Red Raspberry Leaf Tea anyone? « Back to Group Discussions

[Goddess3_2005]

I drank this through out my last pregnancy and I ended up with an 8 hour labor compared to my normal24 hours plus labors so I am a true believer. Anyone else going to drink this pregnancy?

[katroshka]

I was drinking this in my last pregnancies and found it was making me crampy in the first trimester. So I stopped but picked it up again during the last couple of months. I drank it during my first two pregnancies but don't remember the details of how much, when, etc. I did make some very strong concoctions of it several times once I was full term for this last one.

My first daughter was like 12 hours, second was maybe 6, third was 45 min!

So I don't know what role, if any, RRLT had in all that, but I like tea so I will drink it in my last trimester again.

[BubbleMa]

My midwife told me to start drinking it, so I bought some.  I haven't started drinking it yet though.  Maybe tonight.

[lindsayjean]

LOVE RRL.  I like to drink RRL, Nettles, and Alfalfa.  Planning to start soon!  Just haven't gotten around to it.... honestly I'm still kinda sick of the stuff cause of how much I drank when I was pregnant with my 2 yr old.  LOL!!  But I am a believer for sure and it has to be done consistently over a long period of time to see results, so just 3rd trimester I don't think has much of an effect.  

[forestmushroom]

I love RRL tea, too.  I had one cup, but haven't made it a habit yet.  :)  Now that it is really cooled down I think I just might.

[shastalily]

I don't know much about this.  Is it just a cup a day starting at what point in pregnancy?  I've heard it has benefits but don't know exactly what it's supposed to do.

[katroshka]

I have heard/ read several different things about how to use it. Some people say to drink a cup or two every day the whole pregnancy. Since that causes me to cramp, I can't feel confident that it is safe for me, I know this is not uncommon, but also that other people have had it through their whole pregnancies with no problems.

On the other hand, I have read that drinking cups of it the way you would with other herbal teas doesn't work, and that you should make a very, very strong brew that is quite bitter, and drink it quickly while you are in labor, once you are pretty ready to give birth (on the way to the hospital, once your midwife is at your house or almost there, that kind of thing). I read this in the Red Raspberry Leaf Tribe here on MDC. This is what I did several times when I was having prodromal labor in the 3 weeks before I actually gave birth. It definitely didn't help bring real labor on, but like I said, I had a 45 minute, uncomplicated labor, so maybe it helped? Of course, I also had taken castor oil to induce labor, so I would more chalk it up to that and the fact that it was my third.

[Kamiro]

Same here (except fpr the 2 year old part!), typically I start at 12 weeks though. RRL, nettles, and alfalfa too. Then at 36 weeks I'll drink this super nasty tea every evening. I will have to look up the recipe. Been 5 years lol

Originally Posted by lindsayjean 

LOVE RRL.  I like to drink RRL, Nettles, and Alfalfa.  Planning to start soon!  Just haven't gotten around to it.... honestly I'm still kinda sick of the stuff cause of how much I drank when I was pregnant with my 2 yr old.  LOL!!  But I am a believer for sure and it has to be done consistently over a long period of time to see results, so just 3rd trimester I don't think has much of an effect.  

[lindsayjean]

onemoreontheway- I'd LOVE to hear about your nasty tea recipe :-)

I'm going to add rosehips this time :-)  

[maryamrose]

I started very early on, right when I got my BFP. I felt crampy, so I stopped. I don't know for sure if it was because of the RRL, because cramping is so normal at the beginning.

I'm planning to start back in sometime in the second trimester, unless I learn that there's a benefit to drinking it now (at 10 weeks).

[LuNaLu]

RRL definitely didn't make for a fast labor for me, but I do think the antioxidants helped make my super strength placenta and amniotic sac.  Baby was born in the caul at 41w 6.  So I'm gonna drink it again this time, but maybe not quite as much :)
 

Oh, and mine had nettle and some other stuff in it... need to try to find the site I ordered it through so I can start around 15 weeks or so.  Oh, here it is!  http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Mamas-Red-Raspberry-Brew

[Astraia]

Doing my first cup of RRL now. I really do not like it, at all. I drank it last pregnancy with nettles, alfalfa, lemon balm... and usually some other fruity tea to mask the flavor. I find I like it more chilled with a bit of honey then hot. I don't think it made my labour any shorter, but I'm not discounting any of it's other benefits!

[MeredithA]

Astria, I don't like that much either. I bought it because my midwife recommends that I drink 2 cups per day, but it doesn't taste like raspberries, and I just am not a tea drinker in general. I'm a coffee girl...but I am trying to make the switch!

[EmTheWife]

I haven't ever used it, but maybe I should!  With DS I had a 22 hour labor, starting with no dilation and my water breaking, only to make it to 4cm after 15 hours of contractions every 1-3 mins.  Cue epidural, and terbutaline (they finally decided my uterus was going bonkers!) and 30 mins later I was contracting nicely and and hour later 7cm, and finally delivered a couple hours after that.  All going to say, I think my 'lil uterus could do with some help!

The site mentioned above is out of stock...does anyone else have a good, trusted source?

[xekomaya]

I am going to drink it. I still have most of a lb. left from my last pregnancy. I purchased it from Mountain Rose Herbs. I don't know how anyone can say if it really helps or not but I drink it anyway :) It does give me contractions so I drink less in the beginning and a lot more toward the end of pregnancy. My first labor was 24h but perfect for me - nice long early labor but transition to birth was really short. My second labor was 2.5 hours and we barely got the birth pool filled up.  

[PNWmama]

I will start drinking it in the second trimester since I have a history of miscarriages. I also will make a blend of RRL, alfalfa, nettles, and maybe peppermint or something. That's what I did during my last pregnancy. I ordered my herbs in bulk from Mountain Rose Herbs (and highly recommend their company!). With my first I did not drink the tea and had a 37 hour labor, 3 hours of pushing.  With my second I did drink it and had a three hour labor with 8 minutes of pushing. I can't say for sure it was the RRL that did it, but it's very good for you and nutritious with the additions of alfalfa and nettles, so it can't hurt!

[Plummeting]

You know, I drank it in the third tri of both pregnancies. Now I'm thinking about skipping it. I have some in my pantry, but honestly, I don't think my uterus needs to be any stronger or contract any better. I had two short labors (one under 5 hours and one under an hour) and two short pushing stages included in that (one under 30 minutes and one under 10 minutes). I just don't think I need any "help". I would be perfectly happy if it all took a little longer this time. So I'm undecided. lol

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by xekomaya 

I don't know how anyone can say if it really helps or not but I drink it anyway

Because there was a clinical study showing that women who drank RRL had shorter pushing stages. No woman can be certain that her labor was definitely effected by it, but that is the purpose of clinical studies - to show that, in general, X does Y. :)

[Goddess3_2005]

i for sure saw the difference, maybe because my uterus was worn out after have in 5 kids? I also noticed i bled less after, although i don'tknow if this has anything to do with the tea or not.

[Just1More]

Plummeting, I'm with you.  Shorter pushing stage?  How much shorter can one push get?  That's a little scary to me.  And if the whole thing is any shorter, my midwife won't make it.