Red Raspberry Leaf Tea tribe - Page 92

[sharita]

Anyone know if you loose some of the benefits drinking it cold verses hot?  I read an article that was meant to be about green tea (couldn't find one on RRL) and said that when made ahead of time, as it sits, the antioxidants break down.  Also that you lose some of the benefits when it is cold as the antioxidants also die off under room temp.

Anyone know if that is just green tea or if it would apply to all teas.  The article said "Black tea" was fine to make ahead of time and chilled but herbals such as green tea should be made fresh each cup and drank hot for maximum benefits.  I loved the idea of making a gallon or half gallon at least at a time and drinking it cold because I am not due till summer so hot tea isn't gonna be too appetizing in the heat.  Just curious if anyone knew anything about this.  I am sure though cold or hot, drinking it at all beats not.  I may still do chilled during the day, maybe hot before bed but will do the labor infusion hot.

Oh well just curious.

[Quaniliaz]

To answer a couple of recent questions: nourishing herbal infusions are 1 ounce, by weight, in a quart jar, topped with boiling water and allowed to steep for several hours/overnight. They are usually consumed room temp.

The purpose of the long extraction is to get the most minerals out as possible. Where-as green tea is consumed for anti-oxidents, so there are different considerations.

[soccerchic21]

I had my baby 4 weeks ago. I started taking RRLT around my 20th week. I took a glass a day for a while and then up to three glasses a day. It wasn't religiously. The last few weeks of my pregnancy I started taking more and the day labor started I took a very concentrated dose and then promptly threw it up. I just took the tea packets that are found in the natural food aisles of Fred Meyer.

This is my third and I was looking forward to a VBAC during my pregnancy. Thankfully I did get one. My labor while painful was very manageable until transition and that is when it got more intense but I still handled it all. My active labor was just under 7 hours which is very fast for me (around 18 hours with the first and 12 with my second). I went from 4 centimeters to 8 in an hour. And then my daughter was born around an hour later. 

My baby shot out in under three pushes. With the first push she had crowned. 

I think the RRLT definitely strengthened my uterus and I would recommend it. 

[DanielleT]

Originally Posted by soccerchic21 

I had my baby 4 weeks ago. I started taking RRLT around my 20th week. I took a glass a day for a while and then up to three glasses a day. It wasn't religiously. The last few weeks of my pregnancy I started taking more and the day labor started I took a very concentrated dose and then promptly threw it up. I just took the tea packets that are found in the natural food aisles of Fred Meyer.

This is my third and I was looking forward to a VBAC during my pregnancy. Thankfully I did get one. My labor while painful was very manageable until transition and that is when it got more intense but I still handled it all. My active labor was just under 7 hours which is very fast for me (around 18 hours with the first and 12 with my second). I went from 4 centimeters to 8 in an hour. And then my daughter was born around an hour later. 

My baby shot out in under three pushes. With the first push she had crowned. 

I think the RRLT definitely strengthened my uterus and I would recommend it. 

That's very encouraging; thank-you for sharing your story and congrats on your new arrival!

[RetroMomma86]

I am only 3 months along, but just recently read about RRT, and I know that I am going to have to get some. I am planning on having a natural birth at The Birth Center in Wilmington, DE. So hopefully this does the job in helping strengthen my uterus

[MoonStarFalling]

Originally Posted by sharita 

I was also confused if the "oz" was measure by volume or weight.  1 oz by volume is only 1/8 a cup.  Not so much.  I can't see how that would make a super sttrong infusion to one pint of water so I am guessing it much mean by weight.  Maybe I will break down and get a kitchen scale.  Been meaning too.  I am good on how to make the daily brew, my confusion came from the correct amount for the labor infusion.

I used a scale and measured it out. It's a small handful. That's usually how you see it described.

[Beauchamp]

For those who use loose leaves, is anyone using a tea ball? Or do you all strain your tea with something else?

It seems like my tea ball doesn't hold all that much. Today I made a travel mug size, but didn't fill it all the way. I filled the tea ball pretty full, but the tea was very weak. 

[RaRa7]

NOpe-I could NEVER fit it all ina tea ball-I also add nettles & alfalfa. I make 2 quarts at a time in a glass bowl, then strain it ;)

[Beauchamp]

Thanks! Yes, the tea ball is just not working. Maybe for one cup at a time with only 1 tsp of leaves it would be better. I just remembered I already own this Takeya tea maker set, so last night I used that. http://www.amazon.com/Takeya-2-Piece-Silicone-66-Ounce-25-Ounce/dp/B003DTLN38/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1297173120&sr=8-3 I need to get my tea leaf to water ratios down!!  :)

The smaller tea pitcher is 25 oz, and I drank the whole thing. I guess that's a bit more than I should have in the 2nd trimester, though. 

