Midwives react after woman shares secret to 'giving birth in 20 minutes'
A woman has gone viral on TikTok due to claims that she 'gave birth in 20 minutes' after drinking raspberry leaf tea.
"Tell me you drank raspberry leaf tea without telling me you drank raspberry leaf tea," a voiceover says on the video as the woman can be seen in labour. "20 minutes later and she was born," the TikToker adds in the caption.
In a follow up video, the user says: "I drank this tea and pushed for just 20 minutes."
Understandably, the clip gained a lot of attention pretty quickly, with expectant parents flocking to the comments section to find out more about raspberry leaf tea and whether it can induce or ease labour. "Does that actually work? And what kind of raspberry leaf tea?" someone asked, as another TikToker said: "I drank it from 37 weeks and had my son in a minute, one push and he was out."
But not everyone was as convinced. "Raspberry leaf tea is a lie. Started [drinking] at 36 weeks I was in labour for 68 hours," one person said in response to the video, with another putting: "Y’all are getting a little confused, it’s not to induce labour. It’s to help strengthen your uterine walls!"
With so much speculation surrounding the pros and cons of drinking raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy, we spoke to Lesley Gilchrist, registered midwife and co-founder of My Expert Midwife.
Does raspberry leaf tea induce labour?
"Towards the end of their pregnancies women can feel uncomfortable and eager to meet their baby, and this can lead some women to try different ways and methods to kickstart labour so they can meet their baby sooner," Gilchrist tells us. "Although this might sound tempting, it is always best to do your research to see if [these hacks] work, and more importantly, are safe for you and your baby."
Gilchrist explains that throughout history, raspberry leaf tea – a vitamin and mineral rich, caffeine-free drink – has been associated with helping women (and period-having people) cope with period pains and has also been linked with helping women to labour effectively.
However, she notes that studies have not found enough evidence to support the theory that raspberry leaf tea can induce labour, but rather "to tone the uterine muscle to enable it to contract more effectively once labour begins."
Is raspberry leaf tea safe to drink during pregnancy?
"Some women start drinking raspberry leaf tea in their third trimester, but you should not use raspberry leaf to try to get your labour going," explains pregnancy and baby charity Tommy's. "If you suddenly start taking it when you’re due or overdue, it may cause excessively strong contractions, which can cause your baby distress."
"If you want to try raspberry leaf tea, it’s recommended you start taking it around 32 weeks pregnant," the charity adds. "You can take raspberry leaf in tablet form as well as drinking it as a tea."
But, that's not to say that every expectant parent should drink this tea. "If your pregnancy or medical history has complications, for example if you have previously had uterine surgery or a C-section or vaginal bleeding, it may be better to avoid taking it, so discuss this with your midwife or doctor before you start," Gilchrist advises.
How to safely drink raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy
If you do want to try raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy, follow Gilchrist's recommendations:
Start slowly from 32 weeks by having one cup a day and building up gradually as the weeks progress – don’t start drinking large amounts in late pregnancy
If you feel as though drinking raspberry leaf tea has made Braxton Hicks stronger or too uncomfortable, you may want to reduce your intake or stop drinking it altogether
Raspberry leaf tea can act as a diuretic (reduce your hydration levels) so make sure you stay properly hydrated
This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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