RRL tea strong enough to start labor?

[zulupetalz]

I had a cup of RRL tea tonight and last night. I wasn't really intending to throw myself into labor with it, though. I just thought that, I am going to be 39 weeks and having barely any BH contractions compared to my last pregnancy, so I would make sure that my body was on its way to "getting ready" for labor. I thought it would only give me BH contractions, but I feel immensely crampy instead. I had some last night and it didnt do this, but I may have brewed it a little longer tonight. I'm hoping it goes away! I still don't feel quite "ready" for this. What has been you guys experience with drinking it? Can it make you really crampy?

[flapjack]

Yes. For me, I'm sensitive to the stuff and it does make my irritable uterus more irritable: one of the reasons why I prefer bramble tea, it seems to be less aggressive.

[zulupetalz]

I seem to have warded off the crampyness for now with a lot of fluids. I am extremely grateful that it is gone because my toddler just woke up in a miserable state and with a snotty nose, to boot. It is going to be a long weekend, I think.

[flapjack]

Hope he's better soon (you have a boy, right?)

I have seen an induction recipe which is medicinal-strength RRL tea alternated with medicinal-strength peppermint tea, a cup of one or the other every hour on the hour. It's something to try if you get to 40 weeks and you get bored...

[fearfightswinter]

I bought a box of organic RRL tea three nights ago and decided to use it just to humor the women who've sworn by it to me; today is my first due date, still no baby. =p I however did have TONS of nausea and TONS of regular (which became irregular) contractions from the first cup-on, as well as making me feel super crampy. I don't think it's good for much, but who knows. Could be timing, could depend on the person. =p Hope that helped a bit.

Ps: Once I quit drinking it, today I'm feeling much more like myself. No nausea, and back to the irregular contractions. *shrug* Go figure.

[smokeylo]

I definitely get a lot of action after drinking RRL, my uterus seems very sensitive to it (I have kind of been avoiding it for that reason although now that I'm "full term" I guess it wouldn't hurt). Anyway, it might annoy your uterus enough to get something going if and only if you were already ready for labor. It wouldn't cause labor to happen, but it might jumpstart it the way castor oil or anything that "induces" by annoying your uterus.

[zulupetalz]

Thanks, Helen. Yes, I have a little boy who will be 2 next month. Peppermint tea? That is a new one, I have never heard that. Might be interesting to try something like that if I go overdue, though. I'm thinking this babe will be late and Castor Oil just doesn't sound like my kind of thing at all.

[zulupetalz]

I think you are right, Lauren, that it is only annoying my uterus and nothing real is going to come from drinking it.

[aslmere]

so today is 41 weeks and I am getting a bit of pressure to medically induce.
I am NOT going to give in until next weekend, but I would love to get things moving. Things are already started, but slow... I have a good contraction about every 20 minutes and have for the past two days. Thursday at my appt. I was 4 cm and almost completely effaced. Great. Wish that I was like other people and that meant I was actually in labor

I have been drinking RRL extra strength every hour for about 4 hours now.
How long should I keep it up before I should expect something... or give up.
This weekend would be a good one to birth.. but I am not ready to do much more than drink tea yet I did try a little bit of nipple stim the other day but couldn't take it for very long. How much more tea?????

Nina

[smokeylo]

Originally Posted by aslmere

I have been drinking RRL extra strength every hour for about 4 hours now.
How long should I keep it up before I should expect something... or give up.
This weekend would be a good one to birth.. but I am not ready to do much more than drink tea yet I did try a little bit of nipple stim the other day but couldn't take it for very long. How much more tea?????

Nina

I don't know if you can expect the tea to really "work" -- it seems like it has big effects on some women and none on others.

This link might be helpful for you. If you're serious about moving things along, I'd try something with a higher success rate than rrl tea . Evening primrose oil is easy to use and gentle (I'm using it now and I'm 37 weeks, am taking it at midwife's recommendation)... sex/nipple stim are good/fun (if you can manage the sex, we sure can't anymore), if you have a good herbalist something like black/blue cohosh might be helpful.... the possibilities are almost endless. Good luck!

[aslmere]

$%^E&^@

That is what I was afraid of....
I am really sensitive to so many things, yet RRL is not one of them obviously.

EPO is a cervix readier... my cervix is already plenty ready. I just need contractions to get going. I am kinda of scared to use cohoshes...but I will talk to my doula tonight and get her opinion.

I am starting to be afraid that I am going to have to give in to the medical induction. Which honestly will just be breaking my water.
I was induced after 42 weeks my last two pregnancies as well. I didn't respond to pitocin....but breaking my water made things happen fast.

Why am I broken??