Raspberry Leaves and Primrose oil in pill form combo?

Has anyone has experience with these two herbs? Did they help soften your cervix for an easier delivery?





Any stories about your experience is greatly appreciated.





P.s. I know that there are women out there who are strongly agianst using these herbs in pregnancy, and thats fine but please dont answer this question b/c believe me I already know there are different opinions about using herbs. :) Thanks in adavnce

Raspberry Leaves and Primrose oil in pill form combo?
I'm not sure about the primrose oil but i am 3 months pregnant and i drink raspberry leaf tea every day to help with nausea. My mom told me that it DOES make delivery much easier as well. I know people look down on the herbs during pregnancy but it has definitely helped me so far, not to mention my mom swore by raspberry tea during every pregnancy and she had 4 perfectly healthy babies and absolutely no complications with any of us and all easy deliveries. My dad also knows everything about any herb you can think of and he has home remedies for any problem you have and everything he has ever helped me with works! He says it not only helps you during pregnancy but its good for you too. I don't know about your parents but I have come to learn weather I like it or not mine are always right!! Sorry i didn't have an answer for the primrose oil. Good Luck!!!
Reply:With any supplement in pregnancy, herbal or otherwise, don't take it unless you have your doctor's approval.
Reply:Raspberry Leaf tea is used as a uterine tonic usually taken around the third trimester of pregnancy. I had some Raspberry Leaf tea and took that throughout these last few weeks, but I ran out of it! Contrary to popular belief, people who say it brings on labor are not well informed because it does not. It helps strengthen the uterus. My doc said it was okay to take, so it must be alright. I don't know about pill form, but the tea was yummy and he's more of a natural doc than anything.
Reply:Red Raspberry Leaf tones the uterus, it does not soften the cervix. I've been using it this time and I don't have the same problems with an irritable uterus I had last time, but I haven't given birth yet. ;-)





Raspberry leaf Rubus idaeus L. [Rosaceae]





As a pregnancy tonic, raspberry leaf is widely known, as it has a long, well-documented history of use by pregnant women in China, Europe, and North America (Lieberman, 1995). Steeped in boiling water, the fresh or dried leaves make a nutritionally rich, flavourful tea that is said to nourish and tone the gravid uterus. In addition, "for centuries, women prone to miscarriage have been urged to drink raspberry leaf tea throughout their pregnancy to help them carry the baby to term" (Duke, 1997). This recommendation may reflect the role of nutrition in preventing complications such as miscarriage, postpartum hemorrhage, and premature or postdate labour (Cryns, 1995;Hudson, 1999;Parsons et al., 1999;Romm, 1997;Scott, 1998;Weed, 1986). The herb contains vitamins A, B complex, C, and E (Lipo, 1996;Weed, 1986) as well as calcium, iron, phosphorus, and potassium (Weed, 1986). Magnesium and manganese are also present in high levels (Pedersen, 1998;Belew, 1999) as are selenium, tin, and aluminum (Pedersen, 1998).





The tannins, polypeptides, and flavonoids in raspberry leaves account for the herb's astringent, stimulating, and soothing properties (Bartram, 1998;Grieve, 1971;Hobbs and Keville, 1998). Of particular medicinal interest is an alkaloid isolated in 1941 and identified as fragarine, an inhibitor of uterine action(Whitehouse, 1941). In the popular literature, fragarine (also called fragine, fragrine, or fragerine) is described as toning the uterine and pelvic muscles, thereby facilitating an easy childbirth (Bartram, 1998;Hudson, 1999;Lieberman, 1995;Romm, 1997;Weed, 1986).





