As a herbalist, I am astounded at how useful some plants are for humans. And as a midwife, raspberry leaf is definitely one of the top ones for pregnancy, postpartum and all uterine health – from menarche to menopause.

For centuries, indigenous people of North America used raspberry leaf as an extremely effective uterine tonic, but it wasn’t until the 1940s that the Western world began to use it after several reports in medical journals extolled its effects on the uterus and pelvic region.

But there seems to be a persistent untruth about raspberry leaf in current times that just hangs on and on.

Not the sexiest of topics, but a real issue for many women in pregnancy and in the weeks following birth. Constipation can make you feel sick, tired and bloated. But why is it an issue around birth?

Hormones, mostly.