Red Raspberry Leaf Tea anyone? - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[sarahlynne]

I drank it during my three previous pregnancies and plan to do so with this labor as well.  I like to add peppermint, though, for flavor and often drink it as iced tea - i think it tastes way better cold.  Nettles and Red Raspberry are uterine tonics meaning that they tone the uterus, and they are very nutritious, so even if they didn't shorten second stage I would drink them.  Most benefit to your uterus, as with most natural "remedies", comes from regular use, so I would think it best to drink throughout pregnancy rather than rely on it as a magic bullet at the very end.  Not discounting the possibility of benefit from a very strong brew as mentioned in the RRL tribe, but a really strong brew usually takes 8 plus hours to achieve - I would have to prepare it ahead and have some always ready - my last two labors were under 5 hours.  .   

[BubbleMa]

I tried some last night, but it just tasted like regular tea to me.  Did I get the wrong thing?  I was expecting it to be very strong and nasty tasting.  I bought Traditional Medicinals Red Raspberry Leaf Tea from Whole Foods.  Is that a weaker blend or something?

[nukedwifey]

I buy my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs too!  Great place.  I do the mixture amounts listed in the Bulk Herb link.  I usually brew a large batch of it and then put in the fridge and drink it cold with honey.  I like it either way but it's easier for me to do the large batch every few days than to brew it as I drink it. I was told to increase the intake gradually as the pregnancy progresses.  Start with 1 cup/day between 13 and 15 weeks and then increase to 2 cups after 20 weeks and 3 cups/day with the start of the 3rd tri and 4 cups/day at term.  Anyway,  my first birth was 6 hours including a 45 minute pushing stage so I think it did "help."  After all, everyone says those first births take forever, etc.  I think 6 hours for a first birth is not long at all.  It didn't feel long to me and I wasn't tired or exhausted afterward.   I am a little nervous about the length of this birth though.  I certainly don't want to have the baby on the expressway or something.  LOL!

[EmTheWife]

So, I am about to make my first order of RRL, but I don't know how much I should get, and I only want to order once because shipping is so expensive!  If I start with one cup a day until 20 weeks, then gradually work up to 4 cups a day, would 1 lb last my whole pg, or would I be better off with 2 lb?

[Kamiro]

I just ordered mine from mountain rose herbs also. I ordered 1 pound RRL, 4 ounces of oat straw, 4 ounces of nettle, and 4 ounces alfalfa.

I think this should last me my pregnancy but I don't know. I ordered 150 small seal yourself tea bags and 50 gallon size ones. Sorry, I'm no help.

[EmTheWife]

hmm I just did some math.

Mountain Rose Herbs recommends 3-5 grams/cup.

If I drink 1 cup/day for now to wk 20, I need 350 grams (for 5 grams/cup for 10 weeks)

THEN, If I drink 4 cups/day from weeks 20-40, I need 2800 grams!

That makes basically 3200 grams...7 pounds!

That sounds like a lot of tea!

Even if I make the weaker version at 3 grams/cup, I need 4.25 lbs!

I have only ever heard that the stronger it's made, the better it is, but I have no personal experience.

[Kamiro]

There is no way I have ever drank 7 pounds worth during my pregnancies...Uhh..hmm. Well, I think order 2 pounds and you'll be good with that.

[Kamiro]

I got my box of herbs today! Darn they are quick.The herbs look and smell so beautiful and fresh. I love Mountain rose herbs. <3Absolutely love the bags they pack them in now also.

Totally think the 1 pound of rrl with the nettles, oatstraw and alfalfa I ordered will last the pregnancy.I'll give a tea bag count once I get them all filled.

I ordered 150 1 cup tea bags to fill and 50 large tea bags (for gallon)...Will let you know..soo looking forward to ear candling tonight also.

[JynxGirl]

Sounds like you make the same tea mix I make. :D

I got it out of a  book called "Naturally Healthy Babies and Children" by Aviva Romm. It's an awesome tasting tea. :D

This is the recipe I have

1oz red raspberry leaves

1 oz dried nettle

1 oz dried oatstraw

1/2 oz dried alfalfa

1/2 oz red clover blossoms

1/2 oz dried spearmint leaves

Mix all the herbs in a glass bottle or plastic bag. Put a handful in your teapot and add 1 quart of boiling water. Let it steep for up to one hour for maximum benefit. Steep for less time if it's too strong for your taste.

I love this tea hot, but it's really good cold like an iced tea with a bit of lemon!

