The final weeks of pregnancy are the most difficult in terms of physiology and psychology. It becomes difficult for a woman to wait, she wants to bring the moment of meeting with the baby closer. Sometimes the estimated date is already coming and going, but the birth does not start.
In this case, many folk recipes recommend brewing and taking raspberry leaves. Whether it is necessary to do this and how to do it correctly, we will tell you in this article.
Self-stimulation - should you do it?
The woman is tired, the fetus has become large, the uterus compresses the internal organs, it is difficult to sleep, it is even more difficult to move. In such conditions, the desire of a pregnant woman to move to the category of women in labor is quite understandable. But stimulating childbirth, especially at home, is very dangerous, and we must not forget about it.
Stimulate labor, if necessary, only in a hospital setting. According to the clinical recommendations of the Ministry of Health, it is advisable to do this only after 41 full weeks of pregnancy, as well as in the event of certain complications from the mother or fetus.
In all other cases, if the woman is healthy, the baby feels good, stimulation up to 42 weeks is not indicated.
It is believed that it is most favorable when childbirth begins naturally, independently, obeying the laws of nature, when a woman and a child for this event fully prepared physiologically. If you stimulate labor up to this point, then you can face a lot of difficulties - the genital tract may not be quite ready, the cervix may not open well or not open at all.
The woman in labor will have to go through an emergency caesarean section, without which the likelihood of severe birth injuries for her and the baby will be too high.
Stimulates childbirth in the hospital, having previously determined the readiness for the birth process of the female body... In case of insufficient readiness, they first prepare with medicines.
On the Internet, on thematic forums, you can find many topics in which women discuss exactly how to speed up childbirth, if the deadline has already come or is not far off. The wisest thing is not to follow any of these tips. Specialists in the field of obstetrics warn: even the use of herbal remedies, if done incorrectly, can cause irreparable harm to the expectant mother and her baby.
If you really want to drink a decoction or tea with raspberry leaves, you should first ask your doctor about this... If the genital tract is not ready for childbirth, he will answer with a categorical refusal, and he will be absolutely right. If the birth canal is sufficiently prepared, but labor does not begin, raspberry leaves can be approved by a gynecologist.
Beneficial features
Raspberry bush leaves have a lot of useful properties that make them excellent helpers in the fight against colds, in skin care. Traditional medicine ascribes to them a rhodostimulating effect.
It is believed that the early start of taking such a remedy brings the day of birth closer, makes it possible to make labor contractions less painful, the elasticity of the birth canal increases, and accordingly, the risk of the likelihood of rupture of the cervix and vagina during attempts is reduced.
It should be noted that traditional medicine supports the use of raspberry leaves during pregnancy, but with significant restrictions. In each case, a woman needs to get the individual permission of her attending doctor so as not to harm herself and the baby.
In some clinics in Germany, raspberry leaves are recommended as a course, and in the UK, pregnant women are advised to drink warm tea two months before childbirth with the addition of a small amount of such plant materials.
What do raspberry leaves do? Due to the chemical composition, the presence of plant hormones, flavonoids, they contribute to the preparation of the cervix, it softens and expands. In part, the chemical composition of the leaves of this shrub contributes to an increase in the contractility of the muscles of the uterus.
If the neck is abnormally long before childbirth, does not shorten, then such a folk remedy usually does not help to shorten it. But if the neck is shortened enough, then the plant can somewhat bring the term of labor closer, although this effect has not yet been reliably proven.
But it is absolutely proven that a decoction of raspberry leaves helps to get rid of excess toxins, cleanses the body, tones it up. And this will definitely not be superfluous for a woman who is soon to become a mother.
Precautionary measures
There are several important conditions, without which it is contraindicated to take this plant raw material:
- there must be a full-term pregnancy, childbirth, if it occurs right now, should not qualify as premature;
- the cervix, according to the results of a gynecological examination, should be either actively maturing or mature.
Thus, before 37 full weeks of pregnancy (at this time, the child is considered fully term), it is dangerous to take decoctions and teas with raspberry leaves. If the cervix has already begun to independently prepare for the birth of a child, then the correct herbal medicine will have a beneficial effect on the processes of its maturation. If the cervix is not ready, then it is impossible to stimulate labor with herbs or medicines.
It is important to take into account your own allergic status: if you are allergic to raspberries, strawberries, red berries, you should not use this kind of traditional medicine.
Who is contraindicated to use?
Considering all of the above, it should be understood that only women whose pregnancy proceeds without complications can use the remedy.
If there is one of the following conditions, it is categorically impossible to drink a decoction of raspberry leaves or tea with the addition of this plant raw material:
- abnormal discharge from the genital tract, signs of infection, bloody or bloody discharge;
- abnormal location of the placenta, too low or with partial presentation;
- suspicion of detachment of the "child's place";
- fetal malnutrition: low weight, lag in fetometric parameters of ultrasound;
- possible fetal hypoxia: adverse results of CTG, USDG;
- the presence of individual intolerance to raspberries.
If a woman has a planned cesarean section, which she knows about, it is forbidden to take this folk remedy.
Despite the information that can be found on women's forums regarding what is best to do a cesarean when natural contractions have already begun, surgeons do not agree with this. They strongly warn that it is better and safer for both the mother and the fetus if the operation is performed on the relaxed uterine muscles, that is, before the contractions begin.
The list of contraindications, as you can see, is quite large in order not to commit rash acts. Do not forget to consult with your obstetrician-gynecologist.
How to use?
Making a decoction of raspberry leaves is simple. To do this, you need to take a teaspoon of shrub leaves chopped with a knife. You can brew fresh leaves if it's summer outside. You can use dried plant materials. For this amount of raspberry leaves, take a glass of boiling water.
The broth is infused for about 2 hours, then it is important to strain it, free it from impurities and take it according to the following scheme:
- 37 weeks gestation - a glass per day, at one time, whole or in two doses, half a glass;
- 38 weeks gestation - two glasses a day, about 500 ml, divided into 2-3 doses, in portions that are comfortable in volume;
- 39 weeks gestation - three glasses a day, 750 ml, in several doses;
- 40 weeks of gestation or more - 4 glasses a day, 1 liter in 5-6 doses.
It is not necessary to heat the broth before use, experts recommend taking it at room temperature. If you drink it hot, there is a risk that active phyto-substances can cause sharp contractions of the uterine muscles.
The use of a folk remedy requires careful attention to one's own well-being. If you have a stomach ache, pulls your lower back, there are atypical discharge, nausea, it is important to stop taking the broth and consult a doctor without delay.
Reviews
According to reviews, the raspberry decoction is well tolerated, does not cause negative reactions (rashes, diarrhea, nausea, indigestion). For the most part, women start taking a folk remedy about two weeks before the due date. After the birth of a baby, many people note that childbirth was easier and faster.
Some pregnant women indicate that already within half an hour after the drunk portion of the decoction of raspberry leaves, false training contractions intensified, the uterus came to tone... According to reviews of women who have postponed pregnancy, it is better to take the broth hot, it causes childbirth faster, but obstetricians warn against this.
There are many negative reviews in which women indicate that raspberry leaves did not help them at all. Childbirth had to be stimulated, the cervix opened for a long time, painfully. Some were nevertheless given an emergency caesarean section.
You can also find reviews that it is better to take raspberry jam, but pediatricians warn against this. Since the likelihood of an allergic predisposition in the fetus is largely formed depending on the mother's nutrition during gestation. Raspberries have a high degree of allergenicity, and therefore it is better to refuse jam in large quantities.
The experience of using tea with raspberry leaves is in the video below.
