Raspberry Leaf tea is one of those pregnancy topics which most people talk about but does anyone really know whether it’s for real or not?
Raspberry leaf tea, also known as red raspberry leaf, is a herbal remedy. It is not the same as raspberry fruit tea!
Red raspberry leaf tea is recommended during pregnancy because it contains vitamins (C, E, A, B complex) and minerals (magnesium, calcium and iron) which not only helps mother and baby get all the nourishing nutrients they need, but can also help replenish stores of the mother after birth.
Raspberry leaf also contains the alkaloid 'fragine' which is said to strengthen and tone the muscles of the uterus, helping them to contract more efficiently during labour. Research has found that taking raspberry leaf tea during the weeks prior to delivery helps to shorten the second stage of labour by making contractions more effective. Sipping raspberry leaf tea during and after the birth is also said to help the uterus contract back down to size, reduce after birth bleeding and help initiate the let down of breastmilk. While there hasn't been a huge amount of research into this area, the general consensus does seem to be that drinking raspberry leaf tea during the latter stages of pregnancy can help to make for a 'better' labour with few side effects.
However, because there is little research the certainty of these claims cannot be verified.
What we do know for sure is that raspberry leaf should, like other herbal teas, be drunk in moderation. Some midwives think it is not a good idea to take anything that might interfere with your labour, after all we are designed to give birth without any help, as hard as that may seem at the time!
If you do decide to try raspberry leaf tea, let your doctor or midwife know that you are planning to drink it. And really, whilst we’ve reached no real conclusion here, the best advice would seem to be like anything in life, moderation is the safest way to go. Oh, and I also think it should always be taken with a big slice of cake.
Raspberry leaf also contains the alkaloid 'fragine' which is said to strengthen and tone the muscles of the uterus, helping them to contract more efficiently during labour. Research has found that taking raspberry leaf tea during the weeks prior to delivery helps to shorten the second stage of labour by making contractions more effective. Sipping raspberry leaf tea during and after the birth is also said to help the uterus contract back down to size, reduce after birth bleeding and help initiate the let down of breastmilk. While there hasn't been a huge amount of research into this area, the general consensus does seem to be that drinking raspberry leaf tea during the latter stages of pregnancy can help to make for a 'better' labour with few side effects.
However, because there is little research the certainty of these claims cannot be verified.
What we do know for sure is that raspberry leaf should, like other herbal teas, be drunk in moderation. Some midwives think it is not a good idea to take anything that might interfere with your labour, after all we are designed to give birth without any help, as hard as that may seem at the time!
If you do decide to try raspberry leaf tea, let your doctor or midwife know that you are planning to drink it. And really, whilst we’ve reached no real conclusion here, the best advice would seem to be like anything in life, moderation is the safest way to go. Oh, and I also think it should always be taken with a big slice of cake.