The uterine stimulant and relaxant effects of raspberry leaf have been demonstrated in laboratory animals (Whitehouse, 1941); (Burn and Withell, 1941) but have not been studied in rigorous human trials. A recent retrospective study of raspberry leaf tea in childbearing women found a decreased likelihood of premature or overdue labour and of medical intervention in labour (Parsons et al., 1999). The herb is not implicated in any childbirth complications, and no evidence of long-term toxic or teratogenic effects has been found (McFarlin et al., 1999). Nevertheless, in view of its stimulant effect on the uterus, the tea is sometimes recommended only in the third trimester (Bartram, 1998;Grieve, 1971;Hobbs and Keville, 1998); Whitehouse, 1941; (Balch and Balch, 1990;Burn and Withell, 1941;McFarlin et al., 1999;Ody, 1999), although use throughout pregnancy, often with progressively increasing dosage, has been advocated by herbalists and midwives (Gardner, 1987;Lieberman, 1995;Romm, 1997). Brinker (1998) lists raspberry leaf as contraindicated in women who have a history of very fast labours.


http://currantsandspice.fateback.com/ton...





"Red Raspberry leaf does not start labor or promote contractions.It is NOT an emmenagogue or oxytocic herb. What it does is help strengthen the pelvic and uterine muscles so that once labor does start the muscles will be more efficient."


http://konzababy.tripod.com/RRL.htm





The first study is a retrospective observational study of 108 mothers over a 6 month period (Jan-July 1998). Of this group, 57 women (52.8%) consumed raspberry leaf products (tea or tablets) during their pregnancy and 51 women (47.2%) did not (being the control group). Most of the women taking raspberry leaf started doing so at some stage between 28 and 34 weeks of the pregnancy, but a few started as early as 8 weeks and others as late as 39 weeks. The study could not identify any side effects from taking raspberry leaf and it indicated that the herb may help prevent women having a premature or overdue baby and may be less likely to need an artificial rupture of their membranes (breaking the waters by the caregiver). They were also less likely to require a caesarean section, forceps or vacuum birth than the women in the control group. (Parsons 1999)


http://www.birth.com.au/class.asp?class=...





The second study was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 192 first time mothers (average age 28.5 years) who had their babies between May 1999 and February 2000. One group of women took raspberry leaf tablets (1, 200mg twice per day) from 32 weeks of their pregnancy until labour started and the control group took a placebo. There were no identified side effects for either mother or baby, but contrary to popular belief, it did not shorten the 1st stage of labour. The only clinically significant findings were a shortening of the 2nd stage of labour (by about 10 minutes), a lower rate of forceps deliveries (19.3% vs. 30.4%) and less chance of Caesarean (62.4% vs. 50.6%) for the women who took raspberry leaf. Both groups of women experienced similar occurrences of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. (Simpson et al. 2001)


http://www.birth.com.au/class.asp?class=...





Researchers in Australia analyzed the safety and effectiveness of raspberry leaf tablets on the duration of labor. In the study of pregnant women, they could not identify any adverse effects for either the mothers or their babies. They did find that women who ingested raspberry leaf might be less likely to receive a Cesarean section, and observed a 35 percent reduction in forceps deliveries for women using raspberry leaf, compared to other women.





In another double-blind, randomized trial, the use of raspberry leaf tablets by women in their last month of pregnancy was associated with a significant shortening of stage-two labor, but not of stage one.


Researchers in Australia analyzed the safety and effectiveness of raspberry leaf tablets on the duration of labor. In the study of pregnant women, they could not identify any adverse effects for either the mothers or their babies. They did find that women who ingested raspberry leaf might be less likely to receive a Cesarean section, and observed a 35 percent reduction in forceps deliveries for women using raspberry leaf, compared to other women.





In another double-blind, randomized trial, the use of raspberry leaf tablets by women in their last month of pregnancy was associated with a significant shortening of stage-two labor, but not of stage one.





There has been research on the effects of raspberry leaf extracts on animals and on women in the first week after birth (Burn %26amp; Withell, 1941; Whitehouse, 1941). Raspberry leaf was found to cause a relaxant effect on the uterus. It was believed that this relaxant effect caused the uterine contractions of labour to become better coordinated and more efficient, thus shortening the length of labour. It is also commonly assumed that women who take raspberry leaf throughout labour will have an improved second and third stage of labour. Consequently there is supposed to be a reduced risk of bleeding after birth.


http://www.birthsource.com/scripts/artic...
Reply:LEVEL 2 BABY!!