Nightswimming]

Originally Posted by radicaleel 

EPO is evening primrose oil. You can take it orally and/or vaginally. It is a natural prostaglandin aka cervical ripener, and you should never take it before 37 weeks! I don't think I'm going to take it at all because my cervix needed no help ripening on it's own last time.

RRL tea I've been drinking since the end of the first trimester. During second tri I aimed for a quart a day. Now I make 4-6 quarts at a time to keep in my fridge and just drink as much as I can. It doesn't cause contractions--what it does is tone your uterus so any contractions you have are stronger and more effective. It also balances your hormones, and is a fantastic source of iron and other nutrients! It's great for all women pregnant or not.

My pregnancy tea mix: I buy my herbs in bulk and mix them in a large bowl then store in a jar: 2 parts RRL, 1 part nettles (extra iron), 1 part mint (for flavor plus good for digestion), 1 part oat straw (extra calcium.)

I really believe drinking this tea in my last pregnancy helped me to have an awesome, easy fast birth and quick healing time. It's great to keep drinking postpartum as you heal too!

I put about an inch of herbs in the bottom of a quart-size mason jar, fill with boiling water, cap loosely and steep overnight, then strain and cut with water to dilute it to my taste. You can also mix it with juice or sweeten it however you like. I like it best iced!

Rosemary Gladstar's book Herbal Healing For Women has lots of pregnancy tea recipes and is a great source for which herbs are great for pregnancy as well as what to avoid and why.

Where do you buy your bulk herbs from?  Thanks!
 

[artekah]

Originally Posted by Nightswimming 

Originally Posted by radicaleel

EPO is evening primrose oil. You can take it orally and/or vaginally. It is a natural prostaglandin aka cervical ripener, and you should never take it before 37 weeks! I don't think I'm going to take it at all because my cervix needed no help ripening on it's own last time.

RRL tea I've been drinking since the end of the first trimester. During second tri I aimed for a quart a day. Now I make 4-6 quarts at a time to keep in my fridge and just drink as much as I can. It doesn't cause contractions--what it does is tone your uterus so any contractions you have are stronger and more effective. It also balances your hormones, and is a fantastic source of iron and other nutrients! It's great for all women pregnant or not.

My pregnancy tea mix: I buy my herbs in bulk and mix them in a large bowl then store in a jar: 2 parts RRL, 1 part nettles (extra iron), 1 part mint (for flavor plus good for digestion), 1 part oat straw (extra calcium.)

I really believe drinking this tea in my last pregnancy helped me to have an awesome, easy fast birth and quick healing time. It's great to keep drinking postpartum as you heal too!

I put about an inch of herbs in the bottom of a quart-size mason jar, fill with boiling water, cap loosely and steep overnight, then strain and cut with water to dilute it to my taste. You can also mix it with juice or sweeten it however you like. I like it best iced!

Rosemary Gladstar's book Herbal Healing For Women has lots of pregnancy tea recipes and is a great source for which herbs are great for pregnancy as well as what to avoid and why.

Where do you buy your bulk herbs from? Thanks!

This place is great: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

I got 2 *pounds* of RRL from them (that's a LOT) during my 1st pregnancy and had enough left over for most if not all of this one! It'd probably be better to buy smaller quantities for freshness, but I figure if I drink enough of it I'll still get the benefits!

I also go to the bulk herb section of a couple local stores as PPs have mentioned. This is a great way to go if you can find a place that carries bulk herbs. Smaller health food stores are most likely your best bet. (At least where I live, Whole Foods does not have a bulk herbs section.) I had to call around and ask to find out which stores had bulk herbs.

[ArcticRose]

Also, do you think I could use fresh Nettle?

It is my understanding that you shouldn't use fresh nettle once it has started to bloom. Something about it being hard on your kidneys. This is the best info I could find on the topic:

Wise Use of Herbs and Vitamins During Pregnancy
Nettles are rich in biochelated iron, calcium, and protein, as well as a host of other important nutrients. “It is virtually a pregnancy tonic by itself,” says Gladstar. The benefits of drinking nettle infusion before and throughout pregnancy include nourishing and strengthening the kidneys, increasing fertility in men and women, nourishing the mother and the fetus, diminishing leg cramps and childbirth pain, preventing hemorrhage after birth, reducing hemorrhoids, and increasing the richness and amount of mother’s milk. According to Sharol Tilgner, ND, president of Wise Women Herbals in Creswell, Oregon, nettles should be picked prior to flowering to avoid bladder and kidney irritation. Although use as a tonic is considered safe in pregnancy, concentrated extracts of stinging nettles (such as used to treat hay fever) can act as an abortifacient.