In fact, U.S. hospitals are now one of the riskiest places in the Western world for a woman to give birth. Most of us have heard our fair share of horror stories about long labors and challenging births, long before we’ve even become pregnant ourselves. Naturally, we want to do our best to prepare our bodies ahead of time to have the healthiest and easiest labor possible. Fortunately, our bodies are wise and know what they need to do to bring our babies into the world. That said, we can support the process first and foremost with: In addition, a few favorite books on preparing for birth include Spiritual Midwifery, Birthing From Within, Ina May Birth Book, and for a deeper understanding of which medical inventions are necessary and which are overused, Henci Goer’s book Optimal Care in Childbirth. Red raspberry (RRL) leaf is high in vitamins C, E, A, and B and has significant amounts of major minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus that not only nourish the uterus but provide the minerals it needs to contract and relax—which is exactly the combination required for labor to work effectively and for the powerful muscles of your uterus to push your baby out. It’s also rich in a natural plant constituent called fragarine, which is thought to also tonify and stimulate uterine muscle. While RRL doesn’t actually appear to be very effective at stimulating or shortening labor, research has found that drinking RRL tea or taking capsules can have a number of benefits. The results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial consisting of 192 low-risk, first-time moms found that RRL tablets, taken daily starting at 32 weeks’ pregnancy until labor, reduced the rate of forceps deliveries. Another study found that raspberry leaf was associated with: When should you start taking RRL? As a pregnant midwife-herbal-momma, I drank RRL daily starting about halfway into my pregnancy, always carrying my Mason jar of tea with me. This was in the 1980s (long before the days of green juice!), so I got some strange looks when I was out and about having a swig! While some recommend starting it in the first trimester, I generally recommend avoiding it then because, while there are no studies associating it with pregnancy loss, there is some evidence that it increases uterine contractility. Herbalists and midwives consider raspberry leaf to be a gentle, effective, nutritious herb to use in the second and third trimesters—and I concur. How much should you take? One to two cups of tea daily is known to be safe during pregnancy, and several studies have now shown that taking one to two cups regularly in the last trimester can make labor easier. You can also use capsules or tablets (1.5 to 5 grams daily) since RRL doesn’t have the most pleasant taste when taken as a tea by itself. In my practice, I generally recommend mixing RRL in with some spearmint and rose hips for a delicious tea that can be taken daily throughout the second and third trimesters. Ingredients: ● 1 tablespoon red raspberry leaf ● 2 teaspoons spearmint leaf ● 1 teaspoon rose hips Method:
- Place into a tea bag or teapot strainer.
- Steep in 8 ounces of boiling water for 20 minutes. Strain and drink 1 to 2 cups daily.
- Will keep in the fridge for 2 days. Make sure any herbal tea products you purchase contain actual RRL because raspberry-flavored teas don’t have any of the RRL benefits. Mountain Rose Herbs is a great online source for purchasing bulk organic herbs. Three scientific studies have shown that red dates are associated with: ● Increased cervical “ripening” ● Less need for labor induction ● Greater likelihood of being more dilated when arriving at the hospital ● Less need for Pitocin to stimulate labor and greater likelihood of induction working if it’s needed A 2011 study found that women who ate six dates a day for the four weeks leading up to their due date were significantly more dilated2 when they got to the hospital, had a significantly higher rate of intact membranes, were significantly more likely to go into labor spontaneously (i.e., without induction), and had nearly half the length of the first stage of labor. A 2014 study found that women who ate dates from 37 weeks on had greater cervical dilation at admission and higher success rates of labor induction when needed. Another study found that eating dates in pregnancy led to less bleeding immediately after birth. Are there any risks? Dates are delicious, and unfortunately, they are also high in sugar—which means there are concerns about their effects on insulin levels and blood sugar balance. Studies have looked at blood sugar levels in women eating dates this way and have found no significant negative changes; however, this has not been studied in women with diabetes, so if you do have gestational, type 2, or type 1 diabetes, do discuss their use with your midwife or doctor. How much do you take? Based on the studies available to reference, it’s recommended that you eat about 70 to 80 grams (about 2.5 ounces) of red dates daily starting at about 36 or 37 weeks of pregnancy and continuing until labor begins. The 2007 study I mentioned specifies deglet noor dates and suggests that about six to eight per day is the magic number. Medjool dates are likely fine as well but typically are twice as large, so keep it to three to four of those per day.
