Drinking red raspberry leaf tea doesn’t induce labor. It has not been proven to jumpstart contractions, but it has been proven to make them more powerful and efficient when they start on their own1 . Raspberry leaf tea is known in the herbal world as a “uterotonic,” with its unique ability to “tone” the uterus—it helps the uterus both contract as well as relax. (Essentially, this is exactly what needs to happen during labor.)
Some people don’t love the subtle earthy taste of raspberry leaf tea—it’s quite different from “raspberry tea,” which does not help the uterus in any way. If you do decide to try RRL tea, you can add a sweetener and lemon to your RRL tea to make it more palatable.
Due to the theoretical concern that raspberry leaf tea stimulates the uterus, it’s generally recommended to avoid it until the third trimester. Note: it’s always good to check in with your healthcare team before adding any herbs to your diet.