Edited by JynxGirl - 10/29/11 at 10:04am

[EmTheWife]

My RRL and nettle leaves just arrived yesterday evening!  I made a glass of each today (about 1/4 cup loose leaves to 1 cup water), and they were actually pretty yummy, though the nettle tea tasted like the smell of freshly mown grass .

[mama4peace]

I am currently drinking some type of Organic Pregnancy Tea that has raspberry leaf, strawberry leaf, nettle leaf, spearmint leaf, bitter fennel fruit, rose hip, alfalfa leaf and lemon verbena leaf. I picked it up the other day at our local organic/local foods mart. It's really yummy!

[Astraia]

I keep for getting to make it. And if I do make it, I forget to drink it.... for days... and then it starts growing things.

I suck at this! Probably related to the fact that I look at it and go "ugh! I'll just chug it down and get it over with once it cools down a bit" so because it's unpleasant for me it's not something I'm remembering so easily.

[Ruby2]

I'm on the fence about it...I drank a LOT last time, and I pushed for eight minutes. It was a bit too fast...to say the least! I think I broke some tearing records and would really rather stay far far away from that record this time. On the other hard, my placenta was very healthy and my water didn't break for hours and hours...it was probably all very good for dd, just not so much for me! :-)

[Just1More]

See, this is what really makes me wonder about it.  My water never breaks until pushing.  The pushing stage for my last 3 births has been...well, hard to count, but in the 3-5 minute range.  Probably less.  And, only a push or two or three.  And, I haven't torn the last 2 times either.  So?  Is this a good idea for me or not?  I am a little concerned because I seemed to have a bit of a prolapse after my last birth, but it was relatively minor, though my body just seemed sluggish and weak down there for a long time.  So, the toning might be good?

 

Originally Posted by Ruby2 

I'm on the fence about it...I drank a LOT last time, and I pushed for eight minutes. It was a bit too fast...to say the least! I think I broke some tearing records and would really rather stay far far away from that record this time. On the other hard, my placenta was very healthy and my water didn't break for hours and hours...it was probably all very good for dd, just not so much for me! :-)

[Kamiro]

Hmm. I can only give my anecdotal evidence. All 3 of mine I drank RRL tea with from 2nd trimester on. The last 5 weeks I drank this nasty tea called Dr. XXXXX 5 week formula (?) or based off that tea. I have to find the recipe somewhere.

Pushing time with first babe was 20-30 minute, second was 15, third was 8 min.

No rips or tears, larger (9 pound plus) babes, and all went well.

I do flax, fish, vitamin d3, prenatel, super b complex, and super cranberry fruit vitamins.

Water broke 8 hours before birth with #1, broke during pushing with #2, broke 3 hours before being born with number 3. Had membranes stripped the week before with #3,

[Kamiro]

Ok, I have stuffed a lot of tea bags the last couple days. Nearly 2 pounds of tea will stuff 50 tea bags meant for GALLON amounts of tea.

With some left over for individual cups - estimating 20 .

I plan on drinking a gallon (I drink iced) every 3-4 days. I have 189 days until my due date (I expect to go over some however) so 189/3=  63 gallons of tea if I drink a gallon every 3 days.

So, at this point I say

2.5 pounds of tea should totally be enough if you plan on drinking as much as I do this pregnancy. If you plan on a cup or two cup serving a day, 2 pounds for the pregnancy would be more than enough also.

I'm totally not a math whiz, so you may want to double check numbers. :)

[Kamiro]

I just have to brag on those tea bags I bought at Mountain rose when I bought my herbs. They brew a perfect gallon, not too strong or weak. I did 50% RRL and about 25% nettles, the rest alfalfa and oatstraw. I brew a gallon, let it cool and put it in my iced tea pitcher. I add sugar  (1/2 cup maybe) and put it in the fridge and yum.

[licadee]

Ok I pushed for three hours and ended up needing the vacuum. I would really very much like to avoid the vacuum and HOURS of pushing this time, plus I love this kind of alternative stuff so I'm going to get some of this tea. Can anyone who buys from MRH tell me exactly which of which to get? I see leaves, powders, organic variations, etc. I want to get it all, nettle, oat straw, alfalfa.... TIA!

[licadee]

And does anyone know if I should avoid this tea concoction if my uterus did calisthenics for the last 20weeks last time in the form of Braxtion-hicks? You'd think it would have been crazy super toned after that...but still 3hrs of pushing. :S

[Kamiro]

Hmm Licadee, every woman is different but I have noticed that I tend to have crap loads of BH. I don't think for me it has any thing to do with drinking RRL - but possibly it does. 

I am sitting here chowing on processed cheese & club crackers - it may not be best to get health advice from me at the moment. LOL