Red Raspberry Leaf Benefits During Pregnancy

Good nutrition is key to a healthy pregnancy! For centuries, raspberry leaf tea has been used in parts of Asia and Europe to treat various health conditions, including supporting in pregnancy.

Health Benefits Of Raspberry Tea

Raspberry leaf tea is a type of herbal tea made using the leaves of the raspberry plant. It is popular for its many health benefits. Some of these include:

It is high in nutrients like vitamin B, vitamin C, a number of minerals like potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron.
It contains a high number of antioxidants that protect the body from cardiovascular and inflammatory disease
It may help shorten the second stage of labor, reducing the need for medical intervention
It is commonly used to help pregnant women deal with labor pains
Some midwives recommend raspberry leaf tea to help deal with morning sickness
A study showed that the use of raspberry leaf tea reduces the chances of pre or post-term delivery

Is It Safe To Drink During Pregnancy?

Since herbal medicine is loosely regulated by the FDA, you should be careful while consuming raspberry leaf tea, especially if you’re pregnant.

Herbalists and midwives usually recommend avoiding the use of the tea during the first trimester. This is because the contractile effects of the tea on the uterus may irritate it and could be a potential risk for miscarriage.

However, consuming raspberry leaf tea in moderation during the last trimester, after the 32nd week, is usually considered safe. It can be done to ease labor pains and in some cases, induce labor if you’re past your due date.

Even though it’s safe, the benefits are still not guaranteed, so it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider before you start consuming raspberry tea or any other herbal medicine.

Other Ways You Can Consume Raspberry Leaves

If you’re not a fan of herbal tea and want to consume raspberry leaves, here are some ways you can do that:

Make the tea and freeze it to make raspberry leaf popsicles!
Find encapsulated dried leaves so you can take them as a pill
Crush them into powdered form and consume a spoonful with some water

Herbal Bath with Raspberry Leaf

Another way raspberry leaves can be used is to help with your postpartum healing through an herbal bath! Herbal baths are an excellent way to soothe your inflamed tissues and help heal tears naturally. You can try boiling red raspberry leaves and adding 3 tbsp to your warm bath.

Again, however you choose to use raspberry tea, be sure to ask your healthcare provider before you begin!