[summatime]

Originally Posted by soccerchic21 

I had my baby 4 weeks ago. I started taking RRLT around my 20th week. I took a glass a day for a while and then up to three glasses a day. It wasn't religiously. The last few weeks of my pregnancy I started taking more and the day labor started I took a very concentrated dose and then promptly threw it up. I just took the tea packets that are found in the natural food aisles of Fred Meyer.

This is my third and I was looking forward to a VBAC during my pregnancy. Thankfully I did get one. My labor while painful was very manageable until transition and that is when it got more intense but I still handled it all. My active labor was just under 7 hours which is very fast for me (around 18 hours with the first and 12 with my second). I went from 4 centimeters to 8 in an hour. And then my daughter was born around an hour later. 

My baby shot out in under three pushes. With the first push she had crowned. 

I think the RRLT definitely strengthened my uterus and I would recommend it. 

Thank you for your wonderful story.  It's so encouraging!

[sharita]

So far, I have never had a problem with long labors.  My longest was 6 hours.  Or, the one that was 38 hours but thats only counting from when water first broke.  Contractions didn't start until 36 hours after PROM and I onoy labored for 2 hours.  Also had a 3, and a 4 hour birth.  I am interested in the tea though because I have had probs in the past with bleeding after and uterus being a little lazy about clamping down.  Also, my placenta was being stubborn about coming out last time.  I think the tea and uterine toning especially with the nettles and alfalfa mixed in will help with blood building and strengthening the uterus.  I am looking forward to sharing my experience after delivery this time to see if it helped. 

Also wondering if this will shorten all that prodromal labor I always have.  Uterus just seems to start up but peter out over and over again for days or even weeks before finally establishing a good labor pattern.  I believe that is why my actual labors are so short, so much work is done ahead of time.   However, all that "Is this really it?  to be having timable contractions for hours just to fall asleep and wake up the next day with NOTHING. is annoying. 

Can't wait to see the results.

[vanmomma]

I am only 7 weeks along with my first but I have been enjoying my organic RRL tea daily for the last few weeks on the suggestion of my Naturopath.

I love the taste and its a great alternative to my usual regime of camomile, mint and lotus flower teas. I've also have been adding in a nettle brew every now and then and am glad to have such a nice tea arsenal for the next little while since i am staying away from my usual greens.

I usually fill my big SS travel mug with a single bag and q6 oz of hot water and drink it after the water is bearable - maybe 10 minutes of steeping. I always leave the bag in. 

I did feel a slight "crampy" feeling this morning after my RRL brew. Guess it is working to tone the uterus: )

[snuggly]

Hi gang.  Well, a friend just gifted me some loose RRL.  After reading some of the encouraging stories here I can't wait to start... (My labor with DD1 was extremely long and difficult. I'm willing to try anything for a better experience this time!) But, I'm already 38 weeks pregnant.  Is this a good idea?

If so, how would I prepare loose tea: How much tea/water?  How long to steep? etc.

Thanks mamas!

[crazyms]

I'm wanting to try this for this pregnancy. I'm actually almost 32 weeks now so I'm a little late to the game but I'm going to pick some up and start drinking it from now until labor. I haven't had an issue with long labors. DD was 7 hrs flat from water breaking to out, no signs of impending labor before then. DS was a couple weeks of prodromal labor, dilated for 2-3 weeks before even up to 3 cm that week before and then born in 5 hrs. I'm attempting a natural birth this time though (went to 7-8cm with ds and caved because they wanted to break my waters and stuff) so I want to prepare my body as much as possible and hope for an easy labor. I'm mostly concerned that my fast labors with make things extremely intense and I'll want to cave again so I'm trying to prepare. I hope the tea will help make things easier!

snuggly: I wasn't sure about any of that either but there's some good info in the first page or two of this thread. HTH.

[Sarah Potter]

I'm currently TTC and on a fertility blend of RRL, Nettles, Burdock Root, Alfalfa, and Chaste Berry. I just started drinking it strong 3-4 times daily for the last week and a half or so. I tested for ovulation and it was positive yesterday. (can't find the smileys with the two of them humping, so use your imagination:) I'm hoping this blend will get this pregnancy ball rolling because my sister-in-law is already pregnant after just one try and we are trying to have babies around the same time. The lady who made this blend said these herbs were all safe before during and after pregnancy ( I'm currently nursing a 13 month old as well). I question her credibility though because she was also trying to add mint after I had told her I was nursing, and even I know mint dries up your milk. Do any of you know if i can continue this mixture of herbs after I become pregnant? Or should I just purchase a new batch with just RRL and nettles?

