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  | gossamer   Senior Member
 
   
 
 Joined: 06 February 2009
 Points: 187
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Topic: 5W tablets Posted: 12 December 2009 at 6:43pm
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   Hi, just wanting your opinions or experiences with 5W tablets...I drank red raspberry leaf tea with my first bub (heaps of it) and had a very quick natural labour, 2 wks before due date, so I am quite a big believer in herbs, and I have noticed a lot of people on here use 5W.
 Just wanted to check up on it because of the ingredients, two of which are Dong Quai Root and Black Cohosh. Both of these are considered "not safe for pregnancy" if you search them up...I guess im trying to work out, is this more in reference to early pregnancy, because of their effectiveness in toning the uterus? Therefore being safe in the last 5 wks, as this is the effect you are after?
 
 I know you cant always trust google but there is so much conflicting info that I thought I would ask from what you have tried and if you have been advised anything by your doctors/midwives..Im going to ask mine at my next appt as well, but wondered what the general opinion was. :) Thanks!!!
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     T (6)
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 Our angel baby Sep 2011
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  | girly_girl   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 24 May 2009
 Location: Orewa, NZ
 Points: 4736
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 13 December 2009 at 9:14pm | 
 
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   Didn't want to read and run...I have heard of 5W but never used it - a good friend of mine put me onto Artemis pregnancy tea which serves a similar purpose. Perhaps look into that as well?
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  | surfergirl   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 27 July 2007
 Location: Christchurch
 Points: 631
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 13 December 2009 at 10:02pm | 
 
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   I used it - no side affects, but no natural birth either due to DD being breech! I *think* you're right about the 'not safe' stuff - it's not safe during early preg, as you don't want to beng on labour then! | 
 
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  | monikah   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 30 March 2008
 Location: Wellington
 Points: 4085
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 14 December 2009 at 7:50am | 
 
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   yup i used that and Rasberry leave tea. had a relatively easy 4 hours birth once i was established but had a partial epidural cos bubs was posterior. he came out in one push and i went home a few hours later so ill be taking them again just in case
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  | HuntersMama   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 09 November 2008
 Location: Auckland
 Points: 1863
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 14 December 2009 at 8:31pm | 
 
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   I will be looking into all these remedies! I hadnt really given them much thought but with my EDD slowly getting closer I need to get sorted out    | 
 
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  | Ant   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 22 April 2009
 Points: 514
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 15 December 2009 at 12:32pm | 
 
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   I've been taking the 5W - not sure how we'll they're working since I haven't had the baby yet but thought I'd mention something I have found.
 First off - I've had morning sickness the whole time, and a lot of heartburn now. I suspect most sickness now is because of heartburn and reflux rather than real morning sickness.
 I'm following the thing of 1 a day for the first week, 2 for the second week etc. Once I got to 3 or more tablets with my breakfast I was more often than not sick afterwards. And I reliably brought the tablets back up (and man... was that nasty!).
 I suspect the tablets are too dry or something in those quantities. I've changed to taking 2 with brekkie, 2 with lunch etc, and things are going much better.
 Just a heads up in case anyone else has similar problems    | 
 
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  | toniellis   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 01 January 1900
 Location: Kaukapakapa
 Points: 1314
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 15 December 2009 at 3:19pm | 
 
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   I used 5W very successfully for my last pregnancy.
My midwife at the time explained that the "stuff to avoid" in 5W was to be avoided during early pregnancy & also not to be taken seperately. Something to do with the preparation being balanced for proper affects.
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     Mum to Alex (11), Blaire (10) & Erika (8) and Damien (6)
 Successful HWB VBA2Cs!
 Soon to be surrogate
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  | gossamer   Senior Member
 
   
 
 Joined: 06 February 2009
 Points: 187
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 16 December 2009 at 8:29pm | 
 
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   Thanks for all of your experiences :)
 im using raspberry leaf tea like last time, and i had a very quick birth last time, but im just looking to make sure i do everything i can to make this labour as efficient as possible! I have a feeling the warnings re the herbs must just mean for early preg. It would make sense.
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     T (6)
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 Our angel baby Sep 2011
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  | BuzzyB   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 28 October 2009
 Points: 260
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 18 December 2009 at 11:07pm | 
 
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   From memory, there's a warning on the raspberry leaf tea (the Twinings one anyway) saying not to use before 36 weeks, so yeah I think the warnings are to do with uterine contractions.  Maybe chat to your MW?
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  | High9   Senior Member
 
   
   
 Joined: 14 July 2009
 Location: North Island
 Points: 6750
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 19 December 2009 at 12:04am | 
 
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   My mw said you aren't allowed to use any of the 5w tablets, EPO or the raspberry leaf tea until you are 36 weeks at least and for the tea to work you have to drink at least 6 cups a day!! 
 Also re the ingredients that are in the 5w tablets that you are meant to avoid, the lady at the health store told my MIL its only if u have them separate and u need to eat a tonne of it for it to be bad but they have the warning just to be on the safe side.
 
 I'd say chat to your mw but some mw's are against using these things.
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  | gossamer   Senior Member
 
   
 
 Joined: 06 February 2009
 Points: 187
 |  Post Options  Thanks(0)  Quote  Reply  Posted: 20 December 2009 at 8:43pm | 
 
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   Yea, i truly believe in the tea (and i drink tons of it) but I started at 32 weeks just one cup and am building up to when ill be taking heaps from 36 onwards. I did this last time too. But like you said nkap9, some midwives are against some things and I spoke to mine last week, she said she personally only recommends the tea, other than that she thinks herbs are very strong and she recommended I avoid them. 
 So much conflicting info but I think I will stick to my tea :)
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     T (6)
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 Our angel baby Sep 2011
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