Evening Primrose Oil Experiences please

[Thorz300]

So the ladies in my due date group are talking about starting evening primrose oil around 36 weeks along with red raspberry leaf tea. I'm intrigued and was hoping I could find people who could share their stories/experiences with it and if it really helps getting labor moving! I'm hoping to go into labor on my own for the first time. But my induction is scheduled so I want it to happen earlier.

[mommymachine]

Stalking

[Wanting-a-girl]

I would also like to hear some experiences... I never used it with the others but am this time :)

[Dreamofpink]

Great question! Am really hoping for a VBA2C and the only way that'll happen is if I go into labour on my own. Looking forward to the responses. :)

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[queen-bee]

Also interested about evening primrose oil as I've never used it before. I drank
raspberry leaf tea like crazy in the last weeks of my pregnancies, but always went 1 week overdue. Had natural vaginal deliveries, no perineal tears.

[Wanting-a-girl]

I have done the rr tea with my last two and I did go overdue with ds2 but 30 minute labour and ds3 induction at 39 weeks 2 hours and I started the tea at 37 weeks with them... I started it at 30 weeks this time but it's not ment to put you in labour it's ment to make your labour more productive when your in active labour ... Primrose is to soften the cervix as does "cervidil"

[Thorz300]

Hmmmm it looks like a lot of us want to hear stories/experiences with evening primrose oil but no one has any!!! Bummer I was really hoping someone could help us out!

[Wanting-a-girl]

Well I will def give a play by play of my experience while it happens :) I will be starting it in 4 weeks

[Minki4]

My Epo and RL tea experience was great . RL tea from 36wks , Epo from 39wks . Two days before due date woke in night to my show , midwife came to check me about 3.30am , did internal , not much happening and to call her in the morning . Couldn't sleep so showered , straightened hair , make up on, got my son ready for school camp . 7am phoned mum to stay on stand by as probably baby coming today , 7.30am phoned midwife as having a few contractions but not regular or worth timing . 8am abit uncomfortable so ask mum to call round to get son to school camp , midwife arrives at 8.10am , takes one look at me and we r in car off to hospital , arrive there 8.17am and DS3 born 8.29am with a few sucks of gas . Rather proud of that birth story . Midwife said if she had done internal at home we would have stayed put and had a home birth , very lucky with traffic . This was my 3rd birth , 1st overdue and induced , 2nd 2 days over , took RL tea from 37wks and was 2hr labour with gas only also . I think it was the Epo that made 3rd so quick and easy .

Sorry about broken English I'm Typing on my ph .

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[harleyquinn]

I know this doesn't answer your question about EPO or RL, but it is for the same purpose so thought you may find it useful:

Preggies: Eating dates helps you birth easier! (http://www.preggies.org/2011/05/eating-dates-helps-you-birth-easier.html)

[bythestream]

Stalking too.

[sbowman]

I used both with my DS who is two now. I went way overdue, but he was my first so I sorta expected that. I know some of you are on #4. :) All the epo seemed to do for me was soften my cervix. I was only dilated to 1cm on my own before the induction, but was like 75% effaced. Labor went very well, less than twelve hours overall. DS was born at over 8 pounds but I did not need stitches. I don't know if that's due to the epo and rlt or not but I'll be using them again anyway. My only problem with the epo is if you have reflux during pregnancy like me you should not take it orally, or it will make the reflux worse. I used 2-3 capsules inserted vaginally at night from 38 weeks. And drank 2-3 cups of tea every day from about 36 weeks.


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[Wanting-a-girl]

i was just reading something about dates the other day... need to further investigate that... seems like something easy to try... i think maybe i just have naturaly fast labours... my first was 10 hours which i hear is good for a first... but i would rather feel like im being productive... i usually dilate up to 5 cm in my last 5 weeks...

[zem7]

My experience with EPO. I used it for my last two pregnancies (numbers 3 and 4). Just to help clear up some things for you ladies if you do not know. EPO is not supposed to put you into labor what so ever. Its purpose is to help soften your cervix, and prepare you for labor, not start it. Ok, in both pregnancies I started taking 2 by mouth at 35 weeks, at 37 weeks I started inserting 1 as close to my cervix every night (using a pad, when it dissolves it can be messy!). At 38 weeks I started to insert 2, that is the most I ever did, some people start to insert 3, but my midwife told me to stick with just the 2 and still 2 by mouth. With both I was, by choice, induced close to 39 weeks. I was never less than 3 cm dilated and 80-90 % effaced. In my opinion I think it works great. I had short labors, have my birth stories on here if you want to look them up. This time I am going to start both EPO by mouth and also start 5W Formula at 35 weeks upping it according to how I did with the last EPO and how to bottle says in the 5W.

[Kitty0911]

I used EPO and RL tea with my last baby. I drank rl tea from 30 weeks on and then a very strong "cocktail" of it while I was in labor. I did the EPO from 36 weeks on, but only vaginally. My labor was very quick and I think the tea is why. Once I drank that cocktail my contractions went from moderate to severe in no time (think 30 minute labor). I only took the EPO to prevent a second cervical tear and to loosen up the scar tissue from the last one. I thankfully did not tear even though I dilated very quickly. With this next baby I plan on only doing the EPO and just having the rl cocktail ready just in case I feel like speeding my labor up a bit...

[Wanting-a-girl]

One thing with the tea I noticed Is that it's amazing during and after labour... I didn't drink it during or after with ds2 and I had the worst after pains! With ds3 I drank it during and after and I didn't get any!

[sbowman]

That's good to know about the tea. I will have to remember that for my next baby.


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[NewYorkmom]

I used them from 36 weeks on for all 4 of my children. I inserted a few pierced gel tablets vaginally before going to bed. My doctor always said my cervix was very soft/ripe after I started using them. It did not put me into full blown labor though.

[Thorz300]

Thanks ladies!! I know it doesn't put you into labor, but I think I'll try it to help move things along before and during labor. And raspberry leaf tea sounds like a good idea for post labor and delivery as well.