Ok so before I was pregnant, I had heard of Raspberry tea but not Raspberry Leaf tea (the difference is important!) and I did a fair amount of research before I made the decision to try it.
There is a common myth / old wives tale that it can start labour - this isn't true at all - it doesn't start or induce labour. - So what does it do?
It helps to prepare your uterus for labour and can help the second stage to be quicker, it also helps your uterus to return to normal afterwards so you can keep taking it after baby arrives if you want to.
It can come in different strengths but the norm is to start off on one cup a day after 32 weeks and slowly increase your dose as you get closer to your due date.
- Check the packet when you buy it though. I personally started off at 34 weeks with 1 cup.
You can take either tablets or drink the tea - both have same effect.
Raspberry leaf tea had a taste which I didn't really like - I had bought plain simple loose raspberry leaf tea by Cotswold health products. I bought my box from Health Matters for £1.89 which is next to the fish mongers at the back of Boots, Bromley. You can add sugar or honey and have it warm, or as I preffered - Chilled and mixed with fruit juice.
You can buy either the tea or the tablets from and there doesn't seem to be any bad side effects or risks so worth trying. I don't know if it did help or not but my labour from the very start to end lasted for 16 hours (including 4 hours where I hadn't realised I was in labour!) and only 5 of those were in hospital so I'd say that was pretty good going for a first pregnancy!
There are three Bromley stockists
- Health Matters - sell both loose raspberry leaf tea and the tablets. Next to the fishmongers at the back of Boots.
-Neal's Yard - sell loose raspberry leaf tea. On East Street near Peppermint.
-Holland and Barretts - sell Raspberry leaf teabags which are mixed with other fruits and tastes nice chilled! Bromley high street, lower end towards Bromley South Station near Laura Ashley.
Emma in Bromley x
I drank so much of it in my last few weeks , I think baby may of got addicted to it! My labour was short (5 hours) so if that was down to the raspberry tea , I'm glad I drank lots! I guess there's no way knowing if it helped or not. I got mine from my local Holland & Barretts :) x
ReplyDeleteHee hee. I drank loads of this in the hope of a quick labour. 31 hours later I was cursing the stuff. Have friends who swear by it though. Think I was just unlucky
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