Red Raspberry Leaf Tea tribe - Page 108

[storygirlcindy]

So, I'm brand new to Mothering (a long-time lurker de-lurking!) and haven't read the whole 107 pages of this thread, but have read quite a bit. I'm wondering - has anyone had experience with an irritable uterus and doing the tea, specifically the strong infusions? I have been drinking the tea for about 5 weeks now, but just doing a bag a day following the instructions on the box - I had thought the strong infusions were only for labor day. I also have an irritable uterus and have been having regular, timeable contractions every few minutes since before 28 weeks (I'm almost 34 weeks now. The IU started before I started the tea, and in the quantities I'm drinking it it hasn't seemed to have any effect on the contractions in either way - they're strong and frequent no matter what I do. I'm worried that if I do a stronger infusion it would make my contractions spin out of control or possibly kick-start labor, but I'm also worried after reading parts of this thread that if I'm just drinking a cup or two a day it won't have any real effect. Any advice?

Thanks! :)

[mjdecbaby]

I've been drinking a cup brewed with 1 tea bag 1-2 times daily for a couple weeks. I'm 28 weeks today. I started this week to do the 4 hour infusion with just 1 tea bag since my bulk shipment only arrived tonight. Not too long after drinking it, I had pretty intense BH that I can only assume was a result. Not pain but intense tightening and feeling pretty swoony, like my heart is beating fast and I need to sit down. Is this ok? I'm not gonna go into labor when I increase my infusion dosage am I? I think I'll have to keep my consumption isolated to nighttime- don't want to swoon at work.

[herbsgirl]

My uterus responded pretty good to the Raspberry, it made it tighten usually. When I started the strong raspberry infusions consistently at 25 weeks , my uterus was hard for an hour or more afterward it seems like alot and the more raspberry I added, the harder my uterus felt maybe? But the deal is, no matter how hard my uterus was, no matter how many contractions I had, it didnt make a bit of difference so far in affecting my cervix. I am 35 weeks 6 days, midwife checked me  at almost 35 weeks, and she never said anything about me being dilated, it was very high. I am up to a heaping cup of raspberry, hoping to increase to one ounce God Willing
 

[autumnsummers]

Gotta love Raspberry tea as a nourishing tonic for moms-to-be. While I haven't read all the pages I have seen the last few, and I would agree about steeping Raspberry like a regular tea for up to 10 minutes; otherwise you are going to extract more tannins than you need. For Storygirlcindy I would suggest you consult with a midwife or Naturopathic Physician familiar with herbs as there are other herbs that could possibly be useful in helping with early contractions. 

 

I also love the tea blend from Jennyfriend of rrl, nettle, Lemon Balm, Stevia, Oat seed, Alfalfa, made with 1 ounce total herbs in 1 quart water. They are all nourishing herbs that are full of vitamins and minerals and safe for pregnancy. You don't have to take Raspberry by itself to get the benefits.

[sunshine28]

Can anyone help with how much to take in tincture form? Quantum is the company I have.

Thanks.

[sunshine28]

Can anyone help with how much to take in tincture form? Quantum is the company I have.

Thanks.

[plumbermama]

HI all

Love, love love this thread!   Thanks so much to all of you wise ones out there who are taking the time to spread your knowledge.  I am 33 weeks with my second right now and plan on starting the RRT immediately!  I will go onto the strong infusions in a couple weeks and plan on trying to get in the super strong infusion once labour starts (hope that it will stay down, I puked through my whole first labour :)   I do have a question, however. My sister has a two horned uterus and gave birth to her son at 34 weeks, placenta got stuck way up there, lots of blood loss, pain and surgery after she got him out.  That was a year ago.  She is wanting to get pregnant again soon and  I want to sing RRLT praises to her but am unsure whether this would be a helpful or harmful thing with her history?  If anyone has any experience or ideas on this I would greatly appreciate a response.  Thanks!  

 

[herbsgirl]

I dont have experience with your sister's situation, but RRL is specificly good for  the uterine muscles. My opinion is that it would help the  uterus work at its best? no matter what the shape?
 

[plumbermama]

Thanks Herbsgirl, would you recommend her following the same routine as normal then, all throughout the pregnancy?  I've heard that it can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy but almost everyone on this thread seems to have experienced no problems with that...... is that all just myth??? 

 

[incorrigible]

I can't drink it during the first trimester. It causes some mild uterine tensing. Most people don't seem to even feel it. It's kind of like uterine exercises. lol I'm prone to early miscarriages, though, and that mild tensing is enough to trigger a miscarriage. I think that drinking a really strong infusion of rrl in the first trimester would probably put most people at risk for miscarriage though. I always recommend waiting until the second trimester to start with even weak infusions, to be on the safe side.

