Raspberry tea to speed up labor: does it work?

An excellent home remedy to speed up labor, used very popularly and with scientific evidence, is raspberry leaf tea, as it has properties that help tone and prepare the muscles of the uterus for childbirth, helping labor to progress. at a good pace and not too painful.

Several studies indicate that, although the substances in raspberry leaf do not affect the first phase of labor, they seem to facilitate the final part of the uterus contraction and the baby’s exit, reducing the chances of complications at birth, reducing the need to use instruments such as forceps or suction cup.

Raspberry leaf tea can then be taken in the third trimester of pregnancy, from 32 weeks onwards, but it should always be done under the supervision and guidance of an obstetrician.

How to prepare and drink raspberry tea

Raspberry tea must be prepared with raspberry leaves, as they have different substances than the fruit.

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 teaspoons of chopped raspberry leaves;
• 1 cup of boiling water.

Preparation mode

Add the raspberry leaves to the boiling water, cover and let stand for up to 10 minutes. Then strain, sweeten with honey to taste and initially drink 1 cup of tea per day, gradually increasing to 3 cups of tea per day.

As an alternative to tea, you can also take raspberry leaf capsules, in a dosage of 2 capsules, 1.2 g, per day, and as recommended by an obstetrician or herbalist.

In all studies, raspberry leaves did not cause any side effects in the pregnant woman or the baby, being considered safe during pregnancy, as long as guidance is obtained from a doctor.

Find out other healthy and natural ways to speed up labor.

When not to drink tea

Raspberry leaf tea should not be taken in cases where:

• The pregnant woman had a rapid previous labor, which lasted up to 3 hours;
• A cesarean section is planned for medical reasons;
• The pregnant woman has had a cesarean section or premature birth before;
• The woman had vaginal bleeding during pregnancy;
• There is a family or personal history of breast or ovarian cancer, endometriosis or fibroids;
• The baby is poorly positioned for birth;
• The pregnant woman had any health problems during pregnancy;
• Twin pregnancy;
• Labor has to be induced.

If the pregnant woman feels Braxton Hicks contractions after drinking the tea, she should reduce the amount or stop taking it.

Learn how to identify contractions and signs of labor.