Why is Red Raspberry in every pregnancy tea?

Why is Red Raspberry in every pregnancy tea?
Yes, it is THAT raspberry, the same raspberry that you pick the fruit from.  The part that is used in teas are those lush, fuzzy looking leaves.  If you are fortunate enough to live near raspberry bushes, go out and pick some of the new leaves in the springtime before the berries form.

Raspberry is notoriously known for its ability to pucker the tissues tight, making sure that everything inside is tight and toned.  It is also highly prized for its ability to nourish the blood with its vitamins and minerals.

Raspberry is said to help in the way that training for a long distance marathon does.  It helps the uterus stay strong and tight as it stretches and grows.  When the big day comes, the contractions will not fatigue the uterus, the muscles will be prepared to go the distance.  Pairing Raspberry with a soothing and slightly mucilaginous herb like Oatstraw will keep you from getting too dry (astringent herbs may dry you out if you are drinking it regularly).  

The Call To Women's Work

The Call To Women's Work
Have you ever had life literally knock on your door and call you into action?  When I was 24 and living in a rented home, I got a knock on my door one day as I was packing up to move.  The woman showed up and just started talking all about what she did and who she was.  She was a midwife, a word I wasn't even totally sure I understood.  She went on talking about her job and life and I just sat there in awe, soaking it all up. 

 After she left, I was buzzing, I was sold.  I wanted it.  I wanted to do it all, work with women and be a part of the birth world.  I caught the bug, so they say, and started devouring everything I could on homebirth and midwifery care.  

I called up the woman I met and asked her meekly if I could apprentice with her.  I still knew nothing, but I did know I wanted to be a midwife.

I ended up learning from her for just a few short months before I moved to a different city.  At the time, the state I was living in didn't have "legal midwives", so it was extremely difficult to find another midwife to take me on as an apprentice.  All of the ones I found were either too far or weren't practicing anymore.  So, my dreams got put on the back burner, but it never left my heart.  

Over the next few years, I apprenticed with another Midwife for a couple of months before deciding it wasn't a great fit for either of us.  I found another Midwife who wasn't practicing, but taught me the art of taking herbs and making them into salves, balms, bath soaks, and all sorts of other goodies.

A long and windy road led me right back to the beginning many years later when I got pregnant with my first child.  I immediately knew that I would birth her at home with a midwife.  It was beautiful, it was raw, and it showed my heart WHY I want to be a midwife.  I felt so cared for when I was feeling so vulnerable.  
I felt loved and listened to and that is the gift I wish to give back to women.