An excerpt from: Healing Yourself During Pregnancy by Joy Gardner

Pregnancy Tea

Raspberry leaf tea is a universal remedy for easing childbirth. This tea is used by pregnant women in North America, South America, Europe, and China. Even pregnant cats will stop to nibble raspberry leaves. Pregnant women were drinking this tea long before scientists discovered that it contains a principle called fragine, which relaxes smooth muscle of the uterus, making delivery easier and speedier.

The recommended amount depends on when you begin to use this tea. If you begin in early pregnnacy, you can take one cup of tea per day throughout your pregnancy. If you begin in the second trimester, you'll need two cups per day for the remainder of your pregnancy. If you don't begin until your last trimester, you'll want to drink three cups per day.

Pour 1 cup of boiling water of 1 teaspoon raspberry leaves.
Add 1 teaspoon pepppermint or any other tea you like for flavor.
Let it steep in a covered pot for 5 minutes.
Strain and drink. Add honey of desired.

In the summer, you may want to freeze the sweetened tea in small ice cube trays and then suck on the ice cubes. When used during labor, these raspberry tea popsicles will help to keep your mouth from getting dry.

Late Pregnancy Tea
Many midwives suggest this tea to facilitate delivery. Some herbalists recommend it during the last three months of pregnancy, but I prefer to use them only during the last two weeks, unless an eearly delivery is desired. If there is any suspicion that the baby may be undersized, this tea should not be used, because you want to be sure that the baby will have the maximum time it needs to grow. This is an excellent tea to use during childbirth. Blue cohosh helps to open the uterine os. Raspberry leaf relaxes the smooth muscle of the uterus, and squaw vine relaxes the pelvis, which eases delivery and lessens the chances of tearing.

To make this tea, pour 1 cup boiling water over 1/2 teaspoon each of blue cohosh, squaw vine, raspberry leaf, and peppermint.

The peppermint is used for energy, for flavor, and to prevent the nausea that sometimes occurs with blue cohosh. Cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

Drink one to three cups per day. While you are drinking this tea, you can discontinue your daily cups of raspberry leaf tea. If nausea occurs, or if you feel repulsed by this tea, eliminate the blue cohosh, and use an additional 1/2 teaspoon of squaw vine instead. During labor, drink up to 3 cups per day to facilitate contractions.