It contains a uterine tonic and, taken daily in the last six to eight weeks of pregnancy, it helps to prepare the uterine muscles for labour and thereby ease the process of childbirth.
In a study carried out in Sydney, Australia, 192 first-time mums were given at random either a 1.2g raspberry leaf tablet or a placebo twice a day from 32 weeks of pregnancy. The herb had no harmful effects on mother or baby, and those women who had taken raspberry leaf tablets were found to have a shorter second stage of labour and a lower rate of forceps delivery (19.3 per cent versus 30.4 per cent). However, far more research is needed to confirm these results.
It is very important not to use raspberry leaves until the last two months of pregnancy because of the stimulating effect on the uterus. Start with one cup of tea a day or one tablet and build up gradually to a maximum of four cups of tea or tablets daily. The tea can be sipped freely during labour, too. You can buy raspberry leaf tablets from health food stores.
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