Throughout history, women have searched for natural methods that would make labor and childbirth less difficult. Raspberry leaf tea has been used by pregnant women for centuries to tone and strengthen the uterus. This can help make labor more efficient and possibly lessen the amount of time a woman is in labor. There have only been a few scientific studies on the effects of raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy, and the results were somewhat inconclusive as to whether or not the tea truly shortened the labor process. However, many midwives and mothers swear by raspberry leaf tea and would recommend it to any pregnant woman.
Besides its toning effect on the uterus, raspberry leaf tea is also thought to have many other benefits for pregnant women. Raspberry leaf tea is full of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, vitamin E, vitamin B1, and vitamin B3, all of which are beneficial to your health and your baby‘s development. Drinking raspberry leaf tea can help lessen bleeding gums and nosebleeds, which are common occurrences during pregnancy.
A few of raspberry leaf tea’s benefits will vary among different women. For instance, some women find that raspberry leaf tea calms morning sickness, while for others it can cause nausea. For some women, raspberry leaf tea will ease Braxton-Hicks contractions, but for others it may intensify them. Discontinue your use of raspberry leaf tea if it intensifies your pregnancy symptoms and makes you uncomfortable.
As with any herbal supplement, discuss the use of raspberry leaf tea with your doctor or midwife before ingesting it. Because of its effects on the uterus, many physicians are concerned that the use of raspberry leaf tea in early pregnancy may not be safe. To be on the safe side, it would be better wait to begin drinking raspberry leaf tea until the third trimester of pregnancy. Raspberry leaf tea is also available in convenient tablets that can be taken daily during the third trimester.