Arvizu: Why Should You Drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea During Pregnancy?

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Erin Arvizu, GoLocalWorcester Health Columnist

Red raspberry leaf tea has been used medicinally for centuries to help relieve indigestion, improve circulation, reduce blood sugar and tone uterine muscles for an easier labor. It’s also chuck full of essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

A study in Australia looked at 108 women who gave birth between January 1998 and July 1998. 57 of them consumed red raspberry leaf products, while the rest did not. The results found the herb to be safe to take during pregnancy without adverse side effects. Another interesting finding indicated that the women who did consume the herb were also less likely to need to have their membranes ruptured, require a cesarean or need a vacuum or forceps birth.

Local CNM and herbalist Rachel Ross of Hillside Herbals says “I have experienced women having more functional labors and sometimes a more rapid labor. In fact, I read somewhere that a midwife did not recommend raspberry leaf tea for women who have a history of rapid labor and I agree with this advice.” Ross adds that she would love to see more studies done on raspberry leaf tea inviting women to share their stories, but of course they would have to recall how much and how often it was consumed.

Margaret Scott, CPM, wrote an article for Midwifery Today published in 1998 titled Three Keys to Avoiding Postpartum Hemorrhage where she shares a story about a mother who hemorrhaged with all four of her births. With her fifth pregnancy, she added Scott’s recommended supplements to her diet, which consisted of red raspberry leaf, liquid chlorophyll and nettles. Scott braced herself for the expected hemorrhage with the woman’s fifth birth, but it didn’t happen. “She never had an episode of heavy bleeding and stopped completely about eight days postpartum,” Scott explains in the article.

Ross adds “I love nettles for women who are iron deficient. Adding nettles is like adding a big pile of iron and other minerals to the mix. In fact, I believe the natural vegetable sources for iron, taken in these concentrated pills, is better absorbed and gives a better sense of well-being than straight up iron pills.”

The best way we can prepare for a healthy labor and delivery is to maintain a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and minimize stress and anxiety as much as possible. Perhaps adding some nurturing pregnancy tea such as the one offered through Hillside Herbals and Wild Orchid Baby could actually make a difference in your outcome.

Erin Arvizu is the owner of Wild Orchid Baby. If you need help exploring your birth options, stop by Wild Orchid Baby located at 490 Shrewsbury Street in Worcester and chat with local birth professionals and childbirth educators.