evening primrose oil

[J&C0508]

Ok well i am keen to know who has taken evening primrose oil during pregnancy, how much and when did you start? iv done a bit of research but want to hear from people who have taken it. and raspberry leaf.

I had a c/s with my first, failed to dialate. an read that epo helps soften the cervix.
I also have gestational diabetes, and gbs, dont know if this will affect the epo and rl.

thanks in advance, this may have alreaddy been posted but im not good at working the search out yet.

[photofry7]

Hi there,
I also have gestational diabetes and had GBS last pregnancy (havent been tested with this one yet).

Raspberry leaf and EPO wont affect the GBS.

I found one article saying that raspberry leaf can lower blood sugar levels. I asked my endocrinologist about it and he was happy for me to take it. So far I havent noticed a difference in my BSLs.

Raspberry leaf I started at 32 weeks, 2000mg a day.
At 36 weeks I'll double the dose to 4000mg.day.
This is the dosage I figured out after doing a bit of research - there are a few different ones, this is an average. Depending on which brand of tablets you take, the actual number of pills will differ. I take the Nature's own and take 4 tablets a day.

EPO I have just started at 34 weeks, 1000mg daily (orally).
You can apply it directly to the cervix after 36 weeks.
At 38 weeks I'll increase the dose to 2000mg/day.

[monkeytoes]

Can you taste the EPO when you take the capsules?

The reason I ask is because I took 3 yesterday for the first time and for the rest of the day I had indegestion and could taste the EPO. It was gross. If that's going to happen every time I don't think I will take them.
I have thought about inserting them, but am too scared:o

[J&C0508]

no i cant taste the epo, at least i havent noticed anyway. I have just been booked in for a ceaser cause of he gestational diabetis, much to my disapointment as was determined for a vbac this time, peed of actually. but now am syching (spelling, sorry) myself up to insert the epo cause im gonna try anything to bring on the labour myself before next wed which is when im booked in. so iam unsure of how many to insert. iv been taking them orrally since mon when i found out i was gonna have to have hte ceaser taken 2 in morn and 2 at night. the way i feel now i could take the whole bottle.
and also seriusly contemplating taking the caster oil. Im desperate for the vbac, i am alslo 37+4.

[QTB]

I used both EPO and RLT with my last pregnancy on advice from my midwife...

RLT - from 35weeks, 3-4 cups a day minimum - it tastes horrible though so this time i will be using capsuals

EPO - inserted 2 capsuals (with a pin prick in them) at night before going to sleep from 36weeks.

I had a fantastic birth last time, no tearing, 1push bub, i put it all down to the EPO and RLT so will be doing both again this time! :D

[Ashleigh<3]

Wanted to share my experience with Epc's.

I inserted two-three a night and I'd prop my bum up under a pillow to help it run down along the cervix.

I had a brilliant labour and gave birth in water with no tares.
The midwives commented on my very soft cervix which I thank the EPC's for. :thumbsup:

[neostudded]

I took 6 a day for the last 20 weeks of pregnancy, I highly reccomend it.I didnt get a single stretch mark, or a single tear when giving birth.My labour was very fast (7hours) & I went into labour naturally.My son was extreemly healthy, his cord was twice the normal thickness.The midwifes couldnt get over it...He needed two cord clamps!!!

There is also TONES and TONES of excellent research proving the benifits for fetal brain development.Taking fish oil has been proven to increase the IQ of the unborn baby by 10 percent.They found this out though a huge study early last year involing 8000 families over the course of 8 years.Also in denmark it is law that women take fishoil durning pregnancy and breastfeeding.


:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

I say

[monkeytoes]

no i cant taste the epo, at least i havent noticed anyway. I have just been booked in for a ceaser cause of he gestational diabetis, much to my disapointment as was determined for a vbac this time, peed of actually. but now am syching (spelling, sorry) myself up to insert the epo cause im gonna try anything to bring on the labour myself before next wed which is when im booked in. so iam unsure of how many to insert. iv been taking them orrally since mon when i found out i was gonna have to have hte ceaser taken 2 in morn and 2 at night. the way i feel now i could take the whole bottle.
and also seriusly contemplating taking the caster oil. Im desperate for the vbac, i am alslo 37+4.

jays me boy - I feel for you. I am going for a VBAC too so I know how desparate you must be. Does having Gestational Diabetes put you in a high risk labor category? Or is it the GD as well as the VBAC? Good luck - I hope you go into labor naturally before next week:fingerscrossed:

[Jules16]

Is there a website saying how many of each capsules you should take a day? Will the chemist know? I'm 35 weeks and think I should get started on these.

[J&C0508]

yes it is the g/diabetis thats put a spanner in the works with my planned vbac. although they say it is not a huge baby, the dr thinks there is no more benefit to keep him in there so early delivery is what he wants to do the ob i saw on mon said that he will do a internal on mon and check out my cervix and it was ready they would induce me by breaking my waters and giving me a smal amount of drugs. but i hadnt even sat back down in the waiting room and he called me back said the head ob was not keen on the induction and c/s was what he wanted to do. but he did also say it was up to me so i am seriosly concidering going in there on mon and saying check me out if my cervix os gd i want the induction, after all it my last say. hence the epo to help.

[monkeytoes]

yes it is the g/diabetis thats put a spanner in the works with my planned vbac. although they say it is not a huge baby, the dr thinks there is no more benefit to keep him in there so early delivery is what he wants to do the ob i saw on mon said that he will do a internal on mon and check out my cervix and it was ready they would induce me by breaking my waters and giving me a smal amount of drugs. but i hadnt even sat back down in the waiting room and he called me back said the head ob was not keen on the induction and c/s was what he wanted to do. but he did also say it was up to me so i am seriosly concidering going in there on mon and saying check me out if my cervix os gd i want the induction, after all it my last say. hence the epo to help.

Good luck for Monday. I hope that EPO is working:fingerscrossed:

[NRG75]

with my first son (i was 24 when he was born) i drank raspberry leaf tea (hilde hemmes traditional) 3 x daily in the last trimester. i also did pregnancy yoga regularly. my labour was 7 hrs, with no drugs, just my aromatherapist rubbing my back and adding selected oils in the bath (it wasnt a water birth). that was 8 yrs ago. with my recent birth (5 mths ago) i did the same but only did the yoga at home. still kept up regular walking for exercise but that was about it. Darcy was only a 4 hr labour, again with no drugs, just my mum this time. i still drank the r.l tea. i also drink a breastfeeding tea (from health food shop) now which i find has helped him with slight wind (as obviously it passes through my breastmilk to him). it contains nettle (high in iron), aniseed, fennel, caraway and chamomile. if i was pregnant again i would do exactlly the same as with my 2 boys pregnancies! not sure about epo, although i take capsules now as im vegetarian. i also put flaxseed oil on my breakfast, or you can mix it in with yoghurt. great for boosting your omega 3's and 6's (promotes healthy skin as it contains efa's). oh, i did take castor oil mixed with oj and bicarb to 'help induce' labour with son no.1 but it gave me 4 hrs of diahorrea (?) before i endured a 7 hr labour (would NOT recommend) as i nearly passed out. wouldnt epo have a similar effect??
:flowerz:

[raisingthree]

I've been taking Evening Primrose Oil at night and I want to apply it directly to the cervix from 36 weeks. Without sounding too :o what happens to the capsuals in the morning - do they come out on their own or disolve or:confused:

[photofry7]

The capsules will dissolve - wear a pad tohugh as the oil may leak out if you get up at night to go to the toilet or whatever.

[raisingthree]

Thank you and how many?