The Pros of Using Red Raspberry Leaf Tea to Induce Labor
One of the most important things I can tell you about using herbal remedies during pregnancy is that only those herbs your OB approves of should be used. That will probably be a very short list, but raspberry leaves are usually on it.
There are several methods that women claim can induce labor. My mother still tells me that riding on a bumpy road will do it, though it did not work for me. A few of them, like the bumpy road, are more along the lines of a myth than a solution. However, there are things that seem to point towards labor induction at home.
Balsamic vinegar is one of the most common choices. There are even restaurants that sell a specially prepared salad for women trying to start labor. It may have an effect, but not much of one.
Blue cohosh is another herb that may be considered, but not by me. It is an extremely dangerous herb, in part because it can start the process. The most serious side effect is that of death… both yours and your child’s. It raises blood pressure extremely high, and babies have been born in the process of having a heart attack.
Raspberry leaf is extremely popular for pregnant women, but not because it induces labor… it does not. In fact, I had a client who used it during her pregnancy, and the doctors could not start her labor, even with the strongest medication they had. It took a good twenty-four hours after stopping it before she was actually getting ready to deliver.
There are pros to the use of raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy. There are some women who used it to prevent a miscarriage, and it seemed to help. It is often recommended during the last trimester to tone the uterus and make the entire process shorter. If you stop taking it, the cycle could start, but only when your body is ready.
There are cons to the use of this tea, as well. One side effect that could occur is uterine contractions, which could be detrimental under the right circumstances. It can also play hob with hormones, which is already a problem due to the pregnancy. Most important on the “con” side is that it crosses the placental barrier.
Before taking any supplement while you are expecting, talk with your OB and your pharmacist. Both can tell you what the benefits and problems they could cause for both you and your child.