Wow!!! I never heard of this. I know I'll get my hands on some of this once I'm pregnant... Anything to possibly ease the labor sounds good to me. I'm super scared of giving birth so maybe it'll ease my mind a little...

My doctor just told me to start drinking this next week. She say 5-6 cups a day, and taking evening primrose oil. I found the Vitamin Shoppe sells the tea and I'm going to go get some tomorrow. I'm hoping for a VBAC as well. So crossing fingers that this stuff works.

Evening primrose oil huh? Haven't heard of this.

It's supposed to help soften your cervix to prepare it for labor. Some say it's not safe for women hoping for a VBAC because it thins out their blood. But then I read that as long as it's the cold pressed kind it's safe. It's still really up in the air because there isn't a lot of research on it.

Okay, going shopping today. Need:
Red Raspberry Leaf Tea
Evening Primrose Oil
Gentle Baby Oil
Dates
Chlorophyll
Floradix

Any other suggestions?

Thanks! Great idea because I don't think I will be able to handle several cups of hot tea a day.

I went to the health food store today and bought the Evening Primrose Oil. The lady there told me that when labor times come to break open the oil capsules and apply the oil directly to the cervix.
It is safe to orally take the Evening Primrose throughout pregnancy but do not apply directly to cervix until it is time because applied directly to cervix it works like a very mild natural pitosin. It helps keep labor progressing. I am going to need all the help I can get there!

I also recommend Caullophyllum 30 and Arnica 30. They are homeopathic remedies. Caullophyllum for the 'ripening' of the cervix and Arnica to heal soft tissue damage during birth. These can be taken in the weeks before and after birth. Arnica cream can also be used on any external bruising on you or the baby and hypercal cream (hypericum and calendula) can be used to heal scratches on baby and any tears your may get.

This last pregnancy I used these, plus 6 dates a day and three cups of raspberry leaf tea and the latter stages of labour lasted less than an hour. The initial stage being like 8 hours of period cramps just and then I was nearly back to normal and exercising eight days after the birth.

I recommend making it into a sweet tea. mmmm. I'm almost 33 weeks and can't wait until 36 weeks when I'll be drinking 4 cups of my red raspberry leaf 'sweet tea'.. for now I'm just doing 1 cup a day

I have been drinking it, and I made it into an unsweetened iced tea. The taste really doesn't bother me, and it's not to hard for me to get down 4-6 cups a day. I can't wait to hear from others on how it worked for them. I also started taking the evening primrose oil. I'm 35 weeks yesterday and at 37 weeks I'm going to see if a I take it vaginally.

wow, how have I never heard of this stuff??? this is my 4th pregnancy and I plan to do it all natural because my last I got my intrathecal (never had an epidural because i have quick labors) and they did it wrong and a week after i had him i got the worst vertigo attack from it that sent me to the ER twice, and I NEVER go to the doctor, but now here is my concern with this, all my labors are fast and early, they were all born 2 1/2 weeks-just over 4 weeks early, so is it an ok idea for me to drink when im farrther along (only 7 weeks with this one) or should I just let my body do it on its own since its so quick anyways. my first I got to the hospital at 1:30pm, didnt feel like i was in labor but my mom forced me to go, and i had him at 3pm, my second I was at the hospital for like 12 hours only because my doctor forced me to go, but only knew I was in labor the last 4 hours (again, didnt feel like i was in labor) and my last I wok up at 4am with contractions and had him at 8:30am, so maybe im not a good canidet for this?

I had an appointment with the OB nurse today and mentioned that I was going to start drinking this in a couple of weeks. She got this horrified look on her face and told me not to do it because it causes pre term labor. By that time I will be almost 37 weeks, which I thought was considered full term. She said that it can start contractions that they would be able to stop, unlike with Pitocin, which they can control with the click of a button. I laughed to myself thinking, yeah, raspberry leaf tea is way worse than your artificial medicines. I'm going to mention it to the doctor at my 36 week appointment and get her take on it but I think either way, I'm going to have some tea.

that's werid she thinks that. I actually heard the opposite, that it strengthens the uterus and prevents pre-term labor. I started drinking it with my son at 34weeks and gave birth at 39wks 5days. I believe the tea helped tremendously, I didn't have hardcore contractions until I was 8cm dilated, I was just crampy before that. Also my uterus shrank really fast after giving birth, the nurses were shocked. I will start drinking again at 34 weeks with this pregnancy as well ))

Thanks! Great idea because I don't think I will be able to handle several cups of hot tea a day.

I went to the health food store today and bought the Evening Primrose Oil. The lady there told me that when labor times come to break open the oil capsules and apply the oil directly to the cervix.
It is safe to orally take the Evening Primrose throughout pregnancy but do not apply directly to cervix until it is time because applied directly to cervix it works like a very mild natural pitosin. It helps keep labor progressing. I am going to need all the help I can get there!

yes this is true! 2-3 days after inserting it (I would just prick the top of the capsule and insert at bedtime) I went into labor not sure if it was from this or because I was already over 39 weeks pregnant lol

Do not know of any specific scientific studies I could link you to but it has been studied and proven over and over so many times to be effective that even the stupid FDA allows it to be marketed specifically advertising it is for pregnancy. Go to Walmart and look on the tea aisle for Pregnancy Tea - this is raspberry leaf tea.
Here is a quote from one internet page: "One of the most important herbal tonics to take during pregnancy is Red Raspberry Leaf. This is not tea made from raspberries. It is an herbal tea made from the leaves of the raspberry plant. Red Raspberry is the best known, most widely used and safest of all uterine and pregnancy herbs. Most of the benefits that are attributed to Red Raspberry Leaf tea are traced to the nourishing source of vitamins and minerals found in the plant and to fragrine (an alkaloid which gives tone to muscles of the pelvic region and the uterus itself)."

The only known side effects of raspberry leaf tea documented in all studies is mild loosened stools and nausea. Keep in mind every documented case with these side effects was when the tea was used in overdose amounts. Some say that labor can be triggered or Braxton Hicks worsen with the use of this tea. Studies have shown and the FDA has concluded that this suspicion has no basis.

So I am 32 w 3 d and I was planning to start drinking it now. Now that I hit the 32 weeks I am re-thinking it and planning to push it for one more week or 2.
Have you ladies started already?

For anyone still following this thread ... We have discussed a few things here that are supposed to help prepare for labor and progress labor.
I wanted to add one tidbit today my doctor shared with me. He says walking, going for a drive on a bumpy road and jumping on a trampoline have never been proven to be effective. The only thing he said he can swear by is intercourse. He says, in his studies and his experience, the semen coming in contact with the cervix is the only for sure way he knows to help soften the cervix and promote progression towards labor.
As if I havent given enough TMI - I really want to try this but sex makes me cramp (maybe that's a good thing?) Does anyone else feel uncomfortable/pain/cramping during or after intercourse?