Use Raspberry Leaf Tea During Pregnancy

Red raspberry leaf tea has been used for many years by women during pregnancy to help ease the length and pain of labor. A number of women and midwives also believe it has many other benefits during pregnancy. However, some doctors disagree about how safe it is to use during pregnancy.

Steps

Drinking the Tea During Pregnancy

  1. Consult your doctor. While many midwives believe drinking red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy is safe, others do not think it's safe, so it's always best to consult your doctor before you start drinking the tea. For one, any kind of herbal tea or supplement can have interactions with other medications and conditions, so it's important your doctor knows about it. She can tell whether it's safe to use.
  2. Limit the tea or don't drink it in the first trimester. Some doctors feel like the tea is not safe to drink in the first trimester of your pregnancy. They believe it can cause contractions leading to miscarriage.[1] Others feel the tea is safe throughout pregnancy.[2]
    • To be on the safe side, limit yourself to 1 cup of tea a day during your first trimester, or don't drink it at all.[3]
  3. Increase your intake later in pregnancy. Once you reach your second trimester, it's considered safer to drink more of this tea. You can drink as much as 4 or 5 cups a day of this tea. Once again, though, ask your doctor before increasing your intake of this supplement.[4]
  4. Understand why it's used. The main reason it is taken is to shorten labor, and some studies have shown it is effective and safe for this purpose. It may also reduce your risk of tearing when you give birth, and you'll be less likely to need forceps or a cesarean section.[2]
    • People also believe that it will decrease your pregnancy pain, increase your milk supply, and decrease your bleeding after birth. In addition, it does supply a number of vitamins, such as vitamins C and E, calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese, as well as B vitamins.[1]
  5. Know the side effects. Like any supplement, you may have side effects from this tea. For instance, you may experience nausea or even mild diarrhea. If the side effects are too severe for you, stop taking this supplement.[3]

Making the Tea

  1. Find fresh red raspberry leaves. If you have a raspberry plant in your yard, you can simply pick the leaves from the plant. You may also be able to find them at your local farmer's market. You can pick the leaves any time of year.[5]
  2. Wash the leaves. Make sure to rinse the leaves thoroughly in fresh water. Leaves can have residue from pesticides and other chemicals in the air. Drain the water off.[5]
  3. Dry the leaves. Pat the leaves dry with a towel. Spread out the leaves on a clean, flat surface, and allow them to dry. Once they are dry, you can store them in an airtight container.[5]
    • Instead of finding and washing raspberry leaves yourself, you can simply by red raspberry leaf tea at a health food store.
  4. Boil water. Boil a cup of water to brew your tea. You can prepare it as you would any loose-leaf tea.[6]
  5. Measure out your red raspberry leaf. You need about a tablespoon or a little less per cup of water. You can use any type of tea strainer you wish to brew it, including the mesh ball strainers.[6]
  6. Steep the tea. Let the tea steep for about 5 minutes. Once the tea is done steeping, drink as you would any tea. You can add sweetener if you prefer.[6]
    • Some suggest letting it steep for 10 minutes is better than 5 minutes.[1]
    • Try chilling the tea and adding a squeeze of orange juice.[3]

Tips

  • It is important to remember to discuss the use of red raspberry leaf tea with your physician before incorporating it into your diet. Many people have differing opinions on how much tea to drink and when to begin drinking the tea. Your physician can help you decipher which of these differing opinions is most suitable for you.

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.mommypotamus.com/homemade-pregnancy-tea-a-nourishing-tonic-for-two/
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10754818
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://journeytocrunchville.wordpress.com/2008/07/28/red-raspberry-leaf-tea-what-every-pregnant-woman-needs/
  4. ↑ http://www.mommypotamus.com/homemade-pregnancy-tea-a-nourishing-tonic-for-two/
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://www.uaf.edu/files/ces/publications-db/catalog/hec/FNH-00116.pdf
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 http://wellnessmama.com/5107/raspberry-leaf-herb-profile/
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