The Final Push

Will Raspberry leaf make my baby come early?

The short answer is no. There's no real evidence to show that drinking raspberry leaf when you're overdue will kick things off. Instead, the evidence shows that it can lead to a shorter second stage and fewer interventions when you're delivering your baby. This is why we recommend drinking it as part of your birth preparation from 32 weeks.

When should I start drinking this tea?

You can start drinking raspberry leaf tea at 32 weeks. We recommend having 1 cup a day from 32 weeks, 2 cups from 33 weeks, and a maximum of 3 cups from 33 weeks until your baby arrives. 

How much Raspberry Leaf is in this tea?

It is 40% raspberry leaf and 60% peppermint. This is to give a natural sweetness to balance the flavour, and the peppermint  can also help heartburn, which is a major issue for many women at the end of pregnancy. Also, the raspberry leaf we use is whole leaf, so you can get more of it's benefits compared to dust, which is found in a normal tea bag, this can lose its goodness to the air quickly after production. 

Are there any occasions when you should not drink Raspberry Leaf Tea?

If you're pregnant, there are a few occasions not to drink raspberry leaf. We recommend talking to your midwife or healthcare provider for specific guidance if you have any concerns.

How is Get Up & Glow a good alternative to caffeine?

Like the fresh fruits that they’re made from, the fruit in our Get Up and Glow blend have lots of health benefits. They contain a variety of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. The grapes, hibiscus flowers and rosehip peels, all contain vitamin C which will help your immune system and help to protect you picking up colds – horrific in pregnancy.

The natural, low levels of sugar that naturally occur in the fruit infusion will also give you a pick up when you need it, without flooding your system with sugar.

It’ll have you revitalised, refreshed and ready to get up and glow whether you’re pregnant, or a hard working mum.

Is hibiscus safe in pregnancy?

The short answer is yes - the NHS has no issues with hibiscus in pregnancy, but recommends not drinking more than 3 cups a day.

Google might terrify you and say that it's dangerous.  But this is based on an animal study, where mice were given a huge quantity and had problems. This sounds scary, but bear in mind - the mice are given 1g of hibiscus per kg weight. This is the equivalent of a woman weighing 60kg eating 60g of hibiscus a day. One of our Get Up & Glow tea bags weighs 2.5g and has 10% hibiscus in (0.25g). You will only get around 60% of the polyphenols in the tea bag in an infusion, so per bag, 0.15g max is extracted. You'd therefore need to drink 400,000 cups a day to have the same dose and risk a similar effect (even if our bodies are different).

Study summary here: https://www.contraceptionjournal.org/article/0010-7824(86)90061-2/fulltext.  So providing you don’t reach this level of hibiscus in your diet, you can definitely continue to enjoy the tea.

Milk's Up tea

How many cups should I have a day?

We recommend having up to 3-4 cups a day. Combine this with pumping to establish your milk supply. NHS guidelines recommend a maximum 4 cups of any one herbal tea a day. *The impact of natural herbs will vary person to person.

Why are these herbs used to support my milk flow?

Fenugreek, fennel, aniseed, and even oats, are all galactagogues, which have all been used historically to support breastfeeding. No one 100% knows why, but lab studies link an active component - diosgenin, to help breastfeeding. 

What is the research behind the blend?

Whilst there is extremely limited standardised and empirical evidence into the efficacy of herbs in helping lactation and milk supply, some key herbs have been used for centuries to assist women who are struggling, especially in India and the Middle East. Fennel and Fenugreek in particular have been used by breastfeeding women for hundreds of years to increase milk supply. The seeds contain phytoestogens which mimic your female hormone, oestrogen. Nettle and anise have also been linked to helping breast milk, but the research is more limited here. Read a more in depth summary of research here.