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Have you ever heard of red raspberry leaf tea? I hadn’t, until I read about it in The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth by Genevieve Howland when I was pregnant with my second child.

Apparently, word on the street is that red raspberry leaf tea conditions your uterus for a relatively fast and painless labor and delivery. Before I dive into what this herb is and what it does, let me say that there IS some validity to this “old wives’ tale,” based on my personal experiences with the tea during my two latest pregnancies.

Here’s more about it, and what the science says.

What IS Red Raspberry Leaf, Anyway?

Red raspberry is a plant native to parts of Europe and Asia. Though it may be known mainly for its delicious and savory berries, this plant also produces leaves that offer a wealth of nutritional benefits.

Red raspberry leaf (which tastes nothing like raspberries, by the way) is widely used in women’s herbal tea blends due to the way it can relieve symptoms of PMS. It is also a common ingredient in women’s fertility tea blends (such as this one from Wholesome Story and this one from Pink Stork).

When taken during pregnancy, red raspberry leaf tea is said to strengthen and tone the uterus, and improve its efficiency to help you experience a relatively fast and painless labor and delivery.

I drank strong batches of red raspberry leaf tea during two pregnancies. Both birthing experiences lasted in full (from water breaking to baby coming out) in under two and three hours, respectively.

Is this enough evidence to conclude that red raspberry leaf tea was the absolute reason behind this? Not necessarily, because I also exercised regularly and ate a variety of whole foods, which are other factors that support a healthy and efficient uterus. But I DO know my body and believe it WAS the reason! I also find it hard to believe this anecdote would be passed down over centuries if there weren’t some truth and validity behind it.

Drinking This Tea During Pregnancy: What Does the Science Say?

The effects of red raspberry leaf tea on labor and childbirth have been explored in several medical studies. You can also find a lot of anecdotal stories online from women who drank this tea during pregnancy and experienced short, relatively painless labors like my own.

Here’s some of what I found online.

Findings from this study published in the Australian College of Midwives Incorporated Journal suggest that red raspberry leaf tea can be consumed during pregnancy to shorten labor without producing side effects and that it reduces the likelihood of having a Cesarean section or drug-induced labor. Findings from another study published in the Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health show that red raspberry leaf consumed in tablet form can shorten the second stage of labor and reduce the rate of forceps deliveries.

How I Achieved a Fast, Painless Labor With Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

I have three kids. I had my first child in my late 20s, but it was a traditional hospital birth and I was given several drugs for it (including pitocin, epidural, morphine, and God knows what else, I barely remember). I had the other two in my early 40s. I hired midwives and went for the 100% natural childbirth experiences without drugs.

With these two pregnancies, I started drinking strong batches of red raspberry leaf tea at around week 38 and continued through week 41 up to the day my babies were born. I purchased a giant 2-pound bag of loose red raspberry leaf tea from Micro Ingredients on Amazon and added about 1/2 cup of the tea to each of several large mason jars, allowing the tea to steep for at least one hour. Then, I drank about 2 to 3 cups of the tea per day.

The onset and duration of labor was surprisingly fast, both times. With the first one, my water broke, contractions began 15 minutes later, and my baby was born within two hours. She came so fast my husband had to handle the delivery himself while on speakerphone with our midwife! Labor itself was a bit painful, but delivery wasn’t. After my midwife arrived, I stood up and rinsed off quickly in the shower. I surprisingly felt okay, but tired, like I had just finished an intense workout.

My next pregnancy went much the same way, except labor and delivery lasted under three hours and a midwife was there to help (she wouldn’t let me shower though!). Everything went well with both pregnancies, but I strongly suggest consulting with your midwife or healthcare provider before drinking any red raspberry leaf tea if you are pregnant.

Can Men Drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea?

Though red raspberry leaf tea is often touted as “women’s tea,” this herb also offers many health benefits for men. It is packed with antioxidants that help ward off inflammation and cancer and is high in nutrients including iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins C, E, and B, among many others. Men who drink red raspberry leaf can benefit from hormone regulation and improved prostate health.

I have another personal anecdote to share about this tea. My husband and I have found that drinking a strong cup of red raspberry leaf can help you sober up more quickly after having a few alcoholic beverages, and may also reduce symptoms related to a hangover the following day. Take this advice or leave it, but hey, it’s worth trying, right?

There’s a LOT of evidence supporting the health benefits of red raspberry leaf tea for both women and men, but PLEASE consult with your healthcare provider before adding this tea to your diet, especially if you are pregnant! I can’t stress that enough.

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