[Beauchamp]

I recently switched my RRL tea from Traditional Medicinals tea bags to Starwest Botanicals (I bought through Amazon) and I just wanted to come back to this thread and say that the loose tea DEFINITELY has a better taste (IMO) than the bagged tea. I was wondering how I'd be able to drink so much RRL when I was using the bags. The loose tea seems fresher, or just ...different in a good way. So if you are on the fence about the taste, maybe give the loose leaves a try!

[MoonStarFalling]

Originally Posted by Sarah Potter 

Do any of you know if i can continue this mixture of herbs after I become pregnant? Or should I just purchase a new batch with just RRL and nettles?

Chasteberry isn't recommended during pregnancy. Most people stop using it as soon as they get a bfp.

[sharita]

someone in another post said they found an article that stated that rrl tea affects milk supply (increasing it short term but decreasing it with long term use.  May be worth looking into if you plan to breastfeed.

[sharita]

Okay, I shopped around for quite a while before decided what to get.  I knew it would be better to get loose tea for cost and I knew I wanted to add the other herbs my midwife suggested along with the RRL such as nettles and alfalfa, oatstraw, and I wanted a few just for the taste since the last time I tried RRL tea I hated the bitterness of it.  The only herbal tea I ever enjoyed was Celestial Seasonings "Sleepytime Tea".  Didn't think any combination of herbs I did would taste as good.

The pricing on all the diffferent herbs I wanted to use to make my own blend was really adding up.  Too expensive.  Then I found a link someone else posted for where they got their blend.  A lady on Etsy (seller name "teasandtapestries") makes her own tea blends and one is a pregnancy tea.  Here are the ingredients:

Organic Ingredients: Raspberry Leaf, Nettle Root, Lemon Balm Leaves, Oat Tops, Alfalfa Leaves, Strawberry Leaves, Rose Hips, Rose Petals, Ginger, Peppermint Leaves, Chocolate Mint Leaves
 

I just got it in yesterday and had my first cup today.  I was surprised by the smell and taste.  It was wonderful!  Only very faint mint (sometimes it can be too much in teas) it was very mild and nice.  I drank it without any sweetener no problem!  I highly reccomend this tea and it was much easier than buying all those herbs myself.  She took a custom order for me and made me a larger amount. 

If anyone is looking for a blend that has all the right stuff in it and tastes great without costing a fortune here is the link and it lists plenty of info on each herb and what they are for.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/64313289/organic-pregnancy-blend-for-pregnant 

And here is the link to her store in case that one sells and disappears later.

http://www.etsy.com/people/teasandtapestries?ref=ls_profile 

[egmaranian]

thanks so much for this link!  I think I'm going to order this one too.  How large was your custom order and how much did it cost?  I'd like to contact her to do the same.
 

Originally Posted by sharita 

Okay, I shopped around for quite a while before decided what to get.  I knew it would be better to get loose tea for cost and I knew I wanted to add the other herbs my midwife suggested along with the RRL such as nettles and alfalfa, oatstraw, and I wanted a few just for the taste since the last time I tried RRL tea I hated the bitterness of it.  The only herbal tea I ever enjoyed was Celestial Seasonings "Sleepytime Tea".  Didn't think any combination of herbs I did would taste as good.

The pricing on all the diffferent herbs I wanted to use to make my own blend was really adding up.  Too expensive.  Then I found a link someone else posted for where they got their blend.  A lady on Etsy (seller name "teasandtapestries") makes her own tea blends and one is a pregnancy tea.  Here are the ingredients:

Organic Ingredients: Raspberry Leaf, Nettle Root, Lemon Balm Leaves, Oat Tops, Alfalfa Leaves, Strawberry Leaves, Rose Hips, Rose Petals, Ginger, Peppermint Leaves, Chocolate Mint Leaves
 

I just got it in yesterday and had my first cup today.  I was surprised by the smell and taste.  It was wonderful!  Only very faint mint (sometimes it can be too much in teas) it was very mild and nice.  I drank it without any sweetener no problem!  I highly reccomend this tea and it was much easier than buying all those herbs myself.  She took a custom order for me and made me a larger amount. 

If anyone is looking for a blend that has all the right stuff in it and tastes great without costing a fortune here is the link and it lists plenty of info on each herb and what they are for.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/64313289/organic-pregnancy-blend-for-pregnant 

And here is the link to her store in case that one sells and disappears later.

http://www.etsy.com/people/teasandtapestries?ref=ls_profile