Raspberry leaf tea - how much to take at 36 weeks?

[Barbles]

So I bought my tea in and was just wondering how much to take? The lady told me in the shop I could have three cups a day but i was wondering if it would be better to build up to that instead. I'll be 36 weeks tomorrow.

Any advice would be great xx

 

[Lauz]

i read about it and it said that it takes several weeks to accumulate in your body and one study did find that women who drank the tea regularly towards the end of their pregnancies had a shorter second, pushing stage of labour than those who didn't.
It will work best if you start taking the tea when you're about 32 weeks pregnant. This will give it enough time for it to build up in your body. Begin with one cup a day, gradually increasing to three cups

Hope that helps

 

[Peachy724]

With my first i started drinking 4 cups right away, at 34 weeks. Didn't do me any good, had a traumatic 40 hour labour with a forcep delivery and hemmorage after. Mind you if i hadnt been taking the tea maybe it would have been worse! lol
Good luck xx

 

[Katy_28]

I cottoned on to raspberry leaf tea quite late and started drinking it at the weekend. I just went straight to 3 cups a day. Fingers crossed that it works!

 

[MrsPOP]

I can barely stomach 1 cup a day! Foul stuff. I started at 36 weeks x

 

[RebeccaG]

I started on 1 cup a day last week - I love it! I was expecting to hate it as so many people said it doesn't taste very nice but I think its yum! Looking forward to when I get to have 2 cups a day! There is a really good thread on here about RLT and EPO with lots of advice.

 

[SamiraNChris]

im just doing 1 a day for the first week, then 2 a day at 37, 3 a day at 38 etc! i think it tastes yummy and holland and barrett has buy one get one half price at the mo so get it from there x

 

[RebeccaG]

Mine is the Holland and Barratt one - perhaps that's the nice one!

 

[ronnie1234]

I started the tablets, but apparently they interfere with your blood pressue & as I've got high BP thought it best I stop!

 

[Barbles]

Thanks ladies, I think I may start on one cup a day and work it up. Im not sure if I will like it or not, I had a sniff of the bags and it didnt smell too bad but we will see.

Is it just the tablets that interfere or the whole raspberry leaf thing? Im on weekly checks for BP, its only be slightly high once so far.

 

[abc123x]

I started with 1 at 32, then 2 at 33, 3 at 34, etc.

If you don't like the taste, maybe try icing it and adding sugar? That's what I do because it is just too hot for a hot drink.

Since you're already 36 weeks, you could start with a cup for 3 days, then go up to two cups for three days, etc. That way you'll be building it up, just quicker.

 

[ronnie1234]

Is it just the tablets that interfere or the whole raspberry leaf thing? Im on weekly checks for BP, its only be slightly high once so far.

I'm not sure, I just read that raspberry leaf can affect blood pressure, and since I've been in & out of hospital, and constant midwife checks, I didn't want to risk it even more!

 

[Violet3]

Would starting to drink RLT at 30 weeks do any damage ? I'm eager to get this show on the road and if starting to build it up now might benefit my labour then I'll go for it ! x

 

[Barbles]

Ive only heard from 32 weeks onwards and some people say from only 36 weeks onwards. I would check with your midwife or with someone at the health shop or something.

Thanks Ronnie, my BP was normal last time so I think I will stick to one cup a day and see what my BP is like on Tuesday and ask my MW opinion. If it has gone up Ill stop, Id rather not take the risks either.

So just brewed my first cup, and had a little sip, it tasted a bit yuck so added a sugar so will see how it goes.

All this excitement over some pink tea haha x

 

[RebeccaG]

I have also heard 32 weeks Violet, but check with your mw if you want to start sooner.

 

[Violet3]

Ah, okay I think I'll leave it til 32 weeks then I wouldn't want to risk my baby being premi because I was too eager to taste the pink stuff ! x

 

[anj0427]

you should gradually work your way up to 3-4 cups a day. It may upset your stomach if you initially take too much for the first time. I've been taking it since 26 weeks but it seems thoughts are different in the US because a lot of women drink the tea throughout their entire pregnacy, it works really well for morning sickness, but it's probobaly best you ask your doctor or mw if your unsure.

 

[Peachy724]

you should gradually work your way up to 3-4 cups a day. It may upset your stomach if you initially take too much for the first time. I've been taking it since 26 weeks but it seems thoughts are different in the US because a lot of women drink the tea throughout their entire pregnacy, it works really well for morning sickness, but it's probobaly best you ask your doctor or mw if your unsure.

I read somewhere that its fine to drink all through aswell. I drank it with my first and still had a 40 hour labour with forcep delivery . Im giving it a bash again as my tummy did go back to normal very quickly at thats real important to me, i started drinking it a week ago almost and will be 30 weeks monday. Its not meant to bring on labour anyway.

 

[carterclan02]

I started this week with one cup a day..but asked obgyn yesterday about it and what he thought..he said there is no evidence it helps anything but it certainly don't hurt anything and its great for bladder health he said..he said i could drink as much as i wanted of it cause its caffine free..he said its a natural diretic and will also help with fluid retension..