[herbsgirl]

I recomend 18 weeks as a good starting time, and gradually up the dosage starting with a tablespoon or so of red raspberry and 15 minutes steeping time, upping it to 1/4 cup and 4 hours steeping time by 28 weeks,  Then upping it gradually week by week until you are 1 quart water to  heaping 1/2 cup by 32 weeks, then 1 cup by 37 weeks
 

[swissmiss2584]

Originally Posted by herbsgirl 


The thing is the contractions seem to be getting harder to feel sometimes even though Im up to almost an  ounce. I touch my stomach and it can be as hard as a rock, but my level of pain isnt really feeling it much or something, this happens alot. I feel my belly to see if I am having a contraction.  I have read alot of women say they didnt realize they were in labor until they were more in active labor or significantly dilated. Other poeple say that when labor starts it goes really fast.  Hoping for a fast and easy birth, God Willing!

I would say that this sounded like me! What I thought was really hard Braxton hicks were probably painless contractions the day I went into active painful labor. We were out all day doing yard work and I was getting some crazy strong contractions with no pain. My belly was so hard. I didn't feel the pain until after DTD that night and then my water broke. From the time I felt painful contractions to the time dd came out was 4 hours!! I was drinking tons of RRLT by the end of my pregnancy. I started off slowly in the 2nd trimester and worked my way up. I was even drinking it through my labor and 2 hr pushing. I think RRLT may be a contributing factor in not feeling contractions in early labor. Fine with me!!

[naturelle]

Anyone else using FRESH raspberry leaf?  I'm drinking 1-2 cups a day and plan on making stronger brews from roughly week 35 and then the real strong brew for labour, but I don't know how strong I'm making it compared to the quantities listed by others here, which use dried herbs or ready-made teabags.

Dried RRL is not available to purchase where I live, and besides, I refuse to buy something processed when I have the actual herb growing on (or rather, practically taking over) my land.  If I were to dry my own, how would I do that?  I'm thinking about putting it in the oven on a very low heat, or maybe should I use my friend's dehydrator?  Any tips?

Thanks

[echospiritwarrior]

Back in the tribe! It'll be exciting to see what comes of it this time. So far 3 children and less than 6 hours of labor. This is good stuff mamas!

[swissmiss2584]

I'm going to start RRLT again soon!! Pregnant with my 2nd. My first was 4 hrs but 2 of those hrs were pushing.

[autumnsummers]

Originally Posted by Danielsmom 

Hi, I want to join your tribe!

I have access to plenty of raspberry bushes (organically grown) and I was wondering...do I just pick the leaves and brew them? Also, where can I get Susun Weed's recipe for the tea?

I picked some leaves yesterday but don't knoiw if I should dry them out for the winter (and how to do that) or just brew them fresh while I can. I should be able to get a fresh stash until the end of October.

 

That is wonderful that you have plenty of Raspberry growing on your land. To dry the leaves a dehydrator would work very well. Also you can lay the leaves  in a basket or on a screen in a single layer and place the screen or basket in a place out of direct sunlight and somewhere with some airflow and bit of warmth. If you choose to use an oven, use a setting no higher than 150 degrees - 100 degrees would be even better. Once the leaves are dry store them in an airtight container out of direct light. 

Typically, dried herbs make a more concentrated tea as it's easier for the medicinal properties to extract into water from a dried plant than from a fresh plant. In general use triple the amount of fresh herbs for tea as you would dry herb.

[naturelle]

Great information autumnsummers!  Thanks very much!
 

[1babysmom]

So I'm experiencing something interesting, and wondering if anyone else has encountered this as well.  Since I've been doing the RRL tea 3x/day for about 2 weeks now (but was doing it before that, just not as often), I'm suddenly not gaining weight anymore..in fact I've LOST about 2lbs from where I was at at my weigh in last week.  That is BIG for me this time.  Really the RRL is my only change.  I recently started counting my calories, but just that- COUNTING them.  I started to see if I was just eating WAY too much or something, because I've gained steadily throughout this pregnancy, moreso than my past (and I'm already a high- almost 50lb- gainer with each pregnancy so seeing those big numbers come even earlier is nerve wracking!), but I realized I didn't really have to cut or change anything.  And I was already drinking an average of about 120oz of water every day.  I've also been more "regular" without any supplemental help (though it was only an occasional problem in the past) and RRL hasn't ever noticeably affected that for me before (I've used it each pregnancy in the same way).  So I don't know whether it's the RRL contributing to these changes or not, but it would sure seem like it!!!  But anyway, it's just been pretty BIG for me since weight has been a huge challenge this pregnancy.

[herbsgirl]

Yes, RRL infusions lower my blood sugar. If I eat a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread and drink some infusion before going to sleep,  my blood sugar has been in the 80s for fasting, latley a few times....

Also RRL infusion after meals helps to keep blood sugar down. It makes sense that it would help you with your wieght!

[1babysmom]

Interesting. Though I always have very normal BGL's, occasionally low (not enough to consider myself "low" overall)....so I wonder if it would still affect me in the same way? It doesn't seem to ever SEND me too low or anything....?